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Katie T’s Cottage Home Fun Fact #44

For my 44th fun fact, I want to share that I love this time of the year! There is just something so magical about the weather getting cooler and the fun seasonal events and holidays coming up.

Christmas Potpourri

Level: Beginner

First up on the list of 9 inexpensive homemade Christmas gifts is this Christmas potpourri! 

Not only is this Christmas gift idea super simple to make, but it’s fun too! Especially if you have kids, this would be a great activity to get in the holiday spirit. 

Other than that, this makes a perfect gift for family and friends! Also, remember to take advantage of the FREE printable tag in the article above. 

Rustic DIY Wooden Sign

Level: Intermediate

Before diving into this project, there are a few things to note. It is relatively simple if you are used to this type of crafting, but if this is your first time making anything like this, it may present new obstacles.

The other thing to note is that I did this project with a Cricut. If you want to know more about what a Cricut is, you can read the article here. The purpose of the Cricut is to cut out the vinyl lettering to adhere to the face of the board. 

If you don’t have or know someone with a Cricut, you can freehand or even trace out the words, but it will be a lot harder and leave more room for error. 

If you do or know someone with a Cricut, this is the type of Christmas gift you could easily do! I found the frame from Walmart and purchased the thin sheet of plywood from Home Depot. 

After that, get staining or painting! Once dried, add your custom vinyl decals, and you are good to go! 

Cloth Napkin – Gift Set Edition

Level: Intermediate

This Christmas gift idea is from Ashley, who created Simple Creative Farmhouse. She loves crafting, homemaking, and gardening, and this is her first gift idea out of the 9 inexpensive homemade Christmas gift ideas in this article!

She has a full tutorial on creating a beautiful cloth napkin gift set for those who have experience crocheting. 

If you are a beginner and want to learn more about crochet terms and abbreviations before jumping into this Christmas gift project, you can learn more about them here. 

Elegant Fillable Recipe Cards

Level: Beginner

These fillable recipe cards are the perfect gift for any newlyweds or friends looking to expand their repertoire of go-to recipes! Did I mention that these fillable cards are FREE also?? You can find them and instructions on how to use them in this article. 

They are also perfect for seasoned chefs with a go-to dish everybody loves and asks for the recipe. 

For example, my mother has an apple cake recipe that almost everyone raves about. This fillable and printable card would pair perfectly with an actual apple cake as a Christmas gift. 

Pine and Orange Soap

Level: Intermediate

Next up on this list of 9 inexpensive homemade Christmas gift ideas is soap! This pine and orange soap is the perfect recipe to follow for those homemakers who want to try to make soap using lye! You don’t even need to keep that particular scent, as the recipe is flexible to change to whatever essential oil you have on hand.

I go into everything you need to know about lye for soap making in the article and why it’s not as scary as it may seem.

But no worries if you are not ready to take the leap, you can always get a melt-and-pour soap base and add the essential oils of your choice! Either way, homemade soap makes a great Christmas gift because it’s made with natural ingredients, and everyone uses it!

Unique Beeswax Candle

Level: Beginner

Another idea out of the 9 inexpensive homemade Christmas gift ideas is to make a beeswax candle! I added maple syrup to mine, but admittedly it didn’t come out as strongly scented as I had hoped. 

Learn More

Either way, this affordable gift is super simple, and you only need a few ingredients (beeswax and essential oils for the scent). 

You will also need a container to put it in. This is the perfect opportunity to utilize hand-me-down dishes you don’t use or dishes that you have found at a thrift store. 

Just be mindful if the container is glass, that it’s thick enough to handle the heat. Ideally, you wouldn’t want to light a candle in a temperature-sensitive container.

Simple Rice Heating Pad

Level: Beginner

Next up on the list of 9 inexpensive homemade Christmas gift ideas is a rice heating pad made by Ashley!

These heating pads are super practical and would make a great gift for a young woman looking to add to her repertoire of home good items.

And the best part is, these rice heating pads are super affordable and only take about an hour to make! Even if you’re new to sewing!

Homemade Beeswax Wrap

Level: Beginner

The second to last idea, out of the 9 inexpensive homemade Christmas gifts that people actually want, is to make some beeswax wrap!

Not only is this the perfect gift if you did one of the prior gifts above (because you would have already had the materials on hand), but it’s also super simple.

Ideally, this gift would be great for an eco-friendly friend or family member who tries not to be wasteful. Or even that crunchy homemaker who doesn’t like plastic!

I have these myself, and they are a kitchen staple in my book!

Memory Bear

Level: Intermediate

Last up on the list of 9 inexpensive homemade Christmas gift ideas is a memory bear!

Ashley makes these bears all the time using this pattern. 

These memory bears are a great way to preserve the memory of a loved one who has passed away by using a piece of their clothing. 

Such a sweet and thoughtful gift to give someone struggling with a loss.

9 Inexpensive Homemade Christmas Gifts that People Actually Want

Well, there you have it! A list of 9 inexpensive homemade gifts to give people this Christmas season! If you have any other ideas, drop them in the comments! I’d love the inspiration myself! Until next time!

Love, 

Katie

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The post 9 Inexpensive Homemade Christmas Gifts that People Actually Want first appeared on Katie T's Home.

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a small commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read the full disclosure for more information.

Best Deal

Get all my favorite digital downloads today!

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This post was made possible by Nature Packaged, a company that specializes in organic carrier oils and natural ingredients, who gifted me the shea butter! 

If you want the same shea butter, take advantage of this 15% discount on your first purchase.

Coupon Code: KATIE15

I also ask that you please leave your thoughts in the comment section below. I’m always trying to produce helpful content for my readers, and without knowing what you think, it’s hard to know what you find helpful/not helpful. So please leave your thoughts below!!  

Katie T’s Cottage Home Fun Fact #40

For my 40th fun fact, I want to share that I have officially incorporated raw milk into my diet!

If a local farmer sells raw milk in your area, it is definitely worth trying!

What is Lye?

So, to start with this easy homemade soap recipe, we first need to understand what lye is. 

Lye is the composition of water mixed with sodium hydroxide. 

When looking to purchase lye, you should look for sodium hydroxide, the solid form of lye. 

I bought this sodium hydroxide on Amazon, but I’m sure you can purchase this chemical in plenty of other locations. 

Sodium hydroxide is a manufactured substance, although natural ways exist to create lye without the manufactured sodium hydroxide.

Essentially, you are creating the sodium hydroxide yourself, using wood ash. This process was used to make soap before modern society was commercialized. 

While making lye organically is something I see myself doing in the future, for now, the Amazon delivery of sodium hydroxide is the way to go.

Is Lye Essential for Soap Making?

Well, to start, if you’re looking for an easy homemade soap recipe that doesn’t contain lye for the sake of not wanting to take the leap, I recommend using a melt-and-pour soap base.

This way, you will still make soap as a beginner in your early soap-making journey. However, these melt-and-pour soap bases still contain lye, but the saponification process has already taken place, turning the lye into soap.

This process is the chemical reaction when you combine lye (sodium hydroxide mixed in water) with a fat, lipid, or oil. 

During the chemical reaction, the lye reacts with the oils and converts into soap. 

So, technically, you do not have to use lye (sodium hydroxide plus water) for soap making, but the basis of the soap is the chemical reaction from an alkali liquid with a fat. Lye is just one type of alkali liquid, so you’ll be up against the same factors with other alkali liquids.

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Tips for Working With Lye

To get started with this easy homemade soap recipe, we need to start with the basics. 

First, you’ll want to wear gloves, long sleeves, and safety goggles when working directly with lye. This may seem a little over the top, but trust me, it’s better than coming into direct contact with the lye. 

In addition, you should also cover the area you are working in. I did not take this piece of advice seriously and unfortunately learned the hard way. 

What ended up happening was the residual sodium hydroxide spilled on the counter when I was trying to remove it from the glass I used to measure it in. As a result, it ended up staining my butcherblock countertop almost instantly.

So learn from my mistake and cover your area properly. 

I’d also recommend using a disposable plastic container to measure the amount of sodium hydroxide you’ll need. However, keep in mind that not all plastic is created equal. 

A high-density polyethylene and polypropylene are the recommended plastics (HDPE, recycling code #2, PP, recycling code #5) to store sodium hydroxide, so if you can use a shampoo bottle, yogurt container, etc., to measure the chemical for soap-making, you’ll have easy cleanup because you can just through the container away if there is any residual left behind.

I would not recommend rinsing the sodium hydroxide down the drain. This is because when it is combined with water (to make lye) or neutralized with an acid, it creates substantial heat. Not something I would want to test on my drain any time soon. 

Easy Homemade Soap Cold Process Style

So now you know about lye and its importance in the soap-making process. And I know it’s a lot of information, and it sounds daunting, but trust me, it’s not as scary as it seems.

Think of it like cooking. While, yes, it’s possible to burn yourself or start a fire, if you are following proper procedures when you’re cooking, the chances of something bad happening are slim. 

I think many people get scared of working with Lye because it is not as common as some other activities we do regularly, which can be equally dangerous. 

This is why education is key, which I hope I have been able to do for you!

So, moving on, this easy homemade soap recipe is a cold-process soap. In contrast, a hot process soap recipe is harder to do, as it heats the soap from the outside, vs. cold press from the inside.

The benefit of the hot process is that you can achieve swirls in the soap and use color to your advantage. You can also use the soap right away vs. the 4-6 weeks a cold process soap needs to be able to cure. 

Easy Homemade Moisturizer

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Materials and Ingredients

You’ll need some materials for this easy homemade soap recipe. They are: 

• Soap mold (I have this one but recommend this one as it’s easier to pour the soap in one container. If you have the big one, you’ll also need something to cut it with)
• Immersion blender
• Digital kitchen scale
• Pan for melting ingredients
• Disposable plastic container (see why here)
• Goggles
• Gloves
• Thermometer
• Spoon or spatula
• Bowls for measuring ingredients

You’ll also need the ingredients! This recipe calls for: 

• 8 oz olive oil
• 8 oz coconut oil
• 12 oz shea butter (Get 15% off with coupon code: KATIE15)
• 4 oz mango butter
• 4.5 oz sodium hydroxide (lye)
• 10.2 oz water
• .5 oz fragrance oil (I used a mixture of orange, pine, eucalyptus and rosemary)

Easy Homemade Soap Recipe with Lye: Soap Making for Beginners

Author: Katie T Courses:Home Products

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 10 minutesCook time: 15 minutesRest time: 45 minutesTotal time:1 hour 50 minutesAmount:12 barsCalories: kcal Best Season:Available

Description

Shea and mango butter soap with a hint of orange and pine scent!

Ingredients

• 8 oz olive oil
• 8 oz coconut oil
• 12 oz shea butter
• 4 oz mango butter
• 4.5 oz sodium hydroxide (lye)
• 10.2 oz water
• .5 oz fragrance oil

Instructions

1. Gather your materials and ingredients.
2. Melt all oils (olive, coconut, shea, and mango butter) on medium-low.
3. Add 10.2 oz of water to a glass container.
4. Slowly pour the 4.5oz of lye into the glass container with water (see more details here) and mix until dissolved. The lye will rapidly heat up during this process.
5. Allow oils and lye to cool to about 115 degrees (can be any temp within 10 degrees). This will take about 45 minutes.
6. After both liquids have reached the appropriate temperature, slowly pour the lye into the pan with the oils.
7. Immediately use your stick blender to mix until you have reached trace (when the liquid is thick enough to sit on top when dripped).
8. Add in .5 oz of fragrance oils. I used a mixture of orange, pine, eucalyptus, and rosemary.
9. Use your immersion blender to stir (NOT blend. You don’t want to overmix your solution).
10. Pour the mixture into your molds.
11. Cover and leave in a safe place for 24hrs.
12. After 24hrs remove from molds (cut if needed) and let the bars cure by placing them on their side for 4-6 weeks.

Video

Keywords:Crafts, DIY, Home, Home Essentials, Home Projects, Homemaking, Soap

Easy Homemade Soap Recipe with Lye: Soap Making for Beginners

There you have it! An easy homemade soap recipe for a beginner! I hope you’ve enjoyed this tutorial! Let me know if you have any questions. Until next time! 

Love, 

Katie

The post Easy Homemade Soap Recipe with Lye: Soap Making for Beginners first appeared on Katie T's Home.