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Announcing Soap Challenge Club!

Filed Under: Bramble Berry News

Hey everybody! It’s Amy Warden with Great Cakes Soapworks! I’ve got a surprise for you while Anne-Marie is lying low after Baby Lily’s arrival.

Amy Warden

Last year I came up with the idea to host weekly Soap Challenges on my blog, featuring a new technique that soapmakers could learn together, and then post their work. We’ve had a lot of fun with these, but recently I started wondering how I could kick it up a notch. That’s when I came up with the idea for a Soap Challenge Club.

The vision for the Soap Challenge Club is to create a Members Only space where soapmakers from all over the world can come together to be challenged to learn a new technique. Best of all, members will vote to determine the winner of the challenge each month – and that winner will receive a significant prize from a soap supply vendor!!

The First Challenge

Starting today, you can register for the first Soap Challenge Club. The technique for this month is the recently featured Peacock Swirl:

Peacock Soap

The prize for this month’s challenge is an 18-bar Birchwood Mold from Bramble  Berry with the new silicone liner!! **If you’ve already got this mold, you can opt to receive a Bramble Berry gift certificate of equal value. 

Win this Birchwood Mold + Liner!

Requirements to participate:

1. Register and pay a small fee of $5.95 to gain access to the private area where the technique will be laid out via instructional video and written instructions.

2. Create a soap using the technique of the month.

Requirements to be eligible to win the challenge:

1. Document the making and final reveal of your soap with photos and/or video! Create a blog post (preferred!), video on YouTube, or post a photo on a Facebook business page featuring your challenge soap entry.

2. Post the link to your challenge soap entry to the link-up while it is open! (Not sure what a link-up is? Check out this one!)

Deadlines (all will occur at 2:00pm CST):

June 3, 2013 – Registration to participate will CLOSE

June 10, 2013 – The private link-up will OPEN

June 12, 2013 – The link-up will CLOSE, and members-only voting will begin

June 14, 2013 – Voting will CLOSE, winner will be contacted!

Once registered, you will receive a username and password as well as the link to access the password-protected post containing the video and written instructions to create a peacock swirl soap. Usernames and passwords will be generated manually, so please be patient with me, as I will get your information to you as soon as possible! Are you ready and excited for some seriously fun soaping time??

Please note that Bramble Berry is not running this challenge – nor are they judging the entries. They were simply kind enough to help me broadcast the news on the Soap Queen blog.

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83 Comments

  1. I love Amy’s soap challenges! They push me to MAKE TIME to try something new & improve my skills. It’s so inspiring to see what other soapers create….SO MANY talented folks out there! Thanks again Amy, for getting this all together. 🙂

  2. Sorry for posting late. I joined the club/Challenge to learn new and fun techniques. I have been soaping for a year now & after feeling confident with the basics; I want to push myself to the next level as a soap maker.

  3. I am a newish to soap making,(I have only been soaping for a year and just started selling this spring) but I try to do all of Amy’s challenges. The small fee is such a bargain. I am also a quilter and I have yet to learn so much at such an affordable price. This challenge has pushed me to finally start a blog. Amy you rock, thanks for all your hard work.

  4. Did a trial run on my peacock swirl yesterday!!! Amy…this is going to be too fun!!!! So cool, watching this come together!!!

    Thank you for all of your hard work putting together yet another great soap challenge!!!!!

    • Hi Becky!

      We are so exited that you are going to be participating in this Soapy Challenge Club and can’t wait to see pictures of your peacock soaps. Be sure to keep us updated on your progress! =)

      -Becky with Bramble Berry

  5. Thanks for the opportunity to participate in these soap challenges Amy! I would participate in them even without the prizes since I believe they are challenging but help improve the skills of soapers of all levels. I love the peacock swirl and am excited to do it again. I have tried it two times previously and the first was a bomb, the second wasn’t bad but should have used more contrasting colors. I’m hoping I absolutely nail this one! Thanks for all of the time you put into helping everyone!

  6. I am so happy that Amy is continuing these challenges. I participated in the weekly challenges that were held over the past few months and it was so much fun! I learned a lot and was sad to see them end, but am so excited that she is introducing the monthly challenge. I love the Peacock Swirl and have watched all the tutorials, but still haven’t had a chance to actually do it. So, this challenge is very inspiring and will motivate me to do this swirl. I also love this group and everyone is so willing to answer questions and share their ideas and it makes you feel very good to be apart of these challenges and get all the feedback and learn lots of new things that you might not have tried on your own. So excited and can’t wait for it to start!! Thanks Amy for all your hard work and dedication!

    • Hi Joanne!

      We are a huge fan of Amy’s and are so excited that she started this Soapy Challenge Club. You are going to absolutely love how your Peacock Swirl soap looks and can’t wait to see the exciting color/scent combo you will pick. Keep us updated on your progress, and if you get any pictures of your soap, we’d love to see them on Bramble Berry’s Facebook page. =)

      Happy Soaping!
      -Becky with Bramble Berry

      https://www.facebook.com/BrambleBerry

  7. So sorry to be adding my comments this late. I think registration for this month ends today so register now. I signed up as soon as I read Amy’s original post on your blog. I have followed some of her previous challenges but never joined in because I am a relatively new soaper and didn’t want to embarrass myself. But this time I decided I didn’t want to miss the fun. I am excited to participate and learn some new soapy skills. Thanks Amy for putting this together.

    • Hi Bonnie!

      We are so excited for you to join the soapy challenges and can’t wait to see your soaps. We know that you can do it and if you have any questions at all, don’t hesitate to ask. =)

      Happy Soaping!
      -Becky with Bramble Berry

  8. I am really excited to participate in this challenge. I did participate in the 2013 challenge and learned a lot of new skills and techniques. It brought me out of my comfort zone, which I am very thankful and appreciative of. I love the fact that this is a monthly challenge and very happy that it is Amy putting it on. I know there is a lot of time and effort that goes into this and is more valuable than the small price we are paying to learn some pretty incredible skills and techniques that will make us all more talented soap artists. Thanks Amy for challenging all of us!

  9. I have paid and just returned home from markets this weekend. I bought my EV OO and am SO READY for this challenge. I am taking a well deserved Sunday break and tomorrow (Monday) is the day. I have never done this technique before so I am apprehensive and excited.

  10. I’m excited too for this new great experience. I have so much fun and learning in taking part of Amy’s Challenge, so I jump for this one also .
    It is great to learn together, improve our skills and in the same time having fun and share with others.
    Thanks Amy, for this new dimension in Soap Challenge. Thanks Brambleberry to be part of it too with a great price.

    • I’ve enjoyed having you join us in previous challenges, Swanee! You do an excellent job of documenting your processes and your soaps are fantastic! Have fun!

  11. I love your challenges Amy and this one will be so fun. I have all my peacocks lined up and ready so I can have real models for when it comes time to soap. Thanks BB for offering such a great prize and thank you Amy for all your hard work!

    • Good morning, Donna!

      We are so excited to see your peacock-inspired soaps and will be watching for all the fun pictures to come out of this challenge.

      Good luck and Happy Soaping!
      -Becky with Bramble Berry

    • I love it! Real, live models! You make such pretty soaps with indigo and woad…I’m just imagining them in a peacock swirl! Or, maybe you’ll surprise us with something totally different…

  12. I tried this once on my own and the combs were too wide. Even attended Amanda’s demo at the HSCG Soap Conference recently. It looks easier that it is. So I need lots of practice since I’ll be demo-ing it in August at CNY Soapmakers gathering. Thanks so much for promoting this challenge.
    Maria

  15. I decided to participate in this challenge because I have seen the camaraderie that trannspires between soap makers from all over the world from Amy’s previous challenges. I have only been soaping for 5 months but love trying new things and learning from others. Of course, the bouquet or peacock swirl can be found demonstrated online from various sources, but for me this is about participating in a group where I can connect with other soapers, be challenged, and have fun! I don’t mind paying the small fee because I know how much time, organization, and sacrifice it takes to undertake such a large challenge. I appreciate how involved Amy is and how she answers questions and emails so promptly. I’m also thrilled that Brambleberry is involved with getting the word out to all our fellow soapers and am excited that someone will be getting of these great molds!

    • Wow, Melinda – you are really all in! Only 5 months? I admire that for sure! I know you’ll enjoy the peacock swirl – it’s simply magical when it comes together!

  16. I was thrilled to be able to join this challenge, or rather ‘learning opportunity’. The ‘prize’ is an added bonus. I’ve enjoyed Amy’s many videos and I don’t mind the cost involved in these monthly club projects, especially since we can pick and choose those to participate in.

    • You’re a great asset to the Club, Cee! I love how your cake decorating skills translate into soap! Looking forward to collaborating with you more. 🙂

    • Good morning, Cecelia!

      We are so excited about the fact that soapers will be able to pick and choose which challenges they are participating in and we’d love to hear more about which ones you decide to do. Be sure to share pictures with us of your soapy projects on Bramble Berry’s Facebook page. =)

      Happy Soaping!
      -Becky with Bramble Berry

  17. Hi Amy – I’m so excited for this next round of challenges. What a great idea to make it a club with prizes. Thanks again! Traci

  18. I am so glad you are doing more of the Challenge Soaps. I have so enjoyed doing them and the great part is that it make me slow down and actually make fun soaps that I’ve either been meaning to do, or haven’t even heard of! I’ve been planning on doing the Peacock Swirl forever so I’ve signed up to do it. No more excuses.

    Thank you for continuing on with this, your hard work is so appreciated.

    Cheers
    Lindy

    • I love doing the fun soaps too! I think our customers appreciate our creativity as well. Hope you enjoy doing the peacock swirl!

    • Hi Lindalu!

      This last year has been full of such fun soapy challenges and we at Bramble Berry are so excited to see this one take off. Be sure to keep us updated on your progress. =)

      Happy Soaping!
      -Becky with Bramble Berry

  19. I love your challenges and this is the push I will need to create that peacock swirl. It’s been on my bucket list of soaps to create for awhile now!

  20. Hi Amy! I joined the challenge because I participated in the Soap Challenge 2013, and I learned so much and tried some new things. I wanted to do more of the same. Like Nancy, I liked how the challenge made me leave my comfort zone. I was generally happy with the soaps, and I was glad I tried everything.

  21. I followed the soap challenge you did last year and earlier this year and thought, I would really like to do this. Doesn’t matter if I am swirl challenged or color challenged. This will make me get out of my comfort zone and learn to do something new.

    So I am thrilled to be a member of this Soap Challenge and have planned my color scheme, now to test the colors in a sample batch of soap to see if I get the exact tones I want. I love challenges. Thanks Amy and Brambleberry.

    • Hi Nancy!

      We can’t wait to see pictures of your soap from the challenges and are so excited you decided to join up with so many other soapers to learn and do a new technique! =)

      Good luck and Happy Soaping!
      -Becky with Bramble Berry

  23. I’m sorry, is it $6 per entrant, per month?

    And what is the value that you get for this money? More than $70 per entrant each year to enter a contest to potentially win a prize? Access to tutorials that are available elsewhere on the internet?

    I’m not sure I understand. I don’t intend rudeness, I’m honestly perplexed at the value proposition here.

    • Yes, that is correct. You can choose which challenges you wish to participate in. Think of it as an entire class doing the technique together and the value it brings to have access to the teacher for any questions you might have. Sharing your work together and learning together. There are people who invest more than $70 just to attend one basic soapmaking class, and there certainly isn’t a prize involved! 🙂

    • Good morning, JT!

      Each month you pay an entrance fee of $5.95 to learn together with others that are participating in the same challenge. You also have a chance to win a different prize each month. The best thing about these challenges is that you get to pick and choose which ones you enter, so it’s entirely up to you if you want to join one or not! We hope you can join, and would love to see some of your soapy creations on Bramble Berry’s Facebook page. =)

      Happy Soaping!
      -Becky with Bramble Berry

      https://www.facebook.com/BrambleBerry

  24. that’s a great idea!
    I was always envious of my sister and how she gets a lot of scrapbook challenges. I’ll love to be part of it and got so excited reading this post…them when I got the dates I noticed I’ll be on Holiday for all the duration of it! Sad!!! Hope you make a next one so I can join in!

    • Hi Carla!

      We wish you could participate in this one, but don’t worry, there are going to be more that you will be able to join in on. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for more information about future challenges. =)

      -Becky with Bramble Berry

  25. Do we have to pay to enter each challenge? That part wasn’t clear.

    This sounds really fun!

    • Yes, each challenge will have the $5.95 fee. That way you can pick and choose which challenges you want to participate in. 🙂

      • Awesome, thank you! I can’t participate in this challenge, but look forward to more in the future!

  26. Amy, question, I don’t mind at all the minimal fee of 5.95 to gain access to the private area where the technique will be laid out etc, I just wondered if this was a one time fee to be signed up for the monthly challenges or if it will be a charge each month. The reason why I ask is I want to sign up but will not have time to do this first peacock challenge. So do I sign up now to be included in future challenges? Or do we sign up each month? thanks, Anna

    • Anna – this is just the fee for this month. Don’t worry, you will have an opportunity to sign up for future challenges. Thanks for asking!

    • Hi Anna!

      It’s a fee for each particular soapy challenge and if you aren’t able to make it for this one, you can sign up for next months on Amy’s website! =)

      -Becky with Bramble Berry

  27. Im so going to do this! I been hesitating about trying this technique but I love a challenge and this will be just the spur I need.
    Will register by 5-31.

  28. How fun! I’ve been wanting to so a peacock swirl. I even have the supplies already. This is just the nudge I needed to go for it. Woo-hooo! I’m in!!

    • Good morning, Nikki!

      Yay! We are so excited that you are joining the soapy challenge club and can’t wait to see your soaps that will come out of it. Be sure to keep us updated and if you get any pictures, be sure to share them with us on Bramble Berry’s Facebook page.

      Happy Soaping!
      -Becky with Bramble Berry

  29. So in order to win the prize, you have to do the challenge and be judged by our peers to be the best at that challenge? OMGosh!! Too much pressure for me. I love doing the challenges and I love sharing the good and the bad but there are too many career soapers out there that I can’t even begin to compete with. Not feeling brave enough to set myself up for that epic fail… lol. Good idea for the talented people 🙂

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