IT'S EARTH DAY / GABY'S HAPPY BIRTHDAY BLOG HOP!!!

Hello everyone, and welcome to the hop!  Thank you for joining me, and for a list of all the crafty participants you'll be visiting along the way please refer to the list on my sidebar located under the same label as above.  By clicking on the blog name you will be directly linked to that particular blog.

Before getting started, I'd like to wish a very special happy earth day/happy birthday to the host of this hop, Gaby.  Gaby, here's hoping your day is filled with all the merriment and wonderment you deserve!

As a special treat for joining us in this hop, Gaby is offering some special treats by her sponsors: Peachy Keen Stamps, Market Street Stamps, and Kich n' Bleus Digital Stamps.  She also has her own special goodie box she'll be offering -- you won't want to miss this, so make sure you don't miss her!!!

Now on to my project:

My project is more than likely entirely different than you expected; although it's totally in keeping with Earth Day as it's economical, recycable, pretty much all natural, and made with easy to find household items.

Okay, so I did recycle the bottle and made a matching tag; however, it's what's in the bottle that is actually my project for today, not the bottle or tag.  So what is it?  It's one of my own "secret" recipes for a rich and really creamy liquid hand/body soap I'll be sharing with you!  I think you'll like it, and it's easy!

This soap is economical in that it makes lots of  liquid soap!  Probably enough to fill about eight  8 oz. bottles or four to five 16 oz. bottles, maybe a bit more, so it'll last a long time and at a fraction of the cost of store-bought liquid soaps.  It's recycable because you can also substitue and use leftover scraps of soap you'd normally toss in the trash, but for this recipe I'm using a glycerin soap bar.  Oh, and it's great for gift giving!  Here are the ingredients you'll need:

(NOTE:  all utensils, pan, and bottles should be clean and sterilized before using)

• 7 cups distilled or cool boiled water (if using boiled water, it is important it be completely cooled)
• 1 level tblsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 tblsp. liquid glycerin (can be found in most grocery stores, drug stores, or health food stores)
• 1/2 tsp. liquid Vitamin E oil (can be found in most drug stores or health food stores)
• 3/4 bar clear unscented glycerin soap (can also be found in most drug stores or health food stores)
• Metal pan large enough to hold 7 - 8 cups liquid comfortably
• Optional:  A few drops of desired essential/fragrance oil or a few drops of your favorite perfume

Let's make the soap:

1. Combine 3 cups water and the sugar into large pan; on medium high heat, bring ingredients to a boil
2. Reduce heat to low and add 3/4 bar of glycerine soap (soap should be cute into cubes)
3. Once soap has thoroughly melted, remove pan from heat
4. Add liquid glycerin, Vitamin E oil, and salt; beat vigorously (I used a hand beater) for 1/2 minute
5. Cover with towel and let sit to cool completely (it is important to allow mixture to cool completely(about 2 hours)
6. Once this mixture has cooled it will be very-very thick.  At this point, start adding distilled or cool boiled water to the mixture, one cupful at a time, stirring slowly and only until soap is of a regular liquid soap consistency, but do not add so much water as to make soap too thin!  This soap will thicken slightly more over a couple of hours, so if after 2 hours soap is too thick add a bit more water until it is again the consistency of store bought soap.
7. Optional:  If desired, you can now add your favorite scented oil or perfume to your smell preference

NOTE:  THIS IS A VERY RICH AND THICK SOAP, SO REPEAT STEP UNTIL YOU GET TO AND MAINTAIN THE PROPER CONSISTENCY!

Now your soap is ready to pour into and store in a large container, or pretty bottles to use or give as gifts!!!  And, let me say, before you add a scent, test smell the natural scent of this soap; it has it's own natural, pleasant smell -- you may not want an added scent at all!  And..., instead of using glycerin soap, experiment by substituting leftover scraps of soap you would typically throw away -- now how's that for recycling?!!!  However, of course, you''ll also be adding the "not so natural" additives and preservatives in the scrap soap.  So what... have fun with it!

To adorn my soap bottle, I inserted several large silk leaves on the inside; for the cork topper and below the lip rim I used bead ribbon, and added a bow with a rhinestone (to pick up the rhinestones on the bead ribbon); the embossing on the bottom of the bottle I swiped with gold Stickles.  The earth embellishment on the top of the tag I made from UTEE (ultra thick embossing powder) using a mold, the tag itself is was priinted out on my computer including the picture of the earth on the bottom that I found on the internet.  But the ironic surprise for me was that my hubby on an off-chance offered me the bottle before deciding to throw it away.  I took it not knowing what use I'd have for it until now.  And it just happens to be green?!!!  How appropriate for this project was that?!!!

Of course, along the blog hop trail, you'll find other goodies being offered by hop participants; however, you'll need to see their rules for winning their blog candies.  As for my candy package, everyone is welcome to participate; to be eligible just leave me a comment on today's hop.  I will announce my winner, which will be selected by Random.org., on Monday, April 25.  Here's the blog candy:

Well, I hope you like my project, and your next stop on the hop will be Daily Grace Creations.  She's all ready for you, so go on ahead and stop by.  Have fun and good luck on winning the goody packages being offerred!

I'll be seeing you!