Living La Vida Holoka


Melt and Pour Halloween Blood Splatter Soap

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Make washing your hands a scream this Halloween with this easy Melt and Pour Halloween Blood Splatter Soap tutorial!

This post may contain affiliate links. Making a purchase through one of these links helps support this blog.


My husband was watching one of those homesteading shows. You know, they usually take place in Alaska, they own quite the expanse of land, and they make their own food, clothing, etc.? Well, one of the women on the show was talking about making soap. It made me miss my melt and pour soap making hobby. So with Halloween around the corner, I decided to make some spooky soap!

The first Halloween soap idea that immediately came to mind was a blood splatter soap.  A simple concept, but creepy enough for Halloween!  So I got a white soap base and some red soap color. 

I wasn’t sure how I was going to make the soap look like it was splattered with blood.  At first I thought I might just drop some red color into the melted soap base and swirl it around.  Then, I looked up some techniques for marbling.  Ultimately, I ended up playing around with a dropper and a spoon to achieve the look I wanted.  

Melt and Pour Halloween Blood Splatter Soap

 
Melt and pour soap base is great because it’s just that!  Cut the soap into chunks, melt it down, and pour it into a soap mold.  You can add all sorts of things to it like soap color, fragrance, and even additives like dried flower petals or coffee grounds. 

For this project, I used an entire 32 ounce container of soap base for this project, red soap color, and cinnamon and vanilla essential oils. This project made eight bars of soap in total. 


The first thing I did was cut the soap base into chunks.  I placed half of the chunks into a large, microwave-safe measuring cup and microwaved the soap in 30 second intervals until it was melted. Then, I added the other half of the chunks and continued melting them down.


Once all the soap was melted, I stirred in my essential oils.  I used a simple blend of cinnamon and vanilla essential oils to make a warm, cozy fall scent.  The amount of drops you add is up to you.  I think I used about 20 drops total.


Next, I poured a little of the white soap base into a small, microwave-safe bowl and added red soap color.  Since I used a white soap base, I added enough soap color so the soap looked more red than pink. 


Then, I poured my white soap base into my silicone soap mold making sure to leave a little room at the top.  I played around with a few different ways to make my blood splatter effect, but found that dipping a spoon into the red soap and dripping it on top of the white worked the best. 


Wait about 4-6 hours for the soap to harden and then you should be able to pop it right out of the mold!

SUPPLIES

STEPS

  1. Cut the soap base into chunks and place them into a large, microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup.  Microwave in 30 second intervals until the soap has completely melted. 
  2. Add 20-22 drops of your favorite essential oil.  The amount of drops you use is completely up to you depending on how strong you want your soap bars to smell.  Stir to incorporate the oils into the soap base.
  3. Next, add a little of the white soap base into a small, microwave-safe bowl.  Stir in enough soap color to the base so that the soap looks red and not pink.
  4. Carefully pour the white soap base into the soap mold.  You might have to work in batches depending on the size of your mold. 
  5. Optional: lightly spray the top of the soap with rubbing alcohol to get rid of bubbles.  Let the soap sit for 2-3 minutes.
  6. Dip a spoon into the red soap base and drizzle over the top of the white soap to make it look like blood splatters.
  7. Allow the soap to harden about 4-6 hours.  Then, remove from the mold. 
  8. Wrap the soap in plastic wrap or put them in a storage bag to keep them dry.  Store the soap bars in a cool, dry place.  

A few notes about this Blood Splatter Soap project:
  • I ended up with a lot more red soap than what was needed.  So I would start with a little (maybe 1/4 cup or less) and melt more, if necessary.  You really only need enough to drizzle on top of your soap bars.
  • If you notice that your soap base is starting to harden up while you’re working, pop it into the microwave for another 30 seconds, or until it’s melted again. 
  • I didn’t use rubbing alcohol spray, but if you want to avoid bubbles while your soap sets, give the soap a spritz.  It should knock out any bubbles that you see.

With 2020 being, well, 2020, these soap bars would make a fun, homemade Halloween gift to remind your friends to keep washing those hands! 

Did you make Melt and Pour Halloween Blood Splatter Soap? Share it on social media using the hashtag #livinglavidadiy. Don’t forget to tag me @lavidaholoka!

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Five Ways to Get Organized with Cricut Joy

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This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Cricut. All opinions are 100% mine.

Make spring cleaning and organizing a breeze with these 5 easy ways to get organized with Cricut Joy and Smart Materials!


Have you been doing a lot more cleaning and organizing lately? Not only is it spring cleaning time, but spending more time indoors has given me the itch to straighten up and get things in order around here! So far, I’ve gotten rid of clutter in the attic, reorganized closets and cabinets, and did some deep cleaning around the house. I also managed to add some labels to storage thanks to my new Cricut Joy!

The Cricut Joy is Cricut’s newest cutting machine. It’s light and portable so you can craft anywhere! This compact machine gives you the option of using mats thanks to Cricut’s line of Smart Materials that come in extended sizes with up to a 20 foot repeated cut capability! The projects are endless with this little machine that can do so much (including making cards)!


The Cricut Joy recently helped me get organized around the house. I was able to carry the machine from room-to-room – even the kitchen – and just had to plug it in! In no time at all, I made labels for baking ingredients, labels for craft supplies, and even made planner stickers to motivate me to use my planner more!

Just like Cricut’s other machines, you can also write with Cricut Joy! There’s an entire collection of Cricut Joy pens to write in a variety of styles and colors! The ability to write made it even easier to get some of my storage labeled! Take a look at these five simple projects to help you get organized with Cricut Joy!

Five Ways to Get Organized with Cricut Joy

 

Label ingredients in the kitchen

I’ve been doing a bit more baking than usual lately and stocking up on ingredients like nuts and chocolate chips when I can. To keep these ingredients fresh and within easy reach, I stored them in airtight plastic containers and made labels for them.

Personalize mail bins in the office

In our home office, we have three separate mail bins. The first bin is where we keep new mail or mail addressed to both of us, the second bin is for my mail, and the last bin is for my husband’s mail. Every once in a while, a piece of my husband’s mail ends up in my bin, or my husband ends up opening something of mine that ended up in his bin. Adding “his,” “hers,” and “ours” labels lessens the confusion.

Organize craft supplies

A few months ago, I bought small, plastic containers to sort some of my craft supplies. Since the containers are out in the open, I wanted to add labels to them that looked simple and clean. So I used the Smart Label Writable Vinyl to cut labels and also use a Cricut Joy pen to write what was being stored in each container.

Organize the bathroom closet

Our bathroom closet was a bit of a mess before I got to organize it. We have cleaning products, hair products, towels, and all of my skincare and makeup stored in there. I was able to stick some labels on my storage to designate space for my hair ties, nail polish, and makeup. It’s made it way easier to find what I’m looking for while keeping the space neat and organized!

Make planner stickers

Each day kind of blends into the next lately, so I wanted to make sure I was making use out of my planner. The easiest way to motivate myself to use my planner is with new planner stickers! I cut some simple designs, like flags and check marks, out of Adhesive Backed Deluxe Paper in pretty floral and striped designs.

How to Make Kitchen Storage Labels

 


1. Open the pantry labels project in Design Space. Go through the labels and delete the labels you won’t be using.


2. Resize the labels, if necessary, and change the color, if desired.


3. Once it’s time to cut, you’ll be prompted to choose a mat option. I have been cutting without a mat for most projects.


4. The last thing to do is get your material loaded and hit go!


5. Then, peel and stick the label with transfer tape onto the storage container of your choice.

How to Make Writable Storage Labels

 


1. Open the Craft Supplies Labels project in Design Space or search for a label shape in images.


2. Resize and duplicate the image as many times as needed.


3. Then, choose a font style making sure it’s set to “writing.” This lets the Cricut Joy know you want to use a pen with this project. Type in each label space, then send to cut.


4. Review your labels. Then, follow the prompts on screen to set each tool for writing and cutting.


5. The ink dries pretty fast, but I usually allow a little time for it to dry completely. Then, you can peel and stick the labels easily without transfer tape.

How to Make Planner Stickers

 


1. Open the planner stickers project in Design Space or search for images and shapes you would like to use as stickers.


2. I chose a simple flag and check mark design. Then, I resized and duplicated the images and changed the color of each shape to reflect the color paper I was using.


3. I used a Light Grip Mat for this project, so I selected that option to load my materials.


4. Then, I cut each color as prompted.


5. Finally, I trimmed my stickers and peeled off the excess paper to make small sticker sheets to keep in my planner.


If getting the house organized is next on your spring cleaning list, keep the Cricut Joy in mind for easy labeling! The Cricut Joy and Cricut Joy materials are now available online and in-store. Learn more about this impressive, little machine on Cricut.com!

Did you get organized with any of these Cricut Joy ideas? Share on social media using the hashtag #livinglavidadiy. Don’t forget to tag me @lavidaholoka!

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Cricut Burlap Easter Decoration

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Bring a little joy into your home this Easter with this simple Cricut Burlap Easter Decoration made with the Cricut Joy!

This post may contain affiliate links.  Making a purchase through one of these links helps to support this blog.


We could all use a little joy right now, so I’m bringing you joy today in the form of a Cricut Joy Easter craft!  Easter, indeed, is still on its way.  And while the outside world feels like it’s full of doom and gloom, I’m making the inside of our house bright and cheery!  I love the Easter season for its pretty, pastel colors and symbolism of rebirth.  So I decided to make an easy Easter craft that could double as pretty spring decor! 

During this time of isolation, I’ve found myself getting more creative than usual when it comes to projects and recipes.  Take this Easter decoration, for instance. It might look pretty normal from the outside.  But making it took some crafty decisions and made me realize that nothing is safe when it comes to crafting anymore! 

Cricut Burlap Easter Decoration

 
I knew I wanted to decorate a simple 8″ x 8″ frame with a vinyl rabbit design and cotton pom-pom tail.  But instead of using vinyl, I cut contact paper instead.  I was afraid it might be too thin and tear, but it worked perfectly!  I did add a vinyl bow to the rabbit design, but all I needed was a little scrap to do that.  

Originally, I wasn’t going to add a background.  But the frame just felt like it needed something.  I immediately thought to use burlap behind the glass and searched my fabric box for a scrap.  My search turned up empty-handed and then I remembered my storage box of table runners in the closet.  There I found a burlap table runner I hadn’t used in years!  So I dug out my fabric scissors and started cutting!   Bye-bye, table runner.  Hello, cute Easter decoration!


Since this was my first time using the Cricut Joy, I wasn’t sure how it would differ from Cricut’s other machines.  Don’t let its size fool you!  It’s a smart, little machine!  It can easily detect and load a mat or Smart Materials by itself.  Just like Cricut’s other machines, cutting is a breeze!  After I figured out my design and resized it, this Cricut Joy craft took minutes to make!

Crafting with the Cricut Joy



The first thing I did was search Design Space for a simple rabbit shape.  I basically just wanted a silhouette, so I chose a design resembling a chocolate bunny.  Then, I changed the color and size of the rabbit to fit the picture frame.


Since this was my first time using the Cricut Joy, I wasn’t sure what steps I needed to take to make my first cut.  Since you can cut with or without a mat, I was brought to a screen that gave me options on how I wanted to load my materials.


Once I chose my mat and material (I chose adhesive paper for the contact paper), I was ready to rock-and-roll with my cuts and put my project together!

SUPPLIES

STEPS

  1. Open the Easter bunny design in Design Space.  Resize, if necessary, to fit the picture frame.  Change the rabbit and bow colors, if desired.
  2. Prepare 2 StandardGrip mats with each vinyl color.
  3. Load the first mat into the Cricut Joy.  Choose options as prompted and continue to cut.
  4. Repeat with the second vinyl color.
  5. Making sure that the picture frame is clean, carefully position and apply the rabbit shape onto the glass.
  6. Layer the bow shape onto the rabbit.
  7. Once the rabbit design is in place, heat a hot glue gun and glue on the white pom-pom for a tail.
  8. Using the insert of the picture frame as a template, cut a piece of burlap to fit. 
  9. If necessary, trim the burlap and glue the edges onto the picture frame insert to keep it in place.
  10. Carefully place the glass back into the picture frame and display!  


My first project with the Cricut Joy was an absolute success! And I can honestly say that this Easter decoration brings me joy every time I look at it!  It’s a minimal Easter decoration that would fit into any room’s decor!  Like my office where I do a lot of my Cricut crafting! 


Did you make this Cricut Burlap Easter Decoration? Share it on social media using the hashtag #livinglavidadiy. Don’t forget to tag me @lavidaholoka!

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St. Patrick’s Day Leprechaun Pot

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Make an adorable St. Patrick’s Day Leprechaun Pot filled with paper gold and shamrocks using the Cricut Maker!

This post may contain affiliate links.  Making a purchase through one of these links helps to support this blog.


I think I’ve finally given up on checking for snowflakes on my weather app.  Spring is just a short time away now and New Jersey has begun to thaw.  Actually, Jersey’s been pretty mild all winter.  Although I’m sad that the appearance of snow is unlikely for the remainder of the season, I have started to feel the spring fever trickle in.  And for us, that means the start of gardening season!

I’ve been cleaning out pots and my husband turned over our garden soil over the weekend to get it ready for peas and radishes.  While I was out and about, I picked up a few new flower pots and I can’t wait to transplant some of my flowers into them.  I also picked up a couple of small terracotta pots to use in springtime projects.


With St. Patrick’s Day coming up, I decided to use my small terracotta pots to make a leprechaun inspired decoration – one for me and one for my mom.  I’ve seen a lot of DIY pots on Pinterest that are flipped over and painted as leprechaun hats for St. Patrick’s Day, but I wanted to make something with a festive, springtime vibe. 

This cute holiday decoration is filled with paper gold and four-leaf clovers.  It’ll not only make your home a pinch-free zone, but all of that green will make it look like spring has certainly sprung! So I painted the pots with Shamrock green paint (what else?) and used my Cricut Maker to add the rest of the details! 

St. Patrick’s Day Leprechaun Pot


After painting the pot, I pulled up a simple belt shape in Design Space. Then, I selected a square from the “Shapes” option.


You want to have two squares to create the belt buckle.  So I made one a golden yellow color and another black.  Then, I fit the black square inside the yellow one.


Once the belt buckle was sized, I used the “Slice” tool to cut out the black square and create a buckle shape.


Once that step was completed, I resized the belt and buckle to fit my pot and cut my vinyl shapes with black and gold vinyl.


After the belt was placed onto the pot (I didn’t need to use transfer tape for this project), I chose a simple shamrock shape from the Design Space image library.  I cut shamrocks in different sizes on green cardstock.


Since this is a leprechaun inspired pot, I also created gold coins by cutting a circle shape on yellow cardstock.  Once both shapes were finished, I added moss to the pot and glue some shamrocks and coins down into the moss.

SUPPLIES

STEPS

  1. Paint the entire surface of the pot with green paint.  Allow paint to dry.
  2. Open the Leprechaun Belt design in Design Space and resize, if necessary.
  3. Prepare one Standard Grip mat with black vinyl and another with gold vinyl.  Continue to cut out the shapes.
  4. Peel the black vinyl from the backing and place around the middle of the pot.
  5. Then, peel off the gold vinyl and place the buckle shape in the middle of the belt.
  6. Open the Paper Four-Leaf Clover design and prepare a Standard Grip mat with green cardstock.  Continue to cut.
  7. Open the Paper Gold Coins design prepare a Standard Grip mat with yellow cardstock.  Continue to cut.
  8. Fill the pot with Spanish moss and heat a hot glue gun.
  9. Before gluing down the paper four-leaf clovers and gold, arrange them in the pot first.  Then, add a little glue to the bottom and carefully place them into the pot.


If you’re going to a St. Patrick’s Day party, this would make an adorable gift to bring!  As I’ve mentioned before, I don’t have a lot of St. Patrick’s Day decorations, so it was nice to make to be able to make one and hopefully bring a little more good luck into our home! 

Did you make this St. Patrick’s Day Leprechaun Pot? Share it on social media using the hashtag #livinglavidadiy. Don’t forget to tag me @lavidaholoka!

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