Crafts such as fancy beading, knitting or scrapbooking are no longer “in”. Among the trendiest, greenest projects for crafters currently is soap-making.
Granted, this concept has been in existence for eons, but now, due to improvements in materials, hobbyists can become involved in this craft which is both healthy and enjoyable.
Supplies:
1 cup baking soda
1/2 cup citric acid
1/2 cup cornstarch
2 1/2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
1 tablespoon purified water
1/4 teaspoon borax
1 teaspoon fragrance oil (optional)
5-10 drops skin-safe coloring (soap colors)
Witch hazel in a spritz bottle
Meringue frosting (supplies and directions are found at the end of these instructions)
Directions:
1. Sift together in a large bowl the baking soda, citric acid and cornstarch; set aside for now.
2. Combine the grapeseed oil, purified water, borax, fragrance oil (if desired) and coloring in a small jar with a tight-fitting lid. Close the lid tightly and blend all ingredients thoroughly by shaking vigorously.
3. Use a spoon or your hand to stir while slowly drizzling the wet ingredients into the dry mixture. Keep stirring until the mixture has the consistency of wet sand. Spritz with witch hazel if needed to moisten.
4. Tightly pack this wet sand-like mixture into a silicone cupcake mold (I prefer to use mini-cupcake molds) until completely full. Press the mixture down into each mold space as hard as possible.
5. Flip the entire mold over carefully; tap on the bottom about three times in order to release the Cupcake Bath Fizzies from each mold section. After removal of each bath fizzie, spritz it immediately with a small amount of witch hazel. (If a cupcake should crumble during the unmolding process, put it back into the large bowl, spray with some witch hazel, re-mix thoroughly and pack it back into the mold.)
6. Set the Cupcake Bath Fizzie out on a flat surface overnight to dry thoroughly.
7. Once the cupcakes are completely dried, mix the “frosting” from the ingredients below; decorate in the same way as “real” cupcakes.
NOTE: Do not make bath fizzies in humid conditions; this will cause them to absorb moisture and develop small lumps on their surfaces, which will be very unattractive.
Meringue Frosting
Supplies:
3 tablespoons meringue powder
6 tablespoons warm purified water
4 cups sifted powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/8 – 1/4 teaspoon fragrance oil (optional)
1/8 – 1/2 teaspoon skin-safe coloring (soap coloring)
Sugar sprinkles (optional)
Directions:
1. Mix meringue powder with warm purified water.
2. Slowly add powdered sugar, cream of tartar, fragrance oil (if desired) and skin-safe coloring, while using a mixer to blend, on medium speed for 7 to 10 minutes or until stiff peaks form.
3. Place frosting inside a pastry bag with a decorative tip (or, if not available, snip one end off a plastic sandwich bag); decorate a Cupcake Bath Fizzie in the same manner as a “real” cupcake.
4. If desired, immediately follow by decorating with sugar sprinkles; let the fizzies dry for several hours.
5. To store, place the Cupcake Bath Fizzies in an airtight container until ready for bath use.
To use Bath Fizzies: toss 1 or 2 mini-“cupcakes”, or 1 large fizzie, into your bath water; enjoy!
Set aside the idea of fancy beading, knitting or scrapbooking for the moment. One of the coolest (and cleanest) projects to make right now is soap. Sure, the concept has been around forever, but thanks to recent innovations in materials, crafters are approaching the genre as an art form with therapeutic qualities.
