Wedding favours - experimenting with soap!

So as you know I'm getting married in November.  Trawling round the wedding fayres looking for inspiration for my favours, I kept on being drawn towards soap stalls.  So I decided to investigate - how hard could it be to make hand made soap, right?  The way I figure is people spend a fortune on favours and they are always left on the table..... if the bride and groom have gone to the effort of making the favours, they're better received.  It'd be too easy to just buy them!

So I watched some youtube tutorials and googled and I discovered the amazing melt & pour method. So easy!  So a quick amazon shop later and i was set up and ready to go

The soap comes in these blocks, that you cut down, put into small chunks, stick in the microwave and pour!  It really is as simple as that.  I have here a goats milk block

You need quite a sharp knife to get through it and remember you can't use any of the kitchen utensils again as they'll be soap flavoured and nobody will thank you for that...

I found some really cute moulds on eBay....

And you don't have to wait that long to un-mould them (i'm not known for my patience so this is a good thing)

Here you go - et voila!

My first soap out of the mould

So I got to exploring - here below is a few I used from a cake mould from the supermarket and a few bath bombs

The bubbling on the hearts is unsightly but a further google brought me the knowledge of spraying with a little surgical spirits/rubbing alcohol, which stops it.

The bath bombs were super easy too - tho I had a little trouble getting them to stay firm - I shall experiment further tho and make it perfect for November.  They were really lush in the bath tho!

I have decided that for the favours I want just square ones.... so I have been experimenting with different essential oils and dried flowers - below are some lavender and lemon, bluebell flower and ylang ylang,  germanium and lemongrass.

I've also now invested in some colourings and glitters.

   

And some other moulds.  I love this bird one - this is a lavender soap and I got the colour by mixing blue and red together!

I've also been experimenting with the packaging.

     

What do you think?  I think the tags are too big and the ones form the prettier moulds don't need much packaging.

I also think I prefer the clear soap as you can see the flowers better and the colours!

But the goats milk/shea butter feels more luxurious

The celophane I think I will save for the bath bombs.

I have to say my skin is soooo soft from using them!  Even the finance has commented.

I hope people like them.

What are your favourite scent combinations??

Too long....

Woah!  It's been way too long since I've posted anything and soooo much has happened!

This year - I can't believe how quickly it's flying.

So biggest news.  The boyfriend asked me to marry him on Christmas Day.

So after crying a bit and getting over the shock I said yes.  So we've decided to get married quickly so this year has just flown by in a rush of wedding organising.  We're getting married in November, in a barn in the highlands and I can't wait.  I've got my dress, bridesmaids dresses, the suits - the accessories, the decor.  Sandy did the invitations himself which look amazing and the whole thing is just rushing by.  I can't believe we're into June next week.  That coupled with the fact I'm on another mental production means I've had no time to do anything - no sewing, no baking, just work/wedding/sleep.

We did manage to squeeze in a trip to Dublin in March for country to country music festival which was amaaaaazing!  I loved it.  Lady Antebellum on night one, Luke Bryan on night two and loads of other amazing acts in-between Florida Georgia Line, Brandy Clark, Kip Moore!  Total country music heaven.

Plus Dublin is a really cool place.  We had some nice meals out, went to a speakeasy - did the obligatory guinness tour and spent time in the temple bar.  I can't wait to go back next year.

The cocktails were great too - I had a lavender one which is probably the nicest drink I've ever had.  Need to find a recipe for that!

The open top bus tour was a fun way to see the city

This was Dublins oldest restaurant - the Trocadero.  It was really nice.  it's very deco

A few beers at the concert.  The 3 arena is a great venue - you never feel like you're too far away from the action

The beers were definitely flowing

Lady A were sensational!  As was Luke but I didn't get any good pictures of him I was too busy falling in love...

A lot of the americans in the audience were saying they came all the way over just for the concert because they can't get tickets to see those two acts in the states as they're so popular/expensive.  I'm kinda glad country music is not big over here because it means we can enjoy superb gigs like this!