New yogurt soaps

We've got a batch of Spiced Apple Pear soaps that have been curing for about 2 1/2 weeks now, and even though the yogurt combined with (I suspect) the touch of vanilla in the fragrance is turning them tan, they're going to be really pretty!

These molds are pretty adorable, aren't they? We've even had guys stop by who have said "that soap is beautiful!" :-)

I made some soap using this same recipe, scented with Citrus & Basil, and we couldn't resist using it. Even at 2 weeks, the soap holds together extremely well, doesn't mush when it sits in water (which surprised me, since it has such a high yogurt content), and lathers and moisturizes beautifully. I'm not going to post pictures of the Citrus & Basil batch because they turned out a bit "cute grunge", as we call them... what that really means is that I waited too long to pour the soap (I was getting the additives mixed in well) and the last few bars ended up pretty chunky in the mold! Oh well, good thing that doesn't affect the quality of the soap! ;-)

The good thing about the "cute grunge" batch was that we have found an excellent "tester bar" or guest bath soap size. We're making more next week, using Jasmine fragrance, and I'll post pictures then.

How to play Cassino

Wiki article on how to play Cassino

My youngest brother and I heard about a card game called Cassino and looked up the rules, and then played a few hands. Once you get the rules down it's a lot of fun! It's called a "fishing" game, which means you collect and pair cards as you play. It is very much like "go fish", except you collect cards from the table, not other players' hands. You can also "add" cards to other cards on the table to make them equal the number you're 'fishing' for.

I would highly recommend this game, and it seems especially suited for younger teens who have outgrown "go fish" but are still interested in cards. The end of each complete deal is especially fun, because calculating your points can mean a complete reversal of who you thought was doing well!