Balm of Gilead Completed

Merry Christmas to All. May we always remember Our Savior,Jesus Christ the True Master Healer and Balm of Gilead to our souls.

Balm of Gilead

This Christmas Season I thought I would write about "Balm of Gilead".  It is something that was stuck in my mind since last Sunday.  If you've never heard of it, it is mentioned several times in the scriptures.  The bible dictionary defines it as follows;

BALM OF GILEAD

An aromatic gum or spice used for healing wounds (Gen. 43:11; Jer. 8:22; 46:11; 51:8). A bush producing the resin from which the balm was made grew so plentifully in Gilead in Old Testament times that the balm came to be known as the “balm of Gilead” (Gen. 37:25; Ezek. 27:17).

There is also a hymn we sing that mentions this balm. It can be a physical ointment or in this case the healing ointment is compared to the healing that comes when we unburden ourselves to our Heavenly Father in prayer. 

Ere you left your room this morning,

Did you think to pray? …

When your soul was full of sorrow,

Balm of Gilead did you borrow

At the gates of day?

Oh, how praying rests the weary!

Prayer will change the night to day.

So, when life gets dark and dreary,

Don’t forget to pray

So now, isn't it something that in one of soap researching sessions on the internet, I stumbled upon an article of how to make your own balm of Gilead from the buds of a cottonwood tree. It's not the original balm but is as close to it as it comes. The buds are picked in the winter and are resinous. When infused in olive oil, the resin is extracted and you end up with a healing oil that has many beneficial properties.

Well guess what Clayton has in his yard...yep Cottonwood trees!  I checked them out on Thanksgiving and they still have their leaves as winter has not yet hit us here.  However there were some dead branches on the ground and when I looked at them guess what I found, resinous dried buds!!!  Score!  

My little buddy Cuyler helped gather the buds. He is all for oils that heal. I carry my essential oils with me and for awhile every time I came over he and Dacey would show me their ant bites or boo boo's that needed a little lavender love.  

Into the mini crockpot they went and I covered them with olive oil where they were warmed to extract the resin.  These buds have a pleasant scent to them as well. The instructions say to keep them in a jar for as long as you want and for better infusion. 

I think I'll try my hand at making a balm out of the oils after they have sufficiently infused and I will let you know how it goes.  Wish me luck!

Current Stock of Soaps

I'm trying out some new scents and boy are they good!  Introducing Pear Butter

Hot Chocolate

Cherry Almondine (think Jergen's lotion)

and some other favorites like Peppermint, Lavender and Lemon Citrus Blast.  Mmmm mmmm good and good for your skin.  

Also introducing Pine Tar soap that is traditionally used for problem skin, eczema, etc.  Give it a whirl and tell me what you think.  The packaged Grandpas  Soap is an authentic bar from days gone by.  

And I also have a shampoo bar for your pet. Loaded with skin and hair loving oils and essential oils to leave your pet smelling fresh and clean. 

If interested in these they are $5 per bar plus any shipping and tax. 

Soap, Soap and More Soap!

I've been a little busy lately in making lots of soap for Grandma's Attic Boutique that is just right around the corner.  Come see me if you can.  😀

Pine Tar Soap

The other day I went to a vintage sale and found this old bar of Grandpa's Wonder Pine Tar soap that I just had to get for comparison to my freshly made bars.  

This is my first batch of pine tar soap and   the soaps are supposed to be really great for problem skin areas. I can't make any medical claims but from what I've read and heard from experienced soapers, this soap does work wonders. 

My granddaughter tried it out where her glasses rub on her nose and creates reddened areas. She said it cleared up her nose right away but that it was a bit smelly.  She is right about that however It's worth a try if you do have skin issues.  Update:  My teenaged grandson has also started using it and his acne is clearing up. This stuff really works!

Naked Mummy Soap

Introducing the Naked Mummy. I received my inspiration for this soap from this website.... http://www.craftaholicsanonymous.net/ghosts-of-mummies-past-tutorial

Underneath all that mummy wrapping is a plain, naked bar of soap made with aloe vera vitamin juice, tallow, olive oil, coconut oil, rice bran oil and cream. No colorants or fragrances added, just au naturale!  Selling for $5 a bar. 

R.I.P. Halloween Soap Tubs - Freshly Poured

Pumpkin Lager Bars

These bars smell like they are freshly baked from the oven and are extra creamy.

Lemon Dream Bars with Poppy Seed Sprinkles

Limewood / coconut

 

 

 

Limewood & Coconut Scented for guys or girls!  Bars are extra tall and are $5.50 each.

Star Anise $5.00 per bar

Freshly Poured Lemon Bars

Lemon Bars in the mold!  I am trying out a new mold today. It is a large cardboard lid that was free!  Just line it with Freezer paper (shiny side up) and you are good to go.  I will be cutting these soaps to look like real lemon bars that you eat. 

Lulu's Heritage Soapworks is Born!

Rub a dub dub, Lulu in a tub!

My first batch of soap was made by following my Great Aunt Reba's recipe. It was just a plain, basic soap made with lard, lye, ammonia and borax!  Can you believe it?  Don't freak out when you see the word lye (or sodium hydroxide).  It is a necessary ingredient to make soap.  Soap is made from oils and alkali and soap can't be soap without it.  The beautiful thing is that once these are mixed together in the proper weights and formulas, a chemical reaction called saponification takes place and the lye is no longer lye.  It has transformed into soap!  

Soaps have come a long way since my great Aunt Reba's and my Grandparents days. Now they are works of art with all sorts of fragrances, skin loving oils, additives, coloring techniques, etc. Once you try these soaps you will not want to go back to the detergent and chemically laden bars sold by the big manufacturers. Your skin will love the natural glycerin bi-product contained in home made soaps.  If you are like me, you will come to appreciate the beauty of continuing a tradition of soap-making that I know my ancestors would be proud of.  

My sweet family members always come in to check out the latest soaps on the drying/curing racks and like to help out by sampling products, wrapping soaps and everything in between.  I love my family members and friends (new and old) wherever they are for the support and love they show me time after time.  Thanks guys, you are the best!