One of the top 10 home-based hobbies is making handmade soap! It's so much fun and a fantastic way to spoil your family and friends with something special you've made from your very own kitchen.

Your gifts to your loved ones will be thoughtful, relatively cheap and so beautiful they'll be asking you for more! Those gorgeous handmade soaps all beautifully made by you!

The local markets, are a great place for smelling all the beautiful soaps that those crafty women have created. Imagine those scents in the kitchen.......Mango & Passion fruit, Raspberry and Lavender to name a few. YUM!

So what if we could make it ourselves? Is it that easy?

YES it is! And it's CHEAP and a whole lot of FUN! Even the kids could help you make it, and you can customize it and personalise it until your heart's content. But, the best part is that a custom made soap can be far better than anything bought on a store shelf!

So how do we start making soap?

Well there are many fantastic sites out there all with the information you need to get you on your way to making soap. Here's a recipe for making handmade soap that will give you a little taste of what this great hobby has to offer.

(However, I must say that this is a very basic recipe and nothing compared to the amazing soaps you can create)

What You Will Need:

1 cup of palm soap flakes (available from Spotlight,Craft Stores and Art Suppliers)

1 tbs finely ground oatmeal

1tsp sunflower oil or olive oil

2 drops of essential oil of your choice

Step 1. Place the soap in a glass bowl and gradually add ¼ cup of hot water to make a smooth paste. Microwave it for 30 seconds, then stir and set aside to cool. Repeat this step until the paste consistency is smooth.

Step 2. Add oatmeal, oil and essential oil, and combine with your hands. You may also add a drop of food coloring to give your soap some color.

Step 3. Place the mixture in a milk or juice container, and set aside overnight or longer to dry completely. To finish off the soap, cut it into 2cm slices. You may use cookie cutters and shape your mixture, or use your hands to roll the mixture into balls. Put it aside overnight and allow it to dry.

Make your soap making fun! And if you enjoy this hobby enough why not sell your soaps for money? Just think about this, what if you were the lady at the local markets, or you sold your soaps at the school fetes? Guaranteed if you had a little card on your soap bags word will get out and you'll soon be making handmade soap for others.

So whether you're soaping for a hobby, spoiling loved ones or for profit the reaction is still the same, it's a personal satisfaction which brings on a happy dance and a smile from ear to ear. You have made soaps that are beneficial and unique, giving access to amazing soap throughout the whole year round with a whole lot of enjoyment! So go ahead and try it, because making soap makes perfect scents. :o)


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Making Handmade Soap can be a great (and profitable) hobby! Find out more here: http://www.startmakingsoap.com