| I've always loved crafty people. The kind that | | | | remember with soap making is safety. Many of |
| could take a pile of rags and make the prettiest | | | | the soaps that people make have an ingredient in |
| quilt you ever laid eyes on or could make candles | | | | them called Lye. Lye is something that has been |
| in their kitchen that could pass for art. These | | | | around for centuries and is one of the oldest |
| people always amazed me. So when I was able | | | | types of soaps known. This ingredient can be |
| to make something that had other people | | | | made by filling a hopper full of ashes and then |
| commenting on how neat my creation was, I was | | | | pouring water through it and catching the water |
| thrilled. True, my creation is one that is in most | | | | that comes out. Of course there are many |
| every home but not all are made by hand. My | | | | types of Lye available online or in hardware |
| craft that I perfected was soap making. | | | | stores making it easier than ever to make Lye |
| Soap making, once learned, is not a hard thing to | | | | soap. But do remember, even though Lye |
| do and it leaves you with something that the | | | | doesn't look all that scary, when you mix it with |
| whole family can benefit from. One of my | | | | another ingredient it becomes extremely hot. |
| favorite soaps to make is goat's milk soap but | | | | When this reaction takes place you can become |
| there are endless variations that you can try. | | | | burned and if it splashes up in your eyes, it could |
| Many people like to try soap making using glycerin | | | | cause blindness. So safety is something that |
| as it is easier to find and can make some really | | | | doesn't take all that much time or money but can |
| pretty bars. If you get really creative you can | | | | really pay off in the end. |
| add colors and fragrances to create soap as | | | | Once you have mixed your ingredients and placed |
| pretty as you would find in any sore. But you | | | | your liquid soap into the molds, patience will have |
| don't have to stop at just colors and fragrances. | | | | to kick in. This soap will need to be allowed to |
| There are many additives you can add to your | | | | dry for approximately three weeks before it is |
| soap to be for function or beauty such as | | | | ready for daily use. Allowing the soap to |
| oatmeal, herbs or flowers. The list is endless. If | | | | “cure” is necessary to add time to the life |
| you want to start soap making to make soaps | | | | of your bar. If you were to use the soap right |
| for kids, you can make glycerin soaps with a toy | | | | away it would turn to mush in a short amount of |
| hidden inside for the kids to find. Thinking outside | | | | time. I guess you could say that one of the |
| the box is something that can also pertain to soap | | | | necessary ingredients for soap making is patience |
| making. | | | | as well. You need your lye or your glycerin, but |
| One of the main things that you need to | | | | it'll never happen without the patience. |