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We all use soap. In the old days, most people made their own. Today, we are much more likely to buy it from the store. There are lots of brands to choose from, and each brand has various formulations and scents. But making your own soap has some definite advantages. One of the most significant is the price. We can make soap much cheaper than we can buy it. Making it ourselves also gives us complete control over the ingredients, so we can create a soap that's perfect for our skin type in a scent of our choosing. Making soap is much easier than you might think. It is, however, important to take certain safety precautions. Here's a basic recipe: Ingredients * 12 cups lye crystals * 5 cups softened water * 6 pounds lard Instructions 1. Put water in a glass or plastic bowl. Carefully pour lye into water, stirring constantly with a plastic or wooden spoon. This should be done outdoors or in a well-ventilated area, because it produces caustic fumes. 2. Mixing lye and water produces heat. When the lye is completely dissolved, set the mixture aside to cool. 3. Place lard in a stainless steel or enamel pan. Melt over low heat. 4. Allow both the lye solution and the lard to cool to room temperature. 5. Slowly pour the lye solution into the lard, stirring slowly and constantly with the plastic or wooden spoon. 6. Continue stirring after all of the lye solution has been added. Drizzle a small amount of the mixture into the pot periodically. When the soap keeps its shape for a moment before sinking into the mixture, you can add scent, color and herbs. 7. Pour the soap into a mold greased with Crisco. Wrap in a towel, and let set for about 18 hours or until completely cooled. Uncover and let set for 12 more hours. 8. The soap may now be unmolded and cut into bars. Let the bars cure for 3 to 4 weeks before using. Customizing Your Soap There are lots of different ways you can customize your soap. To make the best soap for your skin type, you may want to use different oils. Some that are commonly used include olive oil, coconut oil, cocoa butter and shea butter. The correct amount varies depending on which oil you use, so look for recipes online or in books until you get the hang of it. Essential oils have therapeutic properties and add fragrance. Oatmeal, cornmeal and other grains can be added as exfoliants. And skin-safe colorants may be used to produce the desired color. Bath Salts Want to help Mom pamper herself on her special day? Make her some homemade bath salts. They will help her relax and leave her skin feeling great. Just mix 3 cups of Epsom salts, 2 cups of baking soda, and 1 cup of table salt. Add about twenty drops of a fragrant essential oil. Lavender, sandalwood and chamomile are good choices. Mix thoroughly. Present the bath salts to Mom in a pretty jar tied with a ribbon. Decorative Flowerpot Moms adore flowers. Creating a unique flowerpot with a plant you've grown for her is sure to bring a smile to her face. Small unglazed terra cotta flowerpots are easy to paint on. Use acrylic paint to make a pretty scene or design. If you don't have a flowerpot, a styrofoam cup will do. You can decorate it with markers, glitter glue and stickers. When your creation is dry, fill it with potting soil and plant a few seeds. Try to do this a week or two before Mother's Day so the plant will have time to start growing. Don't forget to give it plenty of sun and water. Mom is sure to appreciate these simple yet thoughtful crafts. They will give her fond Mother's Day memories for years to come!
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