Killer Coral and Rattler Red Soap

My husband's been rolling his eyes a lot again...He always does that when I have a new "crazy" idea. In fact, that's how I know I have a really GOOD idea...the more eye rolling I get, the better I figure the idea is...works for me. ha

So, when I decided to make Killer Coral soap in honor of all the coral snakes in Texas, my husband gave me the ole roll of the eyes, so it was GAME ON for me...ha..Actually, he was a very good sport about the whole thing. He even helped me create the layers.

We wanted to use natural colorings as much as possible, so we experimented with natural oxides. So far, we like the look. I decided to use Night Blooming Jasmine as a scent, because I figure snakes and Night Blooming Jasmine are two things that come out at night..Cockroaches also come out at night, but we won't even go there...and I've been asked....but I digress...

So, we mixed up a batch of soap. This one had olive oil, coconut oil, canola oil and almond oil in it. When it had reached a very light trace, we divided it into three bowls-one for red, one for black and one for yellow. I wanted to make my soap accurate...you know, get the colors in the right order....I figure I might actually save someone's life here....So, red and yellow kill a fellow, red and black, friend of Jack....Ok, I had to make sure to put the red and yellow colors together, so during the whole process, I was chanting like a banshee...red and yellow kill a fellow...my husband didn't even roll one eye...bless his heart...not even a slight twitch of that eyeball.
So, we got the three colors all mixed and began the tedious layering process...I'm more of a fling it down and hope it works kind of person and my husband is more of a let's measure this and calculate this and be very precise and methodical about this kind of person, so after a few minutes, I could tell I was making him nervous with my soap flinging, so I let him fling some....Ok, so the really straight parts, that's probably my husband's part and the other parts...well....you know....it adds interest.

Killer Coral in the Loaf Mold

Killer Coral being Cut

Here goes the tomato juice

    Oh, and the Rattler Red? That was so fun! We made that red by using real tomato juice and also some brick red natural oxide...scented it with spicy citrus and lime..."We" decided to make it solid red...for now...But I really really REALLY want to tweak it and make it look more like a diamondback rattlesnake...yeah...I got a BIG eye roll for that one, so I KNOW I'm on to something....I'll keep you posted.                           

Outlaw Bam! Bam! Bam

Now THIS is a soap I really like...Outlaw soap...complete with "bullet" holes...ha...Kind of makes me want to let loose and break all kinds of rules.. and it was fun to make the "bullet holes"...Well, my husband made most of them, but I helped out. And it was really hard to hit those tiny bars of soap with a 22...ha...not really..We used a metal tube and a hammer. BAM! BAM! BAM!

Casablanca Blah!

Well, there is a movie called Casablanca...and I hate it...hate hate hate it....It ranks right up there with cockroaches...Cockroaches still win, but I really don't like Casablanca...and, of course...my husband likes it.
Now, this has never been a big bone of contention between us-until now...because of what he decided to do.


He decided that it would be charming to have a soap called Casablanca...I reminded him that I HATE HATE HATE Casablanca and would never want to have any soap named after it...So, he decided to put in the MAN section, you know, the section that I have little or no input in...and call it Casablanca....so he did...and he even threw in some pumice for good measure.

Well, that should be all I say on the subject, but I'll say a few more words...First, I'll show you what it looks like.
There! Oh, yes...it's beautiful...but I think it's ruined by being known as  Casablanca...sigh...

Do you like it? Go ahead and go to our web site (www.thesoutherntip.com) and buy it then...See if I care...Why don't you just rent the movie while you're at it? Then, you can watch Casablanca and cry and watch some more and cry again and then you can wash your hands all night long...and your hands will be as clean as a whistle...and I will still hate Casablanca...
Sorry I just had to get that out of my system.

Chachalaca Chocolate Soap

 Here's a picture of the chocolate soap that I made the other day. I call it Chachalaca Chocolate. A chachalaca is a turkey-like bird that we have here in the Rio Grande Valley...and chocolate is...well..chocolate...and I'm fond of both of them, so I paired 'em up.

The bad part is....just looking at these bars makes me really have a hankering for chocolate...chocolate mousse to be exact. They look like chocolate mousse to me and they smell delightful....good enough to eat....but I can't...
But REAL chocolate mousse...now that's a different story....except for this calorie counting thing I'm on...I'll bet there would be about a thousand calories in real chocolate mousse....sigh...
But I really want it....and...hmmm...I was thinking...about this calorie counting thing and all....hmmmm....I figure I'm getting real good at this calorie counting stuff....I reckon I could count way high by now...probably all the way up to one thousand...yep....maybe even higher...I'd do anything for chocolate...even strain my brain real hard...
Let's see...I've only had a bowl of oatmeal today....so (counting in my head) oatmeal plus real chocolate mousse....hmmm. could work....of course I couldn't eat much else all day...oatmeal and chocolate mousse for my total daily fare? I could still be within my caloric goal. I've done worse, let me tell you...I've done much worse....might happen....

Double Trouble, Twice as Nice

Ok, so my husband and I decided that practicing the art of cooperation when making soap really is the best way to go...We get more done that way and we each get to be creative.

What we decided to do, instead of me making a batch of soap, for example, then cleaning everything up and then having hubby make a batch of soap, was to work smarter. So, we decided to get a super duper BIG bowl, make a double batch, mix it to a light trace, then divide the batter between us.

That way, each of could go along our merry way, so to speak, adding the scents, colors, herbs, etc. that we needed to create our own masterpiece-at the same time. Wasn't this brilliant? Yes, I know, we surprise even ourselves sometimes...If you have a big enough bowl, you can solve many problems, that's what I've learned here...so go buy a big bowl...

My husband made some kind of "special" shaving soap that I'm not privy to know much about. He put it in two pcv pipes to set so the soap would be round. He decided to make it green vomit color, because that's the way he said "real" men like it...He wrapped it in a a couple of (my) towels, and a blanket, and "put it to bed". I think that's a soaper term, although sometimes I'd like to wrap him like that and "put him to bed"...ok, but I digress...

Now, I'm used to seeing weird things, especially in my kitchen (yes, I really said that) but even I had to do a double take when I walked in last night and saw his "babies"  all snug in their blanket "gelling" for the night. ha

Don't know what the belt was for...I just figure those "babies" better gel...or else...I mean, if I were them, I'd gel right fast...ha


Ok, so hubby made the shaving soap and I made Chacalaca Chocolate soap...A chachalaca is a turkey like bird that is native to our area, and chocolate is...well, the greatest thing on the planet...so I figured why not put those two suckers together, right? Well, not to eat or anything, but for soap...follow my thinking?  sure you do...we'll get you the help you need later...but for now....here's a picture...
Ok, wait...I can't find a picture yet, so I'll show you what I made yesterday instead...Old news is still good, you know...

Yesterday, I made Chile con Queso soap...yes, it LOOKS just like Chile con Queso, but it SMELLS like citrus...How cool is that?
Ok, so who wins? Green Vomit Shaving soap with mysterious herbs or Chachalaca Chocolate? Ok, I realize now that you haven't actually SEEN either one of these, but that doesn't matter...Just make the determination based on the knowledge at hand...Come on...who wins?

Does it HAVE to be a contest, you ask? Of course, it does...It's always a contest, baby! And I want to win....Ok, I think I win...Look at the facts...I am here, up and at 'em...while he is still sleeping...Now, what kind of a father is that, I ask you? He doesn't even know if his "babies" survived the night...(They did...I checked) So, I think I win by default...yep...another one for me...So that's a million and one for ME and one for him...yeah, there was that time....