Project by Barbara Briggs from Atlanta, Ga.Barbara loves soap so much she's even a member of the Soap Maker's Guild. In this project, she makes lavender and chamomile soap wrapped in handmade paper.
Materials:
lavender and chamomile essential oils
ground lavender buds
rectangular wooden box
freezer paper
stainless steel pot
safety glasses
gloves
water
stick blender
thermometer
drying rack
old blankets
soponified pomace olive, coconut, and palm kernel oils *
lye *
* Note: You can also use a soap-making kit or other pre-packaged soap-making supplies and proceed as described below, adding fragrance and molding soap in a box.
Steps:1. Line box with freezer paper (figure A).
2. If you're making soap from scratch: Select and measure ingredients by weight. Mix lye and water (solution rises to 200 to 250 F degrees.) Cool solution to 90 F degrees.
3. Melt oils to 90 degrees.
4. Mix lye (or soap mixture from a soap-making kit) and oils together with stick blender (figure B).
5. Pour into box. Cover and wrap in blankets for 24 hours (figure C).
6. Remove soap from box and cut into slices/bars (figure D).
7. Put bars on a drying rack (figure E) to cure/dry completely.
8. Smooth edges by hand and wrap soap with handmade paper.
Website: www.barbarabars.com