Jump to content

Black tea with black swirls


GrandmaArial

Recommended Posts

I finally made the black swirls. I used black tea and spices (chai tea, and yes, it smells GOOD! Hope I didn't over do the spices and make it rough on the skin) and black oxide for the swirls. I infused the tea into oil first and added it to the oils, came out with a bit of a green tinge so soap isn’t as white as I was wanting, but I think it’s pleasant. The white and yellowish looking spots are some ivory mica I got ages ago for M&P but never used. I tossed a couple blocks in the oils as they were melting on impulse. I do not recommend this as it made a “curd” I had to skim off the oils before I could soap it. Well, I guess I could have tried soaping with it but it looked… yucky… So far it’s very glittery. Don’t have any idea why some of it turned gold (really does look like little gold flecks in it right now). It was only made yesterday so will see if it lasts (yes, I rushed cutting it, I was excited).

I took thecandlespastore’s advice and set my aperture to 1 in both pictures. The blue looking shot was with the lighting set to tungsten (maybe went blue as the sun is very strong through the window this morning) the other one was using the daylight setting. I’m on a steep learning curve here but I WILL figure out how to make a nice picture!

post-7822-139458432793_thumb.jpg

post-7822-139458432795_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I finally made the black swirls. I used black tea and spices (chai tea, and yes, it smells GOOD! Hope I didn't over do the spices and make it rough on the skin) and black oxide for the swirls. I infused the tea into oil first and added it to the oils, came out with a bit of a green tinge so soap isn’t as white as I was wanting, but I think it’s pleasant. The white and yellowish looking spots are some ivory mica I got ages ago for M&P but never used. I tossed a couple blocks in the oils as they were melting on impulse. I do not recommend this as it made a “curd” I had to skim off the oils before I could soap it. Well, I guess I could have tried soaping with it but it looked… yucky… So far it’s very glittery. Don’t have any idea why some of it turned gold (really does look like little gold flecks in it right now). It was only made yesterday so will see if it lasts (yes, I rushed cutting it, I was excited).

I took thecandlespastore’s advice and set my aperture to 1 in both pictures. The blue looking shot was with the lighting set to tungsten (maybe went blue as the sun is very strong through the window this morning) the other one was using the daylight setting. I’m on a steep learning curve here but I WILL figure out how to make a nice picture!

Wonderful soap and pics! Tungsten works best in a dark room with bright lights in your box.The daylight setting is perfect for when you are right by a bright window:cheesy2:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wonderful soap and pics! Tungsten works best in a dark room with bright lights in your box.The daylight setting is perfect for when you are right by a bright window:cheesy2:

Thank you. Now it makes sense, when I was playing with it last nigth it was late and the house was dark, which explains why the colors looked so true then and so blue now. What setting would I use if I were to use lightes to supplement day llight? Woud it work best to use daylight or tungsten setting with daylight bulb, or one of the other settings? This camera has to many buttons.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you Donna, and every one else. I kinda like my rock soap, too. I was jealous of you and your pretty colored swirls but am begaining to accept I just can't do it, this is me. I think I will be abe to use oxides to compliment the herbs, but will probabaly nver make anything like your purple rain.

I have been trying to think why the chai tea reminds me of my grandfather, finally figured it out, it's the pepper. They had a huge old pepper tree in thier yard when I was a child. One of my fondest memories was when he would strip a handfull of ripe berries off the stem to hand to us so we could rub the paper off and the wonderful warm earthy aroma of pepper wafed up to our noses.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

These sound wonderful. I wish I could smell them. I love how all your soaps have a such a natural look them. I could see your soaps being carried in a very nice store. I also love how you have definitely developed your very own cool style - love it!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you. Now it makes sense, when I was playing with it last nigth it was late and the house was dark, which explains why the colors looked so true then and so blue now. What setting would I use if I were to use lightes to supplement day llight? Woud it work best to use daylight or tungsten setting with daylight bulb, or one of the other settings? This camera has to many buttons.

It all depends on the time of day and the brightness of the room. If you have your daylight bulbs on and its nighttime and the room is dark around you, use tungsten. When I take pictures during the day I use my daylight or the auto setting.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you thecandlespastore. You have helped me so much in understanding my camera. I think I understand the basics of wave length and aperture settings, but for the life of me I can’t seem to understand how the camera knows what wave lengths are available. I know I really don’t need to understand how it works, it’s just I’m one of those people who have trouble figuring out how to do something until I understand the why.

And thank you everyone for your kind words. Euginia, if you know where I’m going with this could ya tell me please? I feel like I’m lost in the woods and would love a GPS about now!

I'm going to test the lather today. Wish me luck, I'm a little worried I over did the black and will have grey bubbles.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Taking Scented’s lead in her amber thread I decided to take a picture of the lather when I tested this yesterday. For some reason it’s a bit slower to lather (took several seconds of rubbing before I started getting bubbles, usually at 3 days its almost immediate with the basic recipe I used. I think the spices may have made it a bit harder than it usually becomes) and the lather isn’t quite as rich as normal, but over all not a disappointment. The scent seems to be holding true and at this point doesn’t seem irritating, at least to my hands, and the bubbles are white. I was worried they would be grey from all the oxide I used.

post-7822-139458432856_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...