Fresholi | Melting Pot Café

Hi guys,

I've been a lurker her for a few days but I thought I'd say hi formally.

I've not yet made any soaps but I've planned to book on a course in London in February all about making my own soaps. After christmas I plan to experminent with melt and pour to give me an idea of the process and I am really looking forward to it.

The idea of making something special and packaging it well really appeals to me and the idea is that by the time my sone goes to school (in a few years) I'll be experienced enough to sell some of my soaps to the public - making them when he's at school.

That's the plan anyway. Who knows, it might just work out.

This site is great, and I've been enjoying all your 'show off' photos. I'm very impressed, if a little daunted.

Polly.

Hi Polly!

Nice to meet someone from the London area...I will be on the London/Kent border in 4 more sleeps so if you ever want a play date let me know!!....I am new to the board too, and everyone is really friendly and helpful...I hope you have great fun on your soaping journey!


M

Welcome Polly.
You'll enjoy this place, kind and knowledgeable people.  :buttrf:

Hello Polly

There's loads of info and inspiration here and you won't get shouted at for asking questions as there isn't a FAQ (we did attempt to start one some time back).

Hello and welcome!

Sounds like you have a plan and there is no reason why it won't work out!  Don't be surprised if you get pretty addicted though  :mwaha:

Hiya and welcome

I am also glad to see someone else from London. I am on the London/Kent/Surrey border myself (otherwise known as Croydon), I think we should all meet up for some coffee soon  :buttrf:

Cheers
Sabine

Hi,
Thank you for your replies.

Sorry, I'm not based in London, but here in sunny Ayrshire! The soap course in London will be tagged on to the end of a long weekend's well earned break!

I've read that making soaps becomes a passion, goodness, all I've been doing lately is reading about it, so heaven help family life once i start making soaps.

It's good to hear from  you all and hopefullt you'll all be kind when i ask newbie questions.
Polly

Hi Pollyanna, I'm closer to you then. Just up the coast and across the Clyde in Cardross.
Same goes here, if you need some help just yell (but do it loudly, technically you are round the corner from me and I might not hear you  ;))
Welcome aboard and enjoy the forum  ;D

Thanks Corrie,

With a 2 year old son, my shouting skills are FA  ;D

That was meant to say FAB

Welcome pollyanna! It's such a lovely forum, so many knowlegeable people. Know all about the shouting thing, 2 1/2 year old and 1 year old!

Hiya and welcome. Shout as much as you like, but i've got 4 kids so not sure I'll hear ya. Enjoy your course, you will be assimillated.
My hubby will get excited when he gets in the door from work and actually smell food cooking, it's a rarity for him though. :mwaha:

Eire

Hi Pollyanna, Welcome to the forum!!  Enjoy!  Your idea sounds like a reasonable and a very realistic one for sure!  You'll get there for sure!  lots of great advice on here so make the most of it. X

Yeah, very sensible. I haven't waited until mine start school and I'm typing this left handed w a wriggly baby on my knee!  :mwaha:

welcome pollyanna :)

Hi, Nakedtruthbeauty -

don't mention wriggly babies as I'm in a broody stage at the moment! I saw a beautiful 3 day old baby yesterday and almost changed my mind about just having the one.

Thanks all for being so welcoming - it's good to know that when someone has a passion, they are eager to share their hard earned knowledge. BUt brace yourselves cos when i get my melt and pour kit for Xmas, i'll be one here non-stop asking for advice.

 :hhijjack: Ooh pollyanna! 2 is crazy. Fun but crazy. I had mine silly closely together and it's been a hectic few months but little un is one now and it's getting easier. Wouldn't swap it tho. My sis has just had her first and he's gorgeous. He's only 24 hours old and I'm smitten. However, still have no desire to have more. 2 will do me just fine. Let us know when you've got news to share  ;)

Hi Polly,

Welcome to the forum.  Lovely to hear your enthusiasm, I'm sure as you get inspired by the guys here you will fit to burst wanting the course to come sooner  :)

I have two, a girl who's 9 and one who is 6 today (bless him, happy birthday N).  I think we all are immune to shouting by now  :mwaha:

I look forward to chatting with you more around the boards  :buttrf:

Hey from me too Polly!  :hi: Glad you've joined up. I'm fairly new to the board too, and I cannot tell you how much I have learnt from all these very clever ladies and gents!

I have kids too - a 2.5 and a 4.5 year old. Both are WELL aquainted with my shouting skills.  :mwaha:

You said you're doing a course in London. Please can I ask with whom? I love to know about where and what courses are out there. And please, let us know what you thought of it when you've been!

Hope you enjoy this forum as much as I do.  ;D xxx

Hi again,

the course i was about to book was the Melinda Coss one on Feb 28th next year, but I've emailed Keilly at Mad about Nature to see if she has any spaces (I've seem her posts on here). I've tried in vain to see a course nearer home, in Scotland even, but unless I'm looking in the wrong places, there doesn't seem to be any.

Of course I let you know how i got on and what I thought of it. I'm really excited about going on a course, wherever it is.

One thing that puzzles me, maybe it's a Scottish thing, but there are very few, if any, soap stalls at craft fairs here. The one i was at today in Glasgow's merchant city had no soap stall at all, which really suprised me. So either there is a huge gap in the market just waiting to be filled, or other people have tried and it wasn't worth their while.

One thing that puzzles me, maybe it's a Scottish thing, but there are very few, if any, soap stalls at craft fairs here. (http://One thing that puzzles me, maybe it's a Scottish thing, but there are very few, if any, soap stalls at craft fairs here.)

Well Corrie can't be verywhere!!

There are quite a few soapers around Scotland but many are along way from anywhere.

We saw hardly any handmade soap in the shops and visitor centres in Ayrshire when we were up there on holiday in June (and you wouldn't be treading on Corrie's toes if you styed south of the firth).

I've seen Corrie's list of craft fair dates - very impressive and might even pop into her one in Glasgow.

Now you mention it, even the gifts shops that I've been in don't really stock soaps. Might need to start cracking on making soaps sooner than  planned ;D

Ayrshire can be very pretty in parts, other parts really not so pretty, I hope you had a nice time and saw some lovely parts of the countryside and some of the nicer beaches.

Polly, if you want a day to learn pre your course, feel free to contact me. I only do CP & HP soap and whole lot of other things but I'd be happy to help you. I've been making soap for nearly 3 years and don't proclaim to know everything but I can get you started.
Sometimes finding fairs around where I am is difficult, out of the Xmas season, I've had loads of requests in the past few weeks but really I need a steady stream through the year. Also finding ones that are well attended is tricky. I tried the Troon one (well didn't) as I got a very snappy email from the people who run it saying they were fully booked....what forever? It's not an easy way to make money but if you can mix between doing fairs and selling into shops it can be done, plus it feeds a passion  ;D

Hi Corrie,

I second the snotty attitude from the Troon guys. To get me started I though I would sell other people's soaps (natural ones that are homemade by a woman in Cambridge) and was told the same - fully booked for all of 2010. I asked to be put on the waiting list for 2011, as by then I should be making my own soaps well enough, and was told NO. But my sister who seels jewellery was put on the list AFTER i was refused.

The guy ALex who probably sent you the email sells the soaps at the Troon craft fair!  >:( Bitter? Me?  ;D

Thanks for the offer of learning with you, and it is something I am interested in. With Christmas coming up and everyone being busy, I will contact you after the holidays, or I might see you at the Glasgow fair in the west end - if I'm free, I'll come by and say hello.
 Thank you again for your kind offer. I'll be in touch.

Polly

Me neither! But the reply was so abrupt I did wonder if someone close to him (or himself) sold soap. Thanks for confirming my suspicion, not really a good way to run an oganisation is it?! Don't allow another soap maker, talk about cornering the market! I might email them again just to be a pain  ;)
Pop in to Oran Mor if your free, it would be great to meet you!

 :mwaha:
Go for it. It will be interesting to know what he replies!

Welcome Pollyanna, I didn't get a chance to say it yet!!!  :buttrf:

Hi Polly

Hello and Welcome, its a lovely place around here, I have just started too, and its very enjoyable and addictive, I cannot tell you how much my skin has improved since I started making my own soap. 

I also have kids 3, aged 3, 9 and 14.  Teenager and toddler all wrapped up together.  Fun and games at our house!!

Happy Halloween !!

Hi Pollyanna & welcome  :)

Hi Pollyanna - welcome to the forum :buttrf:
I think Corrie would be an excellent teacher for you - her stuff is inspirational and I'm sure you could learn a lot from her - sorry not had a chance to email you back yet - have been rushed off my feet and I can't take on any more workshop until January now.
Have fun on here though and pick up as much info as possible from here and that will help you out when you do start ;D :buttrf:

Thanks everyone, you've all made me feel really welcome, especially has I haven't yet made one soap bar!

I'll be sure to keep you posted though when I do. I've decided I can't wait till Xmas to start so I'm ordering a melt and pour kit this week.

Keilly, thanks for replying - i appreciate that at this time of year, soapers are all really busy  :)

Polly

Welcome I hope you enjoy your course.

Hi Pollyanna   :hi:
Welcome to the friendliest forum around..........in no time at all you will be making boat loads of soap!!
I am just about to go public, (well..teetering on the edge a bit) and  having been practicing and playing for 2 years or more.

Soaping is great for those Mums who need some "me time".  I have a 21 yo who left home then came back, a 16 yo and as if that wasn't enough decided to start again and have a 6 yo! Shouting is his favourite past time, and there is NO peace here!!!  Hiding in my SK works well for me LOL.........

Hello!
I'm new too, and in Scotland! I've done a little m&p but none of the scary lye chemical reaction stuff  :o I'd totally be up for a little crash course, but am on the east coast... anyone else around here?
I know there is one soapy stall at the farmers markets, can't remember their names though. Are you here?  :mwaha:

BTW they are lovely round here. I've been looking for a knowledgeable uk forum for ages, and I'm so glad to be here!

Hi Walnut grove - I'm in East Ayrshire (not the most scenic of places).

I know what you mean about the scary lye stuff - I'm going to be trying M&P first before i get into that! Though from the piccies I've seen on here, it's definetly worth the effort.

Have you made much M&P yet? How easy is it getting the colour/fragrance right? What moulds do you use?
(Sorry, loads of questions - I'm tired but can't sleep and my brain is going into overdrive.)

Polly

Oh dear! This is a bad sign that you can't sleep for thinking about soap before you've made any!
If you are going to start with M&P, I have a lot of stuff, moulds, colours, FO's that you'd be welcome to have. They are cluttering up my soap cupboard. Let me know if you are interested.

That's a lovely offer, Corrie, and very much appreciated.  :)
If you would like to send a PM with your details and what you would like for the goodies, please do so. I can;t make it on Dec 5th to the Craft fair in Glasgow as I'm helping my sister with hers (her business partner is busy). I was really looking forward to meeting you.

And thinking about soap? Let's just say my son has seen far more CBeebies the past few weeks than he should as I spend time looing at the internet! As long as it's not Postman Pat, we're both happy (for some reason he HATES that programme).

Thanks again Corrie.

hi there, welcome and glad to meet you!

I am in Spain, formerly of the UK, and before that, was born and raised in the US. I have really learned a lot on this forum. Everyone is very friendly and encouraging.

sigh, i've just deleted my whole post so i've got to do it again  :-\ :-\

Right. I'm in Dundee, which isn't too picturesque either  :angl:

My 1 attempt at m&p was not a success. I added some eo to the base and it was pretty rank. I wasn't too impressed with the lather either, but didn't know if I was supposed to add something else to it. I used some massage bar moulds which was ok though  :)
But I've been inspired by this forum to give it another go! Especially instructions for a harlequin soap for the kids Christmas presents :)

Do you, or anyone else, know if m&p is a glycerine soap? I see adverts for grycerine soap and wondered if that's what its called in the outside world  :buttrf:

That's right WG, it is glycerin soap  :)

Keep at it because I am sure you will have loads of fun once you have mastered it  ;)

lol @ WG
Dundee isn't that bad! Have some relatives in Kirriemuir, though have to say I don't know Dundee that well, so won't argue  ;)
Polly, will dig out the M&P stuff I have over the weekend and give you a shout.