SatinDucky

You shouldn't have any problem at all! Make the end of the wick flush with the bottom of the tab and squeeze with crimpers or needle nose pliers. Cut wick to length. That's it

Mine also expanded, but just a little. I did the "fill the jar to the top" thing too. Oops

Just wish I could remember who's post I copied it from. I usually put the name in the file.

Need to find some SLSA so I can try this!

Seems like I read somewhere that you need a preservative with aloe gel.... does this need it, or how long will it stay fresh and un-buggy?

One more time...lol

Butter Bar

4oz. rectangular soap mold

4oz. white coconut oil soap base

1 Tbsp. shea butter

1Tbsp cocoa butter

10 drops buttery maple fragrance oil (vanilla or cocnut or fragrance of cho

3 drops yellow colorant

Cut up and melt soap base & add melted shea & cocoa butter as well as the fragrance & color. Pour melted soap into mold & package. Once you start using this you won't want to be without.

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Coffee Lover's Soap

4 oz bar of unscented glycerin soap

1 tsp. ground coffee

1 tsp. powdered milk

10 drops coffee fragragrance oil

Melt glycerin. Remove from heat and stir in all ingredients. Pour into molds and let sit for three hours.

Seems like there was more too somewhere...lol

Oops... it would only hold half...lol

Chocolate Cup Cakes - Soaps (makes 8/10 soap cakes)

500g Opaque Soap Base

1 tsp cocoa powder

10 gms Cocoa Butter

2.5 mls Chocolate Fragrance Oil*

Flake or Buttons for decoration

Bun cases

Melt the soap base and add the chopped up cocoa butter and allow to cool for a while. Mix the cocoa powder with some water into a runny paste. Stir the soap to incorporate the melted cocoa butter and pour the cocoa mix through a strainer or sieve into the soap base. Add the chocolate fragrance oil and stir. Place two bun cases into each dip in a bun tray and pour the soap until about 5mm from the top of the cases. When a medium skin forms on each cake make a small slit in the skin and place the buttons or flake of chocolate slightly into the slit. Dust with icing sugar or cocoa powder if you desire.

To make dark chocolate cup cakes – use clear soap base and add slightly more cocoa powder to colour.

These soaps make a great gift for any chocoholic and kids love them. They will smell fabulously chocolatey yet will not be sticky to use.

--------------------------

Seaweed Mineral Bar - Makes 2/3 bars

300 gms Clear Soap Base

5 gms Water

2 tsp Arame Seaweed

Green Colour Block

Turquoise Colour Block

Optional Sea Breeze Fragrance Oil

Finely chop the seaweed and allow to soak in the water.

Melt the clear soap base.

Add the water and the seaweed to the melted base.

Add green and turquoise colour until desired tone is achieved.

Stir in fragrance oil. Pour into mould.

This sea coloured bar is speckled with arame seaweed and is full of nutrients to feed and nourish your skin.

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Jack Frost Bars - makes 2/3 bars

300 gms Clear Soap Base

5 gms Water

3 tsp Espson Salts

Choice of colours

Fragrance Oil

Melt 100gms clear soap base.

Add colour and stir in.

Place some aluminium foil in the bottom of a small plate

Sprinkle Epson salts over the foil

Pour the melted soap base over the salt crystals

Place in the freezer for about 15 mins

When frozen you will see a reaction between the salt and the foil which makes the soap look like it has frost patterns on it.

Take a rolling pin or similar and break this soap into small pieces. (It will break along some of the lines)

Melt the remaining 200gms of soap base

Add fragrance Oil

Allow to cool slightly

Pop the broken pieces of soap into a mould and pour the remaining soap over the top.

Turn out and admire your Jack Frost Bars

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Chocolate Heaven Gateaux

1.25 kg clear soap base

0.75kg white soap base

1 cup porridge oats

1.5 tbsp powdered goats milk

2 tbspoons cocoa powder

2 Cadbury Flake bars

10 ml chocolate fragrance oil

1 tbsp honey

2 drops yellow food colour (optional)

1 round plastic cake storage jar (Tupperware 3" deep)

Melt 500gms clear soapbase. Add the honey and the yellow food colouring.

Put the oats into the base of the storage container and pour on the soap base.

Gently stir until mixed in fully. Spritz with alcohol.

Melt the white soapbase and add the goats milk and a teaspoon of

the cocoa powder. Begin to cool and add 5ml of the fo. When the

oat layer has a skin able to support the next layer - spritz again

and pour the pale chocolate layer on top - spritz

Melt the remainder (except about 2 tbsp) of the clear soap base,

add the remainder of the cocoa powder - cool slightly and add the

last 5ml of the fo. When the light chocolate layer has cooled

enough to support the next layer spritz again and pour the cooled

dark chocolate soap layer.

When totally cold, turn out of the mould. Cut the Cadbury Flake

bars into 12 small pieces and use a small amount of melted soap

to "glue" them onto the chocolate heaven gateaux - remember to

spritz lightly with alcohol first to ensure a good bond.

Slice as required into 12 delicious portions of chocolate Heaven

Gateaux (and hardly a calorie in sight)

TIP** When mixing in the powdered goats milk and the cocoa, mix

the powder into a small amount of melted soap and mix into a paste,

then add the paste to the base. This helps to stop the dreaded

lumps.

-------------------------------

Gardeners Soaps (Makes 3 bars)

Ingredients:

250g white m&p soap base

2 mls tea tree essential oil

1 tablespoon ground pumice powder

1 teaspoon sweet almond oil

colour of your choice

Directions:

Melt the soap base and allow to cool slightly

Add the sweet almond oil and stir

gently add the powdered pumice and mix thoroughly

Add the Tea Tree oil

Pour into moulds and allow to set.

*These are ideal for anybody who loves gardening. The powdered pumice gets into all the nooks and crannies to remove the ground in soil stains, whilst the tea tree is a natural antibacterial and antiseptic amongst it’s other reputed qualities. The sweet almond moisturises and softens.

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Carrot & Orange Bars (Makes 4 bars)

150g white soap base

150g clear soap base

1-teaspoon carrot powder

Zest of 1 orange (small shreds)

2 tablespoons orange juice

3 mls Citrus Delight fragrance oil

Melt the white soap base

Add half the orange shreds

Pour into the bottom of a mould

Spray with surgical spirits

Melt the clear soap base

Add the carrot powder, fragrance oil, orange juice

Stir in the remainder of the orange sheds

Allow to cool a little

Spay the white soap again with surgical spirits

Pour the orangey clear soap on top of the white layer

Lightly sprits again if there are any surface bubbles

Allow to set

------------------------------

Camphor and Clary Sage Soap

2 c. M&P soap base

2 T. camphor oil

1/4 c. clary sage infusion

AND/OR

1 tsp. clary sage oil

Combine melted soap and herbal ingredients. Stir until blended, and pour into molds. Keep soap wrapped or store in a cool dark place. It will be good for about 18 months. Note: This also works well for poison Ivy.

--------------------------

Citronella Soap

1 cup grated Castile soap

1/2 cup water

10 drops citronella essential oil

5 drops eucalyptus essential oil

1 T. dried, crushed pennyroyal leaves

Mix the ingredients into the melted soap/water mixture. With an electric mixer, whip the soap until it has doubled in volume. Spoon the soap into the prepared molds, pushing it into the molds as best you can (the beating action cools the mix, so work quickly). If the mixture has cooled off and thickened so much you can't put it into the molds, hand mold the soap into large balls.

----------------------------

Lavender Citrus Soap

2 cups grated soap

1/2 cup water

6 vitamin E capsules

1 T. ground dried lemon verberna leaves

1 T. dried lavender buds

10 drops lavender oil

20 drops sweet orange oil

Melt soap with water. After it has melted, add vitamin E oil and remaining ingredients. After the soap has cooled and thickened, scoop out a small handful of the soap and roll into a ball. Flatten the ball to create a disk shape. As the soap cures, press the soap into a firmer and smoother shape. If you like, mix a little orange oil on your hands and polish the soap smooth.

This soap will discolor if the lavender buds are added too soon to the melted soap. If you do not like the rough surface and the darkened color, omit the lavender buds and add extra lavender oil. Or, after a week of curing, you can slice thin shavings from the soap to smooth it and remove any dark patches.

-----------------------------

Minty Herb Soap

1 lb. M&P soap

1 T. Mint leaves (finely crushed)

1/2 tsp. Peppermint essential oil

1/2 tsp. Spearmint essential oil

Melt soap base and add mint leaves and fragrance pour into molds.

--------------------------------

M&P Gardner's Soap

12 oz Clear M&P

.5 oz Grated Beeswax

1/2 T Castor Oil

1 T Grated Dried Lemon Peel

1 T Grated Dried Orange Peel

1/4 C Lightly Toasted Oatmeal

1/2 T Dried Rosemary

2 tsp. Orange EO

1 tsp. Tea tree EO

few drops of Rosemary EO

1. Slice M&P in small chunks. Add this, the grated beeswax and the

castor oil to a double boiler, cover, and let melt completely.

(Never let the temp get over 160 degrees.)

2. While all this is slowly melting put the oatmeal and dried rosemary

in a small food processor and grind to a medium course consistancy.

Add the grated lemon & orange peel and set aside. You should have just

slightly over 1/8th cup all together.

3. When the M&P & beeswax are fully melted remove from heat and transfer

to a 2-cup glass measuring cup--easier to pour into the molds with

this.

4. Let mixture cool until fine skin appears then add EO's and stir in

well.

5. Let mixture cool until skin forms again and then add the oatmeal &

herb mixture.

6. Keep stirring periodically as mixture cools. You will notice that

as the mixture cools the oatmeal & herbs start to stay more suspended

and don't sink to the bottom.

7. When your satisfied that the majority of the herbs are staying

suspended pour into molds.

8. Immediatly put mold into the freezer for 15 minutes then remove.

9. When the soap gets to room temp. pop out of molds and package

as you usually do.

1 Three cavity (4 oz) Fancy Milky Way Mold sheet.

I don't remember who these were from and haven't tried them yet. I copy & pasted everyone I ran across...lol

Earth Clay Soap

1 lb. M&P soap base

1 Tablespoon Clay

2 Tablespoons Jojoba Oil

1/4 Cup Distilled Water

Colorant and Scent

Be sure to mix the clay separately. I put the tablespoon of clay in a dish and spoon a small amount of the melted soap and mix it into a paste, then add it to the soap. This eliminates lumps of clay and makes a nice smooth soap.

-----------------------------------

Wheatgerm soap

1 lb. M&P soap base

2 T. Wheatgerm (finely ground)

1 tsp. Sweet almond oil

3/4 tsp. Sandalwood fragrance oil

Melt soap base and add wheatgerm, oil and fragrance pour into molds.

----------------------------------

Honey Oatmeal Scrub Soap

3 oz. opaque M&P soap

1 T. Oatmeal

Vanilla, Almond, or Oatmeal, Milk & Honey scent (optional)

1 tsp. Honey

Melt soap, then add honey and a few drops of scent - let it start to cool while you grind up 3/4 of the oatmeal in a coffee grinder until it is powdery. Stir in the ground oatmeal a little at a time (stir constantly). Keep stirring until it gets fairly cool, and then add in remaining whole oatmeal. Keep stirring until it gets very cool and thick (almost like a sludge). Pour into mold.

The key to this recipe is making sure the soap is pretty cool so the oatmeal stays suspended in the finished bar. The bar has a nice natural oatmeal smell, but the scent adds a subtle smell that is very nice.

----------------------------------

Gardeners Soap

1 lb M&P goatsmilk base

1 - 2 Tablespoons white cornmeal

1 1/2 Tablespoons fine pumice

1/2 - 1 Tablespoon bentonite clay

1 Tablespoon of shea or mango butter (for moisturizing)

2 - 3 teaspoons of a citrus essential oil (orange, lemon, etc.) or

one of each. Orange cuts the grime.

Melt base,

Stir to allow it to cool a bit,

Add scent,

Stir in cornmeal, pumice and clay continually until it gets to the

point where it will stay suspended in the soap. Pour into molds.

-----------------------------

Oatmeal Cinnamon Bars

INGREDIENTS:

4oz retangular soap mold

2oz clear M&P soap

2oz Goats Milk M&P Soap

Ground Oatmeal, Cinnamon, and Oats

Milk & Honey fragrance oil

INSTRUCTIONS:

Melt 2 oz of clear M&P soap, mix in 1 tsp of Cinnamon, 1 tsp of Oats,and 5 drops of fragrance oil. Allow a fine layer of skin to form and spray with alcohol, melt 2 oz of Goats Milk soap and add a pinch of Oats. Allow the bar to set completely and release from mold. A great moisturizer and exfoliant.

-------------------------------

Honey Soap

Ingredients:

Melt & Pour Soap (clear or opaque)

Bumblebee & Honeycomb mold

1 TBSP of honey per lb. of soap

Yellow & Brown Colorant

Honey or Honeysuckle FO

Melt your soap base and add color and scent. While soap is still warm add 1 TBSP. of honey per lb. of soap. Stir well and pour into mold.

---------------------------------

Loofah Soaps

Ingredients:

M&P Base

Loofah

Colorant And Scent

Cut the loofah to fit in the mold and pour the base over the top of it. You can also place the entire loofah in a tube mold, pour your soap over it and then cut into slices.

--------------------------------

Pretty Layered Soap

Ingredients:

2 oz clear melt & pour base

2 oz white melt & pour

10 drops chocolate fragrance

10 drops vanilla fragrance

Cocoa powder or brown colorant

Instructions:

Melt the clear soap in double boiler and add the cocoa powder to get a nice deep brown color and a natural cocoa scent. Alternatively, you could also let the clear MP cool slightly and form a light skin, then sprinkle it liberally with the cocoa powder and swirl loosely with a toothpick before pouring. This will cause a swirl effect of chocolate instead of a clear brown. Let it cool briefly. Add 10 drops chocolate fragrance oil if you wish. *You may wish to make this bar extra special by adding a little cocoa butter to the brown batch*. Pour into a mold, filling halfway up. Let the clear sit for about twenty minutes until it is slightly tacky at the top.

In another pan melt the white soap. To this you may add a little shea butter or coconut oil. Allow the melted base to slightly cool and then add vanilla fragrance oil. After letting it cool a few more minutes, pour over the cocoa colored soap.

Let the soap sit for a few hours to firm. Overnight would be best. Pop out.

------------------------------

Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients:

1 lb white melt and pour base

Cocoa powder or brown pigment

1 lb cocoa butter

1 T Chocolate FO

Small round soap molds

Instructions:

Melt the cocoa butter with most of the base, leaving a little behind.

Keep melted, although you can allow it to cool slightly. Add the chocolate FO.

Melt the leftover base quickly and add a dark brown dye or a good amount of cocoa powder to make it a much deeper color than the first batch.

Lay this soap (the dark batch) out over a wax paper lined plate to become tacky.

When the soap has become harder (this is a small amount of soap and does not take long), pick off a few chunks ( these will be your chips ) and line them at the bottom of the soap molds.

Spritz very lightly with alcohol if desired.

Now add the cooled but semi liquid big batch over the hard chips.

Let sit for a few minutes to continue forming skin.

After the top layer of skin is formed ( the soap showing from the mold ), add some more of the leftover chips to this part to make the cookie appear as it has chips all over.

You can also drop a chip or two in to blend in and be more natural appearing when combining the soaps.

The cocoa butter gives the soap it's own scent, as does the cocoa powder, and it looks just like a little wax cookie. The lather is bubbly brown and very luxurious!

--------------------------------

M&P Soap

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

2 Tablespoons Water

2 Tablespoons Milk Powder

2 Tablespoons Honey, natural not powdered

Honey, Spice or Vanilla Fragrance Oil if desired

1/2 cup melted Melt and Pour base

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients except the M&P soap in a small bowl and mix well. The mixture will be thick. Add mix to melted soap base and stir gently until thoroughly blended. Pour into molds. I do not add any coloring to this soap since it is for healing; it will be naturally brown due to the honey. I have used both a white and clear soap base with excellent results.

--------------------------------

OLIVE OIL CALENDULA SOAP

Ingredients:

1 lb Olive Oil M&P

2TBSP Calendula Petals

Melt soap and stir in petals. Pour into molds and let cool, pop out and it's ready to use! Have fun!

---------------------------------

Sesame Seed Surprise (Makes 4 /5 bars)

500g Opaque Soap Base

1 Tbsp Sesame Seeds

10 ml Sesame Oil

20 ml water

¼ tsp instant coffee to colour

Melt the soap base and add the sesame oil. Mix the instant coffee to the water and add to the soap base. (Add more coffee if a stronger colour is required). Allow to cool until you can keep your hands on the outside of the soap container, then add the sesame seeds. Stir seeds into the soap and pour into individual moulds.

**Spritz away any bubbles with alchohol or surgical spirits.

This makes a very rich soap. The seeds will act to gently exfoliate your skin whilst the richness of the oils will act as an emollient. The bar will initially smell very nutty but this will fade very quickly leaving just a natural bar.

-----------------------------

The Peel Deal (Makes 4/5 bars)

500g Clear Soap Base

Zest of 1/2 orange (shredded or fine gratings)

Zest of 1/2 Lemon (shredded or fine gratings)

2.5 mls Mixed Citrus* Fragrance Oil

A speckle of turmeric powder

1 drop red colour

Melt the soap base and allow to cool for a while. Mix the turmeric powder with a teaspoon of water and add with the red colour until you have the desired shade of orange. Add the fragrance oil and the shredded zest. Allow to cool again. When the peel begins to remain suspended in the soap, pour quickly into the moulds. **Spritz away any bubbles on the surface.

This is a wonderfully reviving soap. A great bar to refresh and waken you, it smells like you are surrounded by an entire citrus grove. A popular favourite with men too.

NOTE: Citrus products are not suitable for young children or for people with sensitive skins. Please seek advise from a practitioner if in doubt.

That's good to know! I was thinking of getting some of those jars. Guess I'll stick to trying sachets instead

Most any votive/pillar wax just like you'd use for candles. Some spray Pam lightly, some don't. Pour into a tart/candy mold. Not much too it. Try out a few things, see what ya like

Ususally You're looking for how/cold throw and how it burns.

http://www.candletech.com/comparingscentthrow.htm

As for the burn it really depends on what type candle you're making. For pillars, you want a full melt pool that's about 1/2" deep and leaves about 1/4" thick wall, that can be hugged, but wont blowout. Burn 3 to 4 hrs the first burn.

Containers and votives are a bit different, a full melt pool will have No wax hangup on the sides. Containers should reach full MP after 1 hr per inch diameter and be about 1/2" deep. Ie, a 3" container should have a full melt pull in about 3 hours.

With all, you usually want a clean(no sooting), even(not lopsides) burn.

I may have forgot some stuffo or be a bit off since I'm just waking up But this should get you started. HTH

The 5 inside the triangle

Barbara, pour hot (180) cool slowly. If you don't add stearic, the candle will be "greasy" when you take it out of the mold. Just wipe it with paper towels and it will stop after a few days.

Keep in mind that the retention rate for straight 1343 is low-3%. That's why you'll see so much sweating. 1 ounce FO per lb. is approximately 6%.

e

Does the 3T stearic pp increase the FO load to 6%? No idea why the stearic has always confused me so badly

I have always liked the 4625. Atleast until here recently with the fingernailing I haven't ever used a zinc in mine, usually a 24ply flat. Did the 51z work ok?

That's a cute idea! Nice job

Hmmm.. wonder if they have a kudzu leaf mold

Just gorgeous! It's one of my favorite colors, after purple

Tall: spell-checker (or copy and paste)

Those are cute! She'll like them

I did one of those white ones this weekend too. Didn't know I was supposed to leave the bow on. Shoulda got a clue when I had to cut the thread to get it off...LOL. I can't even imagine doing that many at once! I had wax crumbles everywhere from just two

Great job!

She is adorable!

I've never heard of it before either, but it does kinda make sense. You wouldn't want the pads to be soft, but they can get too hard and dry too, especially after alot of running. It's been a long time ago, but one of mine the paws were so bad that they cracked and bled. I used Neosporin to heal them, but the shea butter might help them get not so bad to begin with. Just an idea

Guess it's time to start playing with the shrink wrap

Added: speaking of the little heart guest sopas... would pam spray work for coating the mold? I had a bugger of a time getting them out

Thats a neat idea realmarcha, I'll have to remember that

It helps to know what you want to do with them. The cello ones just have to be large enough to go around the pillar, but shrink bags need to be larger to give them shrinking room.

Oh shoot! I forgot about that. She did send it to me

So, does all M&P soap have to stay wrapped at all times (except when it's used of course)to keep them from sweating? I had some left over from dipping rose petals so I made little heart guest sopas with it. They're usually set out as prettys. I don't think they'd be very appealing wrapped in saran wrap