Easy Crafts: Anybody can do this soap stuff! Even you!

© Leslie Sausage

This is a fun way to "dip your toe" into soap making! Just grate up some pure soap and remix with water to make not only kid gifts, but some nice little guest soaps as well.

Kids love writing on the tub when bathing and they can with soap "crayons"! For soap flakes recipes, you can make your own with finely grated bars of pure soap to make soap powder. The amount of water may need to be decreased, so start with less water and add as needed. If you don't want to make your own pure soap flakes, you can buy a package in the laundry aisle at the grocery store.

Do not use laundry detergent!

Bath Time Crayons
3 cups soap flakes
1/2 to 1 cup water, approximately
1 teaspoon vegetable food coloring

Molded - Bath Time Crayons
Combine soap flakes and water. Add food coloring and put mixture into lightly greased ice cube trays, candy or soap molds. Press soap dough into molds lightly and let dry over night before un-molding.

Shaped - Bath Time Crayons
Grease your hands with vegetable oil first! Mix the soap and water to make the consistency of play dough. Put a few drops of vegetable oil and your hands and rub between the palms of your hands so the soap won't stick to your hands while shaping it.

Soap on a Rope
You'll need some string. Shape the soap with your hands. Cut a piece of string and tie the ends together. Push the knot gently into the your finished shape. Let the completed soap dry before hanging it by the rope.

Cookie Cutter Soap Shapes
Pat or roll out mixture and let kids use cookie cutters or theme cutters to make individual soaps. Make "soap on a rope" by cutting two identical pieces and sandwiching the string between the layers.

Multi-color Soap or Soap on a Rope
Make two-tone soaps by using identical shapes of different colors and sandwiching them together. Small cookie cutters make nice shapes in guest-soap size that can be placed in a small wicker basket for a gift, bathroom display or drawer sachets.

******************

This article may be freely distributed with the following information:

Leslie Sausage lives with her husband in rural Texas. She is the mom of four grown children, a freelance writer, and has degree in business administration. You are invited to visit her online for more creative, practical and fun ideas -- http://heart4home.net.