# Soapy Sunday 11/17 Embeds and gold mica.



## TVivian (Nov 17, 2013)

Just popped these two in the oven. The first has colorful embeds in a charcoal colored soap scented with BB's Fresh Snow. The second is an almond milk soap with a gold pencil line and scented with a mix of Peak coconut and BB vanilla select. Can't wait till the morning to CUT!


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## AKjulz (Nov 18, 2013)

Beautiful!  Are the embeds sticks that go all the way to the bottom?  I have some soap that I want to try that with.  Can't wait to see these cut!


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## shivani (Nov 18, 2013)

I know they would definately look great..i've seen your other soaps also..all look awsome..but how do they look so creamy,glossy and cheezy as wud love to eat them..i also want to make soaps so smooth n creamy..please some tips.


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## ourwolfden (Nov 18, 2013)

Pretty!  I really like the second one.


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## Ancel (Nov 18, 2013)

Cut! Cut! Cut! Love the look of the charcoal  Cut!!!


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## judymoody (Nov 18, 2013)

They look terrific!  Can't wait to see cut pics.


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## cmzaha (Nov 18, 2013)

Looking Gorgeous!!


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## TVivian (Nov 18, 2013)

Cut pics!


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## hlee (Nov 18, 2013)

You make beautiful soaps!


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## porumi (Nov 18, 2013)

Beautiful work!


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## TVivian (Nov 18, 2013)

shivani said:


> I know they would definately look great..i've seen your other soaps also..all look awsome..but how do they look so creamy,glossy and cheezy as wud love to eat them..i also want to make soaps so smooth n creamy..please some tips.



Thanks Shivani! My goal has been to get a smoother, shinier soap so it's so nice to read that!  I have to say that since I've started soaping (which has only been a few months now) I've really changed my mixing technique. 
Before I would add my fragrances to the oil and mix to light trace before pouring into the mold. As soon as I saw trace happening or a bit of ricing, I would freak out and panic and get it into the mold as soon as I could. My soap was always a bit grainy and usually with tiny air bubbles all over. 

Now, I don't add fragrance to the oil. Just the color and the lye mixture. When I start stick blending, the soap usually thickens quickly. Sometimes it looks "grainy" and I think this is mostly because I use my lye at room temperature and I think the cool lye is actually causing the melted hard oils to re-harden? I'm not positive but I think that's what was causing the ricing that panicked me so.. Anyhow, back to my story. So now I keep mixing and eventually go to a whisk and I find that the mixture actually thins out after a few minutes and it starts looking shiny and silky. I then add my fragrance and additives and put it into the mold. 
Also, I'm very careful to read up about what the particular fragrance or EO I use is going to do to my soap. I don't like surprises


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## TVivian (Nov 18, 2013)

Thanks everyone! A couple of my soaps broke at the mica line grrr.. Hope the rest hold.


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## neeners (Nov 18, 2013)

love the soaps!  so gorgeous!


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## lsg (Nov 18, 2013)

Gorgeous soap!


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## Lildlege1 (Nov 18, 2013)

Awesome soap!! Beautiful colors.


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## yadonm (Nov 18, 2013)

You really do make beautiful soaps.  They are so artistic!


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## angelsthreeinc (Nov 18, 2013)

I agree awesome soaps!


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## Hazel (Nov 18, 2013)

Those are wonderful!


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## shivani (Nov 19, 2013)

Thanx for sharing.. Bt if you keep mixing after trace even with a whisk,will it not get very thick to pour?? When will you post the pics of cut-out soap pieces? M so curious to see them..


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## shivani (Nov 19, 2013)

Oh sorry..i've seen the pics..looks great as thought..i saw the second page first.


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## Ancel (Nov 19, 2013)

Beautiful! And very interesting that your batter thins out a little after whisking. I really enjoy it when you make soap  Thank for sharing!


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## renata (Nov 19, 2013)

Gorgeous soaps as always


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## TVivian (Nov 19, 2013)

shivani said:


> Thanx for sharing.. Bt if you keep mixing after trace even with a whisk,will it not get very thick to pour?? When will you post the pics of cut-out soap pieces? M so curious to see them..



It doesn't seem to, it seems to hold and get smoother and shinier. After I read your question, I was wondering if I was mixing too thick to do swirls. I've never done swirls only stripes. So today I made two batches and swirled both. We'll see how these turn out. The yellow one is a beer soap, my first!


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## TVivian (Nov 19, 2013)

Thank you again everyone for your sweet and encouraging comments! I'm on a roll trying to get my last soaps in before the Christmas deadline!


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## evilnurse (Nov 19, 2013)

Really love your soap!


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## kazmi (Nov 19, 2013)

I hope that my embeds come out half as nice as yours did! I've never done imbeds before so I gave it a try yesterday while waiting (all day!) for our internet to come back on. I'm trying to be patient and not take it out of the mold before its time HA ssoooooo hard to do! I think your swirls will come out perfect! Is the one on the right a mantra swirl?


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## TVivian (Nov 20, 2013)

Thanks evilnurse! 




kazmi said:


> I hope that my embeds come out half as nice as yours did! I've never done imbeds before so I gave it a try yesterday while waiting (all day!) for our internet to come back on. I'm trying to be patient and not take it out of the mold before its time HA ssoooooo hard to do! I think your swirls will come out perfect! Is the one on the right a mantra swirl?



Ooh! I can't wait to see pictures of your soap! I just really love seeing everyone's creations on this forum. It's not a mantra swirl, I just did a simple in the pot swirl and used the extra on top in a mantra-like design. I'm dying to cut!!!


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## shivani (Nov 20, 2013)

Ohh wow!! Again no words..just awesome..n again I know they wud look good n feel good..mine gets realy thick within seconds,hard to pour smoothly..i think might be bcoz I add 30% butters..n urs might be more of oils so they remain smooth and ya, yummy looking..u r so good.


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## kazmi (Nov 21, 2013)

TVivian said:


> Ooh! I can't wait to see pictures of your soap! I just really love seeing everyone's creations on this forum. It's not a mantra swirl, I just did a simple in the pot swirl and used the extra on top in a mantra-like design. I'm dying to cut!!!


 
Can't wait to see your mantra-like soap cut! I bet it looks gorgeous!

I only did a sample batch (1 lb) to give it a try before I committed too much supplies, etc. I had some soap that the scent is very strong (BB Beeswax Honey) so I decided to cut it up and use it in a BB Oatmeal, Milk and Honey soap. Still soft and not cleaned up yet but happy enough with it to try a larger batch.


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## TVivian (Nov 21, 2013)

Oh my goodness!!!! That soap is perfect for that scent (one of my favorites!)  it turned out beautifully!  

Here is my swirl. I'm very happy with it and I think I'm addicted to swirling now!


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## renata (Nov 22, 2013)

So beautiful!
Kazmi, yours looks awesome too


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## kazmi (Nov 22, 2013)

TVivian said:


> Oh my goodness!!!! That soap is perfect for that scent (one of my favorites!) it turned out beautifully!
> 
> Here is my swirl. I'm very happy with it and I think I'm addicted to swirling now!


 
Thanks! and your swirls are perfect!!  I envy your soaping skills!

I know what you mean about being addicted to swirling. My ever-growing stash of soap is because of my addiction (and being a perfectionist until I get the technique perfected) LOL


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## kazmi (Nov 22, 2013)

renata said:


> So beautiful!
> Kazmi, yours looks awesome too


 
thanks Renata!  It's just a very simple one - nothing like TVivian's beautiful creations.


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