Laundry Soap

Apparently I make everything from scratch now.  Here is a list of things I (and by I, I mean with a great deal of assistance from my husband) made from scratch this weekend:

-  Almond Milk
-  Ketchup (did you know it takes FOR STINKIN' EVER to make ketchup?)
-  Pickles
-  Hashbrowns (not that it is hard to make shredded potatoes from scratch.  But I peeled and grated 10 pounds of potatoes)
-  Laundry Soap

{We NEEDED the laundry soap.  Can't you see the pile of laundry in the background?}

I finally made laundry soap (using THIS RECIPE).  And it only took 9 months and 2 attempts to do so. 

And no... making laundry soap is not related to my upcoming low-iodine diet.

Why 2 attempts?  Because I forgot to add water when I melted my soap and ended up melting a spoon instead.  And it made our house smell like melted plastic and burnt soap.

I figure since apparently now I make EVERYTHING from scratch, why not throw in laundry soap?

I have crazy sensitive skin.  We can't use fabric softener.  No laundry soap with scents.  So I was a little concerned about making my own soap.  But it has NO dyes and NO scents.  Just a bunch of soap.  It works and our clothes smell clean.

And now we are the proud owners of 10 gallons of laundry soap.  I estimate we won't need more laundry soap for about a year.  At least.  And I think, over the course of the year, I have saved us a whopping $100.  Cha-ching.

I think this makes me an official pioneer woman.  Which makes total sense, since I live in Oregon (the end of the Oregon Trail).  We did spend quite a bit of time in elementary school learning how the pioneers lived, complete with making our own wool and square dancing.

I think I am ready for my own butter-churn.

Oh wait... after next week I can't have butter.  Ok in a month and a half, I'll be ready for my butter churn.