Soap molds are basically boxes for the liquid batter to set in. Any dry plastic container works, or you can buy silicone molds specifically for soap. If you have a wooden container, cover the inside with a silicone liner or freezer paper. Soap molds are available online and at some general stores. If you need a liner, freezer papers are available at most supermarkets. Fill each mold close to the top. Tap the mold against a hard surface a few times to break up air bubbles. Use a rubber spatula to scrape out excess batter to pour into a different mold or throw away.  Bump the mold against a hard surface a few times if it looks frothy. Try dropping it from a low height to knock out stubborn air bubbles. Don’t worry about breaking the soap into smaller bars yet. Wait until the soap solidifies for that. Tape a piece of cardboard over the mold to cover the soap. Then, wrap a towel around the entire mold to insulate it. Doing this helps the mold set properly, leading to better soap. If you don’t have cardboard, place parchment paper over the mold. The saponification process takes at least a day to happen. When you remove the soap from the mold, it will be hard and ready for cutting. Use a sharp kitchen knife to break the soap down into smaller bars. To smooth out the sides, scrape the soap with a vegetable peelers.  Keep your soap at room temperature and out of the reach of children and pets. If you used fresh lye, the soap is still dangerous to touch at this point. If your soap is too soft to cut, let it rest for an extra day. This happens most often in large, single molds. Move the soap bars into a cool but well-ventilated area. Try placing them near a window in your basement or on a countertop. Put them on top of wax paper or another disposable material to prevent the oils from damaging the surface the soap is on. Soap takes about 4 weeks to finish curing.  Soap can take anywhere from 3 to 8 weeks to cure completely. The time it needs depends on the oils you used. Check your recipe for the recommended curing time. Soap made using the melt and pour method typically solidifies within a few hours. At most, let it rest overnight before taking it out of the mold.

Summary: Clean and line your soap molds. Pour the soap batter into the mold. Wrap the mold inside cardboard and a clean towel. Wait 24 hours before cutting into bars. Dry the soap for several weeks before using it.


Locate the power switch on the side of your sewing machine, and switch it to the off position. Do this before you try to thread your sewing machine. You will be inserting the thread through moving parts of the sewing machine. If the machine remains on and you accidentally apply pressure while trying to thread the machine, you could seriously injure your fingers. Since the power is switched off, you will need to adjust the moving parts manually. Turn the wheel on the right side of your sewing machine in clockwise to move the needle upwards. Stop turning when the needle is at its highest point. If you keep turning the wheel, the needle will move back down again, so make sure to stop turning when it reaches its highest point. Locate the lever next to the needle base on your machine. Push this lever upwards to raise the presser foot. Having the presser foot in this position will make it easier to thread the machine because it will be out of the way.

Summary: Turn off the sewing machine. Raise the needle using the hand wheel on the side of the machine. Lift the presser foot with the lever.


You can use any colors you want, but darker and highly saturated colors will show up the best. This technique works best on blonde hair; markers probably aren’t the best choice if you have darker hair, but give it a try and see what results you get!  You can use a single marker color for this or dip-dye with multiple marker colors to get a rainbow effect. Washable markers are recommended, but you can try highlighters and other markers types if you want to experiment. This look usually lasts about a day. The washable markers will wash out of your hair very easily, even without shampoo. Keep this in mind throughout the day—rain and heavy humidity can cause the color to bleed, unfortunately.

Summary: Select your colors from a set of washable markers. Shampoo your hair to remove the color.


Even if you are just driving straight ahead on an open highway, it's important to know what is going on behind you. This means you should be looking at your rearview mirror every 5-8 seconds.  This will keep your understanding of the traffic conditions behind you up to date. It will also allow you to keep track of cars that are passing you, and even cars that are acting sporadically or dangerously behind you. You should look in the mirror before you stop or start, pass a car, turn, switch lanes, pull over, or make any other adjustment to your position on the road. Basically, if you want to make any movements, other than straight ahead, you should check your rearview mirror before doing it, so that you can make the change safely. When changing lanes, you use a combination of your rearview mirror and your side mirror to see if where you are moving is clear, as well as turning around to see if there is anyone in your blind spot. The combination of all of these checks will make switching lanes safer. The rear-view mirror is especially important when you are moving your vehicle in reverse. The mirror will help you to know the course is clear and that you can move without coming into contact with another car, person, or property. When moving in reverse, it is also important to rely on things other than the rear-view mirror. Check your side mirrors and turn around and look behind the car with your own eyes in order to assess the situation. After all, it is always better to be safe than sorry. The rearview mirror can give you a lot of good information when trying to get through a stressful and busy driving situation. For example, look in your mirror to assess whether moving in reverse will help you get out of a tight space or just lock you into an even more tenuous position. Before you brake hard, take a quick second to assess whether any cars are too close to your rear end to stop. If that is the case, consider adjusting your lane or your braking speed if you can. If you can't, then knowing a car behind you may hit you will give you a second to brace for an impact.  If you are looking in your rearview mirror at regular intervals already, you may already have a good idea if a vehicle is close behind you. This will help you to make a quick judgement about the following distance and if a vehicle will have time to stop before hitting you. Being good at judging the following distance of vehicles behind you should help you adjust your braking measures in order to prevent a rear-end collision from happening.
Summary: Check your rearview mirror on a regular basis. Look in your rearview mirror before adjusting your position on the road. Use your rearview mirror when backing up. Look at your rearview mirror when navigating heavy or irregular traffic. Look before you make a quick stop if you can.