Melt & Pour Soap Making: The Soap of Many Colors

As a child I remember the story about Joseph and his coat of many colors. The other night while reading this favorite Bible story to my grandkids, I was inspired to create a soap of many colors. This is my take. A full tutorial will be posted on the GoPlanetEarth.com web site within the next week or two.

Melt & Pour Soap Making: Give Hugs & Kisses on Valentines Day

Valentine's Day will be here before you know it. These easy to make "Hugs & Kisses" soaps make great gifts for teachers, friends and anyone else that wants to indulge in some good, clean soapy fun. A short tutorial is in the works, so check the "Resource Project" section of our web site within the next few days.

Melt & Pour Soap Making: We've got your name, baby!

Did you know that GoPlanetEarth carries the Mold Market Alphabet Molds? Create a colorful bag of alphabet letters. Package the letters in a cellophane bag and place inside a clear canister. Kids will love spelling out their name or words during bath time.

Melt & Pour Soap Making: Valentine Princess Soapsicles & Hearts

My granddaughter, Olivia is all about pink. She is certainly the princess in our family. This week, while enjoying some holiday down-time, I am working on a number of soap projects. I only wish I had more time for the creative side of this business. Lately, I haven't had time to even think about new projects!

This Princess-O soapsicle was designed for my sweet Olivia for Valentine's Day. She loves the girly pink and purple combo, not to mention the "Paradisus" scent is to die for. A mini tutorial is forthcoming and I'll post it after the first of year. For now, I'm trying to get my house in order for our annual New Year's Eve "surf & turf" dinner party.

Hope you're enjoying the remainder of this holiday season. It's snowing in Michigan today and I've got a fire blazing in the fireplace and hanging out in the new PJ's I got for Christmas. Oh how I love snow when I don't have to drive in it.

The infamous Miss O on Christmas Morning.
She's going to be a heartbreaker with her blue-eyes and natural
curly blonde hair. Note her new PINK car seat. She was awe-struck.

A shout out to Sissy Soap

I stumbled upon these soaps made with Mold Market molds at Sissy Soap. I am once again reminded how much I love the Mold Market brand. They have incredible detail and are durable for both CP and HP soap making. Pictured above is the Born to Ride Mold and below is the Massage Bar. You can purchase both these soaps ready-made at the Sissy Soap Esty Store.

Visit GoPlanetEarth.com to view Mold Market's comprehensive mold line.

The Elfcapades:The Eve of Day Eight

What a surprise for Fischer, Miss O, and Carson when then got into the van for school. The elves has wrapped the lunch pails like presents and had the kids' backpacks ready to go. I think they were hoping to visit the school. Mommy said the elves could be tucked in the backpacks, but she didn't want any misbehavin'!

The Elfcapades:The Eve of Day Seven

Dear me, Elf Freckles was injured on a motorcycle ride to Miss O's bedroom. He was on his way to a tea party that included the likes of Buzz Lightyear and Woody. Sadly, he didn't make the tea party as he had to stop off and bandage his wounds.

The Elfcapades:The Eve of Day Six

On the eve of day six, those elves were soooo full of mischief! It was a mess in the kid's bathroom. They had baby powder and lotion all over the place and even wrote on the mirror with Mommy's lipstick. I don't think Santa's gonna be too happy about this. But, maybe Santa will be forgiving if the elves can convince him they were only trying to make themselves pretty for the kids. Now the lipstick on the mirror might cause Santa to frown. I'm certain the elves just wanted to greet the kids with a Merry Christmas message as they got ready for school.

The Elfcapades:The Eve of Day Four

Seems the toilet paper was just a little too tempting. Thankfully the elves didn't think the toilet was a swimming hole! Could it be they are missing the North Pole? Is that why Elf Dimples was found in the freezer sipping on Baby Fischer's bottle? It's all a mystery since the Elves can't talk to humans. Did you know they immediately turn to a toy state once they hear or sense humans are near?

Elf Freckles all wrapped up in toilet tissue.

The toilet paper was wound throughout the house and was even wrapped around the Christmas tree.

The Elfcapades:The Eve of Day Two

I am certain that it was Miss O's elf, Giggles, that instigated this little elfcapade. When the kids awoke on Day Two, all three elfs had stacked canned goods to reach the kitchen counter. And why in the world would they do that? Well, they wanted to change the date on the countdown Santa. With a calender in hand, they were counting the days until Christmas so they could change the wooden "countdown" blocks.

Miss O with her Elf, Giggles.

The Elfcapades:The Eve of Their Arrival

Carson on the eve of the elves arrival. Their offical paperwork
from the North Pole is in the addressed envelope.

For those of you following the saga of the Magic Elves, this post is an update about their Elfcapades. My, oh my, these little elves have been into just about everything during their stay. I'm guessing Santa will have a few words for them when he reads the files in their Elf Report.

On the eve of their arrival the elves were busy decorating one of the small Christmas trees. They stacked boxes and books so they could reach the tree. And what to the kids' wondering eyes should appear (the next morning)? A tree decorated in undergarments the elves had been pulled out of drawers. I think the red bra really adds a splash of festive appeal.

Miss O & Carson with Magic Elves

Here is a pic of Miss O & Carson the morning the elves arrived. The 3rd elf belongs to Fischer, pictured below.

Elfcapades Countdown: The Arrival

For those of you following the journey of the Magic Elves, they have safely landed from the North Pole. At 10 am this morning I received a phone call from my six year grandson, Carson. He was excited to the max and I could barely get in a word as he explained how the elves were magic and came to life when there was no one around. He couldn't wait to go outside and play so that his elf, Freckles, could come to life.

Three year old Olivia also talked about her Elf Giggles. I'm not so sure she understands the concept, but she finds her elf adorable. For her, I think it will be more about the naughty and nice idea. She's a little spitfire, so I'm sure her mommy is hoping that Giggles will prompt some good behavior.

Since the Magic Elves can only communicate in writing, my grandson has already had mommy write a note to Elf Freckles to see if he wants to attend the Annie Musical tomorrow afternoon. I do hope Freckles responds with a YES! After the show, NeeNee (that would be me) is taking Carson for a crab dinner at Lucky's Steakhouse. Oh, how I love this season and the joys of watching a child's imagination in action. I am anxious to see what kind of mischief the elves will get into this evening while the kids are sleeping.

NOTE:

I recently ordered the book The Elf on the Shelf. When it arrived, the hard-bound book cover was upside down. If you held the book with the front cover facing you, the pages in the book are upside down. Very strange. I called the publisher and they sent a new book right away. Since I have both books, my daughter is going to incorporate this publishing error into a little elf mischief. She will first read the book with the correct cover. Then, a few nights later, she will read the book again. However, this time the book cover will be upside down and there's no one to blame but those mischievous elves! This should definitely lend authenticity to the elve's magic.

The Secret Santa Elves Arrive by Sleigh!!

Giggles Twinklewink, Freckles Mincemeat and Dimples Tumblefluff arrive tomorrow via sleigh to my grandkids home. For those of you following my blog, you know that there are two things I love in life... SOAP and my GRANDKIDS.

The secret elves is a new tradition this year for the grandkids and it's truly been a labor of love considering my busy work schedule. My daughter is a K-8 Assistant Principal and as a Mom to a six, three, and 18 month year old, I knew she would never have time to put this whole event together. Every extra minute I've had to spare has been commited to this 14-day Secret Elf event.

Tomorrow the elves will land on the front porch of the grandkids home along with passports, naughty & nice folders, and a letter from Santa explaining their arrival. The Magic Elves will remain with the kids until Christmas Eve at which time Santa will collect them as he make his deliveries. Any mischief or acts of naughtiness will be recorded in the journals and a report will be given to Santa on who has been naughty and who has been nice. These Magic Elves will explore the house from top to bottom to make sure that everyone in the family is behaving themselves.

Of course, these Magic Elves can be very mischievous and I have a whole agenda of what will transpire. I think the kids will get a big kick out of this new holiday tradition. If you would like to see the letter I composed from Santa and the passports/naughty/nice folders I designed, please email me. I would be happy to share.

A Helpful Soap Making Tip for Adding Color

When you work with Melt and Pour soap, you typically melt the soap base, then stir in the color and fragrances. If, however, you overheat your product, the heat can negatively change the nature of the color. The most common problem is with speckling. Speckling is flecks or clumps of color that will not dissolve into the soap base and no amount of stirring will help. The above photo is a perfect example of "color speckling".

The hotter the medium, the worse the speckling. You will not know if your color is sensitive to excessive heat until you run into the problem. If you do, try working with lower temperatures. We have found that the powder pigments present the greatest potential for speckling though it can occur with certain liquid gel colors as well.

Before adding any color (gels, liquid, or powder) we suggest allowing the soap to cool down to a temperature of 140 degrees. If you can comfortably dip your pinkie finger into the melted soap, it's a good temp for adding color. GoPlanet's Neon purple and Chromium Green Oxide have been known to speckle when we have added the color at high temps. If using these colors, allow soap to cool until a thin skin of soap forms on the top. Break through the skin to add the color and stir until you no longer see any color flecks. You can then reheat the soap to a pourable temperature.

Use patience when working with colors. Keep in mind that colorants are raw materials and there can be inconsistencies with their use, i.e., speckling or dots of undispersed color. With patience and the right pouring temp you can overcome the speckling issue.

Happy Holidays from the GoPlanetEarth Staff

Every year my company hosts a Christmas holiday dinner for employees. In the past, the dinner has been at a restaurant. This year, my husband elected to cook dinner for all of us and Chef Carson (pictured front) was his assistance. Carson welcomed each guest, took coats, handed out holiday slippers for everyone to wear, and was in charge of Bingo Bucks. Bingo bucks is something I occasionally do at staff luncheons. Everyone gets two bingo cards and there are two winners per round. The prizes include gift cards and cash and it has proven to be a big hit. It's just one of the ways that GoPlanet tries to show appreciation to our dedicated workers.

Chef Carson

Chef Chris

Christmas is only a few weeks away. We've all been working like crazy to process orders and ship everything timely. In the midst of all this chaos, I didn't want to forget to wish each of our customers a very Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah. May this season bring you joy and many wonderful moments with family and friends.

Bath Butter Scrub Recipe

It's time again for my annunal Holiday Soap Night with the Bunco gals. Tonight we are doing 3 projects. Soap crayons for the grandkids and 2 projects for us girls... a Bath Butter Scrub and Body Butter Lotion. When you get to be middle-aged, you need all the pampering you can get.


Below is the Bath Butter Scrub recipe that we are using for Soap Night. If you would like to purchase the entire kit, you can do so on the GoPlanetEarth web site. A limited number of kits are being offered until the end of the year. You will want to order early to ensure you get one. The kit includes labels, jars, and all the ingredients needed to make (4) body butter scrubs. The only thing not included is the sugar which is readily available from your pantry or a local grocer. There are two fragrance choices offered with the kit: Japanese Cherry Blossom (makes a pink color body scrub) and Olive Asian Tapenade (makes a yellow color body scrub as shown below).

The finished product is perfect for gift-giving. This type of scrub sells for up to $30 a jar. Make your own for a fraction of the cost!

RECIPE:

Fills two 8-ounce jars

• 16 ounces of bath butter
• 2 1/2 tablespoons of glycerin
• 8 drops of DWP colorant
  2 1/2 to 3 teaspoons of fragrance oil
• 3/4 cup sugar (we used standard white sugar that you bake with)
• 1 cup medium coarse sea salts
  

Whip the bath butter with electric mixer unitl it begins to get smooth. Then add the glycerin, color and sugar. Continue mixing until light and fluffy. Fold in the medium coarse sea salt and fragrance. Spoon mixture into jar.

NOTE: If you find it difficult to get the mixture into the jar, do the following:

Scoop all of the mixture from the mixing bowl into a 4-cup microwaveable dish. A glass measuring cup works well. Set microwave on medium heat and heat the mixture for 3 minutes, remove and stir gently. Place back in the microwave for another 1 to 2 minutes. DO NOT OVERHEAT. Every microwave heats differently, so keep your eye on the mixture. You just want the mixture soft enough to pour into the jar.

Are you on the CYBER MONDAY A-LIST?

Our Annual Cyber Monday Newsletter just went out. Were you on the A-List to receive savings of up to 20% on products and shipping? This year, we are also offering FREE gifts to the first 25 shoppers who find the special check mark hidden within our web site.

If you aren't already signed up to receive our newsletter, this would be the time to do so. Throughout the year our newsletter subscribers receive many perks and savings not offered to the general public. You will also want to sign up for our "Preferred Customer Discount (PCD Program) that offers a 3% savings on all online orders of $35 or more in product.

Drop us an email ane we'll send you more info about the PCD program.

Operation Christmas Shoe Boxes Ship Today

Today, we started shipping Operation Christmas Shoe Boxes to Samaritan's Purse. There are no words to thank the many customers who generously donated $$'s for this worthwhile Christmas project. Each shoe box is filled with toiletry items, small toys, school supplies and other personal items and shipped to needy children around the globe.

We will continue to collect donations via our shopping cart until December 15. Any additional monies received will be sent in the form of a monetary donation to help under-privileged countries purchase basic medical supplies.

Missy, one of our long-time employees wore her "Pay it Forward" bracelet today as she packed the boxes. My staff jumped in 100% to support this project and are excited to track the boxes to find out their final destination.

Send a Christmas card to our soldiers!

Here's an opportunity to show your apprecation to our military personnel this holiday season.

1) Select a postcard

2) Personalize a message

3) Send


Thanks to Xerox for their "Let's Say Thanks to Our Troops" Christmas card program.

HO,HO,HO~ Skating Reindeer Melt & Pour Soap

A simple beginner's project that uses Mold Market’s duck pond mold and a bendable reindeer. Add a few sprigs of pine, a sprinkle or two of mica flakes and you’ve got a great soap for holiday gift-giving. Goplanet's FREE tutorial video will show you just how easy it is to make this whimsical soap.

Why I Love my Job

Today I recieved a letter from a customer that touched my heart. A soulful reminder that this company is commited to offering inspiration and the sharing of new ideas. In doing so, it is my hope you find all things are possible if you only believe in yourself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hello Ms. D!

I just wanted to let you know the bath bomb molds arrived on Saturday – and I couldn’t wait to “play”! I located your recipe for the bombs on your site, cleared off the kitchen counter, sanitized my work area and away I went! This is the first time I made these things and let me tell you, I felt like a kid again playing in the sandbox. Laughing and giggling as I filled the molds where thousands of fragrances combinations were running through my head. I wonder if this is called “the bomb rush”? J What a fun and easy way to be and get creative.

Being in my early 50’s, I can’t tell you how your inspirational articles have touched my heart…especially the one about “Reinventing Yourself”. I read that article several times finding the tears rolling down my face and a lump in throat. It was if you were talking to and about ME! I’ve never been “creative”, but always challenging myself to try. Now, between your website content, your beautifully written articles and a heart FULL of wanting to establish a business..Here I go!

Thank you so kindly for somehow reaching inside of me and showing me “I can do it too!”

Blessings!

Below is a excerpt from a letter enclosed with this week's employee paychecks. Every year, GoPlanet selects a number of worthy causes to support with monetary or gift donations. This is the second year we have elected to support Samaritan's Purse, a Christian relief organization led by Franklin Graham (son of Billy Graham).

Dear Employees:

Attached is a check for you to cash and shop for your "Shoebox Christmas Child". It is your responsibilty to shop on your own time and to fill your shoe box with items appropriate for the age of the child you select. I will provide the plastic shoe box.

The shoebox relief program is part of your partnership and employment with GoPlanet. As you know, GoPlanetEarth is commited to giving to those in need locally and around the world.

Denise

~~~~~~~~~~~~

GoPlanet welcomes your donated $$'s to support this project. We are shipping the shoe boxes on Friday, Nov 20th. Our shopping cart includes an area for those wanting to donate to the Samaritan Project. Our staff will put together additional shoeboxes based on the dollars received through customer donations. Each shoebox will contain approximately $25 in items. My staff is especially excited this year as Samaritan Purse is following our boxes so we can discover their destination.

Whether you donate to this cause, or others, I pray you uplift those in need this holiday season.

Donating for a Cause

A good friend phoned last night to ask if she could stop by before I started my work day on Wednesday. I hadn't seen her in a while and wasn't sure what the visit entailed.

My friend and her husband owned a very reputable Kitchen and Bath company in our area. Through the years, their company has done a tremendous amount of work for me on both a personal and business level. Last summer, their company went out of business. The economy was so distressed that they couldn't stay afloat. Like so many, they are living paycheck to paycheck (if there is a paycheck that week) and looking for ways to pay for their son's upcoming college education plus all the expenses that go along with having a high school senior. Oh, and did I mention the family has no health insurance? The job she was able to find at a local credit union pays minimal wages with limited hours and no benefits. Her husband is taking every odd job he can find but there is little work in Michigan for even the most industrious worker.

Why am I sharing this? Because this dear friend who is struggling to keep her home from going into foreclosure, put food on the table, and find a means to just pay for health care basics (like a mammogram) was asking for help. Not for herself, but for others.

Her current employer is offering a Home for the Holiday Home Giveaway. This project will provide two area families with quality homes (mortgage FREE)! These are foreclosure homes that will be brought up to code and are receiving structural and cosmetic improvements. The purpose of my friend's visit was to see if my company would be willing to donate.

How selfless! Even in the midst of her own hardship, she is working to make sure the needs of others are met. It was a reminder that the happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything that they have. Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply, and give until there's nothing left to give.

Yes, our company donated!

The Bins are Stacked, We're Ready to Rock!

My staff is ready to rock. This is just one rack of packing bins ready for order fulfillment. Nothing makes us happier than using every available packing bin to fulfill daily orders! As we move into the holiday season, the employees of GoPlanet are working extended hours to ensure orders ship timely. Please allow a minimum of 2 days for order processing during this busy season.

Soap, Soap, Soap. That's my Life

SOAP~SOAP~SOAP accurately describes my life. Maybe that's one of the reasons I love this new mold from Mold Market. Oh, and did I mention it's easy to pour in dual colors, has great depth, and releases like a breeze. The finished soap fits nicely in our clear BO-7 box.