Making Felted Soaps

Yesterday I told you all about the soap making party that our neighbor hosted recently. Well, we also had an entirely different soap craft that night called Felting Soaps and I thought it warranted a separate post.

In this project, we took a bar of Ivory soap and used a small knife to carve off the edges. Amanda had purchased an array of colorful wool rovings to layer onto our soaps. 

The gist of the project is to fluff and drape a main color of rovings around a bar of soap. Add tendrils of other colors of wool to add dimension and create a look. I was curious, so I arranged my pink tendril into the shape of a heart and placed it on my small sample soap. Okay, then you pat, squeeze and work your soap under hot (then cold) water to encourage the wool to shrink and morph into a coating. It takes a while for the wool to seize up and cling, but it does! Luckily, Amanda has a dehydrator so we placed the felted soaps inside that machine to dry out. It wasn't completely necessary, but I do think it helped. What fun!

I made the aqua, green and periwinkle soap on the right (behind the heart soap) and the blue & raspberry pink soap. Love! Thank you, Amanda, for encouraging us to play with this gorgeous selection of supplies. 

We made art and we made friends.

#neighbors #craftnight #gno #makersgonnamake #finddelight #colorsugarribbon #seattleblogger #soapmaking #soap #crystals

Sips & Suds: A Colorful Evening with Friends

I open this post with a photo of the finished products: felted soaps and soap crystals, so you can see just how much fun we had. Check tomorrow's post to see the description of felting soaps.

My neighbor Amanda likes a project; She likes to create; She is generous and loves to teach. She decided that it would be "easy" for our neighborhood ladies to make crystal soaps during one of our get togethers. I love color, so I was stunned when I walked in and saw the selection of supplies and soap shards Amanda had made for our project. 

The candle dyes, scents and add-ins were so beautiful that I just wanted to play with the color combinations like Legos. We had options for days and it was thrilling to be able to choose from such a wide range of colors. 

The instruction for soap crystals was to pick out several complimentary shades of soap shards that she had dyed, cooled and cut the night before. Using a small utility knife, we cut the shards into pieces and piled them in a clear plastic cup. Then we dyed some melted glycerin soap, added a drop pr two of scent and poured it over the shards until it filled the cup. We placed the cups in the refrigerator to set.

When the soap had hardened, we removed the cup and cut away at the shape until it resembled a real crystal. So interesting!

This is my soap crystal (above) that I scented with lime and blueberry. I think it is fantastic. And it was oh-so-fun to make. I have it next to my bathtub as a glamorous touch of luxury.

Clearly we were spoiled by Amanda and her love of making. We learned and laughed and all left with a beautiful and useful object. I can't thank her enough for giving us this wonderful evening to create. Shared experiences build friendships and for that we all benefit. 

#makersgonnamake #creativity #soapmaking #gno #sipsandsuds #makerevent #makerparty #party #neighbors #soap #crystals

Beekman 1802 Honey & Oats Scrub Bar and Photo News

Brace yourself. It is my photograph of the Beekman Mansion on the new Beekman 1802 Honey & Oats Scrub Bar packaging! I am as proud as can be. You can see the original image below.

When Dan and I were in upstate New York, we were able to visit my friends, Josh and Brent at their farm in Sharon Springs. Josh and I have been friends since college, where we were English majors at Michigan State University.  I was part of a close knit group of friends (Josh, Tracy, Kerry, Me) and I don't think a day went by that we didn't see each other.  We are all still good friends, but life has us living in separate parts of the country and our visits are more often on the phone, than in person  


Over time, Dan and I have become friends with Josh's husband, Brent too and we make an effort to see each other whenever we go to New York or when they come to Michigan on a book tour.  

It was a glorious day when we toured the farm and with their blessing, I blogged about their growing lifestyle brand, flagship store in Sharon Springs and their win on the Amazing Race.  You can read my original post here.

My photo of the mansion was noticed online and I was contacted about granting rights for the use of my image on their new packaging. I would do anything to help Josh and Brent and in my own small way, I am doing my part. 

The Honey & Oats Scrub Bar is a big, beautiful bar of soap that they describe as "Skin Softening Formula: Gently Exfoliates with Natural Bran & Oatmeal. Notes of apricot & honeyed blossoms, hint of fresh wildflowers." It smells divine and I'm sure it will delight.

You can order the Honey & Oats Goat Milk Scrub Bar online or buy it right off the shelf in the flagship Beekman 1802 Mercantile in Sharon Springs, New York (photo above). If you'd like, you can read all about my first visit to the mercantile here.

As someone that loves and admires beautiful packaging, I love that one of my photos is now a permanent part of Beekman 1802 packaging. As I said, I am very proud.

Maison du Miel: I found this Beautiful Bee Soap at Honey Heaven

It's a bit mysterious and very French.  This is an elegant honey-scented bee-shaped soap that I have gifted to myself.  I bought several on my last trip to Paris at the wonderful Maison du Miel and brought them back as presents for a few lucky girls. I had saved one bee soap and decided this week that, at long last, it's time that he is appreciated.  I have hung my very fancy soap-on-a-rose in the shower at the cottage and I have enjoyed the beautiful honey-scented bubbles all week.  The bathroom has a bit of honey in the air for at least an hour afterwards;it's lovely. The experience is just what I thought it would be when I bought it and I am happy to enjoy it myself.

Sometimes we forget to enjoy the things we have.  We save the special paper napkins or we never light that beautiful candle.  Part of my objective in writing about moments of delight is to remind you that if you enjoy something, you should experience it.  

Spoiling a friend with a helium balloon or a cupcake is wonderful. At the same time, you have to let your friends spoil you, its only fair.  If reading a magazine is a great escape for you, do it.  Use the pretty soap.  Eat the jam you brought back from Williamsburg.  

Go on, you know you want to. 

Hawaii: Oahu: North Shore Soap Company

What I remember the most about the North Shore Soap Company was that it smelled like a spa. I realized today that I never told you about the time my friend and I went exploring the North Shore of Oahu, knowing only that we had to stop at the historic Waialua Sugar Mill for what was touted as the best shaved ice on Oahu.

While we were on the sugar mill property, we noticed a silo (left over from the sugar production days) that has been converted into a soap making business and adjacent shop. It is rustic and small, but the soaps are just beautiful.  I would have loved to visit when they were cutting these beautiful slabs into bars. And look at these giant soap blocks - they are each the size of a toaster oven!

Remember when I made my first Bundt cake soap? I may not be a soap-maker, but I have fun dabbling when I have time.  I wonder if they offer classes?

Palmolive Fresh Infusions Dishwashing Liquid

"What's that, Madge? I'm soaking in it?!"

Ha! I couldn't get that old Palmolive ad out of my head when I saw their new line of gorgeous dishwashing liquid called "Fresh Infusions" by Palmolive.  I saw this display at Target and bought one of each.

I am halfway through the Lime Basil (green) and I love the scent and am really impressed by how long the bubbles last.  I am that girl that likes to have a sudsy sink in the kitchen.  In the morning, I'll add a squirt of dishwashing liquid to one section of the kitchen sink and fill it with hot water, just for the heck of it.  It makes the kitchen smell good and I have a ready spot to put any dirty dish or spoon throughout the day.  Well, in this unofficial test kitchen, the bubbles smell heavenly and last a really long time.

The other choices are Lemon Thyme (yellow) and Ginger White Tea (Pink).  I hope that they come out with a special collection for the holidays.  I'd like: Gingerbread or Rosemary - what about you?

Embellishing Soap

I have started making things again, so get ready to see some fun new projects!  This idea came to me, clear as a bell, while I was watching TV late one night.  Embellishing soap.

I know that this was a popular craft project back in the 1970's, but I couldn't find any reference to it online.  So I am bringing it back!  Attaching paper images (scrap or scrap art) to small hotel soaps using clear nail polish (a strong top coat).  It is super easy and when the right shade and size of soap is paired with the right image, the look is not crafty, just fabulous.

You will need a collection of really thin paper images - something you would decoupage with (see some here).  I used the butterfly page from a value pack called "Romantic Scrap Art Paper" by Artifacts Inc (click the link to see their entire collection for sale online).  My value pack was from Micheal's Craft a few years ago - check their decoupage section in store.

I also think that a lot of the charm is in the small size soap.  It becomes just a touch of botanical by the sink.  And I think everyone has a few extra hotel soaps tucked away.

I chose a moth/butterfly that I thought looked pretty against the pale mustard soap, brushed a little clear nail polish on the back of the moth like glue, and then placed it on the soap.  Then I gently brushed the entire top surface of the moth and soap with clear top coat nail polish to seal it.  Be sure to leave the sides and bottom of the soap uncoated so that they will still suds.

These are the ones I have made so far.  I think John Derian would be proud, don't you?

Dishwashing

I found myself standing over a sink filled with lavender-scented bubbles this morning and when I looked over at the plates drying, it looked so pretty that I thought I would show you.

A friend came for tea yesterday (I'll tell you about the fun we had tomorrow!) so this morning I took my time and hand-washed the antique dishes we used.  

One of my favorite dish washing liquids is the lavender scent by Farmhouse.  The soap is gentle and the suds smell wonderful.  Wash, rinse and set your dishes aside to dry on a monogrammed dishtowel.  Celebrating the beauty of everyday moments.  

Kitchen Soap

When I am getting ready for a party at my house, I take a look at everything...including the kitchen sink!

A long time ago, I noticed how much time my guests spent at my kitchen sink preparing salads, clearing plates or cleaning up when it was time to go home.  I decided then and there that I was going to spruce the area up a bit.  Now I always buy color-coordinated soaps, and when company is coming over, I put a few flowers in a vase next to them.  It makes such a difference!

The hand & dish soaps are made by Farmhouse Soaps. They are my favorite liquid soaps and I never want to run out.  Lavender is my go-to scent.

The goat milk bar soap is called "May" (lightly scented with the flowers blooming on the farm in May) - made by my friends' company, Beekman 1802.

Put a few flowers by your kitchen sink, I know it will brighten your day.

Soap Dish

Sometimes I just crack myself up. Check out the latest...my soap dish. It is a lidded heart-shaped dish that I made out of...soap. I was in the mood to make something that was interesting and beautiful.

I had been experimenting with a glycerin soap kit (trying to make some pretty soaps) when I decided to try forming it in a chocolate mold! I'm not sure that I could make it again - I felt very lucky as I eased it out of the mold. But isn't it fun?

I keep this soap dish in my blue polka dot powder room next to the bottle of liquid hand soap. I don't think anyone would believe that they could lather up with either one!

I just had to show you. What do you think?