Skip to main content

Soap Challenge--Dandelion Swirl

This Great Cakes challenge started off, well, challenging for me.  I had internet problems (a lack of it) and something went rather tragic in my attempt to cobble together a recipe without access to my online lye calculator crutch or a good saponification chart.  Obviously, I need to work on this skill, since my first batch of soap is still not firm enough to cut.  I've seen firmer marshmallow cream.  I'm estimating that I'll be able to cut it in a week or two or maybe three.

The top came out pretty, though, didn't it?
Sigh.  I wonder what the inside looks like.

On to batch number 2.  I went for a winter/snowy theme this time, scented with BB's Fresh Snow fragrance.
I made a small 6-bar batch.  I kept noticing that my divider (a dollar store cutting mat) didn't stay in the center but kept migrating toward the edge with every pour.  I was concerned that it would ruin the design, but it held well enough.

I know this challenge was all about the inside, but I had to add this picture.  I think it's my favorite soap top ever.

And the cut soap....


It's been a long time since I made soap using the full water amount and that 24 hour wait was almost more than I could handle.  But I held in there and was happy that I did.  I'll be doing it more often from now on because I intend to pull out my newly learned skill frequently in the future.  I even have a variation on this technique running around in my head that I hope to try soon.

Comments

  1. Those are stunning! Like large cocnch (conch ? Cocnh?) Shells from the deep blue ocean. Very very artistic

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes! I know exactly what you mean--a conk shell. ;) I thought the batch looked a little more marine than winter too, but I'm happy either way. Thanks, Donna!

      Delete
  2. Absolutely Beautiul!!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. WoW! Those look so neat. I hope you'll post pictures of your first batch when you finally get to cut it. I love the tops as well!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks--batch number 1 is still sooo soft. I hope it eventually gets hard enough!

      Delete
  4. Beautiful!!! I absolutely love how you did the top of the soap. :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Wow! The top is swirl just pops right out at you with those colors. =)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Love already by seeing these pictures. They are definitely stunning lines and colors. Especially the dot design on the 2nd batch, flash in the pan. Also so curious in the 1st one when it gets cut.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This technique is stunning, isn't it? I never would have thought of it myself. I'm interested in seeing my first attempt, too!

      Delete
  7. Beautiful, Amy! Love the denim blue, the perfect swirls, and the gorgeous top! Can't wait to see the first one cut! It looks great!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, SoapJam! I'll update this post with pictures of the first batch when I cut it, even if it's a mess....

      Delete
  8. Wow,stunning, Amy! This is for sure my favourite! Congratulations!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh my. Thank you, Natalia! There are so many outstanding soaps in this challenge.

      Delete
  9. As a huge fan of Blue, I'm a little biased... Your colors are great with nice defined stripes. I'm more than impressed with the top as well. Very up-scale.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Mayren! The top IS kind of fancy-pants, isn't it?? hee hee...

      Delete
  10. So beautiful, Amy!! I'm loving the inside swirl AND the tops for sure. Definitely looking forward to seeing the inside of the first one too... Great job on your first challenge club!!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Thanks, Amy! And thanks especially for putting this whole challenge club together--it has to be a big job, but we all appreciate it.

    ReplyDelete
  12. The second soap is really special. The top is unique but I am also impressed with different variations of blue colors you achieved. You did really grate job! Best regards, Gordana

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Gordana! I generally underestimate how much colorant to add, so I was thrilled to actually get a really dark blue this time.

      Delete
  13. Wow, I love your Dandelion Zebra Swirl, Amy! And the top is gorgeous! The blue and black are so nice together. And I love the top of the first soap, too. The colors are so vivid. Can't wait to see the cut photos of it!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Jenny! Well....I cut the soap. It's not so pretty. I'm glad the recipe didn't work for me so I made the second batch. I'll post a picture today.

      Delete
  14. Love both of the tops! and a very pretty swirl too!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you--I was thrilled by the way they came out, too. (Why does it always surprise me when I get a batch turn out the way I planned?!)

      Delete
  15. Thanks, Maitri! And thanks for the link to your blog--I love finding new ones. And you have some gorgeous creations, too!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Soaping with Madder

I know that any color added to soap can morph into a surprise, but there is an added element of unknown when using botanicals to color my soap.  Some people jump out of planes or ski off mountains, but this is how I live on the edge these days.  Hmm.  If I weren't having so much fun, I'd be embarrassed. I recently had my first go with madder.  So....whatsa madder?  It's a root--the root of the madder. Ahem. (I love puns...) I infused 8 oz. of olive oil with 2 t. madder root powder for almost a week.  This amount worked out to be 20% of the oils in my batch. I wanted something in the way of embeds to add visual interest.   I dearly love my soap balls but I don't want to over do a good thing.  I've recently done square-shaped embeds, so this time I cut a bar of white soap into slices. I panicked a little that it wouldn't get dark enough--it was kind of a dusty peach--so I added 1/4 t. dried powder right before pouring. Madder powder can get a little

Soap Challenge--Piping

I'm jumping into Amy W's soap challenge here in week 3--piping soap.  I chose to make a version of a batch I made last year--my Sweet Pea scented soap.  It was really popular for me last summer so why mess with a success? Some soapers assume that piping soap means that it must be whipped, but it's not necessary to whip it first.  When I don't want the whipped look (or more frequently, don't want to clean beaters) I just let it sit until it thickens up on its own.  (By the way, don't you adore these itty-bitty dishes?  I just bought them a few weeks ago. A set of four cost $1 at the Dollar Tree!) I used a Wilton tip #3 to make the little squiggles. I added tip #103 sweet peas and made leaves with a # 352 tip. One thing I love about piping soap....it never leaves even a trace of ash to spoil the design.   And then I took lots of pictures (it was a rather photogenic batch).  Here are a few-- These will be cured enough to have them at t