B and B Challenge 3: Christmas Collection - CRAFTSTER CRAFT CHALLENGES

Sure! For the soap on a rope, I used a mold that I purchased, and I bought the rope at the same store. I used a goats milk m and p base. I cut the block of m and p base into cubes, melted that on the stove using the pyrex measuring cup in a pot of boiling water method, then poured it into the mold. It took me a while to get the hang of this. You have to have the mold set up with two heavy elastic bands holding it together, and with the rope placed inside the mold, about halfway down. If the rope isn't far enough down, as soon as you start using the soap it will come loose from the rope really quickly. You also have to pour slowly, so the melted m and p base doesn't fill up the mold to the point where soap attaches itself to the rope.

For the Christmas Morning Scented Lotion I used a recipe for lotion that I've used before that I got from a Natural Beauty Book. It contains Sweet Almond Oil, beeswax, and borax dissolved in distilled water. I heated the sweet almond oil and the beeswax in a water bath on the stove (oil and beeswax in a glass pyrex container, put the container in a pot, fill the pot with water, boil the water).
It's important to wait until the mixture on the stove is completely melted. From what I've learned with trial and error with this recipe, timing is very important, so I wait until everything is completely melted on the stove stop and then heat the water with the borax dissolved in it as the recipe instructs. You should heat it until is is steaming, but not bubbling. Then you remove the melted oil/wax from heat and pour in the distilled water/borax mixture. Give it a quick stir, add your fragrance oil (I used a fragrance oil this time, but usually I use EOs). I've found for best results, either put it in a blender and whip it, or, my preferred choice, use an inexpensive milk frother to blend the ingredients right in the pyrex jar.
Pour into jars and allow to cool.
For the soy wax candle:
Melt soy wax flakes using the pyrex jar in a pot method, when melted completely remove from heat and add your EO, I chose Nutmeg. I had prepared the teacup by attaching putty to the bottom, attaching the wick to the putty, and placing to butter knives on either side of the wick because it has the tendency to lean. I saw this teacup candle idea on pinterest, and bought a kit on sale at the same store I bought the soap on a rope mold from, that's where I got the trouble shooting tips. When I make the teacup candles again I think I will use beeswax. I don't have the patience for grating beeswax, I buy beeswax pastilles, buying a solid block from the farmer's market isn't much cheaper. I thought maybe I would give the teacup candle away as a stocking stuffer/Christmas gift, but I like it so much I think I'll keep it for myself Grin