Friday, September 11, 2009

Gothic Pumpkin Soaps

Halloween is coming and I love the fall holidays! I picked up a fun Halloween magazine yesterday and was inspired to make a new soap. If you're looking to add a touch of black to your designs, you will really like this single pour project!



Supplies for 2 bars of soap: (you can get everything from Bramble Berry except for transfer sheet which is from Fancy Flours)

8 oz of clear soap base
Silver mica
Black oxide (optional)
Pepperberry fragrance oil (or any you like, but this has a really nice spicey scent)
Heavy duty octagon mold (or any flat faced mold you have)
"Floral Scroll Black" chocolate transfer sheet from Fancy Flours
Knife, cutting board, scissors, rubbing alcohol in spray bottle, yadda yadda

(Click on photo to enlarge)

1) Choose a design that has very little detail. Sketch it on paper first and make sure it will fit in your mold.

2) Cut your shape out of your transfer sheet. Be very careful to avoid touching the rough side, since it's very sensitive and can smudge easily.

3) Touch your finger into a drop of vegetable oil or liquid glycerin and apply a thin coat to the mold where you will put your design. Place your design, SMOOTH SIDE DOWN, into the mold and use a pencil to touch the transfer gently and make sure it's completely stuck down. You don't want any air pockets where the soap can sneak under.



4) Melt 6-8 ounces of clear soap base (depending on the capacity of your soap molds) by cutting soap base into small chunks (dice sized), and heat at full power in a microwave for 30 seconds. Stir until all remaining chunks are melted. Dissolve a pea sized amount of silver mica in a 1/4 teaspoon of rubbing alcohol and stir into melted soap. You can add a touch of black (dissolved in alcohol again) if you would like a deeper shade like I have. Stir in 3 mL of fragrance oil (completely a personal choice. Use more or less!)

5) LET SOAP COOL A LOT! You need to pour this super super cool. If a skin is forming on the surface, that's good! It should be between 110-115 degrees. Now pour into your mold, but pour at the edge of the mold so the soap runs over your design. Do not pour directly onto the transfer.

6) Allow soaps to harden completely overnight. Unmold by inverting mold and pushing on the back with your thumbs until soaps pop out. Gently pry an edge of the plastic up and peel off. Voila!

You can wrap these soaps in Saran Wrap and close the ends at the back with tape or a sticker, or put in a treat bag and tie tightly with a ribbon.

If you like this technique please check out more projects in my book, or if you're in the Halloween spirit please check out my latest issue of Let's Get Soapy which is chock full of soapy tricks and treats! Thanks!

19 comments:

Amy said...

I LOVE THIS! I had some printable papers but they have not worked right thus far! I'd love to try this method!!

Brigette said...

Very cool. Thanks for the tutorial

SingingWolf said...

Love this project! Also love getting an online source for the transfer papers since I haven't been able to find them locally. :-D

SingingWolf said...

I meant to ask, what colors are most prone to bleed on those transfer papers? I'm already planning on skipping reds *pout* but are there others I should avoid?

Unknown said...

I'm glad you like it Mamas, Brigette, and SingingWolf!

SW - I have found that only white, black, and metallics are colorfast. The other colors bleed pretty quickly! Considering they're all food colors, it makes sense. They must use pigments for the non-bleeders. Have fun!

Anonymous said...

Wonderful...thank you!

And I can't wait to get your new book into my grubby (or soapy) little paws! ;)

SingingWolf said...

Yay for the black being color fast! *grin*

Amy W said...

These are amazing!! Some days I wish I did M&P. :) Very creative!

Erin Pikor said...

What a beautiful and elegant project! Thank you for sharing your wonderful ideas with us! I really have to get some of those transfer sheets!

miranda said...

excellent. thank you for this amazing tutorial, Soapylove!

Burnt Mill Candles and Soap said...

super cool! thanks for the directions on this one :)

Heather said...

Do you think it would also work with Water Soluble paper?

Unknown said...

Thank you so much everyone! Glad you like the project!

Heather - I don't know about water soluble paper. I haven't tried that out yet. Maybe someone else will chime in with their experience.

Anne-Marie said...

Gasp! Debbie, these soaps are way too cute!

I think this could totally work with water soluble paper but you would need to pour a thin layer of clear soap to embed the paper- then pour your pearly white layer. Check out www.soapqueen.tv (episode 9) for instructions on water soluble paper. Hope this helps =)

Rose Carbajal said...

Debbie this soap looks great!

Is this the same concept as the Tattoo Soap article from SoapQueen?

or how is it different?

Thnx!

Unknown said...

Anne-Marie - thanks for chiming in about the water soluble paper!

Rose - this project is a little different because you can cut your own shape and you place the transfer into your mold before you pour. I believe the tattoos get applied after the soap is finished.

Rose Carbajal said...

awesome!

Thnx Debbie :)

I tried out the tattoo soaps awhile ago (cutsie for kids), and will definitely do this transfer image project as well since it will allow me to use any design which I'm pretty sure adults would love!

Amanda Kelly said...

Such a cute idea! Thank you for showing how to do it.. I may have to try this idea out and send them with some of my Halloween greeting card line I Just finished :D

soyoungi blog said...

Debbie! Thank you for the wonderful tutorial! I would LOVE to try this soon! I am thinking I can do in Christmas theme! XD