I am a total copycat

[newbie]

I tell you, what would we do without Amanda? and Lyn? And all the others that tell us their tips and tricks?

Of course I made soap tonight and put some of the micas into oil (I used castor and OO) and used them for the tops of two soaps.

On one I put gemstone green, which always looks black when mixed into soap batter, and crucible gold, which turns a bronzy brown in batter, and passion orange, which is just a great color. After I dribbled and began swirling, I realized that I might have overdone it- it looks a bit heavy on the top so we'll see if the oil gets absorbed or not. That one is Ginger Pear, which will turn tan.

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/576/img2556aj.jpg/
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/830/img2557gs.jpg/


In the other, I used my 24 carat gold and Taurus Orion, which is such a spectacular color as just a mica but turns a simple medium green in batter. THere is Lotsa Lime and Soft Green swirled into the soap and then the two micas swirled on top. Coconut Lime Verbena. Both are 90% OO and 10% castor.

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/39/img2559hp.jpg/

All I can say is thank you to all the people here who share what they know and give other people inspiration to try something new. It's great! And I hope you don't mind when people like me copy you.

 

[AmyW]

Oh wow, those look soooo pretty!

 

[soapbuddy]

That's pretty!

 

[Bubbles Galore]

You could frame that and hang it on the wall. Art! :wink:

 

[agriffin]

Those are beautiful!!! 8)

 

[Dragonkaz]

Wow ... your work is amazing! Thanks for sharing!

 

[krissy]

those are spectacular! the top one is my favorite!

 

[Midnight Rowan]

You're not alone! I am such a total copycat too LOL I, like everyone else I'm sure, am completely in love with Lyn's sculpted tops, and have been feverishly and quite shamelessly trying to duplicate them!

Lovely job on those soaps, btw!

 

[newbie]

I haven't even gotten THAT far, to try the sculpted tops but I think it's so nice that people don't seem to mind us trying their techniques.

Here are some pics from this am. The colors and glitteriness held up very well but I do have some divots and tracks where I poured, which I tried to capture. I have one or two pools that haven't seemed to make up their minds on whether they'll dry up or not. I'm so pleased about the colors holding that I don't care at all about the small craters!

Also, the 24 carat gold is really really bright. I thought of the person who wanted to make the soap for their parent's 50th wedding anniversary and have gold in it. This would be a great technique for the tops for that application.

http://img819.imageshack.us/i/img2573j.jpg/

http://img43.imageshack.us/i/img2562ou.jpg/

http://img833.imageshack.us/i/img2568e.jpg/

Thanks for the compliments! but I wouldn't have made these but for people sharing.

Thanks Amanda! Another door opened.

 

[dubnica]

WOW those look amazing!

 

[GreenScene]

I, like everyone else I'm sure, am completely in love with Lyn's sculpted tops, and have been feverishly and quite shamelessly trying to duplicate them!

In all my time soaping, I've never seen tops as beautiful as Lyn's. I almost always do lots of texture on my tops, but I can't replicate hers, even though she's nice enough to tell people how she does it. Every bar of soap she makes is like a work of art, and it's disgusting. LOL I like my tops most of the time, but they have a very different look to them than Lyn's do, so if any of y'all figure out how to get close, you better let me know. We can all be Lyn's groupies until then.

 

[agriffin]

I noticed you said you mixed the mica in olive and castor? Next time just use castor as it is super easily saponified and seems to "soak" in better. It does take a couple of days for it to dry.

Great job!!

 

[newbie]

Do you have problems with it pouring using just castor? I started with that, but it seemed so thick I wasn't sure I could get it to pour very readily, especially since I was using a very small amount (I just did the top of the 8 inch green WSP silicone mold for one). I then added a little OO so it would be thinner. I also wan't sure if the castor would drop more heavily on the soap and cause deeper tracking. Your purple and green swirl with the gold sparkle doesn't look to have tracked in too much, but it also looks like you have a much lighter hand than I!

 

[agriffin]

Oh ya know...I should have said! I used a little squirt bottle...like what a liquid colorant would come in. It makes for a really thin line.

 

[newbie]

Just tried again and used only castor. I don't have any squeeze bottles and I just mix them in 2-3 ounce dixie cups. I found once it started pouring, I just had to move fast to make the line thin. I poured my batter before trace but by the time I poured my lines and started to swirl it was starting to set up (Apple Jack and Peel) so I didn't get the best swirls, but now I know how fast to go to get the thin lines. THanks!

 

[coco cooks]

Gorgeous! I love that we can all inspire each other. Love the vivid colors.

 

[Hazel]

I haven't even gotten THAT far, to try the sculpted tops but I think it's so nice that people don't seem to mind us trying their techniques.

Here are some pics from this am. The colors and glitteriness held up very well but I do have some divots and tracks where I poured, which I tried to capture. I have one or two pools that haven't seemed to make up their minds on whether they'll dry up or not. I'm so pleased about the colors holding that I don't care at all about the small craters!

Also, the 24 carat gold is really really bright. I thought of the person who wanted to make the soap for their parent's 50th wedding anniversary and have gold in it. This would be a great technique for the tops for that application.

http://img819.imageshack.us/i/img2573j.jpg/

http://img43.imageshack.us/i/img2562ou.jpg/

http://img833.imageshack.us/i/img2568e.jpg/

Thanks for the compliments! but I wouldn't have made these but for people sharing.

Thanks Amanda! Another door opened.

newbie -

Your soaps are absolutely gorgeous! The last one you posted reminds me of Art Deco designs drawn by Mucha (one of my favorite artists). I'm sooo envious of your swirls.

BTW, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. So, I think agriffin and Lyn may be flattered that they've been an inspiration. Maybe...who knows? Maybe they're not flattered and they're plotting right now to send Soap Gremlins to your house.

 

[newbie]

Oh god! Have I ever posted where I live? If I haven't, they can send those gremlins to....ah..... Alaska. That's it.

I love Mucha too! The art deco era was amazing. I had this deco tile mural put up in the kitchen of the house I built (well, not me personally) because I love the lines and curves of that style.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... MEWAX%3AIT

Some of my swirls may look nice, but it's only because of the fluid nature of the soap. If I had to hand draw anything like that...? Forget it. Would never be able to get that kind of natural curve from a pen or pencil. Glad it happens in soap, though!

 

[Midnight Rowan]

In all my time soaping, I've never seen tops as beautiful as Lyn's. I almost always do lots of texture on my tops, but I can't replicate hers, even though she's nice enough to tell people how she does it. Every bar of soap she makes is like a work of art, and it's disgusting. LOL I like my tops most of the time, but they have a very different look to them than Lyn's do, so if any of y'all figure out how to get close, you better let me know. We can all be Lyn's groupies until then.

I'm right with you... have never seen anything as beautiful as Lyn's... they just appeal to my visual sense of luxury.

Lyn's groupies... yes, please... where do I sign up?

 

[newbie]

Perhaps everyone should save their pennies and put it in the "Lyn fund". Then we bring her here to the States and have her do a weekend seminar!