# Alkanet/lavendar Experiments



## Caprine Beings (Sep 19, 2008)

So I got my alkanet (thanks again Barbara!). And of course I couldn't wait a week to let the alkanet steep in oil so I made a quick heat form. I did two batches just for fun.

Experiment #1 Lavendar with beet pulp. This turned out a lovely shade of GREEN. I actually like this one and I'm gonna call it Lavendar Fields. Once I added the alkanet it went straight to the green color.










Experiment #2 Lavendar. Now this one was a bit stubborn and I had to do some quick thinking on it as it traced fast. At first a nice purple shade then went to a very very pale gray purple. By this time it had already traced and I had to get it in the trays fast. Not the color I wanted so I added more alkanet in the trays and mixed by hand with a whisk until it was this darker color.










So here is a comparison without the flash.









Tammy


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## Sheryl (Oct 27, 2007)

Okay, I've heard of alkanet, but what exactly is it used for?

Sheryl


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## Caprine Beings (Sep 19, 2008)

Well in soap the root is powdered for a colorant of purples. As an herb the leaves are used for various healing agents in teas and tinctures. Tammy


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## Guest (Nov 26, 2008)

Tammy,
Love the green color...
Barbara


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## Sheryl (Oct 27, 2007)

:cool Tammy. I think I could talk to you and Sherri C for hours about herbs.! Love the soap. Hope it turns out the way you want.

Sheryl


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## Caprine Beings (Sep 19, 2008)

After it has cured for a week I'll put up some new pics. It is mellowing into some beautiful colors. If the fellow who ordered them doesn't want them I'm gonna sell them here. I love the green too Barb . Green is my favorite color. And when seen in person the lavendar herb is purple hued in a sea of really pretty green. I am amazed! Tammy


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## [email protected] (Oct 26, 2007)

Wow, Tammy. That looks great. What are you using for molds? they look really big.


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## Guest (Nov 26, 2008)

Pretty green color.

I was wondering the same thing about the molds. I wouldn't want to cut those long logs!

Sara


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## Caprine Beings (Sep 19, 2008)

I have these trays made so that I get 30 to 34 bars per batch. They are made out of galvanized steel and are 35" long x 3" wide x 2 " high. The guy that makes them gets soap for his GD who has extremely sensitive skin. He has been a long time family friend and we made a great swap. He even crimps the ends and edges so there is no metal that can cut me. I wound up with five sets (2 per set) for three batches of soap. I know his cost was much higher than mine cause there is alot of detail in the crimping. I still give him soap and probably will until I stop soaping or the day I die! as I love soaping. I love these trays compared to the rain gutter trays I was using at first.These are really easy to cut with a yard stick for measurement. The only draw back is that I have to use a liner but it is worth it in the end. Now I have that procedure down to about three minutes. I chose this size as I needed something that would produce quantities big enough to sell and have on reserve. I thought seriously about what I needed and these work. The pics make them look bigger than what they are . 

Sheryl, My first love is herbs and botany. I have been researching them for about 17 years now. I have found three things in life that will keep me learning for the rest of my life (GOATS, SOAPS & HERBS). The more I learn the more of a beginner I am :rofl 
Tammy


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## Guest (Nov 26, 2008)

How long are they?

Sara


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## Caprine Beings (Sep 19, 2008)

35" or just under 3' Tammy


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## Guest (Nov 26, 2008)

That's about what I thought.

Now, tell me, how the heck do you unmold and cut that long chunk of soap?! 

Sara


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## Caprine Beings (Sep 19, 2008)

I cut them when they are soft in the tray, marking (yard stick is handy for this) and cutting with a putty knife. Then I let them set for a day or so,pullup on the liner to loosen bars and place in crates to cure. I still am on a hillbilly soap making deal until the soap starts paying for the more luxurious life of soaping. My motto in most things is an old one: Work with what you have until you can have better to work with. Tammy


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## Guest (Nov 26, 2008)

Ahhh, that makes sense. I couldn't figure out how the heck you would unmold and then cut!

Are you able to achieve a full gel in the mold that long? Since it's so long I know it can't possibly fit in your oven. 

Sara


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## Caprine Beings (Sep 19, 2008)

The soap generally sets within half an hour, as long as I don't use alot of different oils. My recipe is pretty basic. In these pics you can see a setting difference as the blue/purple has more olive/alkanet in it than the blue/green. The Lavendar Fields(blue/green) started gelling within 15 mins and the lavendar was almost and I do mean almost mashed potaotes when I put it in the trays-but it gelled as well.. Its still really soft but it is staying its cut.

Lavendar on left, Lavendar Fields on the right.








The Lavendar Fields is more solid, why I like this recipe








Lavendar is softer.








Tammy

Modified this as I needed to refresh my brain to the term "gel, I call it the heating phase.


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## Caprine Beings (Sep 19, 2008)

I know now why the Lavendar batch ceased. I used a different EO, my old lavendar scent. The Lavendar Fieldswas made with a 100% pure lavendar officinalis EO. So I am assuming the other brand was cut or really wasn't an EO but an FO in an EO bottle. Another possibility is that the Lavendar used for that batch was lavendar agustifolia. Hmmmm. Tammy


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## Halo-M Nubians (Oct 26, 2007)

Tammy, it looks beautiful! I love the color!


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## Caprine Beings (Sep 19, 2008)

The powers of the soaping process never cease to amaze me! The lavendar fields is now a beautiful lavendar purple and the lavendar herb has turned green! Wow! Can you imagine a grown woman doing the "I did it" dance? That is me :biggrin. Tammy


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## Linda Carney (Oct 27, 2007)

Tammy, you said beet pulp? Did you grind it or soak and use the water? Is it the same that we sometimes use for feed? 

I really love your experiments -- and am really happy with you!!!

Linda


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## Caprine Beings (Sep 19, 2008)

Well it is the actual thing...just like I said...beet pulp. I had an experiment with Honeysuckle Rose, you guessed it I was trying to get color. I didn't get color but I did get texture and moisturizer out of it. I love my Honeysuckle Rose bar right now as it is getting colder /drying the skin out. So because lavendar can be a little irritating to the skin I took one cup beet (frozen) and two tablespoons water, blenderizer it for 15 mins and allow to drain for awhile. If its not dripping I use it, at trace.


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## Caprine Beings (Sep 19, 2008)

Well the verdict is in...the guy who wanted this soap is buying it! I sent him a picture of it today and he loves it. I even cut the bar size down for him like he wanted, which I still think is too small but what the customer wants they pretty much get. Now I have to make four more batches for him. YAY! And he wants me to design his labels which is extra $$$ on top of the soap cost. Didn't even blink an eye. Amazing, truly amazing! Tammy


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## Sondra (Oct 25, 2007)

Congratulations!!


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## Caprine Beings (Sep 19, 2008)

Here is an updated pic of the Lavendar Fields. Tammy


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