If you're looking for a novel and crafty gift (seriously last minute Valentine's Day gift?)—or just want to give your home a little boutique flair—DIY felted soap bars are surprisingly easy to make.

My mum had a cookbook called Half A Can Of Tomato Paste And Other Culinary Dilemmas that sat on our kitchen bookshelf when I was a little kid. (I remember her explaining to me what a dilemma was one ...