Saturday, December 13, 2014

December Soap Challenge - Cherry Blossom

 
Soap Challenge Spoon Swirl 3

This is my Spoon Swirl soap for the Great Cakes Soapwork challenge. The soap is scented with 'Sakura Hana' - The Scent Works' dupe of BBW Japanese Cherry Blossom. It smells divine!
For colorants I used Hollywood pink and black micas from Nurture Soap Supplies, and titanium dioxide in the main batter.

 Spoon Swirl cold-process soap - Sakura Hana


Here are few more pictures:

Soap Challenge Spoon Swirl - Cherry blossom

Spoon Swirl cold-process soap - Cherry blossom
 
 
Soap Challenge Spoon Swirl - Cherry blossom
 
 
Thanks Amy for another challenge!  I really liked this technique.

Sunday, November 16, 2014

Combing techniques - soap challenge

Soap Challenge Combing technique - cut bars

I've been working on my soap combing techniques as part of the Great Cake Soapworks Soap Challenge. This soap was one of my first attempts at a combing type swirl. The whole batch is scented with Brambleberry's "Ginger Ale"  fragrance oil, which smells amazing and gives you all the time in the world to play with it.  I prepared 5 different colors of mica plus some titanium dioxide.


I separated my batch in half and poured the colored soap differently into each mold:

 
Then I swirled, using a simple comb made with cardboard and bamboo skewers.

1st mold:
Combing technique - CP soap in mold


2nd mold:
Combing technique - cold-process soap in mold

 
I liked the swirls of the first soap better.  Here is a closer look at it:

Combing technique soap challenge - in mold




Saturday, November 15, 2014

Soap Challenge Club - Combing Techniques


Soap Challenge Combing technique - Sandalwood CP soap

I was really excited to participate in this month's soap challenge, because combing techniques produce such beautiful swirls. Besides, I love to learn new techniques, and I had so much fun with this one!  I made my soap comb with cardboard and bamboo skewers. I prepared 6 different colors of mica plus some titanium dioxide.

 


In marbling, this is called a Nonpareil pattern (nonpareil means “without equal” or unique in French). To make it, you have to take your comb and draw it gently through the soap batter from left to right.

This is a Chevron pattern, made by bisecting the lines exactly in the reverse direction:
 

Finally, I took my wide-spaced comb to make a wavy pattern:


 
Here is the resulting look of my soap while it's still in the mold:
Soap Challenge Combing technique - soap in mold
 
This soap is scented with Brambleberry’s Sensuous Sandalwood - a very nice, sexy, woodsy smell. I love it!

Soap Challenge Combing technique - sandalwood

Soap Challenge Combing technique - cut bars
 
I’m really pleased with how the soap turned out, and believe the earthy colours match the scent perfectly. Thank you Amy for the challenge, I want to play with this technique more!
 




Saturday, October 18, 2014

Petal Soap Challenge Club

Here is my entry for October Soap Challenge Club, hosted by Amy Warden of Great Cake Soapworks. This month's technique is called “Petals”. I have never done this technique before, so it was fun to learn something new. :)

The design for this soap was inspired by a painting by Trisha Lamoreaux.


For colorants I used: The Conservatorie's Lemon mica, as well as Nurture Soap's Wisteria Purple and The Conservatorie's Violet Silk mica. The soap is scented with Calabrian Bergamot and Violet from Daystar.





Thanks, Amy, for a fun challenge!