Author Archives: Lisa Chouinard
Saturday afternoon the power came back on! I spent Sunday printing labels (for hours!) for all the new soaps that I have made for you, and will be taking pictures of them so you can see what I am talking about! I can’t wait to get back to work!
I’ve also been firming up my market dates. Here’s what I have scheduled so far:
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Upcoming Events
October 11th Midtown Farmers Market |
In Houston, instead of “How are you?” people are asking “Do you have power at your place yet?” I don’t. I don’t mind not having electricity personally (It’s been a week), but it’s hard to run an immersion blender (the thing I mix soap with) without power. I might have to move the soapmaking operation to another site, but I’m hoping it won’t come to that. 77006 is on the “might get power today” list. Yesterday I made a batch of lavender vanilla lotion bars on the stove. (double boiler) This afternoon I’ll be making chocolate bon bon soaps on the stove to restock the Indie Fixx Shop. Thankfully I have running water, gas and sunlight for a couple of hours when I get home from the hospital. My soapy intern Sarah doesn’t have power either (77098) at her house, but she’s coming in to work with me for a couple of hours. What a trooper! I am so thankful to have help in the shop.
As soon as I can, I will have pictures up of the new soaps I have made for you! Lemongrass Sage, Coconut Lemongrass, Oakmoss Sandalwood, Pearberry, Black Forest & Frasier Fir are just a few new soaps I have made that need pictures added to the site, but are in stock and ready to ship now.
The Feto Soap workspace did not sustain any damage! We are without power, but still able to process orders, so if you were thinking about holding off on your order because of Hurricane Ike, don’t! The United States Postal Service has been running regularly since Monday so your soapy orders are still able to go out. I have a cell phone with internet and am able to charge it in the car when the battery runs low.
Betcha didn’t know we make foaming hand soap here at feto soap! It’s not a listed item! But we do make it by request. If you have a special request for us, don’t be shy! Just ask! We love custom work.
…after I got home from happy hour! I designed new labels for the feto soap line of candles!
Sarah the Intern came over Saturday and we made some new soaps:Â Sandalwood Vanilla, Berry Wine & Zinfandel.
Teresa at Hello Lucky took some pictures of my handmade soap with one of her models! Hello Lucky carries artist designed men’s women’s and kid’s t-shirts, jackets, skirts, jewelry for guys and gals, local honey, hot sauce, soaps, candles, vanilla sugar, cutting boards, cards and some vintage products like bags and buckles.
I love making and using this soap. I grind coffee beans, melt cocoa butter and stir in poppy seeds for exfoliation. I use a special secret mix of vanillas and it makes my whole workspace smell wonderful! This is one of the Bigger Batches of soap I made over the weekend. The log of soap is 17 and a half inches tall and currently weighs 5.8 pounds! It’s been sliced up into 17 and a half bars (the half bar will go into someone’s order as a sample).
I made this soap a few weeks ago but pulled the wrong mold, (the 5 & 6 lb mold look really similar) so I ended chopping about a 1/2 in from each bar from that log so they could fit into my boxes! Not this time! After they cure for 4 weeks they will fit perfectly into my brown kraft boxes.
I admit it. I make most of my soap in tiny two-pound batches. I do this so I can make many different scents and still have room to walk around my workspace. But this weekend I made some of my more popular soap in 5 – 6 lb batches.
One of the batches of soap I made was my Blackberry Sage Shea Butter Handmade Soap in my new 18-bar mold. This yummy smelling soap will available in a month! Cold Process Soap takes a few weeks to cure and is totally worth the wait.
I recently attended the first Houston Soapmakers Meetup. One of the questions that came up was how to rebatch soap. There are many ways to rebatch soap. I’m going to share my favorite method with you.
Supplies
Handmade Soap (either in block form or shreds)
Cheese Grater or Knife (not electric one, leave electric cheese graters for cheese)
Water or Aloe Vera Juice (or liquid of choice)
Fragrance or Essential Oil (not required, but this is what adds the scent to the soap.)
Microwavable Rice Cooker
Microwave
Molds for your soap. I prefer log molds when I rebatch – more on that in a minute.
Large Spoon to scoop soap in the mold
Step 1. Shred or chop soap into tiny pieces. I use a cheese grater to get my soap into small pieces.
Step 2. Put shredded soap in a microwavable rice cooker. You don’t want to fill it all the way to the top – I wouldn’t fill it more than 3/4 of the way full. You don’t want it to overflow when it’s cooking.
Step 3. Add a small amount of water or aloe vera juice, just enough to wet the soap. (1 Tablespoon at a time) You don’t want to get it too wet or you will get warped / shrunken-head looking soap. You will need to experiment with the amount of liquid to use here.
Step 4. Microwave the soap in 3 to 4 minute bursts. The soap will get really hot when you microwave it, so be sure to use a potholder when handling the rice cooker. Open the container slowly so the steam doesn’t burn you. Check to see if the soap has become translucent after the first cook. If the soap looks dry and is starting to burn, you are going to need to add more water. If you add too much water, the resulting soap is going to have a sunken look too it when it dries out. I’ve rebatched 2 lbs of soap in two 4 minute bursts on my last try. You want to cook the soap in the rice cooker until it looks semi-translucent and a homogeneous look.
Step 5. Start scooping the soap into your mold. I like using log molds with a lid because you can use the lid to smoosh it down flat into the mold.
Step 6. Unmold your soap the next day and cut into bars. Your soap is ready to use! Take a bath!
Hey Austinites! Feto Soap will be at Maker Faire this October as a part of Bazaar Bizarre! The Bazaar Bizarre is a juried craft fair that selects vendors based on various elements such as: Individuality, DIY-sensibility, Quality of work & Diversity of Products
Travis County Event Center and Fairground (It’s where they have the Rodeo) and it sounds like we are going to be in the Show Barn. 7311 Decker Lane, Austin, TX 78724
Bazaar Bizarre will run from October 18th, 2008 10am to 10pm and October 19th, 2008 from 11am to 6pm.
Maker Faire Schedule:
Saturday, October 18th: 10am-10pm
Sunday, October 19th: 10am-6pm
Pink, Purple & Orange is hosting a MEGA Giveaway with 30 winners! Enter and you may win my Lemon Bar Soap! 
Saponifier Magazine is the educational and encouraging voice for handcrafters of soap, toiletries, cosmetics, and candles. Saponifier disseminates the news and information about the industry relevant to the interests of manufacturers and suppliers.
The July/August issue’s focus is Christmas in July.
Don’t wait until November to make plans for your holiday line up! Pick up this edition of Saponifier for tips on packaging your holiday gift sets, product ideas, recipes and more!
FEATURES
History of Bath & Body Recipes: A look back on the interesting history of bath and body recipes from the Dark Ages through today, by Tamara Dourney
FDA Globalization Act of 2008
Bonus Gift Guide Supplement: A Bonus Gift Guide of holiday recipes for all your gift giving needs- including printable gift tags!, by Tamara Dourney & Carol Schatz
COLUMNS
Toiletries
Are You Selling Drugs?, by Carol Schatz
In The Lab
Expanding Your product Line: Pets are people too, by Robert McDaniel
Showcase
A Time For Giving, by Elizabeth Carnahan
Working Smarter
Create & Implement an Effective Holiday Marketing Strategy, by Jenn Givler
Reviews
Creative Packaging – Make it your own, by Beth Byrne
Aromatic Materials
Cropwatch Takes Stock, by Tony Burfield
A Soapmakers Notebook
Herbal Monographs: Adderwort & Tansy
PLUS
Exclusive Subscriber Discounts, News, Letters, Events, and More!
(Current Issue available by Subscription Only)
(47 pages, 3.58MB)
Click Here to SUBSCRIBE TODAY!
If you have not participated in a swap, it is lots of fun. A swap is where you mail items to a “co-ordinator” and then receive the same number of different items (including recipe) from other participants. A swap is a great way to show off your products and get new ideas. For WSP’s Hosted swap you send in two Full Size Homemade Products (Soaps, Lotions, Candles, Etc.) that you have made and get you two different products back! Since WSP is sponsoring this swap, you will get TEN – 2 ounce bottles of fragrance oil! (they pick which ones!)
You Send to WSP:
2 Full Size Homemade Products (Soaps, Lotions, Candles, Etc.)
2 Recipe Cards for The Above
$25 (Cash/Money Order – Made Out to Wholesale Supplies Plus)
You Receive:
2 Different Homemade Products
2 Recipe Cards for The Above
(10) 2 oz Fragrance Oils from WSP – assorted (no requests), from our newer additions
To Participate Send Your Handcrafted Items To:
Wholesale Supplies Plus, Inc.
Rita – Swap Coordinator
10035 Broadview Road
Broadview Heights, Ohio 44147
Swap Items Must Be Received By: August 14th.
Return Packages Will Be Mailed on: August 15th.
Board Address: http://forums.wholesalesuppliesplus.com/index.php
I’m going to send some soap in. I can’t wait to smell the TEN fragrances they will send back along with the handmade items!
Shopoholics Daily blogged out my Chocolate Bar Soap on their Wednesday’s Bath Goodies list. Thanks Guys!
Hello Lucky is restocked with my handmade soaps and dry oil perfume sprays. Check them out during White Linen Nights this weekend!
Hello Lucky
1025 Studewood Street
Houston, Texas 77008
713-86hello – 713-864-3556
http://www.hello-lucky.com
Hello Lucky will be part of White Linen in The Heights
Saturday August 2, 4 – 10pm
We will be open from 11 am – 10 pm
serving up some cool libations after 4
# 47 on the White Linen map
shuttle stop- # 10 on the shuttle stop index
So if you live close by, you may just want to walk to Hello Lucky
or park nearby us and catch a free shuttle from the shop to take you around The Heights
more about White Linen at: http://www.whitelinennightheights.com/
Road Trip on view now
Artists:
Jim Denk, Rachel Hewlett, Jillsbadcar, Melissa Lonchambon,
Mike Lonchambon, Whitney Riley,
Brooke Summers-Perry, Vagrca, David Waddell, Joanne Witt
Ongoing
work by Ryan Geiger, Woody Golden, JoAnn Park, Christine West
and a collaborative video by Elaine Bradford, Teresa O’Connor and David Waddell
July/August Monthly Challenge
Throughout the months of July and August
we will be a drop spot for plastic shopping/grocery bags as well as fabric remnants.
Itscool2care will use these items to create reusable shopping bags. http://www.itscool2care.org
This quarter Hello Lucky is happy to be working with Glasstire. A portion of in-store sells will be donated to the non-profit http://www.glasstire.com
Road Trip on view in store now!
Hello Lucky
http://www.hello-lucky.com
New Shop Hours
Thursday 11 – 5
Friday and Saturday 11 – 6
*Sunday Noon – 5*
We will happily stay later,
just call us before 5pm
xox
or by appt, just call
One of our members is out of a certain fragrance oil that’s not being manufactured at the moment. She sent out an email to our member list asking if any of us had some to spare. I happened to have a pound of it that I’m not using, so I’m shipping it out to her tomorrow. Instead of cash I wanted the glass topped tins in a case she happens to carry in her store, so we’re going to barter for them! They are perfect for transporting samples. Everyone wins! It’s a great group of supportive soapmakers!
To become a member of the Texas Soapmakers Association (TSA), you must:
• manufacture handcrafted soap in a business or hobby capacity and/or sell soapmaking supplies.
• live or have a principal place of business in the State of Texas.
Benefits of Membership
• info and advice from experienced soapmakers
• New 3 month mentorship program available – limited spots available
• friendship
• use of the TSA logo
• discounts from member suppliers
• access to the members-only section of our website, with recipes, co-op listings, etc.
• quarterly TSA newsletter
• reduced admission to our annual conventions
• participation in our mailing list discussions
Membership Dues TSA Membership dues are $25 per fiscal year.
If you have questions about TSA membership, please contact the TSA Membership Chair at membership@txsoapmakers.org. http://txsoapmakers.org
After I teach my soapmaking class the students fill out a feedback form with their comments. These comments are from the latest soapmaking class held on Sunday.
“Thank you for sharing your info and knowledge. This is so cool!”
“Really enjoyed it. It was very laid-back & comfortable.”
“Enjoyed it! Very informative and educational!”
“Good Class – very informative.” “Great Class!”
If you have taken one of my classes and have not filled out a feedback form, feel free to respond to this blog post or email me – lisa at feto soap dot com. I’d love to hear what you have to say.
If you missed this class and would like to attend a basic soapmaking class in Houston, TX, here’s the signup link! Private classes are also available.
My next soapmaking class is coming up this Sunday, July 27th
Soapmaking 101 with Lisa Chouinard of Feto Soap
In this class I will cover the basics on how to create your own soap from scratch with lye, water and soapmaking oils. It is a hands on class and everyone will have an opportunity to participate. I will provide the protective gear (gloves and goggles).
Class Number: R1020D Sun 2-5pm July 27th
Location: Houston JCC 5601 S. Braeswood
To register, go to Leisure Learning Unlimited’s Website:
http://llu.com/sdc/regclass.html?class=42614
or call them at 713.529.4414 with the class number R1020D.