Mother’s Day, the second Sunday in May, is once again drawing near. As I sit here and write this article I wonder just how many of you are thinking ahead to what you will give the Mom(s) in your life. How many of you purchase a gift for Mom in advance and how many of you plan on stopping by the local market at the last minute? For those of you that would like to put a little more thought and effort into a gift for Mom this year, I have a few suggestions that I am going to share with you.
I know… Last year you waited until the last minute, stopped off at your favorite gas station in hopes that they would have a water-filled bucket with flowers in it waiting for you, and then back into the car in a mad dash to reach Mom. We both know that your Mother is important to you, so why would you wait until the last minute to purchase her a gift? Don’t beat yourself up over it. We’ve all done it, once or twice.
This year, we have decided to do something different. This year we have decided to pamper Mom. This year why not pamper Mom with a bath and body gift set. No, don’t grab your purse and start digging for the bath and body works coupons you’ve been saving. And, no, we aren’t going to be doing a printable bath and body works coupon. I know, that free shipping promotion code for bath and body works is just calling your name and begging you to use it, but forget it. This year we are going to pamper Mom with a handmade bath and body gift set.
Let’s take a few minutes to think about Mom. You know Mom pretty well, or at least you should by now. You know the things that Mom likes and dislikes. We are going to use what we know about Mom to create a special home spa package just for her. Mom will be totally thrilled, wonder how on earth you accomplished such a thing, and have something she can totally brag to all the other Moms about. The phone lines will be ablaze on Mother’s Day for sure!
What is the one thing that you know Mom likes? My first guess would be… flowers! Moms love flowers and flowers Mom will get. However, let’s be creative here.
Mother’s Day Bath Bomb Bouquet
For this bath and body craft project, you will need:
- Rose Petal Bath Bomb Recipe (print the recipe to use later)
- Ingredients for Rose Petal Bath Bomb Recipe
- plastic flower stems (buy fake flowers at Dollar Store, pop off flowers, and use stems)
- rose shaped 3D soap or candle mold (if you can’t find a 3D mold, use what you can find)
- Cellophane Sleeves or Wrapping (pick up at local craft shop, florist, or market)
- ribbon or bow
Follow the Rose Petal Bath Bomb Recipe until you are ready to mold the bath bombs. With the bath bomb mixture ready, fill your mold and insert plastic flower stem. Depending on the type of mold you are using, you may need to wrap a rubber band around the mold to hold it together till the bath bomb sets.
Once you have made as many bath bomb flowers as you would like, wrap the flowers as you would if they came from a florist using the cellophane sleeve or wrapping. Finish your bath bomb bouquet with a big beautiful bow.
Mother’s Day Silky Soap Bouquet
For this bath and body craft project, you will need:
- silk flowers
- Cellophane Sleeves or Wrapping (pick up at local craft shop, florist, or market)
- ribbon or bow
- clothes hanger and clothes pins
- 1 lb. Melt and Pour Soap (opaque)
- 1 Tbls. Jojoba Oil
- 1 tsp. Shea Butter
- 1 tsp. grated beeswax
- Fragrance (to match flowers)
- no color or a very light pastel
Melt in a double boiler. Use a drink mixer to incorporate all the ingredients well. Allow soap mixture to cool for a few minutes, but not too much. Hold a single silk flower by the stem, dip it into the soap mixture. You may need to gently twirl the flower between finger and thumb so that the soap covers all of the flower petals. Pull the flower out of the soap mixture and hold above mixture allowing excess soap to drip off the flower. Again, you may want to gently twirl the flower between finger and thumb, but this time it will be to separate petals they may try to stick together.
Take your freshly dipped silk flower and attach it upside down to a clothes hanger using a clothes pin. Do not crowd the flowers or they may stick to each other. Allow the flowers to hang upside down until the soap sets.
Once you have made as many soap flowers as you would like, wrap the flowers as you would if they came from a florist using the cellophane sleeve or wrapping. Finish your silky soap bouquet with a big beautiful bow.