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« Dulce de Leche Cake with Browned Butter Frosting
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Blowing Bubbles

September 16, 2014 by Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

When the boys were little, we bought a very nifty device for making giant bubbles.

It was and still is an amazing toy, but twenty years ago, we couldn’t get the right dishwashing detergent for the bubble solution – it needed to be either Joy or Dawn, both of which were only available in the US. During that time, our fabulous friends would come home from overseas holidays with very well wrapped bottles of dishwashing liquid in their luggage.

Last week, we dragged the Bubble Thing out and took it around the corner for Baby M, along with a batch of solution made from the last of our twenty year old Joy. Liz and Brett mastered the technique pretty quickly…

We can now buy Fairy dishwashing liquid in Australia (at Coles), which seems to be a reasonable substitute for the American brands.

Here’s the formula for a squillion bubbles…

  • 3 cups cold water
  • ¼ cup Fairy, Joy or Dawn dishwashing liquid
  • 1 tablespoon glycerine (or glycerol – available at the pharmacy)

Stir everything together gently without frothing, as too many suds seem to prevent bubbles forming. This mix results in pretty decent bubbles of all sizes, although it doesn’t seem quite as robust for giant bubbles as the solution made with Joy.

Small Man had fun with it nonetheless…

The solution is brilliant for small bubbles, and I think it would make a great refill for the tiny bottles with wands in them. If you’d like a giant bubble maker, they’re still widely available – I spotted one at Terrific Scientific in Annandale last week!

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Posted in Cool Things, Food & Friends | 64 Comments

64 Responses

  1. on September 16, 2014 at 12:12 am marilynscottwaters

    These are magic. What fun!


    • on September 19, 2014 at 7:23 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Maz, you need to get one of these wands if you don’t already have one. They really ARE magic, and our bubbles are tiny compared to the ones that can be made with it!


  2. on September 16, 2014 at 12:21 am Manuela

    Looks like you had fun! Maybe I was always using the wrong brand of dish soap for our bubble solution. Ours never turned out so beautiful and big.


    • on September 19, 2014 at 7:24 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Manuela, apparently only certain types of dish soap will work – it has to be Joy or blue Dawn or Fairy. We tried for ages and our local brands just wouldn’t do it.


  3. on September 16, 2014 at 12:24 am Misky

    We had those for our kids, too! So much fun. :)


    • on September 19, 2014 at 7:24 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Misky, they’re just the best thing aren’t they!


  4. on September 16, 2014 at 12:28 am thecompletebook

    Bubbles are always so much fun, no matter your age.
    have a wonderful week ahead Celia.
    :-) Mandy xo


    • on September 19, 2014 at 7:25 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Mandy, we love them! It’s so nice having baby M coming over to play – good excuse to get the old toys out again!


  5. on September 16, 2014 at 12:30 am Kathy

    That’s so funny because last night I was looking at a post I had marked on “a country life experiment blog July 2014 about how they made big bubbles and since the kids are on holidays at the end of the week I thought we would make some. Looks like fun. Regards Kathy A, Brisbane


    • on September 19, 2014 at 7:26 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Kathy, look out for the Fairy brand at Coles – it’s quite new, but it’s the only local dishwashing detergent that we’ve found that works!


  6. on September 16, 2014 at 12:30 am A Famished Foodie

    Beautiful bubble pictures!


    • on September 19, 2014 at 7:26 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Thank you! I think bubble photos are always magical!


  7. on September 16, 2014 at 3:04 am dishnthekitchen

    Interesting. I did notice that washing liquid in Aus was not as ‘soapy’ as what we have here. I was always adding extra before the dishes were done.


    • on September 19, 2014 at 7:26 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Pete said something about ours being detergents rather than soaps, but I’m not sure I understand the chemistry of it all!


  8. on September 16, 2014 at 6:11 am EllaDee

    Bubbles are always wonderful… an across the road apartment resident has a bubble machine… for the baby apparently… but he gets great delight in filling up our street with bubbles, and to my delight some float over to our balcony & around us, and occasionally make their way inside. Fun!


    • on September 19, 2014 at 7:27 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      ED, how wonderful! x


  9. on September 16, 2014 at 6:15 am narf77

    There is ALWAYS time for bubbles :)


    • on September 19, 2014 at 7:27 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Always!!


  10. on September 16, 2014 at 6:39 am The Life of Clare

    That looks like the best fun!


    • on September 19, 2014 at 7:27 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Clare, when he’s a little older, E will love this! :)


  11. on September 16, 2014 at 6:50 am ardysez

    Fun Post Celia. We loved bubbles when our daughter was small and had friends in the US who had one of these devices that made the huge bubbles. She loved it. Of all the odd things I’ve carried back from the US, I never thought of bringing dishwashing liquid!


    • on September 19, 2014 at 7:28 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Ardys, honestly we have some of the best friends in the world. One had to explain to customs exactly *why* he had a suitcase full of Joy detergent.. :)


  12. on September 16, 2014 at 7:20 am Francesca

    A very timely recipe for the school holidays and another activity for the little blokes.


    • on September 19, 2014 at 7:28 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Have fun Francesca! I think you can make bubble wands out of pipecleaners..


  13. on September 16, 2014 at 8:13 am theintolerantchef

    Aren’t bubbles joyous Celia! BigJ bought me a machine that just keeps blowing bubbles and put it in the bathroom one time while I was in the bath and they filled the entire room- very pretty, but it took me ages to remove the burst stickines from the tiles the next day :) Our dog also goes nuts for bubbles, he leaps and goes crazy trying to catch them, but is always so surprised when they disappear in his jaws :) xox


    • on September 19, 2014 at 7:29 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Becca, they can make a mess, can’t they! :)


  14. on September 16, 2014 at 9:00 am MamaD1xx4xy

    There truly is something magical about bubbles! Fun for kids and adults alike.


    • on September 19, 2014 at 7:29 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Kids go crazy for them don’t they, even when they’re older!


  15. on September 16, 2014 at 9:18 am Norma Chang

    So cooooooool!


    • on September 19, 2014 at 7:29 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Norma, just the best fun! :)


  16. on September 16, 2014 at 10:30 am Madge

    Thanks Celia and thank you from my 7 year old grandson who is going to love this. Bubbles really are an ‘in the moment’ thing.


    • on September 19, 2014 at 7:30 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Madge, you can order the bubble thing from online shops locally – I found it here (I haven’t bought from them before though):

      http://www.booktopia.com.au/klutz-how-to-make-monstrous-huge-unbelievably-big-bubbles-david-stein/prod9781570542572.html?source=pla&gclid=CLXsx_7x4sACFYIHvAodYUMAiw


  17. on September 16, 2014 at 11:06 am Jan

    Oh, terrific Celia. I’ve always been a big kid around bubbles and try to have bubble mixture ‘up my sleeve’ so to speak when emergency distraction techniques are needed around my grandchildren. It must be the glycerine that makes the bubble more robust. Making it myself will be so much cheaper than buying it because so often – in the tussle for supremacy of the mixture between the three of them, inevitably some gets spilt – red in tooth and claw are my grandchildren! The youngest, Mia (my Princess Rambo) is the prettiest, sweetest looking little 5 year old with the determination of a bull elephant!


    • on September 16, 2014 at 11:14 am adamjclements

      How good! Who doesn’t love bubbles?


      • on September 19, 2014 at 7:31 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

        I don’t know a single person who doesn’t! :)


    • on September 19, 2014 at 7:31 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Jan, the stuff in jars doesn’t last very long, does it? Especially if wrestling is involved..hahaha


  18. on September 16, 2014 at 2:00 pm hotlyspiced

    Did you buy your bubble maker from the markets? A friend of ours, David, introduced those bubble makers from the US and he took a bottle of detergent to a chemist and had a formula made up so that the detergent would make giant bubbles. I think he used to sell them for $10 and he made a fortune xx


    • on September 19, 2014 at 7:32 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      No, I bought it in Coogee from our friend Mike in 1994. Sourcing the bubble liquid was hard work, wish I’d known about your friend then!


  19. on September 16, 2014 at 4:54 pm sherry from sherryspickings

    i love this celia. what fun!


    • on September 19, 2014 at 7:32 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Thanks Sherry! We really did have fun!


  20. on September 16, 2014 at 7:18 pm nancy@jamjnr

    There’s something about bubbles and kids isn’t there – it always makes me smile when I see a ‘bubble man’ in a park. He’s like the Pied Piper with kids – they just love chasing and popping them. Hours of free entertainment!


    • on September 19, 2014 at 7:32 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Nancy, it really is great fun – I think the adults enjoyed it as much as the kids did!


  21. on September 16, 2014 at 7:28 pm lizzygoodthings

    Oh Celia, you have reminded me about the monster bubble thingy I had when I was little… such a beautiful thing to play with. Love it xoxo


    • on September 19, 2014 at 7:33 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Liz, hooray for the happy memories! :)


  22. on September 16, 2014 at 7:42 pm GourmetGetaways (@GourmetGetaway)

    Lol! I suddenly remembered those fun days and big bubbles! This story made me smile, Celia :). Thank you!

    Julie
    Gourmet Getaways


    • on September 19, 2014 at 7:33 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Thanks Julie! They grow up too quick, don’t they!


  23. on September 16, 2014 at 9:25 pm cecilia

    Love those things.. fab shots! c


    • on September 19, 2014 at 7:33 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Thanks darling! xx


      • on September 19, 2014 at 7:52 am cecilia

        when we were grown-ups we used to love them! c


  24. on September 17, 2014 at 10:13 am Maureen | Orgasmic Chef

    What fun and I love those big bubbles!!


    • on September 19, 2014 at 7:33 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Maureen, we had such a great time! :)


  25. on September 17, 2014 at 12:18 pm cheri

    I always wanted to figure out a way to make the big bubbles, yes!


    • on September 19, 2014 at 7:34 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      The bubble thing is definitely worth the money – we’ve had fun for years with it!


  26. on September 17, 2014 at 2:13 pm Linda

    What fun! Lovely, too! :)


    • on September 19, 2014 at 7:34 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Thank you! :)


  27. on September 17, 2014 at 2:58 pm Jaqi

    Lovely! Thank you for sharing your recipe and beautiful bubble photos! So joyful :-)


    • on September 19, 2014 at 7:34 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Jaqi, the bubble mix is great, even without the toy! :)


  28. on September 17, 2014 at 10:18 pm My Kitchen Stories

    Great pictures of both the bubbles and handsome small man!


    • on September 19, 2014 at 7:35 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Isn’t he gorgeous? I love the happy little grin on his face! :)


  29. on September 19, 2014 at 11:42 am theclevercarrot

    Ah brilliant! You know, my boys use the little bubble bottles for about two seconds before everything ends up on the floor. I usually clean up and give up! I’m inspired to make my own solution now, thanks love! xxx


  30. on September 20, 2014 at 11:35 am dianeskitchentable

    My goodness, I haven’t seen those giant bubble makers in years but look at the photos you got! Fantastic and so much fun. I always use Dawn for pots and pans here because it seems to be the best for dealing with grease and I’m surprised that its not sold everywhere. We also just tried a concoction of vinegar, Dawn, and Epsom salts as a weed killer. Just sprayed it on the weeds and the next morning they were done for.


  31. on September 20, 2014 at 5:48 pm Choclette

    Oh I haven’t blown bubbles in a long time Celia – what fun. I’ve never seen giant bubbles – even more fun.


  32. on September 21, 2014 at 1:43 pm Sally

    You’ve made remember a place where we used to go when the girls were little in Saudi. You could stand inside a hoop and they would bring the bubble up around you so the child was ‘inside the bubble’


  33. on November 1, 2014 at 9:02 pm Kavey

    Had one of those when we were kids (’70s) and yes, used Fairy to make the dip. Loved the giant bubbles!



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