This is three different batches of soap. Two are all vegetable, one is with lard as one of the three oils, all are all-naural and sooo smooth when you use it :) The dark brown flecked soap has lavender essential oil and ground lavender buds, but surprisingly is not overly aromatic. The light brown flecks is lavender EO and ground oatmeal soap. I used only 1/4 oz scent per batch (less than the 1 - 2 oz the recipe called for). The rounded soaps are bergamont (orange) scented, but only barely. The soap was ready to pour before all of the scent was able to get into it. Ah well. It is still awesome home made soap!
And lastly, below is today's latest project as of this morning. Back to the medieval thing again: this is the sugar confectionary desserty art display/sculpture for after feast consumption. (Yes, say that all in one breath, please.) It's called a 'subtlety' in the SCA. In my house I call it a Christmas present for family and friends! Especially since it can be flavored anything and be stiff or creamy, as per choice. (No peanut gallery comments on that last description, please :)
This particular project will be painted with colored and dark chocolate. And one tiger will be affixed to each crown point (to reflect the crowns of the king and queen of the East Kingdom). What you see is about only three pounds of the stuff (mint flavored fondant). I have another four pounds of the stuff to find something to do with it. I know that food coloring will be added as I have only so much chocolate in the house (suprisingly more than you'd think though :)
Last, but not least - as it entails my children, eh! Below is a picture of one of the favors that I made for the youth fighters for my local group's last event in July. It is made from yellow(!) leather and purple and green seed beads embroidered on. A belt goes thru the top so it can hang displayed. Rael and Connor and another from the local group each got one for being so awesomely honorable, chivalrous and above all having fun during the torchlight tournament.
Yes, the kids really do fight, as in boffer weapons (sword, polearm, Rael has a pole axe!) with armor, at night, under an 8' propane fueled torch, during a SCA event. To cool, eh? I would have loved being in the SCA when I was a kid!! I am lucky to be a part of it as an adult, even so. Otherwise, I'd probably be one of those "crazy" quilters or knitters, at least someone with afgans up to her eyeballs by now... LOL At least now I am only a crazy medieval re-enactor :P
