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One of my favorite and also least favorite things to do for the holidays is find fun, useful, unusual stocking stuffers and Advent fillers. And it seems to get harder each year. I found an ideas a few years ago that my kids still request. And, it is a wildly popular small gift that kids LOVE.
It’s called money soap. Yep, real money in real soap. So as they use the bar of soap, it gets smaller and smaller, and the cash inside is more and more visible. Over time kids have cleaner hands and a little money in their pocket. Kids just lose their minds over the idea of getting to that money. It’s really a win/win for everyone. Clean kid (or heck, teenager) combined with a small bribe.
It’s fast, it’s easy and they make really great stocking stuffers, advent calendar fillers, and small gifts for anyone on your list. Of course, you can also gift these any other time of year as well. I have tags available at the bottom of this post designed for Christmas, and also some that are non-holiday so you can use them all year!
You can watch the video here:
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Money Soap Supplies
scents – these can be fragrances you buy specifically for soap or use essential oils.
colorants specifically made for soap which are safe for skin. Don't try to use food coloring. Just don't do it.
mold - these are silicone which will be easier to use than the old plastic one I have been using for years.
microwave safe container to melt soap in and then pour out – a glass Pyrex measuring cup or a mason jar will work great
small spray bottle to put the rubbing alcohol in
knife to cut off chunks of soap
cutting board
metal spoon or craft sticks you can throw away
money in whatever denomination you want to put into your soap
optional:
Let's Make Money Soap
Cut a chunk of soap off the block of soap base and put it into a microwave safe container. I eyeball this amount which is determined by the size of your molds.
I really like to use a glass Pyrex measuring cup for melting the soap because the spout makes it easy to pour.
Microwave your soap for about 30 seconds and stir gently but thoroughly with a craft stick or a metal spoon.
Keep microwaving in 25-30 second increments until it is completely melted. Be careful not to burn it.
Add any colorant. I start with about 7-9 drops and keep adding a few drops at a time until it’s the color I want. I ended up adding 10 drops total to get my color. You don't want it to be too dark because it would make it hard to see the money.
If you want to add scents now is the time. I used peppermint essential oil since I'm giving these away at Christmas. Start slow and add about 5 drops. Stir gently – you don’t want to add too many bubbles to the soap. I keep adding until I can smell the stirred mixture when I stick my face down near the container and give it a good sniff. If it’s too faint, I add another few drops of fragrance. I used 11 drops total.
If you are planning to add glitter, I find that it’s best to let it cool down for just a few minutes. If the soap is too hot, the glitter will settle at the bottom of the mold as it cools which is also a cool look, but it will not be spread throughout the bar. Don't let it cool too much because then the soap is gloppy and won't go into the mold smoothly.
Don't forget the money! You can pour the soap into the mold and then push the money down into it. OR
Place the money folded up in the bottom of the mold first. Either way, pour in soap until it is level with the top of the mold cavity. I find it easier to add the money first.
Don't overfill the soap because it will harden into an unattractive mess at the back.
Once all your molds are full and before it starts to harden, spray the backs of the soap with rubbing alcohol. This pops any bubbles and helps the soap be smooth.
Let them cool for at least an hour.
Push them out of the mold by using your fingers to push on the back of the mold itself. Be careful because sometimes they shoot out of the mold and if they fall onto a counter or floor you could damage the soap which is not pretty.
If you find that you have fingerprints on the soap after handling it, wipe it with a smooth cloth or with a paper towel dampened with rubbing alcohol.
Now just package them up in cellophane bags and attach some ribbon and the nifty tag down below and they are ready to be given away or stuck into a stocking!
The download also includes tags that can be used any time so you can give these away all year round!
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