Wax and Bubbles

• Homemade Grass Soap

What you’ll need:
Scissors
Wheatgrass
Blotter paper
Flower press
Glycerin soap
Sharp knife
Glass measuring cup
Grass fragrance
4-inch mini loaf pan
Spray bottle filled with
Rubbing alcohol
Waxed paper
Twine

Cut a 5-inch-square section from a flat of wheatgrass. Pull out individual blades with roots attached, and lay in a single layer on a sheet of blotter paper. Top with another piece of blotter paper. Sandwich between pages of a flower press. Let dry, two to three days. Cut glycerin soap (we used clear and white) into small pieces with a sharp knife. Fill measuring cup. Microwave on medium heat until melted. If desired, add a few drops of grass fragrance.

For a bar with long blades: Trim the dried grass to desired length, removing roots. Pour a thin layer of glycerin into a loaf pan. Lay five to seven blades on top, and let dry for 30 seconds. Spray with alcohol to eliminate bubbles, cover with more glycerin, and spray again with alcohol.

For a bar with chopped grass: Mix cut dried grass into glycerin, and pour into pan; spray with alcohol. Let harden, 2 hours. Freeze 20 minutes; release from pan. For gifts, wrap stacked bars in waxed paper, and secure with twine.

• Striped Soaps

What you’ll need:
Glycerin soap
Peppermint oil
Plactic spoon
red food coloring or natural colors
Loaf pan
Fork
Knife
Cellophane
Tape
Twine

1. Melt the glycerin according to the package instructions, using 1/4 cup at a time.

2. Stir in a drop of peppermint oil (available at most health-food stores) with a plastic spoon; for the clear glycerin, add drops of red food coloring, stirring until you get the desired hue.

3. Pour the 1/4 cup of melted soap into the loaf pan. Let cool for 20 minutes.

4. Score the top with a fork. Repeat, alternating colors, until the pan is full.

5. Let set for 4 hours. Pop soap out of pan, and slice into bars.

6. Wrap each bar in cellophane; tape it shut, and tie with bakery string.

• Savon de Marseille

What you’ll need:
Tools and Materials
Double boiler
Olive oil-based soap
Essential oils
French green clay
Milk carton or mold
Knife
1 tablespoon fine sea salt
1 cup warm water

1. In a double boiler, completely melt a block of olive oil-based soap, but don’t let it boil. Meanwhile, add about a teaspoon of French green clay per pound of soap.

2. Once the soap is melted, add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon essential oil per pound of soap base.

3. Pour the melted soap mixture into a mold, filling it to about 1 1/2 inches from the top. Allow the soap to sit until it is cool and hard, at least 2 hours.

4. Once it’s hard, use a knife to slice the soap into 1 1/2-inch bars.

5. Combine about 1 tablespoon fine sea salt and 1 cup warm water. Wash the soap bars in this salt-water solution. Let soap dry completely, then rinse it in plain warm water. (Source: Martha Stewart Crafts)