By Melissa Rayworth, For The Associated Press - 11/25/2007
Hoping to make gifts by hand, but stuck with two left thumbs?
Here’s an easy craft from Leah Kramer, founder of Craftster.org and author of ‘‘The
Craftster Guide to Nifty, Thrifty and Kitschy Crafts.’’
Items needed:
petroleum jelly
a large block of transparent or opaque melt-and-pour unscented
soap (available at most craft stores)
soap molds or chocolate molds (also available at craft stores)
in whatever shapes you want
a microwave, glass measuring cup, disposable chopstick and a
knife
fragrances, colorings or decorations
1. Coat the molds with a very thin layer of petroleum jelly.
2. Place block of soap on a cutting board and carefully cut into
ice-cube-sized chunks. Place them in measuring cup.
3. Place measuring cup in microwave and heat on high for 30
seconds. This melts the soap into liquid. Stir with chopstick,
making sure it’s fully melted. If necessary, continue heating for
15-second intervals until fully melted. (Melting time will vary
depending on the wattage of your microwave. Consult melting
instructions on soap package.)
4. Carefully remove bowl from microwave, and use chopstick to
stir in any combination of ingredients, customizing batches of soap
for each person on your gift list. Fragrances, colorings and herbs
are all possibilities. Once you become more familiar with soap
making, try adding exfoliants like ground coffee, oatmeal or ground
apricot pits. Just be sure anything you add is safe and/or
cosmetic-grade. For example, you can buy ‘‘cosmetic grade’’ or
‘‘skin safe’’ glitter for adding to your soap. But adding
traditional craft glitter to soap is not safe. The Web site
teachsoap.com offers information
on safe possibilities.
5. Stir the melted soap with the chopstick to cool it slightly,
until you notice a very thin skin forming on the top. Then pour it
into the molds until it reaches the top of the cavity. (Pouring in
very hot soap could warp the molds.)
If you’re using transparent soap and wish to embed something in
it, pour half the melted soap into the mold, then add the item or
items — flowers, tiny plastic toys, etc. Then fill the remaining
space in the mold with more melted soap.
6. Allow the soap to
harden completely, which takes about one hour at room
temperature. Then pop the soap out of the mold.
