I'm keeping busy today because my dear 92 year old Grandma is in hospital. She's taken a terrible tumble and is in a lot of pain, the poor sweetheart. My parents are thankfully still in town so they are with her in hospital while I "hold the fort down" here with the children. I can't stand sitting about when there's a crisis afoot - I have to keep busy or I drive myself crazy with worry.
After a mysterious, lengthy stretch of soap failures (thanks to a faulty digital scale) today, I cranked out 4 batches of soap.
Orange calendula (with orange essential oil, calendula infused olive oil and dried calendula petals from our summer garden)
Lavender with organic flowers (not from my garden as it's too cold here to successfully overwinter lavender - which reminds me - I just may try to plant some in my greenhouse this year)
At the top - Rose (made with rose water and sprinkled with petals on top)
On the bottom, Shea Butter and Cocoa Butter with Grapefruit essential oils (and a little bit of calendula on top)
Once the soap was put to rest and harden over the next 12 hours and the kitchen was cleaned up, I made Rhonda's laundry liquid. I've been most unhappy with my homemade powdered detergent - our clothes smell absolutely DISGUSTING when I wash with it (even with the addition of vinegar and tea tree as a rinse aid).
I've used an old juice jug to store it in by the machine and the big pail will reside in the basement pantry. My main floor laundry room is microscopically small so nothing non-essential can reside there. I can simply fill this jug from the downstairs pail when needed. Hmmmnnn... looks like I need to mark the lemonade label - the liquid looks a lot like lemonade and I don't want anyone drinking it! I've added lavender and tea tree essential oils to the laundry liquid because I like the scent of it (although it's not needed, I hear). I'm also filling my stain treatment spray bottle with it as Rhonda says it's excellent for treating stains - yeah for no more buying Shout. I'll report back to you shortly about the laundry liquid... Sure hope it works better than the powder!
Keep my lovely Gran in your thoughts, would you? Here she is just 2 weeks ago with baby Penny (her first GREAT, GREAT Grandchild).
Love you Grandma XO
****Edited to add - NO broken bones! There are some other issues at play so we'll see how she fares over the coming 24 hours...
Thinking of your Gran and wishing her well. I have just put my Mum into respite for 2 weeks after she had a fall on Christmas Day. It's an anxious time.
ReplyDeleteI'd be interested to hear how the liquid laundry soap goes. I made some but wasn't that pleased with the results and reverted back to commercial liquid. I guess it's not for everyone.
Cheers - Joolz
Oh Sherri, I hope your dear Gran makes a full recovery. I can understand your worry.
ReplyDeleteI like the look of your soap. Maybe this is the year I will attempt to make my very own soap. I have been too chicken to try up until now lol!
xx
You sound like me - have to keep busy whenever there is a crisis - even taking knitting, crochet or sewing if sitting at the hospital!. Your soaps look wonderful - and I have been going to try Rhonda's laundry Liquid also - I am keen to hear what you think of it.
ReplyDeleteHope all goes well for your Grandmother and she is back home with you all soon - the photo of her is just beautiful!
Sending healing thoughts and prayers to your sweet grandmother. What a gift that photo is with her and Penny. So beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI've had a lot more success with the liquid detergent vs. the powdered. I've been making mine a bit more concentrated so that it's almost gel-like, and ocassionally using oxybleach.
-Jaime
Dearest Sherrie; I'm a lot like you, needing to keep busy in times of stress. But it's a good thing; because we achieve so much. You've been very busy, and your soap looks amazing! I'll be thinking of your dear Gran in the coming days and hope that she heals well. I'm glad nothing is broken. Keep holding the fort they way you do so well, hugs to my lovely friend.
ReplyDeleteNarelle
Oh, Sherrie...I can understand how you feel. It was just a few months ago that my mother had a fall that sent her to the hospital. I'm praying your outcome will be better than mine.....
ReplyDeleteThank you everyone XO She has congestive heart failure... we'll see how she is today - no calls in the night, she was resting comfortably as she is very tired after being strapped to a backboard and neck brace all day yesterday while they tried to sort out her injuries :(
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