The Spring/Summer of the Sunnyvale Cupertino Adult Education class schedule will be mailed out to residents on February 26, 2008.
For the first time Spring and Summer classes will be combined. I will be teaching Luxourious Bath Products (Bath Salts, Body Scrubs and Milk Baths) in April 4th and Basics of Lotion Crafting on May 5th. I will not be teaching any classes for the Summer since the school is not offering any Saturday classes this year.
If you would like more information, please visit the school's website at http://www.ace.fuhsd.org/
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Valentine Guest Soaps
Karen came up with today's product idea. These guest soaps are adorable and an easy way to add a useful holiday twist to a guest bath. I think they would be great teacher or bus driver gifts.
Ingredients:
Crafter's Choice Ultra White Soap
Crafter's Choice Strawberry Red Liquid Dye
Crafter's Choice Strawberries & Cream Fragrance Oil
Crafter's Choice Vanilla Color Stabilizer
Cupcake Heart Mini Silicone Mold
Karen found this cute container and red crochet doily at the Dollar Store.
Another twist to this design would be to make the soaps in different pastel colors and wrap them individually in plastic wrap, then stack them and shrink wrap them as a set with a shrink wrap band.
This is a simple recipe. Soap Teacher has step by step instructions on making a Basic Bar of Melt and Pour Soap.
Working Hard for Your Success!
Debbie May
http://www.wholesalesuppliesplus.com/
1-800-359-0944
Source: http://wholesalesuppliesplus.blogspot.com/2009/01/valentine-guest-soaps.html
Ingredients:
Crafter's Choice Ultra White Soap
Crafter's Choice Strawberry Red Liquid Dye
Crafter's Choice Strawberries & Cream Fragrance Oil
Crafter's Choice Vanilla Color Stabilizer
Cupcake Heart Mini Silicone Mold
Karen found this cute container and red crochet doily at the Dollar Store.
Another twist to this design would be to make the soaps in different pastel colors and wrap them individually in plastic wrap, then stack them and shrink wrap them as a set with a shrink wrap band.
This is a simple recipe. Soap Teacher has step by step instructions on making a Basic Bar of Melt and Pour Soap.
Working Hard for Your Success!
Debbie May
http://www.wholesalesuppliesplus.com/
1-800-359-0944
Source: http://wholesalesuppliesplus.blogspot.com/2009/01/valentine-guest-soaps.html
Friday, February 6, 2009
Amethyst Gem Soap
Recipe and Instructions by Arlena Thane, Elm Valley Soapworks
Create this unique gemlike soap with simply clear melt and pour base, colorants and fragrance.
Note: When making a gem duplication, it is helpful if you have a real one to compare with for the coloring and design. I bought an amethyst at a trinket shop for a dollar for this purpose.
Materials:
Clear M&P soap
Liquid purple soap dye
White pearl mica
Fragrance if desired
Spray bottle of alcohol
24 oz cottage cheese-type container, washed and dried (you may use a clean styrofoam cup or similar deep container which is at least 4 inches deep)
For instructions on melting your soap, refer to the Basic Melt and Pour Soapmaking Instruction page.
- Chop some clear base into 1/4-1/2 inch, irregular pieces. You'll need about a 1/2-3/4 inch layer of chunks to cover the bottom of your container as well as the same for the top of the soap. Toss chunks with enough white pearl mica to lightly cover all pieces. Reserve half of pieces for the top.
-Place pieces in the bottom of your chosen container. Press down firmly on the pieces. If your base is nice and fresh, the pieces should lightly adhere together with this firm pressure.
- Melt some clear base (start with 4 oz and add more as neccesary). Fragrance if desired. When cooled to approx. 130 degrees, pour over the soap chunks to cover. Don't spray the soap chunks before pouring the soap over. The reason is that later, you want to be able to remove some of the chunks from the bottom; spraying before hand will cause the chunks to adhere too tightly to the overpour.
- While the covered soap chunks are cooling a bit, add a drop of liquid purple soap dye to the remaining melted soap. If necessary, add more clear base and re-melt; if you are fragrancing the gem, add a few drops of fragrance each time you add more soap. You want this layer to be a very pale purple.
-Spritz the soap in the container with alcohol. When the pale purple soap is about 130 degrees, pour a 1/2 to 1 inch layer over it. It's not necessary to spray away the bubbles as a few give realistic looking flaws to the gem. Put a folded up piece of paper underneath one edge of the container, causing the layer to be little uneven and let cool a bit.
The great thing about this project is that the more imperfect it looks, the better!
-While the gem soap is cooling, add more soap to the melted purple if needed to pour another layer. Remelt and add a few more drops of fragrance if needed; add another drop of liquid purple color and stir. You want this layer to be a little darker looking than the previous purple layer. If you have an amethyst, use it to match the shade of purple for this layer of soap. Getting the soap too dark will look unnatural so add color sparingly.
-If the soap in the container has cooled enough to form a skin over it, spritz with alcohol and pour in a 1/2 to 1 inch layer of 130-140 degree, darker purple soap. You can leave the container flat, or angle it again in a different direction. You can be creative in making your own natural looking imperfections. When layers are cool but still soft, I squeeze the sides of the container fairly hard, creating gaps between the gem and inside of the container as well as upheavals on the top surface. Allow any melted soap inside the gem to seep into the gaps. This will help mingle the colors and create even more realistic irregularities when you are done. The only mistake you can make when doing this project is to have anything end up looking too straight or perfect!
-Add enough melted clear base to the melted purple to lighten the color. Add a few drops of fragrance if needed. When the gem soap has cooled to form a skin, spritz with alcohol and pour another layer with the lighter purple. Repeat this step again using only a 1/2 inch clear melted soap for the last layer. After a skin has formed on the last poured layer, drop in all of the reserved soap chunks pressing them into the last layer with a spoon if neccessary. Try to have chunks sticking out of this last layer to give a rough, crystalline look to the top. Continue to squeeze the container randomly while soap is still soft.
-When soap is completely cool, pop it out of your container. You may have to turn the container over and press hard on the bottom to get enough air underneath the soap so it will slide out.
Cut the block of soap in quarters so that you have 4 deep, wedge shaped pieces. If you want to make the soaps smaller, cut the block into six pie shaped wedges. Take one of these pieces and with a dull knife, small spoon or your fingers, break away some of the looser chunks from the top and bottom to give a rougher, more crystalline look to it. With a sharp knife, trim the soap gem so that one end is more tapered than the other. Cut edges of soap at interesting angles to give the gem a faceted appearance. If the soap "crystals" on the top or bottom seem appear to be to loose, dip them into melted clear soap base (130 degrees) to stabilize them.
Source: http://www.teachsoap.com/gem.html
Create this unique gemlike soap with simply clear melt and pour base, colorants and fragrance.
Note: When making a gem duplication, it is helpful if you have a real one to compare with for the coloring and design. I bought an amethyst at a trinket shop for a dollar for this purpose.
Materials:
Clear M&P soap
Liquid purple soap dye
White pearl mica
Fragrance if desired
Spray bottle of alcohol
24 oz cottage cheese-type container, washed and dried (you may use a clean styrofoam cup or similar deep container which is at least 4 inches deep)
For instructions on melting your soap, refer to the Basic Melt and Pour Soapmaking Instruction page.
- Chop some clear base into 1/4-1/2 inch, irregular pieces. You'll need about a 1/2-3/4 inch layer of chunks to cover the bottom of your container as well as the same for the top of the soap. Toss chunks with enough white pearl mica to lightly cover all pieces. Reserve half of pieces for the top.
-Place pieces in the bottom of your chosen container. Press down firmly on the pieces. If your base is nice and fresh, the pieces should lightly adhere together with this firm pressure.
- Melt some clear base (start with 4 oz and add more as neccesary). Fragrance if desired. When cooled to approx. 130 degrees, pour over the soap chunks to cover. Don't spray the soap chunks before pouring the soap over. The reason is that later, you want to be able to remove some of the chunks from the bottom; spraying before hand will cause the chunks to adhere too tightly to the overpour.
- While the covered soap chunks are cooling a bit, add a drop of liquid purple soap dye to the remaining melted soap. If necessary, add more clear base and re-melt; if you are fragrancing the gem, add a few drops of fragrance each time you add more soap. You want this layer to be a very pale purple.
-Spritz the soap in the container with alcohol. When the pale purple soap is about 130 degrees, pour a 1/2 to 1 inch layer over it. It's not necessary to spray away the bubbles as a few give realistic looking flaws to the gem. Put a folded up piece of paper underneath one edge of the container, causing the layer to be little uneven and let cool a bit.
The great thing about this project is that the more imperfect it looks, the better!
-While the gem soap is cooling, add more soap to the melted purple if needed to pour another layer. Remelt and add a few more drops of fragrance if needed; add another drop of liquid purple color and stir. You want this layer to be a little darker looking than the previous purple layer. If you have an amethyst, use it to match the shade of purple for this layer of soap. Getting the soap too dark will look unnatural so add color sparingly.
-If the soap in the container has cooled enough to form a skin over it, spritz with alcohol and pour in a 1/2 to 1 inch layer of 130-140 degree, darker purple soap. You can leave the container flat, or angle it again in a different direction. You can be creative in making your own natural looking imperfections. When layers are cool but still soft, I squeeze the sides of the container fairly hard, creating gaps between the gem and inside of the container as well as upheavals on the top surface. Allow any melted soap inside the gem to seep into the gaps. This will help mingle the colors and create even more realistic irregularities when you are done. The only mistake you can make when doing this project is to have anything end up looking too straight or perfect!
-Add enough melted clear base to the melted purple to lighten the color. Add a few drops of fragrance if needed. When the gem soap has cooled to form a skin, spritz with alcohol and pour another layer with the lighter purple. Repeat this step again using only a 1/2 inch clear melted soap for the last layer. After a skin has formed on the last poured layer, drop in all of the reserved soap chunks pressing them into the last layer with a spoon if neccessary. Try to have chunks sticking out of this last layer to give a rough, crystalline look to the top. Continue to squeeze the container randomly while soap is still soft.
-When soap is completely cool, pop it out of your container. You may have to turn the container over and press hard on the bottom to get enough air underneath the soap so it will slide out.
Cut the block of soap in quarters so that you have 4 deep, wedge shaped pieces. If you want to make the soaps smaller, cut the block into six pie shaped wedges. Take one of these pieces and with a dull knife, small spoon or your fingers, break away some of the looser chunks from the top and bottom to give a rougher, more crystalline look to it. With a sharp knife, trim the soap gem so that one end is more tapered than the other. Cut edges of soap at interesting angles to give the gem a faceted appearance. If the soap "crystals" on the top or bottom seem appear to be to loose, dip them into melted clear soap base (130 degrees) to stabilize them.
Source: http://www.teachsoap.com/gem.html
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Safekeeping of Your Essential Oils
According to Valerie Gennari Cooksley author of Aromatherapy...A Lifetime Guide to Healing With Essential Oils, says that the best way for safekeeping your essential oils are
(1) The best way to store your essential oils (EO's)in an amber, cobalt blue or other colored glass bottle to protect them from the sunlight. You also want to keep them out of direct sunlight and away from any heat source.
(2) Keep your EO's well labeled.
(3) Do not use rubber stoppers or rubber eye-dropper type lids to store your EO's over long term. Over time the rubber will softened and destroyed by the EO's gassing off in the bottle. Always keep screw tops on tightly, since the oils will evaporate quickly.
(4) For optimum shelf life it is best to re-bottle your oils if they are half full since the air inside the vacant space encourages oxidation, which means a shorter shelf life.
(5) When a essential oil is mixed with a carrier oil, the shelf life of that preparation will equal of that carrier oil. So whatever oil you select will determine the shelf life of the aromatherapy blend, not the essential oil.
(1) The best way to store your essential oils (EO's)in an amber, cobalt blue or other colored glass bottle to protect them from the sunlight. You also want to keep them out of direct sunlight and away from any heat source.
(2) Keep your EO's well labeled.
(3) Do not use rubber stoppers or rubber eye-dropper type lids to store your EO's over long term. Over time the rubber will softened and destroyed by the EO's gassing off in the bottle. Always keep screw tops on tightly, since the oils will evaporate quickly.
(4) For optimum shelf life it is best to re-bottle your oils if they are half full since the air inside the vacant space encourages oxidation, which means a shorter shelf life.
(5) When a essential oil is mixed with a carrier oil, the shelf life of that preparation will equal of that carrier oil. So whatever oil you select will determine the shelf life of the aromatherapy blend, not the essential oil.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Jewelry Gift Pouch
This Valentine's Day, show your love by giving this beautiful heart pendant wrapped in a lovely jewelry gift pouch.
Tools and Materials
Template
Gray or brown Ultrasuede
Fuchsia or pink Ultrasuede
Scissors
Pinking shears
Needle and coordinating thread
6-millimeter crystal bead
Fabric glue
Screw punch
Jewelry Pouch How-To
1. Print template.
2. Cut a 5 1/4-inch piece of Ultrasuede. Make a fold at 2 3/4 inches and press.
3. Use pinking shears to create a decorative edge on the shorter half, as shown in the template.
4. Sew a crystal to the shorter half, as marked by a small circle on the template.
5. Cut a 3-by-3-inch square from Ultrasuede. Use pinking shears to create a decorative edge on one side.
6. Make a line of fabric glue along long edges of the folded Ultrasuede piece. Lay square on short side of fold, with pinked edge along pinked edge. Fold the other half of pouch over and secure to other side of square.
7. Cut a heart in fuchsia or pink Ultrasuede. Use a screw punch to make a hole at the tip of the heart, as shown in the template.
8. Using fabric glue, attach the top of the heart to the back top of the pouch. Fold over to create a flap, and put crystal through hole to secure.
Resources
Ultrasuede from bandjfabrics.com; Crystallized-Swarovski Elements from swarovski-crystallized.com; Fabri-Tac fabric glue by Beacon Adhesives; screw punch from Martha Stewart crafts; all other tools and materials available at crafts and sewing supply stores. Visit our Valentine's Day ideas photo gallery, and sign up for our Valentine's Day Workshop for countless ways to say I love you.
If you would like to check out Martha's Valentine's Workshop, the go to the following link http://www.marthastewart.com/valentinesworkshop
Source: http://www.marthastewart.com/article/jewelry-gift-pouch?lnc=38f9cf380e1dd010VgnVCM1000005b09a00aRCRD&rsc=showmain_tv_the-martha-stewart-show
Tools and Materials
Template
Gray or brown Ultrasuede
Fuchsia or pink Ultrasuede
Scissors
Pinking shears
Needle and coordinating thread
6-millimeter crystal bead
Fabric glue
Screw punch
Jewelry Pouch How-To
1. Print template.
2. Cut a 5 1/4-inch piece of Ultrasuede. Make a fold at 2 3/4 inches and press.
3. Use pinking shears to create a decorative edge on the shorter half, as shown in the template.
4. Sew a crystal to the shorter half, as marked by a small circle on the template.
5. Cut a 3-by-3-inch square from Ultrasuede. Use pinking shears to create a decorative edge on one side.
6. Make a line of fabric glue along long edges of the folded Ultrasuede piece. Lay square on short side of fold, with pinked edge along pinked edge. Fold the other half of pouch over and secure to other side of square.
7. Cut a heart in fuchsia or pink Ultrasuede. Use a screw punch to make a hole at the tip of the heart, as shown in the template.
8. Using fabric glue, attach the top of the heart to the back top of the pouch. Fold over to create a flap, and put crystal through hole to secure.
Resources
Ultrasuede from bandjfabrics.com; Crystallized-Swarovski Elements from swarovski-crystallized.com; Fabri-Tac fabric glue by Beacon Adhesives; screw punch from Martha Stewart crafts; all other tools and materials available at crafts and sewing supply stores. Visit our Valentine's Day ideas photo gallery, and sign up for our Valentine's Day Workshop for countless ways to say I love you.
If you would like to check out Martha's Valentine's Workshop, the go to the following link http://www.marthastewart.com/valentinesworkshop
Source: http://www.marthastewart.com/article/jewelry-gift-pouch?lnc=38f9cf380e1dd010VgnVCM1000005b09a00aRCRD&rsc=showmain_tv_the-martha-stewart-show
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