Sweet Treats Mini Soap Chocolates Tutorial

Here is a really cute idea for Valentine's Day or any other occasion from Erin Pikor of Naiad Soap Arts. Learn to make these Sweet Treats Mini Soap Chocolates and give them to your sweetie for Valentine's Day. If you package these in a candy box, you should put a warning that these are not met for eating. They do look good enough to eat!

I will have to give this a try since I already have the mold which I purchased a long time ago but was not planning to use for making edible treats.

Baby it's Cold Outside Snowflake Soap Tutorial

What to create an unique bar of soap for the Winter season? Then why not create these beautiful snowflake soaps? The instructions for these Baby it's Cold Outside Snowflake Soap Tutorial are from Erin Pikor of Naiad Soap Arts.

These would be beautiful to hang from your Christmas tree if you celebrate the holiday. What a great idea to hang them from the tree in your office and give them as gifts to your co-workers in the office.

"Swirling with the Best" Supplemental Tutorial from Saponifier Magazine

At the 7th Anniversary (September 11, 2010) at The Nova Studio, I was lucky enough to win the raffle and had the opportunity to select the "Swirling with the Best" Supplemental Tutorial from Saponifier Magazine ) "Swirling with the Best" is a supplemental tutorial that was inspired by the "Best Swirl" contest held in January 2009 by the leading soap making industry magazine. The contest had 49 entries from all over the world and received over 1,000 votes.

The contributors to this tutorial were Nicole Benitex, Joan Broughton, Debbie Chialtas, Lovena Harwood, Jinaaiaka Jakuszeilt, Lori Nova, Christy Rose, Misty Sprouce, and Ana Bryna Tracy. These contributors wrote and submitted articles on their way they create their own special swirl bars of the soaps. Included in this supplemental are the following articles:

Swirls in the Pot Section: 1-6 Color Swirl in the Pot Method with Log Mold (Cold Process), 6 Color In the Pot Swirl with in the Mold Top Swirls (Cold Process) and 1 Color Oven Hot Process Swirl (Hot Process)

Swirls Done in the Mold Section: 4 Layer Strawberry Fields Forever (Cold Process), Mantra Swirl (Cold Process), Controlled Swirling: Two Easy Techniques (Cold Process), Two Color Contrast Swirl (Cold Process), Coloring Swirled Cold Process Soap, and Marbling Melt and Pour Soap Sugar Plum Hanging Ornament Soap.

Each article is written and layout like very simple step by step recipe card which makes each process of making each recipe to be made with ease. In addition each article is supplemented with colorful photographs which corresponds with each step.

If you would like to order your own copy, to the "Swirling with the Best" Supplemental Tutorial Link for more information on how to order. The supplement come in a different variety of formats: PDF File Download, CD Mailed, and a printed booklet. Each is priced differently. PDF File is $17.95, CD Mailed is $19.95 and a printed booklet is $24.95. Orders for any of the options can be placed via our secure order form at: https://saponifier.wufoo.com/forms/order-form.

Funnel Swirl Soap Tutorial By Lomond Soap

What is really cool about the look of theFunnel Swirl Soap is that each soap from the loaf is completely unique. I was lucky to have the opportunity to take the Advanced Cold Process Soap Class at The Nova Studio back in 2009.  But if you are not fortunate enough to take the class, then check out this Funnel Swirl Soap tutorial by Lomond Soap which so happens to appear on Fresholi Bites.

Make funnel swirl soaps is pretty easy for one person to do. But if you are unsure of yourself pouring two different colors of soap for the first time, you can always ask a friend to help you out.

FUNNEL SWIRLS by Lomond Soap

How they're done!

1. Set up your mould, fully lined. You will need to rig up a device to hold your funnel in place. Mine is 4 chopsticks tied together with bag ties! So long as it doesn't fall over whilst pouring, anything will do. For this technique I find that soaping cool to cold gives you the time to separate, colour & fragrance your batch. You can always put it on the radiator once you're done to kick start the gel.

2. Make up your soap base as normal. Stickblend enough to combine your oils & lye. You want thin trace not thick! (If it's too thick it won't flow through the funnel).

3. Split your soap batter into 2 halves, colour & fragrance each one. Again, only stir enough to combine the additives well. You do not want a thick batter. If you are adventurous you could try 3 or 4 colours. In the pic below I'm adding Titanium Dioxide powder to this half. For pictures go to http://fresholi-bites.blogspot.com/2008/10/funnel-soap-tutorial-by-lomond-soap.html. In the next I'm adding a green colour to the other half.

4. Ok, so now you've got 2 pots of coloured batter. Pour those into 2 jugs ready for pouring. Don't hang around whilst doing this. Have everything ready before you start.

5. Start pouring first one colour, into the funnel, then the other. The amount you pour of each colour will affect the final look, it's trial and error in this part. The pic below shows the mould about half full, you can see how the swirls are building up ( http://fresholi-bites.blogspot.com/2008/10/funnel-soap-tutorial-by-lomond-soap.html).

6. Pour till all your batter is used up. And you're finished! The one I made above is called "Yo! Limey" and turned out like this...It's fun, no 2 bars look the same. For those like me who are swirly challenged, give it a try!

Source: http://fresholi-bites.blogspot.com/2008/10/funnel-soap-tutorial-by-lomond-soap.html