When we are present in each moment, the past gently rolls up
behind us and the future slowly unravels before us.
– Rev Richard Levy
Impressionist Soap Tutorial
This pretty and unique soap is inspired by impressionist paintings. It utilizes a unique “swirl” technique created with…of all things…squirt bottles! Don’t forget to bring a little bit of patience along. Squirting the soap can take up to 10 minutes, but it is SO worth it. Get ready to fall in love.
Did Someone Say Free Candle Wax?
How long have you wanted to make candles but have never tried? We have the perfect opportunity for you to get started. Check Bramble Berry’s brand new candle fragrances that are totally skin safe so you can use them in soaps too (double whammy)! Browse the yummy new candle fragrances HERE. But that’s not the only exciting news that we have to share today.
Tiger Stripe Bath Bombs
Check your shipments for this month’s fragrance oil sample, Buttercream and Snickerdoodle! It makes for an awesome blender when you need something just a little bit more special than plain Vanilla, but is definitely amazing on it’s own. Here’s a fun project idea to use your sample!
Rainbow Mold and Island Style (Tutorial)
I’m addicted to the SoapyLove line of products! The adorable Rainbow Mold and the super cute colors of the Island Style kit work so well together, so I’ve made up a quick tutorial to show you an easy way of using both products. Because the Island Style kit comes with both colorants and a brand new fragrance oil (Guava Shaved Ice – delish!) all you’ll need is some Melt and Pour Base and the kit and you’re good to go!
A Sand and Seaweed Weekend
Grandma and Grandpa Faiola came up to visit this weekend. We did our traditional early morning hike both days. Grandpa really loved packing Jamisen for almost 2 miles up the trail. Grandpa proved to be quite a warrior, with nary a complaint over the 25-pound-weight on his shoulders.
Jamisen was delighted to use his newfound walking abilities (7 days and counting since he started walking!) on the beach. He looks like he’s running but he’s mostly just tottering to find his balance:
Dead Sea Salts Are Best for Psoriasis
When it comes to skin care, are all salts created equal? Not according to a study done by the Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, which tested the effects of “common salt” (like table salt) vs. the effects of Dead Sea Salts.
Positive Explanation
Hanging onto resentment is like letting someone you despise live rent-free in your head. – Ester Lederer
I had a fascinating experience recently. I got an email from someone on the periphery of my life; one of those internet acquaintances that I’ve never met in person but someone that you know about their life through a variety of social networks (and they about yours). The email was extremely passionate in their feeling that I had done something wrong to them, that I had insulted them in a comment I had made to someone else and done them a great disservice.
In truth, I couldn’t remember anything about what the person was writing me about. If the situation had happened, I didn’t remember it. The individual didn’t help matters by writing, “You know what you did.” I genuinely had no idea what they were referring to.
But, since apologizing is free, I gamely apologized, wished the person well and put it out of my mind. But the emails kept coming. An apology was not enough. This person had built up this situation in their head so much that they couldn’t believe that I didn’t also have strong feelings about it. They wanted a fight. I just wanted out of the conversation.
It was like we were on a teeter totter and I was flat on the ground and they were sky high; we were way out of balance. The situation got me thinking about two things: (1) The interesting interactions we have with our online friends and the false intimacy that is built up with our better selves and (2) the waste of time, energy and resources that this person had spent working themselves up into a full lather over the perceived injustice. It had taken them a month to write me; they had stewed the entire time, spinning elaborate tales of persecution in their head.
Cold Process and Customer Service!
Last week Bramble Berry’s fabulous customer service team was able to take a soaping class with the soaperrific Kat at Otion (Bramble Berry’s retail store). They made a fun and simple cold process recipe while having a great time as a team. Check it out!
#Embedding Challenge Winners
Just like our last soapy challenge there have been so many fabulous and fun soaps entered into the #Embedding Challenge. All of you that have participated have been so creative, and we have seen everything from angry birds to dinosaurs, koalas and even bullets embedded into soap! Check out the awesome #Embedding winners below!
Maria from Kokolele Soaps: “Sunset at the Beach,” using Liquid Black Iron Oxide for the Palm Tree.
Kristi from Life Soap Simple : “Songbird,” using Water Soluble Paper
Kathy Vu: “Penguin in the Water”
Jenna from East Detroit Botanical : “Orange Citrus,” with Organic Melt & Pour Base and Calendula
Thank you to all the wonderful soapers who participated in the #Embedding challenge, we were super inspired by your creations and excited to see what you come up with in the next challenge!
See the latest Make it Monday Challenge here!
Make it Monday : #Swirling Challenge
I am super excited to share this next challenge with you…are you ready? It is hard to believe that we are already on our third Melt and Pour Challenge when it feels like we just started the series. So many gorgeous soaps have been submitted for each of the challenges, and it is so much fun to check Bramble Berry’s Facebook page throughout the day to see what everyone is up to. Inspiration is always just a click away.
Pssst… Check back later today to see the winners of the #Embedding Challenge!
Your mission (if you choose to accept it):
- Create a unique soap that follows the theme for the challenge of the week. This week we want to see some swirling in melt and pour!
- Post your pictures of your swirling melt and pour soap to Bramble Berry’s Facebook page during the entry period (July 9th – July 23rd).
- Your entry must have the hashtag of the week in order to be entered into the contest. This week, your picture must have the hashtag “#Swirling“.
- At the end of the two weeks, Team Bramble Berry will pick our favorite soaps. The winners of the challenge will be featured on the Soap Queen Blog! You have until Monday, July 23rd to post your Melt and Pour #Swirling pictures.
- You can submit up to three different pictures. [Read more…]
Layered Wall of Soap Inspiration
Our first ever Bramble Berry Soap Challenge was completed last week. It was inspiring to see all the unique and creative layered soaps that were submitted. Did you miss the challenge? Don’t worry, we have most of the fabulous entries that we received here for you to ooh and ahh over, take a look. If we missed you, it’s not because your soap wasn’t great. It was operator error. And now, inspiration awaits:
Inspiration
The grass is not, in fact, always greener on the other side of the fence. No, not at all. Fences have nothing to do with it. The grass is greenest where it is watered. When crossing over fences, carry water with you and tend the grass wherever you may be. — Robert Fulghum
Three Color Mantra Swirl
I hope everyone had a relaxing midweek holiday! Thankfully, Jamisen, slept right through all of the bangs and booms from the fireworks (and there sure were plenty!). I’m back in the office today, refreshed after a full day off, and super excited to share this tutorial with you. The mantra swirl is a gorgeous, delicate “dance” of a swirl that looks great no matter how many colors are used. For this technique, an additional splash of a contrasting color adds interest while a quick modify to the mold gives to soap an extra kick!
15.5 oz. Canola Oil
3.1 oz. Cocoa Butter
12.4 Coconut Oil (76 degree)
12.4 oz. Olive Oil
6.2 oz. Palm Oil
3.1 oz. Palm Kernel Flakes
9.3 oz. Rice Bran Oil
8.62 oz. Sodium Hydroxide (lye)
20.5 oz. Distilled Water
0.7 oz Vanilla Bean Fragrance Oil
0.7 oz Island Coconut Fragrance Oil
2.6 oz Lime Fragrance Oil
1 teaspoon Cappuccino Mica
1 teaspoon Titanium Dioxide
1 1/2 teaspoons Violet Oxide
1/2 teaspoon Ultramarine Blue Oxide
4 tablespoons Sunflower Oil
12 mL Diluted Lime LabColor
Silicone Liner for 5# Wood Log Mold
1- 14 ounce Condiment Squirt Bottle
Buy all of the ingredients you need for this project at the click of a button!
