I am finally catching up on some blog posts from some of our recent activities. On the 23 February Margaret conducted a terrific homemade laundry liquid and soap making workshop. The 15 ladies who attended the workshop were all quite amazed with how easy the soap was to make.  Although the instructions look quite complicated on paper when you actually see someone make it it isn't quite as difficult as first thought. Margaret also gave each participant a sample of soap to take home.

The laundry liquid is quick and easy to make.  Margaret even grated the soap as seen in the picture which really didn't take long at all.  Once again all the ladies were able to take some laundry liquid home to try it out.  For the instructions on how to make the soap and laundry liquid please click on the link - Soap and Laundry Liquid Instructions. Margaret used the instructions from Rhonda Hetzel which can also be found on her wonderful blog - Down to Earth.

After being inspired at Rhonda's Pips 'n' Cherries workshop, I made my first batch of soap on the weekend.  I was a little cautious and made sure I had everything ready to go.  I locked the cat away so that she wouldn't accidentally get too curious and check out what was happening. I set everything up on the verandah and decked myself out in all the safety gear.  I was really pleasantly surprised with how smoothly it all went.  There was a little bit of time waiting for the caustic soda mix to cool down but that wasn't a problem, just required a little patience.  It didn't take long for it to mix to get to trace which is the sign that you look for which tells you the soap has become stable and is ready to be poured into the mould.  That sounds complicated but really it just reaches a thick consistency and ripples form on the surface and stay there. After leaving them overnight they came out of the moulds beautifully and are now drying on a rack.  It is going to be hard waiting for them to harden before we can start to use it.  How exciting - my first batch of soap.  I will definitely be doing it again as it was so easy. 

Here is a link to Rhonda's instructions for making soap - How to make cold processed soap.

I great tip from Margaret - if you are looking for a candy thermometer you can get them from "King of Knives" at Grand Central for $7.95.

On 18 August several ladies from Simple Living Toowoomba attended a workshop day at Pips 'n' Cherries in Bell.  Rhonda Hetzel from "Down To Earth" - http://down---to---earth.blogspot.com.au - showed a large group of ladies how to make scones using buttermilk and yoghurt.  We ate these delicious scones as well as lavender, date, pumpkin and ginger scones cooked by the lovely ladies at Pips 'n' Cherries for morning tea.  Rhonda then showed us how to make 5 minute bread.  This bread is simply prepared the day before and then after very gently folding the dough, it is cooked in a very hot cast iron pot in the oven.  Boy, was that delicious!  The outside crust was the best bit. After lunch Rhonda showed us how to make soap.  Rhonda made it look so simple, which gave us great encouragement to try it ourselves.

It was so good to catch up with Rhonda and Hanno and to spend the day with like-minded people.  Rhonda has been so supportive of what we are doing here in Toowomba. It was great fun to chat with other people, swap ideas and information and generally just support each other in our endeavours to live a simpler life.

Thank you so much to Pips 'n' Cherries for the wonderful day, delicious food and beautiful atmosphere.