About Candle & Soap Making

Valentine's Day Crafts of All Types

2010-02-08T16:48:33Z

Ricardo Elkind / Getty Images

Whether you are interested in making Valentine's Day soaps or enjoy other types of crafting, the About.com hobby guides have it all covered for you this holiday!

Contests: Maybe you can win some cool stuff to use for crafting by taking a look at this Valentine's Day Sweepstakes List from the Contest guide.

Needlepoint: Embellish a candy heart pillow, stitch a quick heart gift, or create a lovely posted card.

Jewelry Making: Valentine's Day can really be every day of the week if you like to wear heart-themed jewelry or enjoy red or pink colored jewelry. These projects are for those who love jewelry.

Painting: Add some symbolism to your Valentine's this year using this symbol dictionary.

DIY Fashion: Make a cute heart pin, cut out some heart stencils, or try to craft a number of Valentine's gifts.

Collectibles: Find Victorian children and Valentine scraps that are perfect for paper crafts or digital scrapbooking. Frame these antique scraps and postcards as-is or use for your handmade cards and gifts.

Crochet: Enjoy these free crochet patterns for Valentine's Day. You'll find a variety of ideas for crocheting delightful heart motifs, flowers, and other romantic pretties.

Family Crafts: I hope this collection of crafts, recipes, gift ideas, coloring book pages, games, and other activities help you to have a fun Saint Valentine's Day.

Rubber Stamping: Find ideas for gifts and decorations that are ideal for Valentine's Day or quick to make Valentine's Day cards for the special person in your life!

Cross Stitch: Stitch your way into your beloved's heart with a sweetly crafted Valentine needlework. Some charts are simple enough to complete in a day - other's may take until next Valentine's perhaps.

Miniatures: Printable valentines boxes, tiny roses, rose covered pillows and boxes of tiny chocolates made from polymer clay provide lots of unique ways to present or create gifts for a special someone. Fill the boxes with real or poly clay chocolates , make them as beads , or use them to hold special gifts.

I know most of us can't quite contain ourselves to just one craft...so maybe these links from my fellow Hobby Guides will inspire you to new areas of creativity and fun!

Valentine's Day Crafts of All Types originally appeared on About.com Candle & Soap Making on Monday, February 8th, 2010 at 16:48:33.

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Transforming Your Bath and Bathtime

2010-02-05T12:55:26Z

In the winter-time, I take a lot more baths - the weather is cooler...and I tend to be a bit more stressed out. There's just something about a nice, long bath that helps bring a long day to a wonderful relaxing end. "Bliss is a nice, long soak in a warm tub, and it's not just about getting clean," says Connie Midey in her article, Soak up the Benefits. Naturally, soap and candles are key players in their overall bathtub rituals. But we knew that. Now off to the bath - candles and soap and more in hand. Breathe in...breathe out...ahhhhhhhh.

Transforming Your Bath and Bathtime originally appeared on About.com Candle & Soap Making on Friday, February 5th, 2010 at 12:55:26.

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Washing with Donuts

2010-02-01T21:02:53Z

Berit Myrekrok / Getty Images

I often see candles made to look like food - pies, muffins, ice cream sundaes - but I don't often see soap made to look like food. This blog post, by the folks at Cibaria Soap Supply, showcases some examples of the real artistry that you can create with soap. (There's also some links for where to get molds.) I know a soap maker who makes slices of pie out of melt and pour soap...making the crust first, then the filling, then the topping, then the cherry...and then gluing it all together with a bit more melted soap. They are indeed soapy works of art. But are they worth it? Check out the photos, and the ones at the Mollycoddle Soap and Soapopotomus (real soap donuts!) sites. Would you want to make...and/or wash with a piece of pie soap? Pancakes? A hot dog? Leave your comments below...

Washing with Donuts originally appeared on About.com Candle & Soap Making on Monday, February 1st, 2010 at 21:02:53.

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Why Use a Preservative?

2010-01-29T14:08:57Z

"It makes no difference if something is all organic or natural if it has cooties in it that you cannot see with the naked eye that can cause more problems to someone's skin than the preservative you didn't use."
That's what a colleague of Dr. Cindy Jones of the Sagescript Institute said in a recent blog post. While we don't (just yet) have a lot of articles and how-to's on lotion and cream making on the Candle and Soap Making site, a lot of you do make lotions and creams. We've had several posts lately in the Candle and Soap Making Forum about preservatives - and their usage even in non-water-containing formulations like scrubs and balms, so I wanted to pass this information on. Like lye, preservatives can be scary, chemical things...but when learned about, and used properly, they help make our products, crafts and creations safe for us...and whomever else may be using them.
Graphic: McMillan Digital Art / Getty Images

Why Use a Preservative? originally appeared on About.com Candle & Soap Making on Friday, January 29th, 2010 at 14:08:57.

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Two New Sales on Supplies This Week

2010-01-27T22:33:30Z

Two of my favorite soap making suppliers are having sales this weekend. Snowdrift Farm is having a "free shipping" sale on all orders over $100. From Nature With Love is giving 15% off of all orders and sending 2% to support the relief efforts in Haiti. So you can order some supplies, save some money, and help folks in Haiti all at the same time.
Photo: Andrew Paterson / Getty Images

Two New Sales on Supplies This Week originally appeared on About.com Candle & Soap Making on Wednesday, January 27th, 2010 at 22:33:30.

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Using Clays in Soap Recipes

2010-01-25T21:19:05Z

As I was reorganizing my soap making space recently, I got out my jars of clay...not the kind you make cups or pots out of, but the kind you make soap with. I've used clays in shaving soap recipes but clay is a wonderful additive for every day soap too. The first time I made soap with clay, I couldn't pick just one though, I ended up making four batches using kaolin, bentonite, rose and rhassoul clays. I cut the normal size bars in four pieces, and then assembled a full "bar" of the four different varieties. They came out wonderful! I love the silky creaminess of the soaps...and the super clean feeling they leave. Try out one of the clays featured in my Clay Soap Sampler recipe.

Using Clays in Soap Recipes originally appeared on About.com Candle & Soap Making on Monday, January 25th, 2010 at 21:19:05.

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Baby Food Jar Container Candles for Valentine's Day

2010-01-23T20:34:13Z

We moved to a new house in the fall, and I'm still working to clean and organize my garage and work spaces. Today, I came across a bag of about 30 baby food jars that I had saved. (My son is now 5 1/2 - you do the math as to how long I've been saving these!) I think I'm going to make some little Valentine's Day container candles with these. Use pink and red colors...and some Valentine's Day fragrances. A candle and some candy in a small bag will make a great office or church or friends/family Valentine's Day gift.

Baby Food Jar Container Candles for Valentine's Day originally appeared on About.com Candle & Soap Making on Saturday, January 23rd, 2010 at 20:34:13.

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Valentine's Day Melt and Pour Heart Soaps

2010-01-20T18:42:31Z

It's not too early to start preparing for Valentine's Day - and making some fun soaps for your husband, wife, spouse, significant-other, sweetheart or some other folks you like a lot. This project uses a combination of white and clear melt and pour soap base - with red hearts embedded into the soap. And it's a great easy-to-make project for the kids too! The same technique can be used with embedded clovers (for March,) bunnies (for April,) and flowers (for May!) Just rotate out your cookie cutter shapes and you'll be set in soap for months!

Valentine's Day Melt and Pour Heart Soaps originally appeared on About.com Candle & Soap Making on Wednesday, January 20th, 2010 at 18:42:31.

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Things You Wish You Knew When You Sold At Your First Craft Show

2010-01-15T10:45:28Z

There are so many different ways for soap and candle makers to sell their creations these days: Etsy, Ebay, Artfire, or your own website. But most of us got our starts selling soap and/or candles at local craft fairs and art markets. This blog post from Cibaria Soap Supply gives some really great tips and real-world experience for folks doing craft shows in the age of websites. Answering some really simple questions like "How will this product help my customer? How will it make it better or easier?" can make the difference between a good craft show and a great craft show.

Things You Wish You Knew When You Sold At Your First Craft Show originally appeared on About.com Candle & Soap Making on Friday, January 15th, 2010 at 10:45:28.

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How to Make Gel Candles

2010-01-13T10:53:56Z

I've had many of you ask questions about Gel Candle making lately. Is it safe? How is it different? What fragrances can you use? What wicks or containers can you use? And how do you get that darned gel out of the bucket??!!??
Well I've compiled the top questions, answers and basic instructions into a FAQ (frequently asked questions) area dedicated to Gel Candle Making. Check it out. And if you have a question I didn't answer, email it to me at candleandsoap.guide@about.com and I'll add it to the FAQ!

How to Make Gel Candles originally appeared on About.com Candle & Soap Making on Wednesday, January 13th, 2010 at 10:53:56.

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