SoapArt - A Blog About Soap and Life

State Soaps Iowa and Nebraska

2012-01-27T19:32:00.000-06:00

I saw some state shaped cookie cutters a while back. Guess what? They can also be soap cutters J

The cutters don’t always stand up the best to soap, but with a little finessing, I can get them to work.

I like that I can make endless color combinations or these, or even just “float” the state in clear soap. I started with Iowa because that’s my state. I don’t have cutters for all 50 states yet, and there may be some that just won’t work. But I look forward to working with as whatever states customers want.

I made Iowa shaped soaps in red and gold and in black and gold. I need to do one in purple and gold too. I also did one in red and white because red is my favorite color. I’m also thinking green and yellow or green and white would be good to go along with the state slogan of “fields of opportunity”.

I also made some Nebraska soaps because I have a few friends who are from there or live there.

What state would you like to see? What color combination would you choose?

Primary Circles

2012-01-26T18:03:00.000-06:00

When I started working on this loaf of soap, I made lots of red, blue and yellow “bubbles”. Then I set them in a white base.

As the soap is used, new patterns will continually emerge. That’s part of the fun. The fragrance is a strawberry-kiwi-berry combination that is sweet and mild. I was able to cut 11 bars from the loaf, and each bar looks similar to the others, but has unique characteristics in it.

The idea came from a book called "SoapyLove" by Debbie Chialtis. It’s a fun book with lots of ideas and beautiful pictures. Thank you, Debbie, for the idea!

You can find the book here http://www.soapylove.com/product/soapy-love-squeaky-clean-projects-using-melt-and-pour-soap and on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Soapylove-Squeaky-Clean-Projects-Melt---Pour/dp/1600611702/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1327592723&sr=8-1

Gardener's Soap Update

2012-01-25T20:43:00.000-06:00

I cut and stamped the gardener’s soap today. The texture was perfect and it was fun to work with. Here’s a picture of it. It will be another couple of weeks before it will be ready. In the meantime, I’ll enjoy its wonderful fragrance every time I walk by the curing rack.

Bramble Berry S.O.A.P. Panel Fragrance Testing

2012-01-24T15:15:00.000-06:00

I just found out that I got selected to be a member of Bramble Berry's S.O.A.P. fragrance testing panel. I'm so excited and honored!

I can't wait to get started. Already I'm planning what products I want to make - but I won't know for sure until I get to smell the fragrances.

Please check back to see what I make and to hear what my thoughts are on the various fragrances.

Thank you, Bramble Berry, www.brambleberry.com for this exciting opportunity!

You can also follow Bramble Berry on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bramble-Berry/100412115503

And here's the blog post where I found out that I get to be a tester.

http://www.soapqueen.com/bramble-berry-news/summer-2012-s-o-a-p-team-clap-clap-clap/#comment-41799

It will probably be a week before I receive the fragrances and start the testing. I'll post pictures and thoughts once I have a chance to test the fragrances.

Soap On A Stick

2012-01-23T21:29:00.000-06:00

Glycerin soap base offers endless possibilities for crafting and creating. It's fun to work with and fun to try different things. So far, I have made soap on a stick to resemble fudge bars, orange cream bars, semi-transparent popsicles, and swirled smoothie type bars.

The name of this soap was inspired by the Iowa State Fair, where you can find all kinds of food on a stick. Instead of food on a stick that you can eat, this is soap on a stick that your skin will love.

The decorative and functional soap is made from a glycerin base that is full of lather and cleaning power. With lots of natural goodness, this soap is sure to be a welcome treat for skin anytime of the year. Soap on a Stick weighs 3 ounces and is the size of a regular Popsicle.

You can see more about this fun soap at www.soapartonline.com.

Football!

2012-01-21T12:16:00.001-06:00

This weekend is a big one for football. I’m looking forward to taking some time to watch the games tomorrow. My teams are out, but I still enjoy watching the games. It’s hard to believe that Super Bowl Sunday is almost here and there won’t be great football games to watch each weekend. On the plus side, maybe I’ll get caught up on some things around the house.

Here’s a little soap I’ve wanted to make for a while. It’s scented in a leather fragrance and of course is full of lather and quality ingredients that are excellent for our skin.

Want more details on the soap? Check it out at www.soapartonline.com

A Snowy Day in Eastern Iowa

2012-01-20T15:10:00.000-06:00

Well, the snow found its way from Seattle to Eastern Iowa. Most of the schools are closed in our area, and I'm looking out onto a blanket of white. Thankfully, it's warm inside.

Today I made gardener’s soap in preparation for spring. It smells wonderful and has poppy seeds and corn meal for extra scrubbing power. I’ll get to unmold and cut the soaps in a couple of days. I have recently started stamping some of my soaps from scratch with my logo. So there will be some of that going on in the near future as well.

Here’s a picture of the gardener’s soap in the mold all covered up with plastic wrap.

Bramble Berry SOAP Fragrance Panel

2012-01-19T09:51:00.001-06:00

So, it's been a while since I wrote. The last couple of months have been crazy-busy, which is wonderful! I had my best ever holiday season and have been working to get my stock built back up.

Yesterday I made several batches of Cold Process Soap From Scratch. It was a blast. Soon I get to check on them all and see if they are ready to cut. Some Bramble Berry fragrances I used yesterday include Cherry Blossom, Oatmeal, Milk and Honey, and Lilac. I also made some loaves using Bramble Berry's Clove Leaf Essential Oil and ground clove. These soaps will be ready for use in about a month.

Bramble Berry, www.brambleberry.com, (also on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bramble-Berry/100412115503) is an awesome soap supplier! They are having a contest to choose a panel of soap and makers to test some new fragrances they are considering. I am a fragrance hound. I love trying new ones! And I love Bramble Berry’s high quality fragrances. They include lots of great information about their fragrance oils on their website. There’s lots of great information there that helps me choose which fragrances to try. I would be honored to get to be a tester for a few new fragrances that are under consideration.

It is really hard for me to narrow the field down and choose one fragrance as my favorite. There are so many that I just can’t live without. But if I had to, I would choose Brambleberry’s Oatmeal, Milk and Honey http://www.brambleberry.com/Oatmeal-Milk-And-Honey-Fragrance-Oil-P3931.aspx. For those of you who have used my Oatmeal soaps, this is the fragrance you love too! The oatmeal soaps, both cold process and melt and pour, are consistently my best sellers. Thanks to all of you who have sampled, purchased, and used them J

And thanks to Bramble Berry, a wonderful supplier who provides high quality products, stellar customer service, and lots of projects, tips and support for their products and for business in general.
Oh, and one last thing. Dear Bramble Berry – Please pick me!

ROY G BIV Soap

2011-11-05T13:23:00.001-05:00

I love rainbows. I also love soap. So I just had to make a rainbow soap. I call it ROY G BIV soap. It’s fun to make and the house smells so good while I’m making it. I made a full loaf each of sample size and full size bars. Each layer has its own wonderful fragrance. Here’s what each layer is:

Red: Cherry

Orange: Orange
Yellow: Lemon
Green: Lime
Blue: Blueberry
Indigo: Blueberry Grape
Violet: Grape Soda

The overall effect of the different scented layers is wonderful. It can be a little tricky to make. Each layer must be poured at just the right temperature so it doesn’t melt the existing layers. It’s also important that the already poured layers don’t harden too much before the next layer is added so the layers adhere to each other.

I am offering this soap for sale on www.soapartonline.com in the sample size bar, full size bar, sample loaf and full size loaf.

Thanks for reading!

October Special for Facbook Fans

2011-10-10T14:42:00.000-05:00

For the remainder of October, Facebook Fans who place an order of $25 or more and enter the code will receive a free Breast Cancer Awareness Pink Ribbon Soap. If you’re not a Facebook Fan, you can find me at https://www.facebook.com/SoapArt

I have some other great news! During the months of October and November, all wax warmers are on sale at www.soapartonline.com These warmers make great gifts, so this sale is a great way to save while getting some of your holiday shopping done. Check out the great selection of soy waffles, too.

Sandwich Cookie Soap

2011-09-23T21:53:00.001-05:00

Do you like Oreos? I have always loved Oreos. After all, what’s not to love? Instead of buying and eating a whole bag of sandwich cookies, I decided to make some chocolate sandwich cookie soap. They are the same size as a typical sandwich cookie, which makes them a great size for big and little hands alike.

They have a nice chocolate/vanilla sandwich cookie smell. The jury is still out on whether they will squelch my cookie cravings. I’m afraid I might just take a bite of a soap cookie one of these days!

I had a bit of a scare one day when I only saw two soap cookies on the plate instead of three. I thought, "Oh no! What if someone ate a soap cookie (like me in my sleep)!" Fortunately, no one had. There just was a cookie out of my line of site. Whew!

Soap Therapy

2011-09-22T22:38:00.000-05:00

Today I had a bit of soap therapy. By that I mean I got to make soap. My favorite soap to make is the soap from scratch. It’s so much fun to make, but it’s hard to wait the three or four weeks until it’s ready. I had a heyday today and made three different kinds!

I made clove soap because I’m almost out, and it’s my go-to soap that I always keep in the shower. Then I made a batch of lilac. It’s another one that I love, and I try to always have it on hand. The lilac smell is just like spring lilacs in bloom. The third batch I made was a first timer. I love the At the Lodge fragrance, and regularly have soy waffles in that fragrance melting in my wax warmers. I’m anxious to see how it turns out!

Candy Corn Glycerin Soap

2011-09-20T22:51:00.000-05:00

Glycerin soap is so fun to work with because of its versatility. I also enjoy it because I get so much feedback from people who have used it and can tell an improvement in their skin from the start. I have wanted to make candy corn soap for quite some time, but until now didn’t get the timing right. I finally time it during the fall season! It was fun (and slightly challenging) to get the colors to look realistic. I am really happy with how it looks and smells. I made a full size loaf and a sample loaf then cut them into individual bars. Now they are all wrapped, labeled and ready to go. The smell delicious even through the packaging. Yum! Now I’m off to sneak a few pieces of candy corn from my bag of the real thing.

Here's a look at the soaps.

Nougat Candy Sample Glycerin Soap

2011-09-08T20:51:00.000-05:00

These cute little one ounce soaps were inspired by a nougat candy that contains chewy fruity pieces surrounded by white nougat. So yummy! The soaps smell kind of like fruit loops cereal. They look and smell good enough to eat, but I’m sure they don’t taste as good as the candies themselves.

I took lots of brightly colored fruit scented pieces and then poured white soap base around them. The result was a loaf of soap that I then carefully cut into individual bars that weigh roughly 1 ounce. Each bar is unique, and it will change with use because some colors will appear that are now hidden by the white base. This is one fun, delicious-smelling soap!

Here are a couple of pictures to give you an idea of what they look like. If I could figure out how to send the fragrance through the computer, I think it would make your mouth water.

Pumpkin Spice Glycerin Soap

2011-09-06T21:57:00.000-05:00

I love summer. I am never ready for it to end. Not that I don’t like fall. I do. I just don’t like that winter follows as I’m not a fan of cold weather. Even though I’m not ready for fall, I wanted to get started on some fall projects. So I made a pumpkin soap that I’ve wanted to make for a while. Our house still smells like fresh baked pumpkin pie! I love pumpkin pie, so I’m basking in the delicious smell and maybe, just maybe, I’m getting a little bit ready for fall now that I've gotten a whiff of these pumpkin spice soaps.

Each bar is unique, but this is what the finished bars look like.

This is a basketful of sample sizes of oatmeal, milk and honey soaps and the pumpkin spice soaps.

Making Lip Balm

2011-09-02T19:37:00.000-05:00

I tend to turn lip balm making into a marathon. It’s so hard to decide which flavors to make next, so I end up trying to make them all! Each time I make a new flavor, it becomes my favorite for a while. I haven’t made any that I didn’t care for. The vanilla is wonderful, and the pomegranate is my old standby. I just made blue raspberry not long ago, and I’m enjoying that a lot right now.

The lip balms are fun to make. After they are cooled and capped, it’s time to label them. Labeling used to involve super glue and index cards. I switched to using adhesive labels, and that has made the process a little simpler. Next it’s time to put shrink wrap on them. The final step is to heat the shrink wrap into place. If you’ve never done this, you should really try it sometime. It’s fun to watch the wrap shrink onto the product. The shrink wrap bands come with a perforation in them so users can remove just the portion on the cap leave the bottom part on to help the label stay in place.

I just got a new shipment of lip balm flavors, and can hardly wait to try them.

Here are a few new flavors I’ll be making soon:

Candy Corn

Chocolate Mint
Gummy Bear
Lemonade
Orange Cream
Peace of Mind
Pearberry

Lotion Bars

2011-08-30T20:47:00.001-05:00

When I first began formulating a lotion bar recipe, I knew I wanted a product that would be highly moisturizing without feeling greasy. It was important to me to stay away from nut products (including shea, which comes from the nut of the fruit from the karite tree that grows in West Africa). After some trial and error, I came up with my current recipe.

Here’s a little information about the role each ingredient plays. The Beeswax contributes healing, antiseptic, emollient and softening properties. The Apricot Oil is said to penetrate the skin without leaving an oily feel. The Sal Butter is said to moisturize the skin and help prevent wrinkles. While it is said to also offer protection from the sun and other harsh elements, I would not recommend relying on it as a sun blocker. Vitamin E is an antioxidant and also possesses some anti-aging benefits to skin.

There is usually some color and fragrance oil added. All ingredients have FDA approval for use on the skin. A friend of mine who is a hair dresser told me that my lotion bars are the only thing that keeps her hands from getting cracks in the winter and the only product she has tried that keeps her cuticles nice all winter.

Oatmeal, Milk and Honey Glycerin Soap

2011-08-29T19:39:00.000-05:00

This is a revised version of one of the first glycerin soaps I made. On my first try, I made them in round molds with the oatmeal on the top part of the bar. Someone dubbed it my cheesecake soap. Yep, it did look a lot like a mini cheesecake.

I love the combination of oatmeal, wheat germ and goat milk in this soap. It’s so nourishing for the skin. The smell is hard to describe, but it’s absolutely delectable. I decided to make some sample bars as well as the full size bars this time. The sample size soaps make good gifts and are a great way to try a few fragrances to find your favorite. Or if you’re like me, sample sizes will give you lots of variety in case you just can’t settle on a favorite.

Robot Toy Glycerin Soap

2011-08-28T15:14:00.000-05:00

I made a test batch of these cute little soaps today. They are a great size for kids’ hands at 2.5x2x.75 inches. The child will be able to get to the robot after several hand washings. A prolonged soak in the tub will hurry that process along. I would guess that a determined child could find other ways to release the robot. I need to test these to make sure the robot holds up through everything. They are scented with a yummy berry fragrance that kids love.

The pictures aren't the greatest, as I took them on my counter with wax paper as the background : ) But they'll give you the general idea.

Do you like the clear soap surrounding the robot? Or do you think white or colored soap to partially hide the toy would be more appealing?

Jasmine Goat Milk Soap

2011-08-27T14:14:00.001-05:00

I'm keeping track of Hurricane Irene by watching the weather channel while I get some much needed soaping done. I'll share pictures of today's creations in an upcoming blog.

I recently made a batch of soap that was kind of an experiment. I am working on perfecting a goat milk soap recipe, and I think I finally got it. I colored this with neon pink and blue and swirled the colors together. The jasmine started out very strong, and it’s still pretty good. I’m happy with how it looks, but the best part is how it works. It is very creamy and has lots of wonderful bubbles. There are big bubbles and little bubbles. And I love how my skin feels after I use the goat milk soap. The picture shows the soap in the pan before I cut it into bars.

The picture below shows some individual bars that I cut from the pan.

Hurricane Irene

2011-08-26T17:17:00.002-05:00

So, I have been thinking about what to write about today, but I’m having trouble getting my mind off Hurricane Irene. My heart goes out to all those who have already been affected by the storm and to those who are preparing for its arrival. I cannot imagine how hard it must be to have to evacuate your home/business to wait out the storm, having no idea what you will find upon your return. My thoughts and prayers are with all who are/will be affected.

Clove Soap

2011-08-25T17:07:00.001-05:00

My go-to soap from scratch right now is Clove. It’s hard to choose a favorite, because I love all of them (Well, almost all of them. I must say I’m not a fan of lavender yet). Here’s what I like best about the clove soap:

- It’s moisturizing
- It’s exfoliating. I add ground cloves to give it scrubbing power.
- It’s bubbly!
- Clove is a natural odor combatant – so I feel extra clean : )
- Last, but best of all – the fragrance is amazing!!

Clove soap is a great unisex soap that can be used as hand soap or as an all over body soap. If you’ve tried the Clove Soap, would you take a minute and let everyone know what you think?

New Website

2011-08-24T20:59:00.004-05:00

I am very excited about my new website at www.soapartonline.com. I have lots of products up, and will continue to add products on a regular basis. I just switched hosts, and I could not be happier with my new host : )

Older posts will give you a little history about SoapArt. The short version is this:

I began making soap in 2008. Other products I make include lotion bars, lip balms and candles. All of these products are almost all natural and are offered at an affordable price. Many are offered in a wide variety of scents and colors. A big part of the fun of soap making is working with the colors and fragrances.

I always have new product ideas swimming around in my mind – it seems I have more ideas than I have time to create them : )

Do you have an idea for a product you’d like to see SoapArt offer?

Lip Balm

2010-05-06T22:18:00.000-05:00

I made some lip balms the other day. The light orange one is Papaya, and the light green one is Fresh Mint. The Fresh Mint is tried and true. The Papaya is a first time venture. The lip balms are fun to make. After they are cooled and capped, it’s time to label them. This involves glue runner and index cards. Next it’s time to put shrink wrap on them. The final step is to heat the shrink wrap into place. If you’ve never done this, you really should try it sometime. It’s fun to watch the wrap shrink onto the product. The shrink wrap bands come with a perforation in them so users can twist the cap off and leave the label intact. At just a $1.50 each, you can try both the mint and the papaya, or buy some for a friend. Check out http://www.soapartonline.com for additional flavor choices.

Candles Too

2010-05-03T12:58:00.001-05:00

I have been interested in candle making since I made my first basic candles as a kid. My Mom, a creative person herself, was a trooper to put up with my messy experiments. I enjoyed choosing the colors, fragrances and novelty shapes. I remember my favorite mold was for a frog candle. Burning candles that I made was quite a kick. My sister reminded me that she and Mom used to make ice candles using milk cartons and . . . tada . . . ice cubes.

I added candles to my soap, lotion and lip balm products in 2009. I offer a wide selection of candles and am working to expand my candle line. Here’s a little information about some of the candles I currently sell.

Gel Tarts: These little candles are in the shapes of mini pies. They smell divine, and, burn nicely for about 30 hours. They are about 3 ½ inches in diameter and an inch high. Right now they are available in apple, blueberry, cherry and pecan. They look and smell great as part of the décor and also produce nice fragrance and light while they are burning.

Wax Waffles: These 100% soy wax waffles are designed for melting in a warmer. You just break off one or two pieces, pop them in a tart warmer, and enjoy flameless fragrance. I love these on those days when I am running errands throughout the day and don’t want to risk leaving a candle burning while I’m gone. And in the heat of Iowa summers, it’s nice to have the fragrance with no added heat from the flame of a candle. Okay, maybe that’s a stretch – candles don’t put off that much heat, but there must be some psychological effect. I also sell the warmers in which to melt the wax waffles.

Soy Candles: I offer 100% soy candles in a variety of containers. Soy is wonderful to work with, and I like using natural soy rather than paraffin. But soy candle making presents some challenges. The biggest challenge is to produce a soy candle with a strong, lasting fragrance. For some reason, soy wax doesn’t hold the fragrance as well as paraffin candles do.

Pillar Candles: I'm working on some interesting pillar candles, but don't have any of those up for sale yet. I’ll keep working on them until I develop some that I like.

It's amazing the amount of time and effort it takes to test new candles. Want to be a candle tester? Just let me know. I always have some candles hanging around waiting to go through the testing process. Things that need tested include how the wick burns, how the candle looks as it burns, how the fragrance acts when the candle is sitting idle and also while it is burning. Also important are the height of the flame and the circumference and depth of the melted wax pool that is produced while the candle is burning.

Jean

soapart@soapartonline.com

2010-05-02T16:50:00.000-05:00

I began making soap in 2008. Other products I make include lotion bars, lip balms and candles. All of these products are almost all natural and are offered at an affordable price. You can gather all of these products in many different scents and colors and I am willing to try new things out if they are not already made. I also have seasonal scents and designs and create gift baskets and other unique products. Here are the descriptions of some of my products and I would encourage you to check out the website for pictures, pricing, ingredients, and if you would like to buy you can do that too! Soaps from Scratch: Containing nutrient rich oils that are mild and have good cleansing powers with lots of big bubbles. There are essential oils and many different fragrances. These soaps are best when placed in a dish that allows for air circulation around them. Soap logs are available on request and measure 8x3.5x2.5 inches. Molded Soaps: Handcrafted with a premade base from fine oils. There are no harsh detergents that are usually found in commercial soaps and can be made in many shapes, colors, and scents. These make perfect hostess gifts and come in popular shapes like sunflower, moonbeam, starfish, dolphins, lemons and the heart shape is perfect for goat's milk soaps. You can also request monogrammed soaps and different geometric patterns. Lotion Bars: Each bar in 1.5 inches in diameter and about a 1/2 in high. The bar comes packaged in a tin and is small enough to keep just about anywhere. They are made from a combination of beeswax and moisturizing oils and butters. You want to hold the bar in both hands to release the oils then rub on your hands, elbows, feet, or where ever needs it. These come in many scents, and colors. Lip Balms: 4 grams of natural oils, butters, and beeswax that will make your lips soft. Most have flavor or essential oils and color added. You can have one with no flavor or color added. Don't see a flavor that you want? Email me and suggest it. Chances are, I can make it work.

For me, part of the enjoyment of making personal care products is creating new products. The other part of the fun is making products that customers want and love. The lotion bars have been particularly popular with customers.
I am constantly working on product development. I am playing with salts and scrubs right now and want to delve into the liquid soap realm one of these days. Let me know if you are interested in testing any of my products-in-process. If you have ideas for new products you’d like SoapArt to carry, I’d love to hear about them.

Email me at soapart@soapartonline.com or visit the website http://www.soapartonline.com and browse or buy something fun!

I love feedback, so please let me know what you think!