Amy Ward of Great Cakes Soapworks has generously started another round of challenges to soapmakers and I have joined this year for trying different different swirling techniques in soap. Here is where you can see Amy's video on how to do this technique. Before I go any further I would really like to thank Amy for doing these Challenges as it allows all of us to try new things.
So our first challenge is the Tiger Stripe. As most of you know I love Pink so I decided to do Pink & Black for my colours, nice high contrast. Everything was going according to plan, got the pink to where I wanted it, the black was a lovely deep black and then I added the fragrance. It left the pink gorgeous but it morphed into a lovely grey, I loved it!
Now comes the pour. I decided to leave this at a fairly thin trace in order to make sure it didn't get too thick. I used a well behaved fragrance so I knew it wouldn't make it move too fast (Energy). Unfortunately, it was too thin so the first part of the pour was not quite what I was going for. By the middle of the loaf it had gone to where I wanted it to be. At the end, well it was too thick, of course. But I soldiered on, I wasn't going to let mere soap best me and I did my normal top with lots of glitter.
Now the wait was on. What was this going to look like when I unmoulded it and cut? How bad was it? Here I am, am experienced soapmaker, fussing like a newby about what was inside the soap. It's amazing what a challenge will do to you!
It's now tomorrow, I can open up the present that is my soap. Oh heaven this is as exciting as Christmas except there was some trepidation involved. I lift it out of its mould, good so far, unwrap the soap, hmmmm maybe a little soft yet. Should I wait? Nah.. I pull out the cutter, prepare the soap to go in and slice!
Here is what I found!
I am pleased and this was fun so I will be doing this again.
Amy, thank you for the learning opportunity. I look forward to the next challenge.....
To see all of the participants take a look at Amy's Blog HERE
So our first challenge is the Tiger Stripe. As most of you know I love Pink so I decided to do Pink & Black for my colours, nice high contrast. Everything was going according to plan, got the pink to where I wanted it, the black was a lovely deep black and then I added the fragrance. It left the pink gorgeous but it morphed into a lovely grey, I loved it!
Now comes the pour. I decided to leave this at a fairly thin trace in order to make sure it didn't get too thick. I used a well behaved fragrance so I knew it wouldn't make it move too fast (Energy). Unfortunately, it was too thin so the first part of the pour was not quite what I was going for. By the middle of the loaf it had gone to where I wanted it to be. At the end, well it was too thick, of course. But I soldiered on, I wasn't going to let mere soap best me and I did my normal top with lots of glitter.
It's now tomorrow, I can open up the present that is my soap. Oh heaven this is as exciting as Christmas except there was some trepidation involved. I lift it out of its mould, good so far, unwrap the soap, hmmmm maybe a little soft yet. Should I wait? Nah.. I pull out the cutter, prepare the soap to go in and slice!
Here is what I found!
I am pleased and this was fun so I will be doing this again.
Amy, thank you for the learning opportunity. I look forward to the next challenge.....
To see all of the participants take a look at Amy's Blog HERE
