Soapmaking has always been a popular craft with a dedicated group of followers, but with the explosion of urban homesteading and people looking to go green, noncrafters are now joining in on the fun. Whether it’s making natural soap to live greener, give as gifts, save money, or make money, The Complete Idiot’s Guide(r) to Making Natural Soaps has everything the new soap maker will need to create organic, natural soaps of all kinds.

•Includes recipes to make a wide array of molded, poured, and liquid soaps

•Contains soap recipes for body as well as household and even pets

About the Author

Sally W. Trew is the owner of the online soap maker’s supply business Apples, Woods and Berries (awbsupplies.com). Sally teaches classes on soap making and bath and body products, and creates her own recipes and soaps. Sally, with Zonella, are the authors of the book Soaps and Other Obsessions: Living Green and Naturally.
Zonella B. Gould started her soapmaking business, Bosque Bath and Body (bosquebathandbody.com) in 2002, although she started making soap long before then.

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The first portion of the book has an overview of  basic melt and pour techniques and materials, such as preventing surface bubbles; adding colorants, micas, and fragrances; layering soaps; and cutting soap. The balance of the book is dedicated to projects and more detailed techniques.  Some of the skills taught are layering, embedding shapes, cutting out shapes, soap on a rope, marbling, and using transfer sheets to create designs.

There are 25 wonderful projects included in SoapyLove, and several of the projects also have other suggested ideas for the skills used in the project. Projects include cameo bars, checkered stars, heavenly bars (clouds and grass with a blue sky), marbled ice cream cones, soap tarts (toaster pastries), and soap candies.  A couple of my personal favorites include the flame bars and plaid soaps.

Each project has lots of full color pictures and step-by-step instructions. While some of the projects are better suited to more advanced melt and pour soapcrafters, beginners should have no problem with the majority of the projects included.

The only thing that I would like to have been included would be a short resource guide in the back as a reference.  While Chialtas does mention some brand names of items and the occasional store, it would be helpful, especially for beginners, to have a resource guide giving more specific information on where to find some of the items, such as fragrances and molds, from such a seasoned soapmaker.  All in all, this is definitely the best melt and pour soap crafting book that I have seen!  Pick it up for only $19.99 at your favorite bookstore.

Office Yoga: Simple Stretches for Busy People is a collection of simple yoga stretches designed for those who are desk-bound the majority of the day.  The stretches, as asanas as they are known in Sanskrit, will help not only physically, but will also help bring more calmness, ease, and focus into your daily work life.

Office Yoga provides asanas for your morning routine (“Morning Eye Openers”), through your return home (“Evening Balancers”).   The section at “At-the-Desk Relaxation” provides helpful tips for keeping your hands and wrists relaxed through Keyboard Calisthenics, as well as self-massage techniques and other relaxation methods.  The “Afternoon Invgorations” chapter gives some tips on perking up about the time that you are ready for that 3 p.m. coffee or chocolate!

Scattered throughout the book are helpful tips on diet and other tips on decreasing stress and increasing happiness.  Best of all, the contents include a Quick Help Guide for common workplace ailments like stiff neck and shoulders; eye strain; low energy; and sore lower backs so you can quickly find the stretches to help with your pain.

Find Office Yoga on Chronicle Books’ website, or your favorite bookshop.

Published by Chronicle Books
$19.95

I received a copy of the fabulous Dorm Decor from Chronicle Books recently and was instantly excited by the fantastic projects inside.   Chronicle Books is well known for excellent designs and clear layouts of its books and Dorm Decor does not disappoint!  The fun, colorful projects are a great antidote to boring dorm rooms!

Dorm Decor is divided into five sections: Where you sleep; Where you dress; Where you study; Where you hang out; and Where you wash.  Each section has anywhere from five to eleven projects.  Some sample projects include a reversible duvet cover, monogram shams, hanging closet organizer, embroidery hoop photo mobile, fleece robe, and embellished towels.   Several of the projects have little to no sewing required for those not handy with a sewing machine.   The projects are cleverly divided into skill levels that are reminiscent of college courses, like 101 for Freshman and the easiest in skill level.

The book also gives suggestions on room arrangements, sewing basics, choosing fabrics and a fabric care guide, which is perfect for those new to being on their own and perhaps doing the laundry on their own for the first time.    There are also tips on ironing and a glossary on sewing terms for beginners.

Although the book is clearly geared toward college students living in a dorm room setting, some of the projects would also be great for those with a youthful, modern decor and skilled crafters who can adapt the projects to their own tastes and personal style.   The silhouette message board and tufted seat cushion are just two examples of projects that anyone can adapt for suit their own style.

Pick up this book on Chronicle Books’ own website, your favorite local bookstore, or Amazon.

Chronicle Books has published another wonderful craft title with Stencil 101.  The author, Ed Roth, is a graphic designer based in Brooklyn, where he founded the graffiti art-inspired Stencil1 design company.  Stencil 101 is a collection of Roth’s favorite designs, from urban to delicate and feminine.

The book contains a brief history of stenciling, tips on how to stencil, and suggestions for materials based on the project you would like to make.  Projects inside include a wall, t-shirts, a dresser, a lamp shade, sneakers, a pillowcase, and a window.  The wall project is one of the best for beginners, as it is a large, flat surface, but all of the projects are easy enough even for those new to the craft.  My favorite project is a cake, using cocoa powder or sugar to “paint” with!  I also like the greeting card project, easily created using store bought blank cards.  Both are great ways to personalize a birthday, holiday, or any other celebration!  The pillowcase project is also a fun one, which can be a fun weekend DIY project to liven up your bedroom décor.

The twenty-five reusable stencils come in a wide range of designs, from swallows to an owl with a moon to a poodle and even a sumo wrestler!  After using the stencils, simply clean them off and store them in the handy pocket at the end of the book, ready for your next project.  The stencils are mostly large and would be best for bigger canvas projects, but there are a handful of smaller stencils.

The best tip in this book is to remember there are no rules to stenciling.  “If you have something to say, say it with stencils.”

And to help you say what you have on your mind, I’ll be giving a copy away to one lucky reader!  To enter, just leave a comment on this post by May 3rd and let me know which of the projects mentioned in the review you will be doing first.  The winner will be notified by email.

[Note:  Don't worry if your comment doesn't appear at first.  Some have to be approved due to a tricky spam filter and I am going through and approving them.]

The tutorials inside are: a Rainbow Fantasy soap (featured on the cover), a Happily Ever After soap using a castle mold, and a Linzer Heart Cookie tutorial.  Each tutorial has clear steps and color pictures to guide you through the process.   The techniques taught will also inspire you on other melt and pour projects.

Also included are fun suggestions to put some 80s retro flair into your soaps, such as using unicorn and star shapes, hard candy scents and lots of glitter; tips for mixing micas to make your own colors; product reviews and more!  I love how a supply directory is included to make it easier to find all of the items used in the projects.   And there’s even coupons in the back!

Bright, fun, and bursting with color, this first issue of Let’s Get Soapy has projects to get you started on melt and pour soaps, as well as easy family crafts.  I’m already awaiting the next issue to see what soapy goodness will be featured.

The issue comes as a downloadable pdf.  For more information, please visit Soapylove.

The book has designs for three difficulty levels: beginner, experienced and advanced and you must be familiar with using a sewing machine for all the patterns. Bed and bath projects include sheets and pillowcases, a bed skirt, bath towel and wash mitt, bath mat, shower curtain, and lavender filled cushions. The book is beautifully designed with lots of pictures and well drawn diagrams in addition to easy to follow directions to make creating any project as easy as can be.

Another bonus about the book that I love is that it is spiral bound, making it easier to work with when following the patterns. There’s also a techniques section to help with new or forgotten skills.

With 30 projects for every room of your home, you’re sure to find inspiration in this eye candy-filled book! And with the holidays coming up, the book is also a great resource for handmade gift ideas.

Find the book at Chronicle Books or Amazon.