As part of a small herbal soapmaking business that I ran from 1998 to 2003 called Botani Handmade Soaps, I created and taught several extremely popular and well-attended herbal craft classes which I taught through the University of Washington’s Experimental College and the Lynnwood Parks and Recreation Department.

• The Art of Herbal Soapmaking

  This hands-on class demonstrates how to create all-natural herbal soaps. Topics covered: history of soap, chemistry of soap and soap ingredients, the cold process soap process, mixing essential oils to create the scent you want, skin enhancing herbs and spices.

• Advanced Soapmaking Workshop

  This class is for those who are already familiar with the soapmaking process, and want take their soapmaking skills to the next level. Topics covered: different soapmaking techniques, creating custom recipes, ideas for increasing production, different molds, and packaging ideas.

• Fun and Easy Herbal Baths

  Topics covered: properties of skin-friendly herbs and essential oils, bathing history and practices of peoples worldwide. Then students learn how to make or scent their own bath products to take home: an herbal bath wreath, bubble bath, bath oil, and bath bombs from scratch.

• The Artful Card, Envelope and Box: creating unique handmade stationery sets

  The class covers everything students need to make their own beautiful stationery sets. Topics covered: the creation and use of envelope templates to make various envelopes from any paper, designing greeting cards, and creating boxes from a single sheet of paper with innovative closures.

• The Art of Herbal Seduction

  In this light-hearted, hands-on class students learn herbal love lore, herbal aphrodisiacs, tips for setting the mood, as well as how to make their own herbal romance-enhancing tools: “light of paradise candles”, “eros” incense, “e-scent-ual” massage oil, and bath salts “exotique”.

• Basic Organic Gardening

  Students learn the basics of organic gardening, including how to build healthy soil, fighting pests and diseases with natural means, and other tips for allowing garden plants to grow at their best.