Friday, July 29, 2011

I never did make it to the quilting room last night.  Well, I did walk in there but then I thought of all the things I didn't get done and felt guilty so I folded laundry instead.  LOL!

This morning I cut the new soap, I Remember Mama, and I am really happy with the way it turned out. I wasn't sure I would like the coral that I used with it, but looking at it now, I really like it!  The soap batter accelerated on me a bit.  That may be due to the other fragrance oil I blended with it.  Next time I think I may not blend it at all, but just use the one FO. 

Word of the day:
Saint Martha - Memorial
Saint(s) of the day : St. Martha - Memorial
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 11:19-27.

And many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them about their brother.
When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him; but Mary sat at home.
Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.
(But) even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you."
Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise."
Martha said to him, "I know he will rise, in the resurrection on the last day."
Jesus told her, "I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live,
and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"
She said to him, "Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world."

Thursday, July 28, 2011

First of all, I want to wish a very happy birthday to Kelli!!
It is humid and warm again. It was nice to have a couple of days' relief from the heat, though.

I made soap today. I've been wanting to do a series of family heritage type soaps. The one I did today is called. "I Remember Mama" It's scented with rose geranium. When I smell roses I always think of my mother. Her favorite flowers were actually gladioli, but she used to use gycerine and rosewater on her hands.

Here is a pic of them in the molds. I wanted the peach color to be more rose, but now I think I like this better. I found some rosebuds to put on top.

 Tonight is quilting night!!! Woo hoo!!

Update:  I finally got around to making a YouTube video.  It's been almost 2 months!  Where has the summer gone?



I also made two batches of laundry soap today.  Here is the recipe I use:
1 cup grated lard and lye soap  (guess you know what kind I use.)
1/2 cup baking soda
1/2 cup 20 Mule Team Borax
1/2 cup washing soda
1 old laundry detergent bucket with lid (should hold at least 2 1/2 gallons.)
I measure out 2 gallons of water ahead of time in milk jugs that I've saved.  I pour about a quart of water in a stock pot (which I reserve just for making soap) and add the shredded soap.  I heat that until the soap shreds are melted.  Then I add the other ingredients and stir till dissolved. I pour that into the old detergent bucket and stir.  I then add the rest of the water - stir and set aside to gel.   You can just scoop it out of the bucket if you want, but I like to pour mine into old clean milk jugs so I can just pour it into the washer.  I use 1/2 cup for most loads and 1 cup for greasy farm clothes.  In the picture is part of the first batch I made. You can see that the jug on the right has emulsified.  Wish I knew how I did that.  The other 2 will need to be shaken each time I use the soap.  The fourth jug went home with Howard so Colleen can try it.  This soap is low sudsing so it works in those new front load washers. For fabric softener I add 1/2 cup of white vinegar to the bleach dispenser in my washer.  You could also use one of those Downy dispensers.

 I don't always use the liquid soap.  Sometimes I just throw some soap shreds (about 1/4 cup loosely packed) in the washer and add a tablespoon each of baking soda, borax, and washing soda.  


Word of the day:
Thursday of the Seventeenth week in Ordinary Time
Saint(s) of the day : Sts. Nazarius and Celsus, Martyrs (1st century), St. Victor, Pope and Martyr († 198)
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 13:47-53.

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea, which collects fish of every kind.
When it is full they haul it ashore and sit down to put what is good into buckets. What is bad they throw away.
Thus it will be at the end of the age. The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous
and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.
Do you understand all these things? They answered, "Yes."
And he replied, "Then every scribe who has been instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom both the new and the old."
When Jesus finished these parables, he went away from there.