Making Artisan Soap (and Traditions!) With Mom
In the spirit of Mother's Day, I asked my mom to spend an afternoon with me and the kids making our own artisan soaps.
Spending time with my mom is the most precious gift of all. My mom is truly my inspiration for so many DIY projects that I do. I grew up doing crafts with her, and now I get to share that same tradition with my kids.
These pretty creations are the perfect little gift to give your friends and family this holiday. Plus, they are equally as fun to make. So invite mom over and enjoy making these fun DIY soaps together.
Making something personal for the ones you love most is so special and meaningful. I just know all your moms will love this too!
I started by drying out an assortment of flowers, like roses and lavender. Then, I collected different herbs that I thought would look pretty and add a beautifully and subtly natural scent to the soaps. I used sage and fresh vanilla bean as well as star anise for its interesting shape and color.
But I knew the littles would enjoy making something more fun using kid-friendly ingredients—so I decided to have them use toy flowers and other small spring shapes like butterflies and fishies. That way when the soap has been used up they get to play with the little figurines inside! (Such a fun way to get them to wash up, don't you think?!)
Make note that the soap I used for this craft is NOT TEAR FREE so please watch that the little ones don't get this in their eyes!
Here is what you'll need to get started:
- 2 lb Glycerine Soap (in clear and/or white)
- Soap Scent or an essential oil that is safe to use on your skin *Stay away from candle making scents as they are too harsh on skin
- Double Boiler or Large Microwave safe bowl
- Dried Flowers *Try roses, lavender or mixed bouquets
- Herbs *Try sage, vanilla bean, star anise
- Small Figurines *Try flowers, fish, butterflies
- Molds or Loaf Mold
- Soap Cutter if using a loaf mold
- Decorative Ribbon
- Cheese Cloth for wrapping
- Newspaper to cover work surfaces if needed
- Toothpick to pop any little bubbles
- Glue gun
Once you have all your supplies ready, you can start by melting the soap block. It comes in a large solid block that you will melt down to a liquid. I have done this both on the stove top and in the microwave, and I have to say both are super easy and efficient. It depends on what you are more comfortable with. You will get a more even melt by using a double boiler over medium heat; however, if you use the microwave you will just have to stand there and mix every 20 seconds or so. Do not over heat the soap liquid. Keep a close eye on it and do NOT let it come to a boil. No high heat needed for this!
Once the soap has liquified you can get started on the fun part. Creating your own personalized soaps. This is where the artisan in all of us will come out! Have fun and be creative. There is no right or wrong to this.
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My mom and I loved experimenting with different flowers and shapes like the herb star anise. But simply having a few dried rose petals and some lavender seeds is just as beautiful too. Brinkley added her touch too!
Gently lay out your design within the mold and carefully pour about a teaspoon of soap liquid into the molds to anchor down your design.
The petals and items may shift a bit when the liquid gets added. Finish by going back and filling the molds to the top with the liquid soap. Pop any bubbles with a toothpick.
We chose to add a little lavender and vanilla scent to our soaps, just to enhance the natural scents. And they smell just as pretty as they look!
Let dry for about an hour or two. Then carefully pop them out of the mold. If using the loaf mold, gently pull away the sides and then cut even sized shapes with your soap cutter.
I let the kids experiment too. Mixing the butterfly shape with the flower came out so cute!
But I know the boys will love this little fishy soap the best. Plus, it will become a super fun tub toy once they are done with the soap. When the kids are done laying out their designs in the mold, make sure to have them stand back while you pour the hot liquid. They will be fascinated watching this process, trust me!
*CAUTION- The liquid soap is HOT so avoid having the kids too close while pouring
We loved finishing off this special gift by individually wrapping them. But you can also try stacking the artisan soaps. We used the decorative ribbon and cheese cloth for an all-natural homemade look!
My mom helped Brinkley use the hot glue gun, which she loved, to seal the cheese cloth and adhere the ribbon. We also added a little bit of the leftover dried flowers as decoration.
And for the kiddie soaps, we added a butterfly figurine we had left over. See what we created! How pretty right?!
I can't wait to have the kids give these artisan soap gifts to their aunts, grandmothers, and teachers this Mother's Day too! And maybe they will give one special one to me?! Fingers crossed!
You can also try saving the peels from an orange and let them dry out for about a week. Pair that with dried blueberries for a more kitchen/food inspired soap!
For more crafting and DIY ideas for you and the kids head over to my blog Downtownchicmoms.com
This is not a sponsored post.
