Easy Crafts: Anybody can do this soap stuff!
Even you!
by
Leslie Sausage
This is a fun way to "dip your toe" into soap making!
Just grate up some
pure soap and remix with water to make not only kid gifts, but some nice little
guest soaps as well.
Kids love writing on the tub when bathing and they
can with soap "crayons"!
For soap flakes recipes, you can make your own
with finely grated bars of pure soap to make soap powder. The amount of water
may need to be decreased, so start with less water and add as needed. If you
don't want to make your own pure soap flakes, you can buy a package in the
laundry aisle at the grocery store.
***Do not use laundry detergent!***
.Bath Time Crayons
3 cups soap flakes
1/2 to 1 cup water, approximately
1 teaspoon vegetable food coloring
.Molded - Bath Time Crayons
Combine
soap flakes and water. Add food coloring and put mixture into lightly greased
ice cube trays, candy or soap molds. Press soap dough into molds lightly and let
dry over night before un-molding.
.Shaped - Bath Time Crayons
Grease
your hands with vegetable oil first! Mix the soap and water to make the
consistency of play dough. Put a few drops of vegetable oil and your hands and
rub between the palms of your hands so the soap won't stick to your hands while
shaping it.
.Soap on a Rope:
You'll need some string. Shape the soap
with your hands. Cut a piece of string and tie the ends together. Push the knot
gently into the your finished shape. Let the completed soap dry before hanging
it by the rope.
.Cookie Cutter Soap Shapes:
Pat or roll out mixture
and let kids use cookie cutters or theme cutters to make individual soaps. Make
"soap on a rope" by cutting two identical pieces and sandwiching the string
between the layers.
.Multi-color Soap or Soap on a Rope:
Make two-tone
soaps by using identical shapes of different colors and sandwiching them
together.
Small cookie cutters make nice shapes in guest-soap size that
can be placed in a small wicker basket for a gift, bathroom display or drawer
sachets.
Leslie Sausage is a freelance writer and mom who is the author of several
e-books. For more creative, practical and fun ideas for your home visit Frugal
Homemaker at
www.frugalhomemaker.com