June 25, 2012
In the tub....I mean soap mold :)
Rubber Ducky Soaps!
Cold Process soap made with coconut, olive and palm oils. Lightly scented.
Cold Process soap made with coconut, olive and palm oils. Lightly scented.
June 24, 2012
In the soap mold:
Lemon Poppy Seed Hot Process Soap
Hot process soap made with olive, coconut and palm oils. Extra coconut milk and sweet almond oil added.
I love making hot process soap because you can use the soap right away, although I always let mine sit for a few weeks so that they last longer.
Hot process soap made with olive, coconut and palm oils. Extra coconut milk and sweet almond oil added.
I love making hot process soap because you can use the soap right away, although I always let mine sit for a few weeks so that they last longer.
June 23, 2012
In the soap mold:
Birthday Cake Soap!
Cold Process Soap made with olive, coconut and palm oils.
Cold Process Soap made with olive, coconut and palm oils.
And cut:
Birthday Cake Soap, cut
March 25, 2012
Easter Carrot Soap
I had to get creative…..no carrot molds in my stash! However, I did find that a dollar-store ice cube mold that I had worked perfectly for forming the tops and bottoms of the little carrots.
Molds Used:
For carrots: dollar-store mold with stars and rounds (see picture below)
For soap: small square Rubbermaid drawer organizer (3x3x2)
If you are not familiar with the basics of melt and pour soaping, please refer to the excellent melt and pour (MP) instructions here
I use melt and pour soap that is pre-scored into 40 squares, the squares weigh approximately 0.6 oz each.
To Make The Carrots:
1 square green MP soap
1 square clear MP soap colored with a bit of red iron oxide (enough to make it orange colored)
I use melt and pour soap that is pre-scored into 40 squares, the squares weigh approximately 0.6 oz each.
To Make The Carrots:
1 square green MP soap
1 square clear MP soap colored with a bit of red iron oxide (enough to make it orange colored)
.
Pour the melted green soap into 6 star molds, these will form the tops of the carrots. Spritz soap with rubbing alcohol to disperse any bubbles that have formed. Pour the melted orange soap into 6 round molds and spritz tops with rubbing alcohol. Let soaps cool until firm, then put mold in freezer for at least 30 mins, or until the soaps pop easily out of the molds. Set aside the soap pieces for now.
To Make The Soap:
Bottom (orange) Layer: Melt 6 squares of clear MP soap and color with red iron oxide, enough to make the soap orange. Fragrance with ½ tsp fragrance oil of your choice (I used Cream Cheese Frosting).
First, use some of the melted orange soap to assemble the carrots: use a pipette or dropper to drop a tiny bit of melted orange soap onto the green and orange carrot soap pieces to stick them together as pictured above.
Then, pour the remainder of the orange soap into the small square Rubbermaid drawer organizer. Let set for 30 mins or until firm enough to support top layer.
Top Layer: Melt 5 squares white MP soap and fragrance with 1/2 tsp fragrance oil. Cool and stir until thick, then pour onto orange layer and texturize top with a fork or spoon, pressing the carrots into the top of the soap while the white soap is still soft and malleable.
Let soap set for 30 mins, then remove from mold. Cut in half to make 2 soaps.
To Make The Soap:
Bottom (orange) Layer: Melt 6 squares of clear MP soap and color with red iron oxide, enough to make the soap orange. Fragrance with ½ tsp fragrance oil of your choice (I used Cream Cheese Frosting).
First, use some of the melted orange soap to assemble the carrots: use a pipette or dropper to drop a tiny bit of melted orange soap onto the green and orange carrot soap pieces to stick them together as pictured above.
Then, pour the remainder of the orange soap into the small square Rubbermaid drawer organizer. Let set for 30 mins or until firm enough to support top layer.
Top Layer: Melt 5 squares white MP soap and fragrance with 1/2 tsp fragrance oil. Cool and stir until thick, then pour onto orange layer and texturize top with a fork or spoon, pressing the carrots into the top of the soap while the white soap is still soft and malleable.
Let soap set for 30 mins, then remove from mold. Cut in half to make 2 soaps.
March 21, 2012
Oatmeal, Milk & Honey Soap
This is one of the first soaps I made and still one of my absolute favorites. Creamy oatmeal, rich goat milk and sweet honey mingle to make an incredibly soothing soap.
If you are not familiar with melt and pour soaping, there are some excellent basic melt and pour (MP) instructions here
(I used melt and pour soap that is pre-scored into 40 squares, the squares weigh approximately 0.6 oz each)
Materials:
15 squares goat milk melt and pour soap, melted and fragrance with 1 tsp oatmeal, milk and honey fragrance oil
15 squares honey melt and pour soap, melted and fragranced with 1 tsp oatmeal, milk and honey fragrance oil
15 squares oatmeal melt and pour soap, as below
Directions:
Pour melted goat milk soap into mold (I used a Rubbermaid 9x3x2-inch drawer organizer); immediately pour honey MP into goat milk MP, this will settle to give you the variegated effect of the honey through the white soap. Spritz top with rubbing alcohol to disperse any bubbles that have formed and let set for at least 30 mins, or until soap is firm enough to support next layer.
Once soap is set up enough:
Melt 15 squares of oatmeal melt and pour soap. Alternatively, melt 15 squares of clear MP and add a tiny bit of honey MP and some quick oats. Fragrance the melted soap with 1 tsp oatmeal, milk and honey fragrance oil. Cool and stir until soap starts to get thick. Spritz bottom layer of soap with rubbing alcohol and pour the oatmeal soap on top. Texturize the top of the oatmeal soap using a fork or spoon.
Melt any leftover soap and drizzle over the top of the soap.
Cool and slice into bars.
This is one of the first soaps I made and still one of my absolute favorites. Creamy oatmeal, rich goat milk and sweet honey mingle to make an incredibly soothing soap.
If you are not familiar with melt and pour soaping, there are some excellent basic melt and pour (MP) instructions here
(I used melt and pour soap that is pre-scored into 40 squares, the squares weigh approximately 0.6 oz each)
Materials:
15 squares goat milk melt and pour soap, melted and fragrance with 1 tsp oatmeal, milk and honey fragrance oil
15 squares honey melt and pour soap, melted and fragranced with 1 tsp oatmeal, milk and honey fragrance oil
15 squares oatmeal melt and pour soap, as below
Directions:
Pour melted goat milk soap into mold (I used a Rubbermaid 9x3x2-inch drawer organizer); immediately pour honey MP into goat milk MP, this will settle to give you the variegated effect of the honey through the white soap. Spritz top with rubbing alcohol to disperse any bubbles that have formed and let set for at least 30 mins, or until soap is firm enough to support next layer.
Once soap is set up enough:
Melt 15 squares of oatmeal melt and pour soap. Alternatively, melt 15 squares of clear MP and add a tiny bit of honey MP and some quick oats. Fragrance the melted soap with 1 tsp oatmeal, milk and honey fragrance oil. Cool and stir until soap starts to get thick. Spritz bottom layer of soap with rubbing alcohol and pour the oatmeal soap on top. Texturize the top of the oatmeal soap using a fork or spoon.
Melt any leftover soap and drizzle over the top of the soap.
Cool and slice into bars.
February 24, 2012
Altered Altoid Tin: 2-minute Mug Cake
This would make a nice hostess gift, or a little pick-me-up for a friend. I've tried a lot of different mug cake recipes, and this one is my favorite by far. It's also a super-easy mix to make!
To decorate Altoid tin:
1. Wash and dry the Altoid tin, tape off the bottom and spray the lid with Tremclad ‘Hammered’ spray paint.
2. While the lid is drying, print off the Gooseberry Patch labels from here
3. Seal the label to the lid by brushing the lid and label with podge. Because I used an inkjet printer, I first sealed the label by using clear tape on the top and underside of the label, so that the colors didn’t bleed when I brushed the label with podge.
4. Glue acrylic jewels to lid.
5. Print out mug cake instructions (below) and affix them to the inside of the lid.
6. Make cake mix (recipe below), using one zip-top pouch per tin. This cake mix recipe will make enough for several tins.
2-Minute Chocolate Mug Cake Mix:
1 box Devil's Food cake mix
1 large box chocolate instant pudding mix
Mix together powdered cake mix and instant pudding mix. Divide combined mix into 1/2-cup portions and place into small zip-top bags.
Cake in a Mug Instructions: Spray a microwave-safe mug with cooking oil. Empty contents of cake mix pouch into mug. Add 1 egg, 1 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp water. Mix until combined, microwave for 2 minutes.
February 7, 2012
Valentine's Soap
I made this soap to use up some of the mini hearts I had left over from the soap dish project (see below).
It was super easy to do and made 8 nice-sized soaps to give away as Valentine gifts! It's hard to see in the picture, but there is a nice shimmer to the white part of the soap, which comes from the mica. I like the tops of my soaps to have some texture, rather than lying flat as melt and pour tends to do, and I have included my instructions for doing this below.
If you are not familiar with melt and pour soaping, there are some excellent basic melt and pour (MP) instructions here
Materials:
2 pounds of clear melt and pour soap + 1 square (0.6 ounce) of white melt and pour soap
Silver mica
Fragrance or essential oil
Method:
Melt together the melt and pour soap and fragrance with 3 - 6 tsp of fragrance or essential oil, depending on the strength of the oil. Stir in a little bit of silver mica for some shimmer.
Pour the melted soap into a rectangle mold (I used a different drawer organizer) and let it sit for 10 mins. Then, pour the soap back into the container you used for melting it and stir the soap for another 5 minutes or so, until soap starts to get thick and gel-like. Spritz with rubbing alcohol if necessary to disperse any bubbles that have formed. Don't stir too hard or you will end up with lots of bubbles! You want the soap to get thick, so that you can work with the top of the soap to texturize it, rather than having it flat and smooth. Once it is to a thicker consistency, scrape the soap into your mold/drawer organizer and texturize the top using a spoon or fork, working with it until you are happy with the shape of the top. Insert the mini hearts into the top of soap while it is still warm and let it set until cool.
If necessary, put the mold into the freezer to make removal of the soap easier. Slice into bars and enjoy!
I made this soap to use up some of the mini hearts I had left over from the soap dish project (see below).
It was super easy to do and made 8 nice-sized soaps to give away as Valentine gifts! It's hard to see in the picture, but there is a nice shimmer to the white part of the soap, which comes from the mica. I like the tops of my soaps to have some texture, rather than lying flat as melt and pour tends to do, and I have included my instructions for doing this below.
If you are not familiar with melt and pour soaping, there are some excellent basic melt and pour (MP) instructions here
Materials:
2 pounds of clear melt and pour soap + 1 square (0.6 ounce) of white melt and pour soap
Silver mica
Fragrance or essential oil
Method:
Melt together the melt and pour soap and fragrance with 3 - 6 tsp of fragrance or essential oil, depending on the strength of the oil. Stir in a little bit of silver mica for some shimmer.
Pour the melted soap into a rectangle mold (I used a different drawer organizer) and let it sit for 10 mins. Then, pour the soap back into the container you used for melting it and stir the soap for another 5 minutes or so, until soap starts to get thick and gel-like. Spritz with rubbing alcohol if necessary to disperse any bubbles that have formed. Don't stir too hard or you will end up with lots of bubbles! You want the soap to get thick, so that you can work with the top of the soap to texturize it, rather than having it flat and smooth. Once it is to a thicker consistency, scrape the soap into your mold/drawer organizer and texturize the top using a spoon or fork, working with it until you are happy with the shape of the top. Insert the mini hearts into the top of soap while it is still warm and let it set until cool.
If necessary, put the mold into the freezer to make removal of the soap easier. Slice into bars and enjoy!
February 2, 2012
Mini Heart Soaps in a Soap Dish
This would make such a nice Valentine gift for someone special. Nothing goes to waste here – even the soap dish is made from soap!
Molds:
I used a mini heart mold (for chocolates) for the heart soaps
I used a half-round mold for the soap dish
There are excellent basic melt and pour (MP) instructions here:
(I used melt and pour soap that is pre-scored into 40 squares, the squares weigh approximately 0.6 oz each)
White Hearts: Melt 2 squares of clear MP; color with a bit of silver mica and add a tiny bit of fragrance or essential oil. Pour into heart-shaped molds, spritz with rubbing alcohol to get rid of any bubbles that have formed. Let set and remove hearts from mold.
Pink Hearts: Melt 2 squares of clear MP; color with a bit of rose mica and add a bit more silver mica if necessary to get a soft pink color. Mix in a tiny bit of fragrance or essential oil. Pour into heart-shaped molds, spritz with rubbing alcohol to get rid of any bubbles that have formed. Let set and remove hearts from mold.
Red Hearts: Melt 2 squares of clear MP; color with rose mica until you have a nice dark pink/red color. Mix in a tiny bit of fragrance or essential oil. Pour into heart-shaped mold, spritz with rubbing alcohol to get rid of any bubbles that have formed. Let set and remove hearts from mold.
To make the soap dish: Melt 4 squares of white MP and add about ¼ tsp fragrance or essential oil, depending on how strong your fragrance is. Pour about half of the melted soap in a half-round mold. You may need to spritz the soap lightly with rubbing alcohol to disperse any air bubbles that have formed. Carefully rotate the mold in a rolling motion to swirl the soap up and over the sides so that it starts to coat the mold with soap; much like you would if you were making a chocolate bowl or shell. Work carefully as the soap will be hot. Continue rotating and swirling the mold until the bottom and sides have a thin layer of soap on them. Don’t worry if some of the soap runs up over the edge of the mold, you can trim up the sides later. Repeat until the soap is getting thick, then let the remaining soap settle to the bottom middle of them mold (you can also bang the mold slightly on the counter to help settle the soap). Remelt the other half of the white MP (for about 10 seconds) and pour it into the same half-round mold, repeating the rotating and swirling motion until you have built up nice, thick sides of soap on the mold. Let some of the soap settle to the bottom of the mold again. Remelt any soap that is left in the container and pour it directly into the middle of the mold (pour until the soap reaches about ¾ of the way to the top of the mold), so that you have a smooth and flat surface to lay your heart-shaped soaps on. Let the soap set up, and while it is still warm you can use your thumb to smooth out any rough edges on the sides. Once it is completely cool, put it in the freezer for a few minutes to make removal easier. After you have removed the soap, you can trim up the edges with a knife and arrange your heart-shaped soap inside!
Tip: It is not necessary to clean out the container you are melting and coloring the soap for the heart-shaped soaps, as each color builds on the next. Use a separate container or wash the container before making the white soap dish (unless you plan on coloring the soap dish)
This would make such a nice Valentine gift for someone special. Nothing goes to waste here – even the soap dish is made from soap!
Molds:
I used a mini heart mold (for chocolates) for the heart soaps
I used a half-round mold for the soap dish
There are excellent basic melt and pour (MP) instructions here:
(I used melt and pour soap that is pre-scored into 40 squares, the squares weigh approximately 0.6 oz each)
White Hearts: Melt 2 squares of clear MP; color with a bit of silver mica and add a tiny bit of fragrance or essential oil. Pour into heart-shaped molds, spritz with rubbing alcohol to get rid of any bubbles that have formed. Let set and remove hearts from mold.
Pink Hearts: Melt 2 squares of clear MP; color with a bit of rose mica and add a bit more silver mica if necessary to get a soft pink color. Mix in a tiny bit of fragrance or essential oil. Pour into heart-shaped molds, spritz with rubbing alcohol to get rid of any bubbles that have formed. Let set and remove hearts from mold.
Red Hearts: Melt 2 squares of clear MP; color with rose mica until you have a nice dark pink/red color. Mix in a tiny bit of fragrance or essential oil. Pour into heart-shaped mold, spritz with rubbing alcohol to get rid of any bubbles that have formed. Let set and remove hearts from mold.
To make the soap dish: Melt 4 squares of white MP and add about ¼ tsp fragrance or essential oil, depending on how strong your fragrance is. Pour about half of the melted soap in a half-round mold. You may need to spritz the soap lightly with rubbing alcohol to disperse any air bubbles that have formed. Carefully rotate the mold in a rolling motion to swirl the soap up and over the sides so that it starts to coat the mold with soap; much like you would if you were making a chocolate bowl or shell. Work carefully as the soap will be hot. Continue rotating and swirling the mold until the bottom and sides have a thin layer of soap on them. Don’t worry if some of the soap runs up over the edge of the mold, you can trim up the sides later. Repeat until the soap is getting thick, then let the remaining soap settle to the bottom middle of them mold (you can also bang the mold slightly on the counter to help settle the soap). Remelt the other half of the white MP (for about 10 seconds) and pour it into the same half-round mold, repeating the rotating and swirling motion until you have built up nice, thick sides of soap on the mold. Let some of the soap settle to the bottom of the mold again. Remelt any soap that is left in the container and pour it directly into the middle of the mold (pour until the soap reaches about ¾ of the way to the top of the mold), so that you have a smooth and flat surface to lay your heart-shaped soaps on. Let the soap set up, and while it is still warm you can use your thumb to smooth out any rough edges on the sides. Once it is completely cool, put it in the freezer for a few minutes to make removal easier. After you have removed the soap, you can trim up the edges with a knife and arrange your heart-shaped soap inside!
Tip: It is not necessary to clean out the container you are melting and coloring the soap for the heart-shaped soaps, as each color builds on the next. Use a separate container or wash the container before making the white soap dish (unless you plan on coloring the soap dish)
February 1, 2012
I just discovered this little gem in the grocery store recently....it’s called Wowbutter! It’s a peanut butter replacement that
looks exactly like peanut butter and tastes very similar. It’s made with
toasted soy instead of peanuts…a nice alternative to peanut butter and safe for
school
(of course, soy has its own health benefits too)!
Naturally, my mind wandered and I wondered what it would be like in cookies, so tonight I experimented! They baked up exactly like peanut butter cookies; the texture was nice, and they tasted great too!
I've included the 3-ingredient recipe below, and bonus...they are also gluten-free!
(of course, soy has its own health benefits too)!
Naturally, my mind wandered and I wondered what it would be like in cookies, so tonight I experimented! They baked up exactly like peanut butter cookies; the texture was nice, and they tasted great too!
I've included the 3-ingredient recipe below, and bonus...they are also gluten-free!
No-Peanut Peanut Butter Cookies
(makes 24 cookies, adapted from Kraft)
1 cup Wowbutter
½ cup sugar
1 egg
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Combine all ingredients in mixer bowl and mix until well blended. Roll into balls and place about 2 inches apart on cookie sheet; flatten slightly with a fork. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and transfer to cooling rack, sprinkle with sugar.
Tip: Spray the measuring cup with vegetable oil before you measure the Wowbutter, it makes clean-up much easier!
February 1, 2012
‘V’ is for Valentine's Day Soap!
Just in time for Valentine’s Day! This one is so quick and easy; it makes such a cute gift and is a great way to use up your empty Tic Tac containers…
There are excellent basic melt and pour (MP) instructions here:
(I used melt and pour soap that is pre-scored into 40 squares, the squares weigh approximately 0.6 oz each)
Preparation:
Take lid off Tic Tac container and wash container and lid thoroughly. Carefully peel stickers off and let container air dry.
Instructions:
To make the layered soap: Melt 1 square of clear MP soap and add a bit of silver mica to color, add a tiny bit of fragrance oil of your choice. Carefully pour a layer of melted soap into the bottom of the empty Tic Tac container. Spritz the surface with rubbing alcohol to get rid of any air bubbles that have formed. Let set for 15 minutes.
Melt 1 square of clear MP soap and add a bit of rose mica, add a tiny bit of fragrance oil. Spritz the bottom layer of soap with rubbing alcohol and carefully pour a layer of rose soap on top. Spritz the surface with rubbing alcohol to get rid of any air bubbles that have formed. Let set for 15 minutes.
Repeat layers until soap just reaches to the bottom of where the lid will sit. Once soap is fully set, put the Tic Tac container in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes, this makes the soap much easier to remove from the container.
To make the ‘V’ soap: I used the Tic Tac lid to prop the (upright) container on a forward angle to pour the first clear layer, then reversed the angle back for the rose layer, and reversed the angle forward again for the final clear layer. I have shown the soap lying on it's side in the picture above.
In my next post, I'll show some creative ways to wrap/embellish the soap containers for gift-giving.
*tip: The soap can be stored in the Tic Tac container between uses, but it's best to let it air dry before putting it back in the container. If the soap gets 'stuck' in the container, just put it in the freezer for about 20 mins and it should pop right out again.
January 30, 2012
Cake batter mix in the milkshake?! Yum!
Cake Batter Milkshakes:
1 cup vanilla ice cream
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup whipped cream or Cool Whip
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp white cake mix
Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend on high until smooth. Add more or less milk depending on how thick you want your shakes.
To make a chocolate cake batter milkshake, just add chocolate syrup!
January 29, 2012
Mmm, if you have not yet tried homemade marshmallows...make this your next project! Soft, pillowy, sweet, and soooo much better than any store-bought marshmallows!
I love this recipe because it's so easy; no messing around with a thermometer and it doesn't contain any egg whites.
Homemade Marshmallows:
Makes 36 large marshmallows
3 envelopes Knox gelatine
1/2 cup cold water
2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp vanilla
about 2 cups powdered sugar (or 1 cup powdered sugar + 1 cup cornstarch), sifted
Line a 9x9-inch baking pan with plastic wrap, spray the plastic wrap with vegetable oil.
Sprinkle gelatine over 1/2 cup cold water in mixing bowl and let soak for 10 mins.
Meanwhile combine sugar, corn syrup and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a hard boil and boil for 1 minute.
Pour boiled mixture over gelatin and add salt. Turn mixer to high and whisk mixture for 10 to 12 minutes. Add vanilla.
Scrape mixture into prepared pan using a spatula that has been sprayed with oil.
Cover marshmallow mixture with a piece of plastic wrap that has been sprayed with vegetable oil. Press slightly to smooth top. Let sit for several hours or until firm and cool.
Remove marshmallows from pan. Using a knife or scissors that have been sprayed with oil, cut marshmallows into 36 squares. Toss the marshmallows in powdered sugar to coat. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.
You can experiment by adding different colors, extracts (peppermint, coconut, etc) or fruit purees (pumpkin, raspberry, etc). I'm going to Torani Chai Tea Spice flavor syrup in my next batch!
January 29, 2012
Strawberry Lemonade Cupcake Soap:
Makes 2 soaps
(There are excellent basic melt and pour (MP) instructions here)
(I used melt and pour soap that is pre-scored into 40 squares, the squares weigh approximately 0.6 oz each)
Line a cupcake or muffin pan with 2 foil liners.
For Cupcake: Melt together 5 squares of clear + 1 square of white MP soap in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave. Add 1/4 tsp liquid yellow color and 1/2 tsp strawberry lemonade (or any fruit) fragrance oil. Pour soap into both liners and spritz with rubbing alcohol to eliminate any bubbles that form. Let set for at least 20 minutes.
For Frosting: Melt together 6 squares of clear + 1 square white MP together in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave. Add rose mica until desired pink color is reached. Let cool 5 mins and then add 1/2 tsp strawberry lemonade fragrance oil. Let cool for 5 mins and stir; continue cooling and stirring until soap starts to get thick, almost stringy. Use a fork to mound the frosting on top of the two cupcakes; if it is not thick enough to hold it's own shape, keep stirring the soap while it's on top of the cupcake with the fork, until the frosting will stand up on it's own. If the frosting gets thick too quickly, you can peel it off the tops of the soaps and melt it again gently in the microwave in 10 to 20-second bursts.
*tip: any leftover soap in the microwaveable containers can be melted and poured into a mold to re-use for next time.
Makes 2 soaps
(There are excellent basic melt and pour (MP) instructions here)
(I used melt and pour soap that is pre-scored into 40 squares, the squares weigh approximately 0.6 oz each)
Line a cupcake or muffin pan with 2 foil liners.
For Cupcake: Melt together 5 squares of clear + 1 square of white MP soap in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave. Add 1/4 tsp liquid yellow color and 1/2 tsp strawberry lemonade (or any fruit) fragrance oil. Pour soap into both liners and spritz with rubbing alcohol to eliminate any bubbles that form. Let set for at least 20 minutes.
For Frosting: Melt together 6 squares of clear + 1 square white MP together in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave. Add rose mica until desired pink color is reached. Let cool 5 mins and then add 1/2 tsp strawberry lemonade fragrance oil. Let cool for 5 mins and stir; continue cooling and stirring until soap starts to get thick, almost stringy. Use a fork to mound the frosting on top of the two cupcakes; if it is not thick enough to hold it's own shape, keep stirring the soap while it's on top of the cupcake with the fork, until the frosting will stand up on it's own. If the frosting gets thick too quickly, you can peel it off the tops of the soaps and melt it again gently in the microwave in 10 to 20-second bursts.
*tip: any leftover soap in the microwaveable containers can be melted and poured into a mold to re-use for next time.
January 28, 2012
Valentine's Day is approaching fast! I fell in love with this wall art from Pottery Barn, but not the price ($99!). Thankfully, I had an old sign that needed rejuvenation; I used a foam brush to cover the sign with a few coats of acrylic gesso, then painted the letters and sign with antique white paint. I used a soft cloth to rub the sign and letters with a tiny bit of dark brown paint to get a wood/stained effect. Love the way this turned out, and at a fraction of the price!
