First try.....

[Sterling]

Thanks Danielle! I found something I am really enjoying. Glycerine soap crafting! I've spent some time this weekend gathering supplies and making a few bars...this is really addicting! Here are just a couple of bars I made so far. One is blue silk flowers and one is a cat (for my sister). I'm a total beginner at this so the simpler the better...for now! :bgrin I'm going to try some more intricate ones tonight...can't wait!!!

 

[disneyhorse]

Okay, okay...

Now that I've seen a few threads on this... how exactly do you make the soap? Is it messy? How much does it cost for supplies? And... where do you get supplies? I guess we have some big craft retail places that might have it out here, I could look into that.

I was just talking to my husband about starting Christmas shopping (always start in September, so it's around the corner... with my goal always to be completely done by December 1st...) and suddenly thought this might be a good thing to try for everyone, as it looks "customizable"...

Sooo info please, soapmakers?

Andrea

 

[Jill]

Those are beautiful!!!

 

[Valerie]

Cheyenne.....

Those look great....is is addicting isn't it?

Andrea, you can get the soap making supplies at pretty much any craft store....... the ones in our area are Michael's and Joann Fabric......and you can even do better if you get the 40 % off or 50% off coupons for the craft stores in the Sunday paper.

My sister showed me how to make the glycerin soap.......as I had brought some really, really nice essence oils back from my last trip to Hawaii.......the smells are soooooo good....takes me right back to the islands.

Also, you can use candy or soap molds....or even some cute jello molds to make the soaps.......

It is tons of fun.......... and yes, great gift ideas.

Mine are not too fancy, just a few different colors & scents.....but fun nonetheless.

 

[Sterling]

Jill ....thank you!! :bgrin

Andrea.....I got some of my supplies at Michaels and AC Moore.... It's pretty much what it's called melt and pour soap. Just melt and pour the soap into molds and the skies the limit! You probably can check out your big craft supply stores in your area and they will have a bunch of soap supplies...ours are next to the candles. Christmas gifts are a great way to share these.....so many things to do with them....

Valerie.... Thank you!! Also I have a JoAnn's by me and did'nt even think to look there!!! And I went there the other day to get some material!! Yes...it IS addicting...and just as your sister showed you how to make your's I'm getting my sister involved in it too. A fun thing to do with the kids, and to share and chat about all the neat ones that you've produced. So far I've got Vanilla/Lavendar oils and Pearberry..... I already have a bunch of bars on countertops and on a craft table in my computer room.... :aktion033:

 

[MeadowRidge Farm]

I order all my supplies right on line thru Peaks Candle Supply, or Snowdrift Farms. IMO, I like both of there M&P over alot of the others I have tried. I always look for a melt and pur base that has no sulfates in it, that might be just me but it seems to be a better base in my opinion. I use to make cold process soap but the melt and pour is just so much easier to do and you can do so much with it. I made just last week some nice horseheads. I also just got some nice basket trays at our dollar store, they work perfect for craft shows and displays. Your right, this is very addicting. Just remember to write down everything you do when you start "adding" if your going to use natural dyes, just a little pinch off can change the whole color. I will post a pic tomorrow of my horse heads. Scales come in really handy too. I use a postal type one, there alot cheaper then regular soap scales. Corinne

 

[Kathy2m]

They are beautiful, how did you get the glitter in them, I sure dont NEED another craft project, but this is too cool to pass up..... Kathy

 

[ChrystalPaths]

I love em! :aktion033:

 

[Cathy_H]

:aktion033: If you all give these as gifts -make sure you also include the ingredients due to so many people having allergies.

 

[Sterling]

Corinne....Thank you for those tips! I can't wait till you post yor pics of your horse heads! I have a few plans for some horsey projects in place too!

Kathy...be careful...I kid you NOT...it's addicting!! :bgrin The glitter is this very fine twiklers stuff that comes in a teeny tiny jar you can find in the soap making department of your craft store. It's not the regular glitter which has bigger flakes. You only need a very small amount (I learned that the hard way..LOL) to get a twinkling effect. Ohhhh I don't remember the exact name...but once you see the little jars you'll know what it is. They come in different colors too...I like just the light effects.

Deb...thank you!!!!

:

Cathy....yep! Absolutely! These soaps that I made are pure clear glycerine. They only have the toy or the dried flowers, and the glitter inside. Now I got a 2 lb. package of Avacado/Cucumber glycerine and I made some oatmeal cinnamon bars...omg...talk about NEAT!!! They look and smell almost yummy enough to eat! And I tried washing my hands with a piece of a left over, and my hands are sooo smooth!

I'm having problems however finding the mica.....I may have to order online.

 

[Equuisize]

You know I'm not a crafting person.....but this looks like fun....

How do you make the decorations stay in the middle of the soap???

Why don't they like sink?

Do you like melt supplies in the microwave....??

 

[Sterling]

Hey Nancy! :saludando: I just got done reading your email btw! :bgrin

For the embedded toys inside, I just place them right in the middle after pouring a little bit of the soap mixture in the mold...let it set just a bit put the toy in it and pour the rest. You can manipulate the toy while it's still hot before the whole things set if it should happen to move a bit while you're pouring the rest. And yes...I'm melting this glycerine in the microwave...it's sooo fun !!!

 

[Danielle_E.]

YIPEEEEEEEEEEEE :aktion033: :aktion033: :aktion033: I WARNED you it was addicting!!!. You start with melt and pour and you will more than likely progress to CP (cold process). I also started by using the Michaels brand of melt and pour and the cost is more prohibitive than buying it from an online soap supplier as mentioned here. Peaks is very good base and many others and you can get much better FO (fragrance oils) at a soap making supply site. Some are absolutely YUMMY!. You can add things to the melt and pour base from Michaels to make it lather much better and make it softer to the skin. Go to walmart and get some coconut oil (it's white and hard), don't get the liquid stuff and then get some grapeseed oil while you are at it or some sweet almond oil. You can add this to the Michaels base and it makes it VERY nice. But I know if you buy a base from a soap supplier you will see the difference immediately and it will cost you less the the Michaels base. Soaping not only is an "addiction for me, lol, but it helped me get through the long "mare stare" I went through this year. I am waiting on a large order of supplies so I can get my CP soaps done before Christmas, darn cure time. Today I am making bath bombs and lip balms but I did soap two this weekend, rebatches, and I will post some pics of them. The dark blue ones are a very manly scent called "Icy Blast" and I think I will probably call the soap "Winter Storm" or something like that. I used up a batch I had done up before which had lost its scent and just added pieces of soaps I had from cutting. Did the same with the other which is scented "Fall Harvest" and I think I will call that one "Fall Leaves".

I am so glad you are enjoying yourself :aktion033: :aktion033: :aktion033:

I wish some of you lived close by, we could all have a soap making party! :bgrin

 

[Danielle_E.]

Okay here are some of the things I have made recently.

The brown soaps are "brownie soaps" and they smell just like the real thing, lol. I made a batch of this soap and cut them and put them on a plate on the counter and my son came into the kitchen and said "hey, you made brownies" and proceeded to grab a piece and walk away, lol. I had to yell "ROBERT, that is soap!!!!". I sold most of the batch and this is what I have left at this point. Will have to make those again, they are scented chcolate :bgrin . The navy blue soap are the ones for men and smell STRONG. The green with imbeds are the Fall Harvest scented ones. The ones with the candy canes over them are a melt and pour glycerine soap scented with "Christmas Tree" and they really do smell just like that, they are a hand soap to be used around Christmas time for use and decoration. The "baby" box is one I am making up for a friend of mine. It contains (no labelling done yet) Lavender baby powder (infused with my lavender from my garden) and scented a bit with EO (essential oil, lavender), then there is a baby oil also infused with my lavender and in the purple bag is a mild lavender/rosemary soap. To that I am going to add a "scented bear" and wrap it all up for her. The tall mason jar type with ribbon has lavender bath salts (sea salt, epson salt mixture,ect) and the smaller jar has "cucumber/melon" bath salts. These are some of the things I have been making to keep busy, lol. OH AND MARTY!!!!! I HAVE been trying to CALL you but you NEVER answer girl!!! Makayla said "GRANDMA IS TRYING TO REACH YOU"

 

[sfmini]

What a great idea, sounds like something that even I could do!

I may try this to sell in our little Christmas store on our tree farm this year.

Something a friend of mine does is put the scented soaps in a basket in her bathroom and and it always smells just wonderful.

 

[Danielle_E.]

Jody, I think that is a WONDERFUL idea!!! Just remember its another addicition besides minis, lol.

Another fun project you might all like to try is the "scented bears". Just do a search "scented bear" and be prepared to go "oh boy, I can do that too". They don't have to be bears, they can be any critter you want. ENJOY!

 

[MeadowRidge Farm]

Here is a pic of my horse head soaps. I tried to show you the mold in the pic too, but it didn't turn out the best. For the horse head mold..its a Milky Way mold, and is a 4 oz soap, the small little horse heads with the shoes around it, will be about 1.5 oz. I just like to have a dish of these tiny soaps sitting in the bathrooms. The one in this pic is just a plain shea butter soap. I have done holiday baskets up with these "horse soaps in them and also put in the complete "horse" towel set. I have always sold out of any of my natural soaps at the shows I go to. Danielle, I made the brownies soap too, and they thought I baked brownies :bgrin . Have you tried the choco chip cookies?

: I have a big order coming from Perks again too. Wouldn't a soap making party be fun, with all the members who do it, like you said to bad we don't live closer. Ohh, another good place to order from which I think has a very good base too is BrambleBerry. Corinne

 

[Sterling]

Ooohhhh Danielle...you just keep my wheels spinning!!!! :new_multi: Your pieces are VERY beautiful!!! I am so wishful I can get to the point you are at and create beautiful items too!! Is the shiney stuff I see on top of your soaps mica? I love those brownies and the way you've packaged everything I just love it! I am just starting to get into looking up and getting ideas on packaging.

Couple of questions.....how long do I have to wait before I can package these soaps? Like the oatmeal/cinnamon soaps, can they go in storage for like November or will putting them away hinder the soap itself?

Also, the candletech.com website won't come up for me...is it still running....how can I get to it?

Why does it take so long for the CP soap to set? Is this the formula that uses lye?

I want to try to order some supplies online definitely. I've got my sister going on this project too and we can hardly stand it we're just so excited! I wished we could get together too and have a soap making party....and just exchange ideas and tips! Or some kind of soap club would be neat too! I think it would benefit me to order the glycerine blocks from the supplier too...after comparing costs...it's defintely cost effective to order from the online suppliers.

Corinne.....your horse head mold and soaps are beautiful! I had found a supplier online this past weekend that I will be ordering what looks like that same mold from.

Seems to me like you ladies are pros!!! Can't wait to get to that point! But right now there's just so much to do...almost don't know where to start!!!

:

Here are a couple more of the beginners bars I made this morning.

Avacado/Cucumber glycerine with oatmeal/cinnamon added

 

[Danielle_E.]

I wouldn't call those "beginner" bars :aktion033: . They are VERY nice and you have the knack to keep the darn bubble monster away when doing glycerine :aktion033: :aktion033: . You are a natural at this and as I said I wish I lived closer because I would get you started on the CP soaps. You think the glycerine soaps are exciting, you ain't seen nothing yet!!! ROFL. The nice thing about melt and pour soaps is that you can be very creative with it and once they set you can use them IMMEDIATELY or you can wrap them up for giving later. Remember to wrap them right away so you don't lose the scent in them, if you have scented them and you want to wrap them anyway so they don't "shrink". Withe CP you can't wrap them immediately, you have to let them harden and cure and yes it's because of the lye that you use in order to have your oils have the chemical reaction to become soap. The first time I made CP I had a pot full of liquid oils and though "how the heck is this going to become soap" and then the magic of the lye and water solution, amazing. Some people, instead of using distilled water in their lye solution will use carrot juice or other things that are good for your skin. Those that make goat milk soap use of course goat milk but with that you MUST remember to have your goat milk soap slushy and VERY cold before putting the lye in or you burn the goat milk when adding lye as the lye will immediately make the liquid get VERY VERY hot, chemical reaction.

The candletech sight has been down since Friday, don't know what's wrong, but I am having withdrawal!!!

Jody, I love your soap!!!!! I have seen that mold online and must add it to my next supply order. I want to try doing some "scented ponies" (the stuffed animals that double as room freshners. I found a wholesaler who has some really cute stuffed horses that do look like minis. That is the next item on my agenda to do, if I ever get a spare minute, lol. Oh so much soap to make, what fun, and so little time, lol.

Oops, forgot to answer you about the question of the "shiny stuff". That shiny stuff I got at Michaels, it's the bronze powder where you buy the melt and pour. Just put some of the top of your soap, when you are making an opaque melt and pour, not a clear one, and get a paint brush, small one and just swish away all over the top of your soap :bgrin

Just wanted to add, that I have had some batches be less than stellar, believe you me, lol. I remember one batch my girlfriend was over and I had just added the lye solution to the pot of oil and started to mix it and added my color and scent and within 2 seconds, I swear, it became like CEMENT!!! :new_shocked: I was laughing my head off. I said to Val, "uh, Houston, we have a BIG problem". I have not had a batch do that to me since but I am pretty sure it was the scent I used. Some work in CP and some are not very nice to work with. The other thing to be careful with is vanilla scents. I made a clear glycerine soap once and embedded a litle goldfish toy in each, for kids. Colored the clear glycerine a beautiful shade of blue, like the ocean. Well that soap became "caca" brown, lol, in a matter of a few days. The vanilla scent when poured was clear, never thinking it would do that to the soap . Some vanialla fragrance oils will not do that but most will. BEWARE!

 

[Kathy2m]

Just got back from Michaels, went with my 40% off coupon, got the basic starter set, saw the glitter and dyes and scents. What can you put in the soap toy wise and where do you get them, I didnt see anything at Michaels to put in the middle. Can you guys that are pros please give us newbes the web sites you go to. I cant wait to get started, I love to give homemade stuff for christmas so this works great!!!!

Thanks alot!, Kathy