It's hard to say what's "in" FO. It's oil based, I know that. I think the majority of them are maybe sweet almond oil or some other gentle carrier oil, and then artificial oils that produce the fragrance. And YES, even if you fragrance at 5% by volume, any artificial oil you purchase is going to lightyears from crap you buy at the store. Break it down mathmatically: If you fragrance at 3-5%, your soap is 97-95% natural. A bar of Caress, Dove, Dial, Lever 2000, etc. is probably hovering around the 40% range (and that's probably being generous). I'll take 97% over 40% any day of the week!!!

Chock it up to be a newbie to the craft. Again, when I first started I paid an obscene amount for palm oil ($8/lb) because I didn't know I could buy it at the Afrikaans market or online for 1/4 of the price. Live and learn, right? Wholesale Supplies Plus has good prices on EOs, and they have some amazing blends. Their energizing blend (sweet orange and ginger) is easily my most favorite ever! They also have Aveda-dupe EO blends.

Sweetcakes, answering an earlier question is amazing for FOs. Yes they are a little pricey but they are worth it. I have never had problems with their oils, and they smell sooooo heavenly. Their Papaya Nectar is heaven in a bottle (thank you, smittenheart, for getting me addicted to THAT).

** As a note, this post is totally meant to be helpful and informative, I sincerely hope it doesn't come off as sounding shmarmy. **

Hmmm I think I may see the scent issue. I went to the same site MareMare did and it is insanely expensive because it's geared for aromatherapy. What that means is two things:

Did you use two ounces or two bottles? Because the bottles are 10ml. (.33oz), you probably only used a little over half an ounce. Also, that is *not* a pure EO, it's, as the website says "100% blended essential oil." Rose EO is very, very pricey by itself, so I'm guessing it's mixed with a carrier oil or other floral oils.

By and large, I highly recommend avoiding vitamin/aromatherapy stores. For one thing the prices are outrageous, for another, aromatherapy oils are generally suspect on ingredients. Sometimes they are pure, but others they are ... questionable. I've seen some at Whole Foods that contain alcohol as a preservative.

I hope maybe that answers the scent issue? Again, I'm totally trying to be helpful for your next attempt, which I hope we'll get to see because it looks like you're off to a fabulous start! I forgot how much I love round soaps!

Alright, partners are listed and everyone should have gotten a PM from me with names/addresses. If for ANY reason you do not see your name listed 5x on the first post, please let me know! It's all looking good to me, but I'm totally blond so mistakes can happen!

Hello, all! Going through the Father's Day thread, I've noticed dozens of "What can I make for <insert character trait here> dad?"

There are a lot of truly good ideas out there, so let's try to compile them all on one thread. For one reason, it clogs up the board having multiple posts about, essentially, the same topic. Also, there are a lot of really great ideas from your fellow Craftsters! If you're like me, you might start out with one idea, and find something totally new and different just by browsing everyone's suggestions!

So feel free to ask away and start throwing out suggestions! I will add links as I come across them.

My frustratingly vague guideline would be anything over 2.5oz. and under 6oz. is fine for one bar. Like MareMare, mine typically hover in the 4-4.5oz. range, and that seems to be pretty typical. I think the biggest bars I've ever seen at craft fairs have been 5oz., and I've never seen anything under 2.5, which is how I came up with those numbers, lol.

Okay, in 45 min, I'll send everyone your sending partners and update the swap.

As an FYI, I will be sending PMs at the beginning of the week just to check-in on folks, and I will expect a reply sometime within the week. I won't be psycho about it and demand replies that day, but just to make sure we don't have any flakers, forgetters, etc. Not that I think we will; that is the benefit of such a small swap.

Kezerb-- hehe, I'm so sorry hon, but unfortunately it is just so expensive to mail to the UK from the US! The flat-rate $4.95 box for the US, jumps to around $10 for UK. A large envelope, for this swap would be around $8, which doesn't sound like too much, but when you factor in four other boxes... ouch! Sending 5 boxes domestic US is already pretty spendy, so adding in a UK box would just push it a little too much for most folks, sadly.

BUT, as MareMare said, I would be more than willing to open it up to international in the fall. There is a lovely gal in Germany whose soaps I want to get my hands on (yes, I'm talking to you, Kaykay84)!

Woot! One more person joined up! Today is the last day for sign-ups, I will set up send-to lists tonight around 10PM MST.

This should be a really good bunch, everything sounds so great!

I think it looks great! Pringles cans not only make nice, round soaps, but it's good recycling too!

Oh god I would so be up for this but I'm in the UK

Ah, bummer. I wish it weren't so darn pricey to send overseas!

One more day of sign-ups, folks! Come get your soapin' on!!

Mojo jojoba!! That's freaking awesome.

I'd have to call on dibs on Cocoa Buttercup because my daughter is obsessed with Buttercup.