Quick & Practical Valentine's Day (or Anyday!) Gift

Becca here with another crafty idea I'm super excited about.  I love things like this that are quick and easy, and you have a super cute personalized gift when you're done!  I saw this idea online around Christmas to make photographs waterproof to use them in snowglobes, and while refilling my soap dispenser I got the bright idea to make these cute ones for Valentine's Day.  Wouldn't this be a perfect teacher gift?  You could use clip art & words to do a phrase or scripture, there's so much cute stuff available for free online now.  Or you could add photos like I did, fur a cute & practical gift for grandparents, or anyone.  I know my kids would think it was awesome to have their photo in their own soap dispensers, who wouldn't!  The creative possibilities are endless.  Plus, you can save a ton of money (and be "green") refilling your own soap dispenser, and with one this cute they'll be sure to want to!  I'll include the instructions for refilling also below. 

DIY Personalized Foaming Soap Bottle

Soap Dispenser - I would recommend using a foaming soap dispenser, since the opening at the top is significantly wider, so you'll have an easier time adding your photo.  I used Method brand (bought locally at Target for around $3) because their label isn't attached by sticky adhesive you have to scrub off, but just shrink wrapped on, so it's super easy to just cut off; I used magic eraser to wipe off the one small slightly adhesive spot, it took less than 1 minute total to have a 'blank slate' soap bottle :)

Photo, Clipart, or Phrase to put inside of your dispenser - Mine were a 4x6 I cut into half (making them 2x3 each :) and put back to back so that you got a cute photo to view from both sides. 

Laminator - I use this Scotch Thermal Laminator I bought several years ago on sale for under $20; the laminating pouches are readily available, even at my super-small-town tiny Walmart, and I love it; I use it constantly for various homeschooling projects, often to make dry erase pages, and it worked great here too.  You could take the photos to your local educational or office supply shop, where they charge per the foot usually, and it's quite inexpensive.

Cut your soap bottle insert to size.  Note that I used Method brand foaming soap, and my photos cut to 2 inches wide by 3 inches tall fit perfectly. 

Place your photos back to back and laminate.  I did two sets of photos in a 5x7 pouch.  Check to make sure that you have a good seal all around.  I run mine through the laminator twice just to be double sure.

Trim around the photos; again, be sure that you have a little rim around the photos so that you keep them tightly sealed inside.  Unscrew the lid from the foaming soap bottle, gently arc the laminated photo and slide it inside.  Reattach the lid, and admire your handiwork!

*To refill any foaming soap dispenser, simply fill it about 1/3 of the way with your favorite soap (Method, who isn't paying me to say any of this but whose products I do genuinely use & love, sells the soap in a plastic pouch type thing just for refilling :).  Fill the rest of the way with water, up to about 90% full, replace the lid, shake a bit to combine, and you're good to go!  Super easy, and a huge money saver!  I even do this with baby soap for bathing the little ones :)

I hope you enjoy, I'd love to see YOUR creations; leave a comment with a link or email me photos!