Its been a busy couple of weeks. Always something new on the horizon. I watched some amazing soap swirls and though I would give them a go. Most of my soap set before I could obtain what I wanted but the soap still came out pretty cool. Heres the link for what I was trying [...]
Hand Made NZ Queen’s Birthday Weekend
May 27, 2011 By 1 Comment
You may have heard of an exciting new event called HANDMADE 2011 happening 4-5 June at Te Papa. I’m really excited to be involved as a workshop teacher in the HANDMADE programme with lots of other wonderful activities celebrating all things HANDMADE. I’m doing a workshop called Soap Made Simply in the Free Range category [...]
Kawa Kawa on Rakino Island
April 26, 2011 By Leave a Comment
I just had a week away from work to catch up on work. Well I didn’t. Just when I think I am there there is something urgent that must be done. I went to Rakino Island for three days and picked kawa kawa and manuka. I distilled both and was very pleased with the results. [...]
Obcessed with colour
April 15, 2011 By 1 Comment
I am still trying to perfect colour. All colour. Dyes liquid and powder, micas and oxides using the funnel technique. I made an interesting block of soap tonight using mica’s and titanium poured into the main soap batch and then poured through a funnel into the soap mold. Can’t wait to cut it in the [...]
Liquid Soap
March 30, 2011 By Leave a Comment
I decided one day that I wanted to give liquid soap making a go. I bought Catherine Failors book and read and re-read a number of times. It took me 18 months to have my first attempt. It seemed so complicated. Now that I have mastered the art of liquid soap making it is not [...]
Soap Making Course
March 28, 2011 By Leave a Comment
The course on Saturday was fantastic and I had very positive feedback. I enjoy teaching. i would like to organize another course probably for May. So anyone who would like to express an interest please let me know by email aromatics@xtra.co.nzand I will place you on my list.The photo on show today is my first [...]
The Pupil Has Become The Teacher
March 19, 2011 By Leave a Comment
My friend Mary P has been playing with the funneling technique. You can find it on Utube. I taught Mary to make soap and now she is showing me a thing or two. I was very please with the outcome. A little boring on the colour side but that’s because I was so short of [...]
Me and My Cat and Caustic Soda/Lye
March 8, 2011 By 2 Comments
The great thing about blogging is you get to know people a little more personally. So here’s my cat. This is why I do not leave my lye outside to cool down anymore. He has a little Bengal in him which makes him 5.5 kilos. He is also unwell at the moment and on morphine [...]
Lotions, Creams and Additives
March 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment
At Soapcraft, Aromatics and More we make a lotion and cream base. I have recently added an extra label that advises that if you are to add more than 10% extra additives then you need to re-preserve. I had a customer who didnt do this so guess what happened. Yes it grew mold. So I [...]
Advanced Cosmetic Care Course
March 5, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Dr Olga and I held the course yesterday and it was great (except for the borrowed chairs where the plastic legs kept bowing on the humid/sticky floor and every now and then someone would sort of sink to the floor)but a little embarrassing regarding the chairs.Even though I have been making lotion successfully for a [...]
