Honey Cleanser and Almond Scrub

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Along with making my own soap, I’m now making my own cleansers.

Honey Facial Cleanser is a recipe from the book Bodyworks: Restoring Wellbeing with Homemade Lotions, Potions and Balms (Murdoch Books): Restoring Wellbeing with Homemade Lotions, Potions and Balms (Murdoch Books)

60ml runny honey

125ml vegetable glycerine

40 ml liquid castile soap

Mix all together and pour into a clean pump type bottle.  Keeps in the shower without needing refrigeration.

To use, simply rub over wet face and rinse off with water.

Note:  Liquid Castile Soap is true soap, not the liquid detergent you buy in the supermarket.  You may need to order it online from a Soap Making shop or might possibly be available from a Health Food Shop or organic supermarket.

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Almond Scrub is a recipe I made up myself.  It’s very loosely based on a product from Lush.  Works brilliantly!

2 Tblspn ground almonds

2 Tblspn clay (Kaolin, Bentonite, or similar cosmetic clay)

1 Tblspn vegetable glycerine

1 tspn sweet almond oil

5 drops lavender essential oil (leave out if you’re allergic, or you can substitute another essential oil)

Mix all together well and store in a plastic container (for safety reasons, you don’t want to risk dropping a glass jar in the shower!).  Leave for 24 hours before using.

To use, wet face, break off a small piece and scrub skin gently.  Wash off with water.

To be honest, the colour of this scrub reminds me of baby poop!  It ends up a yellowish khaki colour and the texture is, well, chunky….  LOLOL!

Homemade Soap

I made this soap last year, and only recently realised that I hadn’t posted about it!

All made by me on the stove!  I think I now have enough soap for us for the next few years!  LOL!  It was pretty easy and good fun.

The basic recipe is a mix of oils, I’ve used all vegetable oils, with Caustic soda added to saponify the oils.  Then they have spices, clays, essential oils or synthetic fragrances added to make the different varieties.  I did have one failure, tried making a coffee soap and it ‘burnt’ when I added the caustic.  Smelled like a coffee pot that had burnt dry so had to throw that one out.

I started making them using tupperware as the molds, then swapped to using 75mm pvc pipe which works a treat!

Centre (grey) is shaving soap with bentonite clay.  Works better for shaving than plain soap.  I made a heap of this in plastic jars for DH to take overseas on his deployment and the rest of it I’m using.

Clockwise from top: Solid shampoo bar, spice (cinnamon, clove and nutmeg), chocolate, Eucalyptus (can’t smell it though), Sweet Vanilla Sugar, plain basic soap, a mix of some small bits and failures all remelted and molded.

Easiest Short Rows ever!

I just found the BEST tutorial for knitting short rows.  http://www.cocoknits.com/info/tutorials/shortrows.html It’s the simplest, easiest way ever, and looks great!

June Capsule Contest

I’ve signed up to be a part of Stitcher’s Guild June Capsule Contest. The idea is to make a wardrobe capsule of four garments and one accessory during June. One item must be a top, one item must be a bottom and no black! I’ve already decided what I’m going to make:

Skirt – choc brown wool blend fabric, with a split centre front and back to show a gathered underlay of chiffon (or similar). I saw a skirt like this last year, asking $$$$$, and decided to make my own but I just haven’t gotten around to it yet.

Trousers – I need heaps more trousers for work! At this point I’m planning on making them out of a gorgeous dark olive green fabric I’ve seen at Addicted to Fabric. I’ll be using Vogue 1040 as the pattern.

Top 1 – A knock-off of a top I saw in the latest Undercoverwear catalogue. I have to draft the pattern myself for this one, a v-neck tunic style top to just under the bust, with a fitted ribbing body in a contrasting colour. I have an orange/pink/tan fabric that matches perfectly with a choc brown ribbing I have.

Top 2 – A blue/purple/cream almost-paisley patterned fabric, using a crossover top pattern Butterick 5084.

For the accessory I expect (although this could easily change!) to make a necklace using brown, olive and cream beads.

I really need more office clothes for work, so this will be a great opportunity to make some and have some fun with others sewing at the same time!