Feather Swirl Soap

I recently tried the ''Feather Swirl' soaping technique. 

I didn't actually get a 'Feather', but.....I did get a leaf! 

That's the exciting (and frustrating) part of soaping. 

You just never know what you are going to find when you do 'the cut'! 

Here are some pics on the process.

 I used oils and fragrance oils I that knew would not trace quickly. 

Castor Oil

Coconut Oil

Olive Oil

Lavender EO

Lemongrass FO

I needed a very light trace to make this work.

I set the dividers close together (about and inch apart)

                                          

I used 5 different colors in 5 different containers.

I poured about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of soap in each container, except the

one with titanium dioxide which was in a squeeze bottle: added only about 1/4 cup.

Very slowly I poured a line of colored soap down 

the middle of the partitioned off section of the mold, and

repeated this process until I had very little soap batter left.

I filled up the outside sectioned with the rest of the white batter

(it never really was a true white).

When I was through layering the colors I slide the partitions out.

Taking the instrument I use for doing a hanger swirl I

did just that: the hanger swirl.

I put the hanger right down the middle of the colored layers of

soap until it touched the bottom.

Slowly I dragged the hanger along the bottom of the

mold and then brought it up against the far side

of the mold and out.

I poured on the rest of the uncolored soap batter for the final layer,

and dribbled what was left of the colored soap

on top and made a swirl design.

Twenty four hours later I took it out of the mold.

Because this was a Bastile Soap (over 50% Olive Oil)

it was still a bit soft. But.......I had

to at least cut the ends off! I am very impatient

when it comes to seeing what it inside a new soap!

I was able to cut the rest of the soap within

a few hours. Here are the rest of the cuts.

If you need a more visual process here is

Claudia Pazfernik's video on:

silent soaping - Secret Feather Swirl

on YouTube.

           

                                 

Happy Thursday!

Thanks for stopping by

and

come back soon!

Life is good!

Valerie

Support your local companies!

Ok.

Have you ever started to make soap, lotion, or creams just to discover you are just about out of the ingredients that you will need? 

I think we all have at one point or another. Very frustrating, especially when you have an order to fill, or the inspiration bug has hit you.

I must confess that most items I'm wanting I go look online  first. Local stores usually do not have  the items that I need. I usually buy in bulk which can save me a bit of moolah, so I stock up from a few places I like because of their great prices.

So today.....I discover I needed more beeswax. I have just enough for one or two batches of 'Lotion Bars', but not much more. I need to make at least three, maybe four, different scented batches so I had to just breath and think. 

You always hear: shop locally when and if you can. Ok. 

Then I thought about our wonderful local Honey Man. I have purchased beeswax from him before, but not in bulk like I like to. I was ready to settle for buying small amounts until I could find another reasonable venue on line. I say that because two years ago  5 lbs of beeswax sold for $27.50 at one of my  favorite online stores, and now it sells it for.............$51.25! I think I almost fainted!  So.... back to our local supply. Even if it meant going back numerous times because of buying in small quantities I was willing to do it.

Well....I feel like I was given a present  when I found out our local 'The Honey Man' sells beeswax in 5lb blocks! It won't be like the little pellets I'm used to getting; you just throw those in the pan and melt them, but at this point I am totally ecstatic about my block of beeswax! I can do the shave thing or I can  cut off small portions; the main thing is now I have beeswax for awhile and I'm shopping local!

                                                              Happy Monday! 

          

                                                               Life is good!

                                                                    Valerie 

Bath Truffles

Just had to share this lushish looking bath truffle that I made!  

Very easy to make. I scented these goodies with Rose FO and Rich Dark Chocolate FO.

Soooo Awesome!

I was inspired by Sarah Milroy 

at 'Spicy Pinecone'. 

All you need is some inspiration, and a few ingredients.

10 oz baking soda

5 oz citric acid

6 oz hard butter such as Cocoa Butter

And .35 oz fragrance oil of you choice

Weigh out baking soda and citric acid and mix well. Make sure you get out all the clumps.

Melt your hard butter in a double boiler, or in the microwave using 30 second bursts. 

Add coloring to your hard butter along with the fragrance oil. 

Sarah Malroy said to be careful with using mica's for colorant. You can, but use very little because it will stain your tub.

Mix the butter into the dry ingredients until well blended. Pour into mold of your choice. 

I used a silicone brownie bits mold.

Set aside and let harden over night.

Next day you make a fourth of the recipe above. You don't have to scent it if you don't want to. You can color this as well with a bit of TD or any other colorant.  

Here is where you'll have to work fast. Pour the mixture into a pipping bag (or a zip lock bag) and get the mixture down to the tip and very carefully snip a small part of the corner off. Pipe the mixture over the truffles and add what ever you want in the top. I added a glycerine soap melt and pour rose.  

Let dry for 24-48 hours. Then drop one in a tub of hot water, and enjoy! 

Use caution when getting out if the tub, as it may be slippery! 

They look sooooo good! Good enough to eat! But please.......don't! Lol

If you need a better picture of the whole process you can watch Sarah Milroys YouTube on making Bath Truffles - Day 1 and Day 2. 

Have a great weekend! 

Valerie