I’ve been all wrapped up in learning to make soap in the last couple of weeks. I had no idea there was a huge ’soaping’ community on the web. I’m having fun looking for new ideas and loading up on supplies. Last fall, my kitchen was strewn with juice pouches and sewing stuff- now I’ve got the table covered in soaping supplies! So far, I’ve made 8 batches. They seem to be getting better, but there’s so much to learn. Do a google search for ‘handmade soaps’ or check out what’s on Etsy. You won’t believe how amazing soap can look!

Here’s my latest creation. I’m calling it Vanilla Bean Latte. It’s got coffee and ground oatmeal for gentle exfoliation, and a great vanilla bean fragrance.

I love how it came out. The little white bits inside are unscented soap that I grated up and mixed into the soap before molding it.

This next one was really fun. I added chunks of unscented soap to make the design. It’s called Creamsicle Cobble and it smells delicious. I can’t wait to try it, but this one has to cure for a few weeks first:

The first batch of soap I made is really smelling great now. It’s called Marmalade Smoothie, and it’s pictured in my previous post. The bars are much harder now, and the citrus scent is more noticeable. I’m using that in my shower right now, and I even shared some with my mom and sister.

Somehow I have to get back to doing some sewing as well. I’ve signed up for 3 craft fairs so far and I’ll need lots of wallets, coin purses and gift card holders. I’ll make some bags as well, but it’s the small items that seemed to sell the best last year, so I’ll focus on those.