PRETTY SOAP DRAWER SCENTS

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Soap Drawer Scents by Eliza Ellis

 
SO A FEW MONTHS AGO, I HEADED DOWN TO OUR LOCAL FARMER'S MARKET WITH MISSY FOR A LOVELY, CASUAL MOSEY AROUND THE STALLS. 
 
I was browsing away, and came across this amazing honey from bees just up the road from our house! So as I was talking to the stallholder, unbeknownst to me, Missy had gotten out of her pram and started playing with all these soaps at the stall next door...

So I finished my conversation, paid for the honey, and turned around to find an empty pram, and Little Miss standing on tippy toes with her hands full of soaps a few meters away!


Soap Drawer Scents by Eliza Ellis


Just as I saw her, she looked around and saw me, and one of those precious white soaps started to fall...

I did the whole 'Noooooooo' thing and made a dive for it, but missed, and the soap bounced across the path into a puddle.

As you can imagine, the stall holders weren't terribly impressed.


Soap Drawer Scents by Eliza Ellis


So I put Missy back in her pram, shoved the soap in a bag, paid the stall holders for the damage, and got out of the vicinity pretty quick smart!

Anyway, long story short, this Frangipani & Evening Primrose Soap, that I had no intentions of buying, smelled AMAZING. After I dusted the mud off, it perfumed our bathroom for months, and, unlike most strongly perfumed soaps, it didn't make our skin itch either.


Soap Drawer Scents by Eliza Ellis


As they are so perfumed, I had an inkling that these would make lovely drawer scents, so I've been looking for more at local markets ever since - and last week I finally found them! 

The beauty of these drawer scents is that they won't leave dust everywhere like potpourri or spice ones will, and the paper will protect your clothes and linens from any soap residue or oils. 

And when the perfume wears away a little, you can use them in the shower and the heat and water will make them lovely and scented again!   

The ones photographed here I gave to a few girls over Easter, but they would make perfect Mothers Day gifts too.


Soap Drawer Scents by Eliza Ellis


So, here's what you'll need to make them:

- Scented soaps - preferably square-ish
- Plain art paper
- Washi tape
- String
- Scissors
- Normal sticky tape
- Sewing Machine


Soap Drawer Scents by Eliza Ellis


STEP 1: Trim Paper

I used art paper from one of Dan's sketchbooks because it was nice and thick, so the first thing I did was pull a few pieces out and trim them.


Soap Drawer Scents by Eliza Ellis


STEP 2: Sew Pattern

Use your sewing machine (un-threaded!) to punch a pretty pattern. I just used the pre-programmed stitches on my machine and chose a wavy pattern.

By the way, this is a job for that old blunt sewing needle you've been meaning to change for ages - the paper will blunt a new needle very quickly.

NB: You don't really have to do this step if you don't want to - it just patterns the paper and all those little holes will let the smell out while still protecting your clothes and linens from any oil in the soap.


Soap Drawer Scents by Eliza Ellis


STEP 3: Trim Paper Again

Look at that pretty perforated pattern! I trimmed the edges of my paper where I started and stopped sewing so they were neat and the perforations went right to the edge.


Soap Drawer Scents by Eliza Ellis


STEP 4: Wrap Soaps

Just like a Christmas Present! The photo below shows how I wrapped two soaps differently - one side will be smooth (the top side when we were sewing it) and the other will be beautifully textured from where the needle pushed through.


Soap Drawer Scents by Eliza Ellis


This photo isn't as clear as I would have liked, but the left soap is the bumpy one, and the right is smooth.


Soap Drawer Scents by Eliza Ellis


STEP 5: Wrap with Washi Tape

I just put one strip of tape around each. I found it best to wrap it around lengthways (like the above photo) to cover the ends and back where I sticky-taped the paper.


Soap Drawer Scents by Eliza Ellis


Here they are all wrapped up with Washi Tape.


Soap Drawer Scents by Eliza Ellis


STEP 6: Add String

Often when wrapping things with string, I prefer to simply tie a knot rather than a bow - like I did with these geometric prints. But a bow can be pretty too - as you can see on the yellow-ish floral ones in the photo at the top of the post. Whatever works for you!


Soap Drawer Scents by Eliza Ellis


And that's it! Finished! How easy was that!

Like I said, these were made for Easter presents, but I very nearly didn't give them away  - they were too pretty!


Soap Drawer Scents by Eliza Ellis


As gifts though, they were a hit - drawer scents just aren't something you normally buy or make for yourself, and it's so luxurious to have beautifully perfumed cupboards and drawers!

Having said that though, I think I'm going to have to do a few for me now.... that stall holder also had some French Pear and Vanilla flavored ones... hmmm....

Let me know if you make any of these, I'd love to hear how you go :)

All the best,

Eliza.


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