Gentle Earth Soaps

Beach Decorating for Adults and Kids; From Bathroom Décor to Beach Dioramas

One way to bring back memories of a summer at the beach is through beach themed decorating. It is also a way for kids to have activities in crafts and maybe even make a special gift.

I like to start with the bathroom (for me the most obvious room to start with); there you can add pictures, either sketches or framed photographs to the walls. I think enlarging your own picture (especially if it includes the family) looks best.
Towels with starfish, seahorses, seashells, of fish look great. Again, as with the picture, I think it can be more enjoyable for the family if you start with plain towels and wash clothes, then sew on or embroider your own beach or ocean themed designs.
Soaps can also have a beach theme. Place your soaps in a shell container, or even make decorative soap by carving your own designs in them (Ivory soap works great for this).
A fishing net embedded with starfish (or even a puffer fish) hung near the tops of the walls really brings home the beach theme for me. Then there are decorative shell baskets (which are easy to find on-line). These Shell Baskets can be placed on shelves or just the toilet reservoir. A final touch to the walls would be a shell night light to add evening illumination to the bathroom.
One more suggestion if one is feeling industrious is the flooring. You can find linoleum tiles that have fish, shells, or anything beach related and place these on the floor to finalize your bathroom.

As for the kids; the Shell Baskets I mentioned earlier are an inexpensive way to get the kids involved. These baskets usually come with many different seashells that can be used to make all sorts of design, murals or beach diorama.
The diorama is my favorite for kids. Use the shells, some fine sand, maybe some starfish (there are inexpensive dried starfish available on the internet), and even some plastic fish. Use blue plastic film to represent the ocean, cotton balls for clouds, maybe a toy boat too. The little drink umbrellas are great to use as beach umbrellas. You can glue broken shells together to form a reef too. This project could also be used for the kids to make inexpensive Christmas gifts for family members that show a little more thought than the average gift. This a also good project for kids to bring in to “shut ins” that used to enjoy going to the beach.
Back to the Christmas idea, seashells can be turned into great Christmas ornaments too!

The garden is where my wife likes to add a little more ocean themed flair. She enjoys the Pangansin shell wind chime with the urchin spines that make musical notes. I personally more like the flowing beauty of a stairway (spiral) shell wind chime.
In the garden next to a hammock or just lawn chairs is a good place to hang the shell wind chimes. You can even construct a more life-like “out door diorama” using a small pond with a fountain head, beach sand or whatever similar is available, again some starfish and seashells and you have your own personal beach space. This can be a little more difficult in colder climates, but the pond can be turned off in the winter, and/or covered with a tarp to prevent damage from falling leaves or whatever else fall and winter bring.

About the Author

By Carl Strohmeyer

http://americanaquariumproducts.com/Shells.html

http://ocean-decor.blogspot.com/

SOAP JOKE, kids put soap in the water fountain – Riverside

Crane Adorable 1 Gallon Cool Mist Humidifier Adorable Crane Cool Mist Humidifier provides additional comfort to cold symptoms, dry itchy skin, and chapped lips. The whisper quiet humidifier operates on a low power consumption providing up to 11 hours of moisture from a removable one gallon water tank. Includes an automatic shut off safety feature when water tank is empty….

Kikkerland Magnetic Soap Holder with Suction Cup $5.50 No More Mess ! The magnetic soap holder (aka Bottle Cap Soap Holder) is an ingenious tool that keeps soap easy to reach, but never sitting in a puddle of water. To use, center the bottle cap-like end piece over a bar of soap and press until the the cap is embedded in the bar. Place the suction cup and magnetic arm on glass, tile, mirror or other smooth surface. Ta Da! No more wet, gunky soapy …

PRINCESS CROWN POPS Kids Candy Mold Chocolate $2.29 This is a first quality, tough plastic mold. It is durable and reusable. It is not machine washable. Suitable for chocolate and soap making as well as plaster and concrete crafting. FDA approved….

Sex Appeal, Love, Confessions Parts 1 & 2 [Wash Yo' Mouth With Soap! Version] $13.98 Pop-rock. Electro. R&B. Bubblegum. You’ve got it covered: model/journalist KRYSTLE NICOLE RUSSIN tries on a spunky attitude for her debut disc. The 22-year old describes her album’s different musical stylings, “I know I could have an album out that’s done ‘perfectly pop princess,’ sung to the T, but I didn’t want something all the way, sweetly sung. I wanted to enjoy myself, sing like I would for …

Saddle Up Toothbrush Holder $7.99 Have a barrel of fun when you brush your teeth! Saddle Up toothbrush holder also makes a great desk caddy. Overall dimensions are 5 inches x 4 inches x 3 inches…

Fanatic Toothbrush Holder $12.99 This charming toothbrush holder will add a sporty touch to your bathroom decor. Cleverly combining style and function, the unique holder is a great conversation piece and an excellent gift idea….

Expressions Country Cats Towel Country Cats Bath Accessories by Linda Spivey in a cuddly feline theme. The design features sweet cats in a home. Accessories made of resin material. Contains shower curtain, toothbrush holder, lotion pump, shower hooks, soap dish, wastebasket….

Duck Soap Sack $9.99 No more slippery bars of soap shooting in all directions! Lather up the fun and easy way with an adorable soap sack! Fill the belly with a bar of soap or pieces of leftover soap and lather away!…

New Arrival New Baby Gift Basket $59.99 Welcome the newest addition to the family with this adorable baby basket. Includes: 2 receiving blankets, baby picture frame, bib, cap, booties, mittens, Johnson & Johnson baby wash, 2 bodysuits, and a box of babys first cookies. Available in pink, green and blue….

Sesame Street Hooded Bath Blanket with Brush and Comb Set ~ Yellow $19.99 The Sesame Street Hooded Bath Blanket With Brush & Comb Set includes a 24″ x 30″ hooded bath blanket and a plastic brush and comb….

Does anyone have an easy soap making recipe for a beginner?

I have never tried it, but would love to!

okay if you want to make soap purely from scratch;

Put on your rubber gloves and goggles.
Weigh out 12 ounces of lye (sodium hydroxide) into the two-cup measuring cup.
Weigh 32 ounces (2 pounds) of cold water in glass container.
Slowly add lye to water (best done outside) stirring gently. **It is very important to add the Lye to the water and not the other way round!!! Otherwise the reaction is too quick and it is dangerous!!** The lye will heat the water and release fumes. The fumes dissipate quickly, but turn your face away so as not to inhale the fumes.
Set aside and allow the lye to cool.
Weigh out 24 ounces of coconut oil and 38 ounces of vegetable shortening into the metal kettle. Melt these oils over low heat and stir frequently. Remove from heat after the oils have melted and add the 24 ounces of olive oil.
When your lye has reached a range of 95-98 degrees Fahrenheit (35-36 degrees Celsius) and your oils are at the same temperature, add the lye in a slow steady stream to the oils. Use the metal whisk to stir the mixture. After about ten minutes you will notice a change in your mixture. This is called saponification.
The mixture will appear like thin cream. This is called tracing. Tracing occurs when droplets of soap will stand up on the surface. When this happens, add your fragrance and stir well. Be ready to pour natural soap in your mold.
Cover your shoe box with the two towels and set aside undisturbed for eighteen hours. The soap will go through a gel stage and a heat process. At the end of this period uncover the soap and allow to sit for another 12 hours.
If you measured accurately and followed the directions, there should be no problems. But if your soap has a deep oily film on top the natural soap cannot be used because it has separated. It is disappointing if this happens. This will occur if your measurements were not accurate.
Unmold your natural soap. Turn the box over and allow the soap to fall on a towel or clean surface. Cut your soap into bars. Allow the natural soap to cure in a cool dry place for approximately four to six weeks before using.

If you want to remake soap:

How To Make Hand Milled Soaps

If you like the look, feel and texture of processed soaps but don’t want to have make them from scratch then hand milled soaps, also known as rebatched soaps, might work for you. The essential instructions are actually fairly easy to follow and with a little practice you can make some gorgeous soaps. This method can also be used for leftover scrap pieces of soap too.

Q: What is hand milled soap?

A: Milling is a standard term in the soapmaking industry meaning grated or ground, so hand milled soaps are hand grated soaps that are re-formed into new bars.

The most important thing you can do to make this process go smoothly is to gather all of your supplies before you begin. Having everything you need at your fingertips makes it a lot easier because later in the process you have to move fairly quickly as the soap begins to thicken up.

Once you have all of your supplies it’s time to begin:

Step 1: Grate your soap. A food processor can be used in addition to hand grating the soap in order to achieve a finer texture.

Choosing your base soap: A soap that is made with lye and cold processed works best for hand milling. Castile soaps also work great for hand milling as well. Choose soaps that do not have added fragrances, scents or dyes.

Step 2: Place all of your grated soap into a pan, bowl or large measuring glass that will be placed in a larger pan with water in it. Be sure to leave enough space in the pan to gently stir your soap.

Step 3: Add any oils and then water, called for in the hand milled recipe. Add about 2” of water to the larger pan and place on a medium to medium-high heat. Sit the smaller pan with the grated soap, oils and/or water into the larger pan and begin stirring while the water heats. When the water begins to boil, turn down the heat so that it will stay at a simmering boil. Continue stirring through the melting process.

Tips for the melting process: At first the soap will clump together. Use your spoon to break up the clumps and continue stirring until the oils and/or water are completely mixed in. It will begin to look sort of like a watery cottage cheese mixture, continue stirring. The soap will eventually become smoother. The final phase of the melting process is when the soap looks ‘stringy’. The soap must reach the string phase of the melting process in order for it to set up correctly later.

Step 4: The soap will begin to thicken very quickly at this point. Remove your soap from the hot water and work quickly to add any dyes or fragrances the recipe calls for. Once the dyes and scents are added, add any herbs, botanicals or additional ingredients your recipe calls for. Stir these additives in until they are thoroughly combined.

Step 5: Once the additives are completely mixed through the soap, spoon the melted soap into the mold. In order to eliminate any potential air bubbles, gently tap the mold on the counter. If you prefer soap balls to molded soaps, as soon as the soap is cool enough to handle, begin working into balls with your hands.

Step 6: Your molded soap should be ready to be removed from the mold within four to twelve hours. Once the soap is hard enough, remove it from the mold and set it out to cure for up to three weeks. In the first few days it’s imperative that you flip and/or rotate your soap so that it doesn’t become mis-shaped or warped.

Tips for the molding/curing process: If you having difficulty getting your hardened soap out of the mold, pop it into the freezer for a about 30 minutes or so and then try removing it again. If you don’t want to wait the four to twelve hours for your soap to harden, you can also freeze it.

Be sure to allow adequate curing time or the soap will dissolve very quickly when it’s used.

If you shape your soap into balls, as they cure they may shrink or even collapse. If this happens simply reshape them by hand into balls again.

If your soap doesn’t get good and hard after about three days or so, it most likely didn’t reach the proper stringy temperature all the way through the soap during the melting process. You can either re-melt and re-mold it, or try shaping it into soap balls.

Layered hand milled soaps can be created by scooping in the first layer and letting it set up to a soft but solid form, then scooping in the next layer and repeating the process.

Natural Hot Process (HP) Soap Making Pure Simplicity Soap

Rina’s Garden – Culinary Lavender Flower Buds – 1/2 Pound Bulk $7.99 Receive 1/2 pound of pure lavender buds imported from Provence, France. Each bud is about the size of a rice grain. High quality lavender has a bluer color than lower grade greyish colored lavender. Aromatic with many different uses both culinary and craft. Seep to make a tea beverage and add to recipes for a unique, flavorful taste. One of the key ingredients in spice mix, Herbes de Provence….

Rina’s Garden – Culinary Lavender Flower Buds – 1/2 Pound Bulk $9.99 Receive 1/2 pound of pure lavender buds imported from Provence, France. Each bud is about the size of a rice grain. Deeper blue color. Very aromatic with many different uses both culinary and craft. Seep to make a tea beverage and add to recipes for a unique, flavorful taste….

Smart Soapmaking: The Simple Guide to Making Traditional Handmade Soap Quickly, Safely, and Reliably, or How to Make Luxurious Handcrafted Soaps for Family, Friends, and Yourself $11.25 Maybe you’ve made melt-and-pour soap and want to move on to something more challenging and rewarding. Maybe traditional soapmaking appeals to you, but you figure it’s too difficult or dangerous. Or maybe you’re already doing it, but outmoded ideas and methods are complicating the process and slowing you down. No matter which of these fits you, you’ll find Smart Soapmaking practical, helpful, an…

Milk Soapmaking: The Smart and Simple Guide to Making Lovely Milk Soap From Cow Milk, Goat Milk, Buttermilk, Cream, Coconut Milk, or Any Other Animal or Plant Milk $11.25 Do you love the feel of milk soaps but shy away from the cost? Are you looking for a special kind of gift you can make yourself? Or do you already make soap and want to try something new? Anne L. Watson’s “Smart Soapmaking” was the first book based on modern techniques that eliminate the drudgery and guesswork from home soapmaking. Now, by popular demand, she continues her soapmaking revolution…

Soapmaker’s Companion: A Comprehensive Guide with Recipes, Techniques & Know-How (Natural Body Series – The Natural Way to Enhance Your Life) $11.00 Basic soapmaking instruction and specialty techniques like marbling, layering, and making transparent and liquid soaps….

Foam Soap Dispensers Reduce Waste

These days we are all looking for new ways to be a little bit green. We have learned that if we do not take care of our planet, we may not be able to enjoy it as long. Instead of using everyday dish soap or expensive hand soap, you might want to think about switching to foam soap dispensers.

You might not realize how much water you waste when you are washing your hands throughout the day. We often need to wash our hands over 5 times per day for a number of reasons. The foam soap dispensers do not require any water or paper towels. This helps to keep waste levels down and in turn will help to keep our environment green and clean!

The soap that is used in these soap dispensers is designed to strictly kill the bad bacteria on your hands. You can easily replace all of the bags without cross-contaminating your dispenser. Keep in mind germs and bacteria do spread and can quickly spread to other places on your body. This type of soap can also be used for light cleaning jobs. Take your dispenser with you so that you can pump a little bit to clean your counters or other light messes.

These dispensers are hassle free. Temporary soap dispensers are made from materials that are biodegradeable and wont harm the environment. Most plastics that we use today are no longer harmful to the environment. Of course, you will never have to throw anything away if you buy a permanent foam soap dispenser! A simple soap bag is set inside and can easily be replaced when emptied.

You can find many different kinds of soap dispensers. There is so much technology available today and some people are even going so far as to install the automatic foam soap dispensers in their kitchens and bathrooms. These dispensers dispense soap into your hand by using a simple sensor. This means that you do not have to worry about touching anything and strictly cleaning your hands.

These particular dispensers are also very cost effective. You can get a foam soap dispenser for as little as $2 or $3. These can be found online or at your local drug store. You can also spend some extra money on the automatic dispensers and simply buy the cheap foam soap refills. The soap lasts for a long time so you do not have to stock up, buy when you need!

As you can see, you do have many reasons why switching to using foam soap dispensers is beneficial to you and your home. While you may not be able to see the germs on your hands, body or even countertops, that does not mean that they are not there. Take the time to shop around for some foam dispensers and see how easy and green life can become. These dispensers come in a number of excellent colors, sizes and shapes so choose what works for you!

About the Author

Good things come in small packages. This cannot be truer than in the case of finding the perfect
kitchen or bath accessory
- that would turn an otherwise charmless space to one that is truly fascinating and elegant. Contain the spread of germs and add some flair to your home. One of the best ways to do this is to add a
ceramic soap dispenser
.

RSVP Acrylic Foaming Soap Pump $10.99 Attractive and economical method of dispensing soap in the kitchen or bath using your favorite liquid hand soap or dishwashing liquid. Air is infused into the soap as it is dispensed creating a rich, luxurious lather that spreads quickly and…

Foaming Hand Wash, Lavender Foaming, 10oz Pump Dispenser $3.97 MTH00363 With a pleasant fragrance, but ingredients tough enough to remove dirt, this foaming hand wash is made from naturally derived biodegradable ingredients. The vitamin E and aloe make it easy on your hands. Global Product Type: Personal Soaps-Foam; Soap Type: Foam; Application: Hand; Scent: Lavender.PRODUCT DETAILS: -Capacity (Volume) : 10 oz. -Packing Type: Pump Dispenser. -Application: Ha…

DPR06001 – Complete Foaming Hand Wash $23.27 Hospital-strength antibacterial soap is 10 times more effective at killing germs than ordinary liquid soap. Activ-Foam System provides instant lather. Gentle; rinses clean. Soap Type: Liquid; Application: Hand; Capacity (Volume): 7.500 oz; Capacity (Weight): N/A….

Soaprise Light Up Foaming Hand Soap Dispenser, Grape, 7.5-Ounce Bottle (Pack of 3) $13.20 SOAPRISE foaming hand soap is a product designed to help teach kids the importance of proper hand washing while also making the experience fun. Utilizing patent pending technology, when the pump is pressed the entire bottle lights up for 15 seconds, which is the time recommended by the US Center of Disease Control for hand washing. Kids learn quickly to “Wash until the light show ends™”. The …

Refill Hand Soap, w/ Grip Handle, 64 oz $10.53 Antibacterial foaming hand soap cleans hands, kill germs and soften skin. Bio-based, enriched with natural aloe and moisturizers. Soap offers a rich lather and pleasant fragrance….

Medline Foaming Soaps Dispenser – Dispenser, Dove/Gray – Model MSC9941GRA $19.55 …

FMX-12 Foam Handwash, Moisturizer, Light Floral, FMX-12 Dispenser, 1250ml Pump $17.12 Refill for PROVON FMX-12 Dispenser (sold separately). For general-purpose handwashing with a foaming formula. Contains 0.3% PCMX. Soap Type: Liquid; Global Product Type: Personal Soaps-Liquid; Application: Hand; Scent: Floral….

Medline Foaming Soaps Dispenser – Dispenser, Black – Model MSC9941BLK $19.78 …

Pillsbury Doughboy Foaming Handsoap Dispenser with Soap 8 1/2 Inches Tall $19.99 8 1/2 inches tall…

Dial Complete Foaming Soap Dispenser With Placard- Pack of 3 Dial Complete Foaming Soap Dispenser with Placard. Cost-effective, foaming dispensing system provides a high level of broad-spectrum germ-killing action to help stop the spread of infection. Patented Activated Triclosan technology significantly reduces the level of germs left on hands after handwashing–over 25 times more effective than other antibacterial soaps. NSF Certified for an E2 rating. …