making soap

because you asked, here it is, a simple tutorial on making soap. & trust me, it really is simple! the first step is to gather your supplies (you should be able to pick them all up at your local craft store): a white or clear glycerin soap brick (of course, how many soaps you make depends on how large your cookie cutters are, etc. but i found one brick makes quite a few little soapies), soap dye or food coloring, soap fragrance (optional, but it's a nice touch), soap glitter (optional, it just gives that extra little bling! bling!), cookie cutters (i used lots of different sized heart shapes), a spray bottle filled with rubbing alcohol, & a non-stick pan (any size works, it just depends on how much you want to make of a particular color. i used both a 9x9" and 9x13"). now we're ready...


1. cut the glycerin bar into smaller pieces & then, using a double-boiler, or a make-shift double-boiler like i do, heat until melted. meanwhile, you'll want to determine how much glycerin you are going to need. the best way to do this is to fill your nonstick pan with water, so that it hits just below the height of your cookie cutter. you can then either measure that amount of water using a measuring cup & use the same amount of melted glycerin, or mark the height of the water on the pan (personally, i think this is the easiest). does that make sense? you just don't want your finished, hardened soap to be taller than the cookie cutters, it'll make cutting out your soaps a bit harder.


2. with the glycerin completely melted, it's time to add the soap dye, fragrance & glitter. follow the instructions on each of the packages, & go slowly... adding just a little bit at a time. trust me, a little can go a long way.


3. when you're pleased with the color & smell (that sounds funny) pour the liquid into your chosen pan (& remember, don't go above your "indicator"). although if you are going the measuring cup route, you'll want to determine how much you need with the measuring cup, & then pour it into the pan, blah blah blah. at this point you have two choices... you can either let your soap harden on your counter (& i have no idea how long that would take), or, if you are as impatient as i am, you'll put it in the freezer for about 10 minutes. whatever you decide, you'll want to spray the top with the rubbling alcohol to eliminate any bubbles that have formed. & don't worry, if you have extra glycerin left over, just use it in the next batch...


4. once your soap has hardened, turn it out, upside down on a cutting board or wax paper (you might want to use a butter knife to loosen it around the edges). & then, go crazy with your chosen cookie cutters. & when you are done, you too will be able to "spread the love... one hand wash at a time".