If you’re in the mood for some sparkle, the Ombre Mermaid Soap is for you. The layers have Iridescent Glitter and smell like Yuzu Cybilla Fragrance Oil. As you pour the layers, you gradually add more Hydrated Chrome Green Color Block until the soap is an aqua blue color. Get all the materials you need to make the soap, along with labels and instructions, in the Mermaid Ombre Soap Kit.

I gave several Mermaid Ombre Bars as Christmas gifts this year. Another one of my favorite gifts to give are books. I’m an avid reader and usually read 5 to 7 books at a time. This year I read some amazing stories, including Mastery by Robert Greene and Soulmates by Jessica Grose. See my favorite books of 2016 here.

The Bramble Berry team was also able to give gifts to families in need. Every year, we get together and shop for Christmas gifts. This year we teamed up with Lydia Place, a local nonprofit organization, and shopped for nine families. We got everything from diapers to candy. See us take over Fred Meyer in the Annual Christmas Charity Shopping Trip post.

For more Christmas cheer, check out the Facebook Photo of the Week by Basil and Paisley Naturals. Their ‘Tis the Season Soap is colored with spirulina powder and scented with rosemary and peppermint essential oils.

The embed in the soap is so festive and beautiful, and I love the green hue from the spirulina powder. The fresh rosemary in the picture is a nice touch as well! If you love the herby smell of rosemary, check out the Minty Clay Melt and Pour Bars. The essential oil is also used in the Annatto-Yarrow Cold Process Soap.

Above (clockwise, top) are Basil and Paisley’s Rose-for-When-You-Rise Soap, Orange Ya’ Glad It’s Soap, Pumpkin Pie Soap and Blueberry Jam Soap. For more pumpkin tutorials, check out the Pumpkin Souffle Cold Process Soap. The Pumpkin Spice Latte Bubble Bath Bombs smell great in the tub.

Find Basil and Paisley Naturals
On Facebook
On Etsy

This week’s Instagram Photo of the Week by Earth Care Soaps features a beautiful swirl with plenty of contrast. I love how each of the Seaweed Charcoal Face and Body bars look different. See more of their work on their Instagram page.

Post pictures of your crafty creations on the Facebook page each week for a chance to be featured on the Soap Queen blog and receive a sweet soapy package from Bramble Berry. Photos are chosen based on consensus from the Bramble Berry staff, so the best way to increase your chances of winning is to show us lots of photos!

To participate in the Instagram contest, hashtag your pictures with #soapshare. Each Friday, I will pick a photo on Instagram to be featured on the Bramble Berry Instagram account.

For those of you who have been featured on the blog, we now have an official “Featured on the Soap Queen” badge! You can include that badge on your website, blog, pictures, etc. To save the badge, click here. =)

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