If you are looking for a unique party favor, guest soap, or maybe just a clever and crafty item to decorate the home with, try this very easy recipe for making a handmade decorative soap that will explode with a lush bouquet of floral fragrance and will impress your guests, gift recipient, or party goers.
You will need the following supplies:
- 2 lb Box – natural Glycerin soap found at most craft stores or online – We chose avocado cucumber
- Plastic soap mold – We chose both square & circle shapes with a flower motif
- Food coloring – We combined red & blue to make lavender
- Soap fragrance – We chose a pear berry scent, but you can also mix a variety of different fragrances
- 1 package of clear lollipop bags – We chose these because of the already built in ribbon
- 1 piece of decorative scrapbooking paper, 12in. x 12in.
- 1 piece of plain white scrapbooking paper, 12in.x 12in. – We chose to make our gift tags, but you can also use label stickers instead of making your own
- Raffia ribbon in a coordinating color – 1.5 to 2 yards, or 15 feet
- Crafts scissors
- Hole puncher
- Glass measuring cup – We used one with a handle for easy pouring
- Wax paper
Depending on the size of your mold, heat the desired amount of natural Glycerin soap in the microwave. We used 2 small pieces of soap for a medium size mold. So, for 2 small pieces heat on high for 10 seconds, then 5 seconds intervals until melted. Note: If you don’t have a microwave, a double boiler can be used.
Add food coloring, 2 – 3 drops per color. Next, add your soap fragrance, 3-6 drops. Stir quickly and pour in to your mold and let cool (20-40 minutes). While soaps are cooling, lay a piece of wax paper down on to your work space. Using your thumbs, apply gentle, constant pressure to release from mold.
Wait 1-2 days until soaps are firm before placing in to the clear bags. Now, for a few extra special touches, hand address paper gift tags or pre-made labels/stickers and set aside. Using your craft scissors, cut decorative scrapbooking paper into strips long enough to wrap around the center of your soap. Once you have determined the size of your strips, cut raffia ribbon the same length leaving enough so ribbon can be tied in to a bow.
If you are right handed, wrap a strip of decorative paper around the center of the soap & hold in place with your left hand. Using your right hand, wrap the raffia ribbon around and over the top of your strip. If you are left handed, just do the reverse. Before securing the ends of the ribbon, we ran it thru the gift tag then tied a bow at the ends. If you decide to do this step, punch a hole thru the top of your paper gift tag.
Gently place your nicely wrapped soap in to the clear lollipop bags and nicely tie the ribbon to create a bow. You now have a truly unique party favor, or unwrapped, an impressive and fragrant home décor item to add to the home.
