DIY christmas gift ideas! handmade soaps:

I have been slacking on the DIY front! you know I love to make things and christmas is the perfect time to experiment! from making cards to decorations I think there's a craft to suit everyone from beginner to pro this month!

like many I do most of my festive shopping online but but every year I like to add a handmade present to accompany the rest, this year I decided to make some soaps as little stocking fillers. 

this is so fun and easy; if you've been considering making some little gifts for family and family this is a winner! you can make each soap personal by adding whatever you like, from dried fruit or flowers for the grown ups to small toys for the little rascals!

here's what I used in mine:

• 1kg soap base of your choice (I used an olive block which has a slightly cloudy finish)
• soap moulds, I used traditional tins and silicone cupcake moulds.
• fragrance & colours (optional)
• decoration: can use dried fruits, glitter, sequins anything you like!

making the soap is easy peasy! simply:

• cut enough from the block of soap base to fill your mould.
• cut the soap into little pieces and melt in the microwave in 15 second intervals in a microwaveable container (it's just like melting chocolate, I used an empty plastic chinese take away container to melt my soap in!)
• now while it's liquid add a few drops of your fragrance and/or colours. this is the soap mix finished!
• pour the liquid soap into your mould- only fill the mould half way for now!
• it begins to set quite quickly, after a minute or so add you decorations, you'll effectively be sandwiching them between two layers of soap!
• once the first layer begins to firm you'll pour on the remaining liquid soap mix trapping in your decorations (if the remaining mix has begun to set simply pop it back into the microwave!)
• they take about 30 mins to set depending on the size (you can pop them in the freezer for 15 mins before trying remove them from tin moulds, if they are hard to remove try running a knife around the edges to loosen them)
• if you've used silicone mould it's a breeze peeling them off! I made most of mine in them- highly recommend!

I used a few decorations in mine, dried oranges, rose buds, sequin stars, and also my favourite which was multi coloured confetti tissue paper squares!

wrap them and you have the cutest handmade present to give your family & friends!

all of the ingredients for soap making online at shops here or from local craft shops like hobbycraft 

1kg of soap will make 10-15 bars a great budget DIY!

I hope you like them!

back soon

caroline x