- JUST BLOOMED TODAY
- AWKWARD VISIT WITH SANTA PHOTO OF THE DAY
- TWEET TREATS
- DID YOU KNOW...?
- DOG CONFESSIONS
- GARDEN UPDATE
- HOW TO MAKE SOAP
- FAUNA
- GARDEN GIGGLE
- WHAT IN THE WORLD?
- FEEDBACK
JUST BLOOMED TODAY
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AWKWARD VISIT WITH SANTA PHOTO OF THE DAY
TWEET TREATS
bringing you the quirky, funniest and most interesting tweets from Twitter that we came across.
DID YOU KNOW...?
Koalas have fingerprints nearly identical to the fingerprints of humans.
DOG CONFESSIONS
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| If not now, men wearing holiday scarves, then when? @DothTheDoth |
Koalas have fingerprints nearly identical to the fingerprints of humans.
GARDEN UPDATE
Still working on updating the old wood supports and new beam for the front patio. I think I need to expand to do the windowsills and trim as well.
The mums are sooooo beautiful, just popping out all over.
HOW TO MAKE SOAP
I have always wanted to make my own soap and have successfully done so with glycerin soap, which they have kits for and is super simple. It is so wonderful to have a homemade soap where you know all the ingredients and is mild.You also stand to benefit from a handmade soap that you know does not contain ingredients that may be harmful to you, your family and the environment.
Cold process soap is a whole different story and I do not have the experience of working with it but hope to in the future.Here is a link (http://offbeatandinspired.com/2012/09/14/cold-process-soap-making-for-beginners/)to make the cold process soap, which requires lye and is a much more detailed process. Either method will produce a lovely gift that your friends and family will treasure.
The glycerin soap one is super simple and merely requires you to melt the glycerin like wax and pour into molds. Places like art supply stores, (Michaels, WalMart, etc) have the glycerin, molds, colors and scents. Buy an old pot at the thrift store or get rid of that old beat-up one you keep meaning to throw away. You will need it to melt the glycerin in. You will be melting the glycerin in a double boiler method so you will need a larger pot as well.
Save your natural accents, such as sage or bay leaves, rosemary, crushed pieces of loofa, dried flowers, oatmeal, herbs, etc for inclusion. You can add designs, pretty shells, star anise or dried starfruit.Buy some pretty natural twine and brown paper and simply wrap soap with a strip of brown paper and write the scent on it, tie with a bow and that's it! Here are the steps:
If you have a double boiler, it is best to use that — put water on the lower portion to boil. If you don’t have a double boiler, you can use a large pot. Put water to boil in the pot. Make sure that the water level reaches only half of the pot or tin can where you’re melting the glycerin, and that no water gets into the glycerin while it’s melting.
Put one pound of glycerin into a pot or tin can large enough to contain it when it’s entirely melted. Put the pot on the top tier of your double boiler. Carefully watch over the glycerin as it melts, stirring constantly and making sure it does not scorch, until it’s all melted into a clear liquid.
Now you can add the ingredients that make your soap uniquely yours: essential oil, dried flowers, petals, or herbs, cosmetic-grade color or mineral pigments (all available at a crafts supply store or online). Essential oil not only adds fragrance to the soap, it also has other properties, such as stress relief, medicinal, etc., depending on the specific oil you choose. The same goes for dried herbs. Flowers and petals are mainly decorative. Cosmetic-grade color or mineral pigments should be used for soap to ensure that it is safe for human use. Add only a small amount of essential oil and color or pigment, as these ingredients are highly concentrated. Mix well.
Spray your mold lightly with rubbing alcohol, and then pour in the soap mix carefully. Avoid contact with skin, as the soap is very hot and will cause burns. Since glycerin soap is translucent, it enables you to insert a small toy – as long as it won’t melt in the heat and is light enough to float in the mixture – as a surprise for a child or just for embellishment. You can pour the mixture about a quarter full, insert the toy, and continue pouring.
Wait for the bubbles in the mixture to rise to the top, then spray the top with rubbing alcohol to eliminate the bubbles. You can leave the molds in an open area where the soap can cool down undisturbed. Alternatively, you can wait 30 minutes and put the mold in the freezer to cool.
When the soap has cooled down completely, it should pop right out of the mold and be ready for use.
Still working on updating the old wood supports and new beam for the front patio. I think I need to expand to do the windowsills and trim as well.
The mums are sooooo beautiful, just popping out all over.
HOW TO MAKE SOAP
Cold process soap is a whole different story and I do not have the experience of working with it but hope to in the future.Here is a link (http://offbeatandinspired.com/2012/09/14/cold-process-soap-making-for-beginners/)to make the cold process soap, which requires lye and is a much more detailed process. Either method will produce a lovely gift that your friends and family will treasure.
The glycerin soap one is super simple and merely requires you to melt the glycerin like wax and pour into molds. Places like art supply stores, (Michaels, WalMart, etc) have the glycerin, molds, colors and scents. Buy an old pot at the thrift store or get rid of that old beat-up one you keep meaning to throw away. You will need it to melt the glycerin in. You will be melting the glycerin in a double boiler method so you will need a larger pot as well.
If you have a double boiler, it is best to use that — put water on the lower portion to boil. If you don’t have a double boiler, you can use a large pot. Put water to boil in the pot. Make sure that the water level reaches only half of the pot or tin can where you’re melting the glycerin, and that no water gets into the glycerin while it’s melting.
Put one pound of glycerin into a pot or tin can large enough to contain it when it’s entirely melted. Put the pot on the top tier of your double boiler. Carefully watch over the glycerin as it melts, stirring constantly and making sure it does not scorch, until it’s all melted into a clear liquid.
Now you can add the ingredients that make your soap uniquely yours: essential oil, dried flowers, petals, or herbs, cosmetic-grade color or mineral pigments (all available at a crafts supply store or online). Essential oil not only adds fragrance to the soap, it also has other properties, such as stress relief, medicinal, etc., depending on the specific oil you choose. The same goes for dried herbs. Flowers and petals are mainly decorative. Cosmetic-grade color or mineral pigments should be used for soap to ensure that it is safe for human use. Add only a small amount of essential oil and color or pigment, as these ingredients are highly concentrated. Mix well.
Spray your mold lightly with rubbing alcohol, and then pour in the soap mix carefully. Avoid contact with skin, as the soap is very hot and will cause burns. Since glycerin soap is translucent, it enables you to insert a small toy – as long as it won’t melt in the heat and is light enough to float in the mixture – as a surprise for a child or just for embellishment. You can pour the mixture about a quarter full, insert the toy, and continue pouring.
Wait for the bubbles in the mixture to rise to the top, then spray the top with rubbing alcohol to eliminate the bubbles. You can leave the molds in an open area where the soap can cool down undisturbed. Alternatively, you can wait 30 minutes and put the mold in the freezer to cool.
When the soap has cooled down completely, it should pop right out of the mold and be ready for use.
Soap making is very useful to know, especially for those who are health and environmentally conscious. It enables you to make just enough for your needs, use only the ingredients you want, and avoid harmful chemicals in your soap. What’s more, knowing how to make glycerin soap enables you to indulge in the luxury of a custom-made, gentle, delightful soap at a fraction of the cost of a store-bought one.
GARDEN GIGGLE
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| Voyeur |
FAUNA
WHAT IN THE WORLD?
On today in American history, people in gardens everywhere were talking about:
1842 Abraham Lincoln marries Mary Todd
1922 Entrance to King Tut's tomb discovered
1924 Nellie Taylor Ross of Wyoming elected first woman Governor
1948 T.S. Elliot wins Nobel prize in Literature
1978 Annie Murray wins #1 hit with "You Needed Me"
1979 Iranian students storm U.S. embassy in Tehran, leading to oil embargo
1995 Yitzhak Rabin assassinated
2008 Barack Obama elected as first black President
2012 NYCity cancels marathon
1842 Abraham Lincoln marries Mary Todd
1922 Entrance to King Tut's tomb discovered
1924 Nellie Taylor Ross of Wyoming elected first woman Governor
1948 T.S. Elliot wins Nobel prize in Literature
1978 Annie Murray wins #1 hit with "You Needed Me"
1979 Iranian students storm U.S. embassy in Tehran, leading to oil embargo
1995 Yitzhak Rabin assassinated
2008 Barack Obama elected as first black President
2012 NYCity cancels marathon
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