Gemstone Soap...by Brooke

Brooke made these fun gemstone soaps but didn't write it up for me to post. So this won't be as cute of a description as she would give, but here's how she did it.

Click here for instructions on how she normally makes soap, there's a cute video of her showing what she does.

For these big gemstone soaps she layered different colors of melted soap in big plastic cups (red solo, etc.) letting each layer set up before adding the next layer. Once the whole thing is firm peel off the cup - you're left with a big chunk of soap. She then just whittled away the sides using a kitchen knife until she got the effect she was after. Easy!

Barbie Soap

Yesterday I posted cutie Brooke making cutie soaps that are all pretty and smell good...so today I'm posting how Aunt Jill prefers to make soap - not pretty (although it does smell good). I don't know why I started doing this, did I see this somewhere? I'm thinking not, cuz why would anyone do this? HA. Wherever it came from, I had the idea to cut up barbie dolls and float the pieces in soap - yep, it's just what it sounds like, random doll parts sticking out of soap. Kinda creepy, kinda funny - the only bar I have left is one with a barbie face floating in it, I keep it in the guest room as a "surprise" for unsuspecting visitors. LOL!!! Brooke told me a couple years ago that we could no longer make these, it's just wrong - so now we just make pretty "normal" regular soap :) Whatever.

Brooke makes soap

First of all, today is Brooke's birthday so "HAPPY BIRTHDAY B!!" Let's see if she checks the blog today LOL!


She loves to make soap - this is the first time she has done it though with no help from me and I cannot tell you how happy this makes me. Yes I also love to make soap, but within reason...this kid will make soap for hours and hours like the energizer bunny - there's no end to the soap making! But now that she can handle the hot liquid soap and pouring it into the molds by herself then hey, Aunt Jill is totally fine with her making it all day if she wants (or until the supplies run out hahah!).

Watch this video to see her teach how she does it...such a funny girl, love her :)



This is not hard to do, it just requires adult supervision since you melt the soap in the microwave and then need a steady hand to pour it into the molds. I cover the surface she's working at but really it's just soap and clean up is pretty easy.

I chunk up a big brick of soap I get at the craft store, it comes in white opaque and clear. Put some in a big glass measuring bowl and micro until it's melted. Then add color and scents (a little goes a long way). They have lots of different dyes you can color it with and scents, and of course lots of choices for molds. You need to work quickly as the soap starts to set up right away, get it into the molds and then pop them in the freezer until it hardens up, then release them from the molds. Easy.

Usually I spray the molds with non-stick cooking spray but not always - some molds are harder than others but it'll come out with a little patience. We like to layer the colors by pouring some soap into the mold and letting it get hard, then add more melted soap in a different color on top of the first. Just experiment to see what you can come up with - if it doesn't work then just re-melt it and try something else.

Good, clean fun!

Soap with Spiders

                                                                                                                   

My niece and I made spider soap yesterday (she won't let me make soap with pieces of barbies in it anymore...fun sucker...but floating spiders are ok). We LOVE to make soap and it's an excellent way to spend lots of time together with fairly easy clean up (it's soap - easy clean up hahaha...anyway...). I buy blocks of soap from the craft store and melt it in the microwave according to directions; add scent, colors, and any items you want to float in the soap; then pour into molds. (note: I've been in charge of the microwaving and until recently the pouring into molds but I have her stir in the scent and colors - she's getting old enough now though that she can pour, I just have a bowl of ice water handy in case she gets any hot soap on her fingers!) We put them in the freezer to speed up the hardening process, especially if you are making layers of different colors. Pop them out of molds when done and put them next to a sink where you'll get the most shock value :)

this is two layers of clear soap, the bottom is colored
orange and the top we left clear

we made this just using clear glycerin soap