Rock Soap Dish Tutorial

I'm so excited because I am checking another item off of my running to-do list? AND I am also getting some hand-made gifts made. (Look away)  Remember the off again/on again and on again/off again,  sticky topic,  running to-do list that seems like I have kept running FOREVER.  I don't know how many times I reminded myself to get-r'-done.  Well check out Item 23.  The first estimated time of completion, goal date? um yeah February 21st 2010 and then it appears I updated again in August 2010.  Holy Mother of Pearl it's now December of 2010.  Well, I guess that's the beauty of a list, you can keep after it until complete.  Anywho.  I am pretty sure this tutorial now officially makes me a bonafied card carrying member of the granola bar, tree huggin', hippiedippie society. But remember I told you?  You are going to lerve these!!!

23....(ETA:  20 Feb 2010) Mesh soap dish ...you will love these

For this project you will need

• Mesh household screen (the plastic/clothy kind, not aluminum)
• Coluzzle oval shaped template (or any shape-cutting machine of your choice that has an oval shape available)
• Mini Rocks (I chose earth tone shades because I'm a card carrying member of the hippiedippie society)
• Sewing Machine
• Soap Rock Soaps These are actual soap that looks like a rock (I chose the "Jade" color which has a cucumber scent because it is a neutral earthtone because... well you know I'm a card carrying member of the granola bar society and also think it goes well with brown) 

Coluzzle oval, cutter, two scraps of screen mesh.  I purchased a huge roll of the screen at Home Depot.  Enough for a thousand soap dishes.  It was the smallest roll they carried but for my purposes it was huge.  Since this will be a soap dish and used near water you will want to stay away from the metal or aluminum screen material.  I used the soft plastic/clothy type.  I don't really know what type of fabric it is.  But you can feel it when you go to the store and check it out.

 I used the largest oval for my soap dish, cutting two pieces

I use these decorative mini-stones.  You could use real stones from the ground but I liked these because they have a shiny protective coating on them.  These are real stones but they are clean and in a container.  Well, you know what I mean?  You can find these at Mike's or Wallyworld etc.  I got mine from Wally's ($3)

Using a sewing machine, stitch around the edge (1/4 in.hem).  I went around twice for strength.  Leaving a 1-inch opening to fill the stones.  After the stones are filled finish stitching the hem all the way around.  TIP OF THE CENTURY:  Sometimes the screen gets caught in the sewing machine.  To solve this problem I stitched it onto a piece of white printer paper with the printer paper on the bottom layer and then the two pieces of screen on top of that.  I stitched all the way around (actually stitching the mesh screen right onto the white paper) then when you are finished sewing you just tear the paper away from the mesh.  It gave the mesh screen strength and a backing to sew onto and made it more stable.  It prevented the screen from getting snagged into the machine.  I know brilliant, right?  Come back later and I will take a picture using the paper backing technique.  I forgot to take one of that step.

Here is a close-up of the finished soap dish. Isn't it pretty in a hippiedippie tree-hugging sort of way?  I just love all of the neutral earthtones.

 

Jade Soap Rock, Cucumber scent.

 

Jade Soap Rock, Cucumber scent.  Another shot.  These really look realistic like real rocks and it is the highest quality soap. They are a little pricey at first glance for a bar of soap.  They have color veins through the entire bar.  They also have other colors and scents.  I think the "Fire Geode", the Sapphire or the Amethyst would pair really nicely with this project also.  It smells really really good and they last forever.  This is a very large chunk so what I like to do is cut it into smaller chunks so that it will fit nicely on the little rock soap dish on the counter top.

Using a sturdy knife, slice the large soap rock.  I like to cut it on an angle like a little pyramid so it keeps an authentic rock shape.  Kind of asymmetrical.  They cut very cleanly.  I cut right through the wrapper, leave the wrapper on while cutting and remove it later.

Keep slicing until you have 4 or 5 even chunks.  These were a little big for my purposes.  I almost wish I had cut it in 1/5s instead of 1/4s.  But its ok.

Close-up.  I now have 4 soap rocks instead of one.   This makes it go further.  More gifts for an economical amount $$.  Saving money and making a special gift.

Finished product.  I think it looks kind of cool with the "Soap Rock" sitting on top of a "Rock" soap dish.  This will go very nicely in a kitchen, bathroom, on a patio or even a mudroom.  If you have a spa, Asian or minimalist decor it will go really well with this.  OR country, mudroom, mountain themed room.  Its such a neutral design I think it will go well with almost any decor.  Even an outside patio or garden sink.  No?  Doesn't the little soap rock look cute sitting on a bed of rocks?  These will be really easy to clean, just rinse on occasion under water and set onto the sink to drip dry.  It will keep the soap really dry too because the water will just drain away after each use.  Helping the soap to last longer.

Ho to the 3