“I just wanted to thank you two for a great class and let you know how much I learned and enjoyed it [the class]. The four hours went by in a snap!!! I wish you were closer so I can take brush up classes every 3 months, but maybe I can make it twice a year.” – Student from Private Class at Otion
I had the extreme privilege of working at Otion yesterday where I taught a relatively new soaper how to do advanced melt and pour techniques. All in all, we made at least 8 different projects in four short hours.
We cut, chopped, tilted and manipulated soap in all sorts of ways to make some lovely bars of soap. More important than the bars of soap we made at Otion during the actual class were the lessons learned. One of the joys of melt and pour soapmaking is that once you master any of
the techniques, you can apply it to many different projects all in the soaping sphere.
We did have a happy accident with the loaf soap below. We were in a big hurry to finish the loaf soap up so our student could get back on the road so we put the soap in the freezer and as soon as it was hard enough, popped it out (love our loaf molds!). The loaf looked amazing but the second we cut into it, the entire middle spilled out all over the entire table. It was a little surprising but turned out to be fortuitous. We just propped the soap on its side and poured Royal Purple colored Labcolor soap into the hole and voila! The soap (pictured top left above) looks incredible!
Right now, I’m really gearing up for a big class on Friday. I’m doing a private class with a full 7 hours of personalized instruction. That private class will cover Bath Fizzies, Lotions, Advanced Melt and Pour AND Mineral Make Up.
If you can’t make it for a class at Otion, don’t despair – there’s always www.soapqueen.tv video library, the longer instructional 45 minute DVDs on melt and pour and cold process soapmaking or any number of books for you to teach yourself.
Charity- I am currently teaching a melt and pour workshop at a locel art center. You might try to contact art centers in your area and offer to do a one day workshop. Good Luck
ohhh! that is exciting!
oh the possibilities.
teaching at the college.
never thought about that!
i am blessed to live across the street from a man and his wife who have Master's degrees in Art. Studies in Milan, Paris, Marseilles, and now have their own academy in an upscale suburb here.
they are opening up their curriculums to offer pottery, fashion design, etc etc. When I get better, I had already planned on approaching them with this idea.
When-I-Get-Better, that is! for now, I will humbly keep doing what i am doing and teaching children. They are wonderful to work with and so enthusiastic!
But, oh the possibilities!!!!
Just put this on my wall from the front page of MSN: http://www.goodfortunesoap.com/
Thanks, Anne-Marie!
Charity – I did teach classes at the local college before I started Otion and loved it! I am lucky to have an outlet like Otion to get my teaching craving filled =) Check with your local college; they'd probably love to have you!
The EZine for the tutorial for the big soap on the right hand side is here:
https://www.brambleberry.com/Lets-Get-Soapy-E-Zine-Fall-2009-P4537.aspx
And the instructions for making the soap in the lower left corner are here:
http://soap-queen.blogspot.com/2008/05/candy-swirl-pinwheel-soap-final-reveal.html
There are three days of instruction on that post. =) Enjoy!
Anne Marie~ I've been wanting to try making soaps similar to the round soaps in the lower left corner of your photo montage. Can you direct me to a video or tutorial on how to make them? (I don't know what to call them, or I'd research your videos and teachsoap.com.) Thanks!
The flower soap is beautiful. The pinwheels look perfect. Very nice!
You need to open an east coast Otion! 🙂
Anne-Marie, did you teach classes before you started Otion? I ask because I would LOVE to teach a class and I am trying to come up with ideas of where I could do it.
hey looks even cooler with the purple in it!
Wow! The projects are gorgeous – the flower in the soap is so pretty! Thank you for sharing your happy mistake – A great idea and a beautiful outcome!