Spellbound - Handmade Soap

Awww, so I got a special order to make my Rose Garden "cake" soap, but with BLACK roses... for a bridal shower, of all things!!  What fun it was to see this unique soap come to life,  and the results... a lovely Activated charcoal (on the "frosting") with the most amazingly intriguing "Spellbound" scent, sure to capture the heart of anyone who receives one, for ever!!

I  used the recipe below and just set aside about 3 cups for the black "frosting" and added activated charcoal to it until I reached the color I wanted.  Just be careful with it because it can get everywhere!!

Below are the links to items and or ingredients I used to make this awesome soap!!  Some links are affiliate links, which means that if you buy something I will get a small commission at NO extra cost to you!


Soap  Recipe by Good Earth Spa.  This is a COLD PROCESS OVEN PROCESSED recipe!!!
Digital Scale: https://amzn.to/2P3cN36

Silicon cake mold: https://amzn.to/2RdM8lL

Soap cutter: https://amzn.to/2DKv1oM

Cupcake, reg size molds: https://amzn.to/2IMlbl1
Cupcakes, mini mold: https://amzn.to/2CbrZr4

Scents, micas, and activated charcoal:  Brambleberry.com
Piping tips: The medium leaf, the small dot #3 for the buds, and  Wilton's 1M on the roses - I got mine at Hobby Lobby or Walmart.

Rose Garden Handmade Cold Process/Oven Process Soap

These amazing "cake" soaps are as beautiful to look at as they are fun to use!!!

They make a lot of bubbles and the scent is a lovely soft rose scent, like a morning walk through a rose garden.  I used two recipes for this soap, one for the "batter" and one for the "frosting" see below, as I don't have the source of where I got it. 

Frosting/Piping Recipe (I'll look for the source and post it):
16 oz Coconut oil
13 oz Olive oil
3 oz Shea butter
4.7 oz Lye
9 oz Water

The mold I used here was wider on top, so I no longer it.  Instead I use the one on the link below because it makes it easier to wrap a label when the bar is the same width top to bottom.

Here is a list of items I used and a link of where I got them (some links may be affiliate links and if you buy something through them I get a small commission):
Digital Scale: https://amzn.to/2P3cN36
Silicone cake mold: https://amzn.to/2RdM8lL
Soap cutter: https://amzn.to/2DKv1oM
Tree "Handmade" Stamp: https://amzn.to/2DO4WoL
Decorating bags: https://amzn.to/2Rn3Xii
Piping tips: Wilton's medium leaf, 1M and 2D, from Walmart, also a small round tip, #s 3 & 4 for the buds.
Lye, dyes, mica, glitter, scents:  https://www.brambleberry.com/

The cute tree stamp makes them that much more special!!!

Cleaning Stove-top accessories

You'll never guess how easy this is! One day I was thinking how much I hated to scrub and scrub my stove's accessories, and thought "I wonder if I can put them in when I Self-Clean my oven"?

And guess what??  I tried it, and here are the results!!!  All you'll have to do afterwards is wipe away the ashes.

You will have to wipe away any grease so it doesn't smoke in the oven... that's pretty much it!! 

O Christmas Tree O....

 Okay, these lovely and super delicious "trees" (I need to buy a crinkle cutter tool thingy so they look more like trees) with "snow" on them are super easy and inexpensive to make and everyone loves them!!
One flour tortilla makes 12 trees.

Ingredients:
4 Flour tortillas (gordita or cacero style - they're a little thicker)
Oil for brushing
1/4 c Sugar
1 Tsp Cinnamon
Powder sugar for dusting (for holiday season)

Instructions:
1. Mix sugar and cinnamon
2. Brush tortilla with oil on both sides (I use EVOO)
3. Sprinkle with sugar/cinnamon mixture
4. Cut across like a pizza 6 times (forming 12 trees), I stack and cut about 4 at a time to save time.
5. Bake at 375 for 8-9 mins, until it starts to look light gold, then turn over, bake another 3-4 mins until evenly light golden all over.  If you do not turn them over, be sure not to let them cool without moving them, they'll stick.

6.  Dust with powder sugar.  They keep crispy in plastic bags for 3-5 days. I bet these could be cut with cookie cutters into fun Christmas shape!!

Accent Christmas Pillows - fast & temporary!

I love to change decor accents with the seasons but I don't have storage for too much stuff!  So with spray adhesive I can quickly update some throw pillows by cover whatever is on them, and PRESTO!! 

Temporary Trees

Here I took some leftover material and cut out Christmas tree shapes ( the only shape that would cover the star fish and whale on these pillows), and to make them look sewn on I ran a zig-zag stich (can be a hand running stich if don't have a machine) along the edges, then sprayed with adhesive spray and placed them on the pillows.  Once Christmas is over I'll  remove the trees and maybe do something for Valentine's

Removable

Day!  

Look around for ways to change things up on a budget and without having to store more things!

Zig-Zag stiching

Lollipop Halloween Ghosts

These were so fun to make and very easy on the wallet, too! $2.50 for a 68pc (Dum-Dums) bag at WalMart. I got the napkins at our $1 store, each package contained 160 napkins.  Then I used white & purple ribbon I already had.  You also use black or orange, or even just all white.

You basically just DRAPE the paper napkin (ti comes folded in quarters), so you just leave it folded in half and put the lollipop under the fold and TIE a coordinating ribbon around its neck.

Then you DOT eyes with a sharpie marker and DONE!!  Kids & adults love getting them.


Note: This photo appears like the ghost has a little head covering, but it was a fluke on how the napkin got draped.  Don't fret over making them look a certain way.  In the end they all look totally cute even if you're not careful about dotting the eyes!
Just have fun!

Repurposed Metal Tool Box

So, I just wanted to share the new life this tool box has as a table top accessory.  Not only does it look beautiful, but it's also functional as a plant holder and it can hold your glass of lemonade or cup of coffee!

The lovely greenery of this great country yard help the tool box look right at home! 

I'm always amazed at how beautiful old things can look if we just give them a new job to do. I'm always looking for an old thing I can use when I have a need for something functional or when I'm looking for any new items to decorate!

Hope you'll look around and see you can upcycle something, giving your surroundings a more interesting look!