We cut the soap today, I think we rushed it though, it was a bit soft still. Now to let it cure for 3-4 weeks. We are going to try another batch next week. It cracked along the top overnight too. I think we may have stirred it a bit too long, I was worried about false trace and got a bit overexcited about the whole chemistry thing. First batch and all, the perfectionist in me really wanted it to be stellar right out of the gate. I am, after all, the one who started her tart baking career with Martha Stewart’s French Pastry Cream Tart recipe, it may have taken 2 days and make me cry but it was the best tart EVER! Well except for the crumbly crust but we don’t discuss that.
Made lotion today as well. It is still cooling but smells divine. It is beeswax, shea butter and coconut oil scented with rose geranium and ylang ylang. Filtering such a small amount of beeswax (.5 oz) was much more difficult than using the solar filter to do a pound at a time and I managed to boil the first batch dry and make a large smelly mess. I changed tactics on the second round and it worked much better.
I was going to make a shepherds pie with the leftover lamb shanks, but time has really gotten away from me so I think that will have to wait until tomorrow.
At least the sun is shining and some of the snow is melting today, maybe we will see spring yet.
Life at Shirehouse 