Tutorials on soapmaking, bath fizzies, lotions and more
The spring-inspired tutorials continued this week with projects like the Butterfly Sparkle Surprise Bath Bomb. Along with fizzing in your tub, the bath bombs will release Iridescent Glitter and a butterfly eraser. They will also add a sweet smell to the tub from a mix of Crisp Apple Rose Fragrance Oil and Pure Honey Fragrance Oil. It’s a perfect project to make with kids.
Happy Memorial Day weekend everyone! I hope the weather is allowing you to get outside to barbecue and enjoy the outdoors. Yesterday, the team and I filmed four full-length Soap Queen TV videos. The projects include a bath fizzy, cold process, hot process and eye product. I can’t wait to share the videos with you.
Jamisen and his buddy enjoying the sunshine! I hope you’re able to enjoy the weather this Memorial Day weekend.
Tomorrow is Bellingham’s annual Ski to Sea race, and this year Bramble Berry is participating. The race has seven legs, including running, biking, canoeing and sea kayaking. It’s an intense race, and I can’t wait to cheer on our team. I’m not participating this year…but maybe next year. =) If the weather has you stuck inside, check out my favorite pins, ‘grams and tweets for some crafty inspiration.
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Have you tried hot process soap before? On the left is a hot process project scented with the yummy Espresso Fragrance Oil. On the right are some of the salts that you can use in your bath and beauty projects. Click here to learn more about salt.
Weekends are for fun! Last Saturday, Jamisen and I had a blast putting together a pillow and blanket fort.
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I hope you all have an fantastic Memorial Day weekend! To keep up with the latest soapy social media throughout the week, you can follow me on Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, Pinterest, Vine and YouTube and Snapchat. To watch my ‘stories’, which include sneak peeks into future projects, add me. I’m Bramble-Berry on Snapchat.
Happy Saturday! Today is another beautiful, sunny day in Washington state. So far, the kiddos and I have had a low-key morning followed by a trip to Farmer’s Market and, continuing to move out of our old home. We enjoyed eggs and chia/hempseed/buckwheat cereal for breakfast, followed by reading lots of new books before all that happened though. Speaking of books, Storey Publishing named Soap Crafting as one of their “Fresh Picks,” for May and the Ebook is now available for only $2.99 all month long! Click here to see the full list of awesome books selected this month. I’m continuing to put the finishing touches on my new book that is scheduled for early 2016…I can’t wait for you all to read it!
What are you up to this Saturday? If you’re making soap, I’d love to see your projects on our Facebook page. Or, tag your photos on Instagram with the hashtag #SoapShare; I check that hashtag just about everyday =) Check out my favorite pins, tweets and ‘grams if you’re needing a little crafty inspiration!
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Next week will feature a selection of tutorials inspired by butterflies and bees. On the left is a funnel-pour cold process inspired by the honey bee. On the right is the Stained Glass cold process soap which will be in the Spring Soap Crafting Club.
The weather has been absolutely beautiful in the Pacific Northwest the past few weeks. The kiddos have certainly been enjoying the weather! Below Lily and cousin Alise enjoy the sun =)
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I hope you all have an awesome weekend! To keep up with the latest soapy social media throughout the week, you can follow me on Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, Pinterest, Vine and YouTube and Snapchat. To watch my ‘stories’, which include sneak peeks into future projects, add me. I’m Bramble-Berry on Snapchat.
Making soap is a lot of fun, but there are many other products out there you can make by hand. This week focused on simple DIY projects like the Monster-Be-Gone Magic Spray. If your child is afraid of monsters, you know how hard it can be to get them to bed at night. Spraying the Monster-Be-Gone Spray can help them conquer their fear of the dark. It will also leave a subtle floral smell from the rose water. Light Gold Mica adds a bit of shimmer, and Royal Purple LabColor adds a soft purple hue.
Happy Mother’s Day weekend! I hope you’re able to spend some time with your mom or loved ones tomorrow. This weekend is especially fun for me because it’s my birthday week as well. I had a fabulous celebratory day; my friends and family all made me feel extra special. Today, I plan on spending lots of outside time with the kiddos and straightening our new, empty house (but that’s a blog post for another day). It has been so warm and beautiful here in the Pacific Northwest…it officially feels like spring!
Above, I spent some time this week in Jamisen’s classroom. It’s so fun to watch him interact with his classmates and teacher; it really makes me realize how fast he is growing up. I would love to be able to lead a crafty project with his class and have just the perfect project for little hands: bath fizzies. If you’re looking for crafty inspiration for yourself, check out my favorite pins, grams and tweets from the week below.
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I love the sparkle that mica colorants give soapy projects. If you’d like to learn more about micas and how to use them, check out this Sunday Night Spotlight post.
Last weekend, Lily spent the day playing with her baby cousin Alise who is getting so big, so fast(!). The weather was so beautiful! On the right is the final design for an upcoming Soap Queen TV video. This drop swirl is scented with a blend of berry fragrance oils…I can’t wait to film!
I hope you all have a wonderful Mother’s Day weekend! To keep up with the latest soapy social media throughout the week, you can follow me on Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, Pinterest, Vine and YouTube and Snapchat. To watch my ‘stories’, which include sneak peeks into future projects, add me. I’m Bramble-Berry on Snapchat.
Spring is here, which means it’s a great time for cleaning. This week featured several cleansing recipes, including Fizzy Toilet Fresheners. The fizzies are made with sodium bicarbonate and citric acid, which help protect against stains. They also make your bathroom smell fresh from a combination of Lemon Essential Oil and Peppermint Essential Oil, 2nd Distillation. They’re an easy way to freshen your bathroom in between cleanings.
Happy Saturday! After the book photoshoot and Soap Guild Conference, I’m happy to spend a weekend at home. And by home, I mean the home of friends and family. Our house is still not safe after the boiler explosion and won’t be for some time. Jamisen’s birthday was this week, and we are celebrating tomorrow. I can’t believe he is already 4 years old! Time flies.
In soapy news, in an effort to update the nation’s regulations of personal care products, Senators Diane Feinstein (D-CA) and Susan Collins (R-ME) introduced the Personal Care Products Safety Act. To read more about the Act, click here. If you would like to be kept up to date on laws pertaining to small businesses in the soap and cosmetic industry, join the Coalition of Handcrafted Entrepreneurs (COHE). The COHE enables the voices of small business owners to be heard with calls to action that will help lawmakers make more informed decisions.
Here in the office, the team and I have been busy creating new recipes for Soap Queen TV. If you have any projects that you’d like to see me tackle, leave a comment and let me know. I’d love to hear your suggestions. Currently we are working on a hot process tutorial, cold process, bath bomb and eye care product. Shown above is one of the test trials for a drop swirl soap, made with alkanet root powder and activated charcoal. I can’t wait to share the final projects with you! In the meantime, checkout my favorite pins, tweets and ‘grams from the past week.
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These gorgeous rainbow soaps made by Soapwithhope are show stoppers! The even layers and vibrant colors create the perfect rainbow effect.
I’m so happy to finally have my Master CP/HP Soapmaker Certification from the Soap Guild in my hands! On the left, Courtney and I showcased the newest Handmade Beauty Box project on King 5 News, click here to see the video.
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To keep up with the latest soapy social media throughout the week, you can follow me on Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, Pinterest, Vine and YouTube and Snapchat. To watch my ‘stories’, which include sneak peeks into future projects, add me. I’m Bramble-Berry on Snapchat.
The past few weeks have been full of projects involving milk. This week featured cold process soap made with cow milk. The Creamy Cow Milk Cold Process Tutorial has a classic black and white color palette. The swirls inside are made by plopping different size spoonfuls of soap into the mold. The soap is scented with a fresh and earthy combination of Vanilla Rosewood and Grass Stain fragrance oils.
If you’re looking for a milky melt and pour project, you’ll love the Lemon Goat Milk Melt and Pour Bars. The Goat Milk Melt and Pour Base used in the tutorial is made with 10% fresh liquid goat milk. The project also features lemon peel and Lemon Essential Oil, which give the bars a fresh smell and creamy color.
Milk can also be used in other products, like face masks. The Silky Coconut Milk Face Mask uses coconut milk powder to give the recipe a silky feeling and subtle coconut scent. Vitamin E oil and Evening Primrose Extract are used to add moisturizing and soothing properties. For a little bit of exfoliation, colloidal oatmeal is added to the mask.
If you plan to sell your milk recipes, Instagram is a useful tool. Instagram allows you to share pictures of your products and connect with other crafters. Taking the time to edit your photos can really help them stand out. Setting the soap up nicely and using props can help as well. Find out more in the Instagram Tips and Tricks post.
Thoughtful editing can also be used for pictures of your culinary creations, like the Spinach and Blueberry Yogurt Popsicles. The simple recipe is made with blueberries and vanilla Greek yogurt. Because they’re sweet and healthy, they’re a great way to get your kids to eat their fruits and veggies.
While the popsicles are a cool treat, the Facebook Photo of the Week is full of fire. Kristie with Seven Seas Soaps scented her soap with smoky Dragon’s Blood Fragrance Oil.
The yellow and red colors in Kristie’s soap look stunning against the black base. It’s topped with whipped soap and a flame for a unique and beautiful look. If you’re looking for more fiery projects, click through to the Dragon’s Breath Cold Process Soap Tutorial. For a lava-inspired soap, click through the CP + MP = Magma Soap.
Above (clockwise, top) are Kristie’s swirled soap, chocolate soap, orange cream soap and sweet pea soap. For more flowery inspiration, click through the Purple Blackberry Flower Candle Tutorial. Flowers also look adorable on the Pikake Flower Bath Bombs.
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This week’s Instagram Photo of the Week is full of bright color as well. The collection of soap by Hallowell Soap Works is full of color, texture and accents like rose petals. The wood provides an interesting and natural background for the soap. Check out more stunning photos on Hallowell Soap Works’ Instagram page.
Post pictures of your crafty creations on the Facebook page each week for a chance to be featured on the Soap Queen blog and receive a sweet soapy package from Bramble Berry. Photos are chosen based on consensus from the Bramble Berry staff, so the best way to increase your chances of winning is to show us lots of photos!
To participate in the Instagram contest, hashtag your pictures with #soapshare. Each Friday, I will pick a photo on Instagram to win a copy of the Soap Crafting book, and share on the Bramble Berry Instagram account.
Instagram has become extremely popular in the past several years. In fact, it is the fastest growing social site on a global scale. While I’m a huge fan of social media outlets of all kinds, Instagram (find me @brambleberry) might be my favorite! It’s easy to navigate, interact with others and is completely photo-centric. I could spend hours everyday scrolling through the beautiful and inspirational images.
Now that I’ve been using Instagram for several years, I have learned how to leverage its function for business. Instagram is a great tool for soapy businesses because soap is visually appealing. From in-process shots to final bars, soapmaking and photos go hand in hand. Instagram is also a great way to connect with other soapers, small business owners and potential wholesale accounts. Here are some of my tips when using Instagram, including how to take better photos, connect with others, and market your business.
[Read more…]
This week has been a complete whirlwind. The photo shoot for the upcoming book (coming in 2016) was both amazing and exhausting. Thirty-three cold process recipes were prepped and created in four days (39 if you count embeds!). That’s an average of 8 cold process recipes everyday. The team did a great job of prepping all the recipes beforehand; This enabled each recipe to be ready as soon as the previous was made. All the hard work paid off; each soap turned out amazing and I can’t wait to share the book with you!
This weekend I’m attending the HSCG Annual Conference in Indianapolis. So, if you’re here, come find me! I was so thrilled to run into Lela from Lucky Break Consulting, Ellie who has helped save 70 orphaned baby elephants with her soap, and Toushonta who spotted me in the airport after a long day of flying. I’ll be here tonight and tomorrow so if you’re at the show, please come say ‘Hi.’ I love talking soap!
Soap Guild Show Fun
Here on the blog, we have been sharing a collection of milk recipes including this Goat Milk & Oatmeal Cold Process Soap. This Buttermilk Bastille Baby Bar on Soap Queen TV shows you how to create soap using fresh buttermilk and carrot puree. Want more soapy inspiration? Check out my favorite pins, ‘grams and tweets from this week!
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If you follow me on Instagram, you know I was busy soaping up a storm making soap for my new book. Below is one of my favorite recipes, a Dandelion Zebra Swirl soap made with real dandelion petals and an annatto seed infusion.
On the left, is a negative space embed recipe colored with natural colorants. On the right is a soap made with pale ale instead of water. I was so relieved that the swirl design turned out for the shoot…that technique requires a steady hand and I was a little shaky!
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To keep up with the latest soapy social media throughout the week, you can follow me on Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, Pinterest, Vine and YouTube. And Snapchat! To watch my ‘stories’, which include sneak peeks into future projects (including all the soaping I’m doing this weekend), add me. I’m Bramble-Berry on Snapchat.
More milky projects went on the blog this week. You can use a variety of milks in your recipes, like coconut milk. The Lime in the Coconut Milk Cold Process Soap, inspired by the popular song, is made with coconut milk powder. The coconut milk powder adds moisturizing properties to the soap, while a combination of Lime Essential Oil and Coconut Lemongrass Fragrance Oil add a fresh scent.
This weekend the team and I are busy with the photo shoot for my new book. The book is all about natural soap making and is scheduled to hit market early 2016. I can’t wait to share it with you! If you follow me on Instagram, you have already seen plenty of sneak peeks into the projects. Check out the photos below to get an idea for what’s inside the new book =) Scroll down for more soapy inspiration via my favorite pins, tweets and instagrams from the past week.
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Easter this year was super fun; the kids had a blast hunting for eggs and enjoying some candy. For breakfast, my sister-in-law, Cheriss, made bunny pancakes. Look at the smile on Lily’s face below…they were a hit!
I have practiced my column pour swirl technique this week. On the left is a column pour swirl made with Electric Lemonade Cocktail Fragrance Oil and lots of color. On the right is a cold process soap made with whole cows milk and a classic black and white color palette. Tutorials for both will be on the blog soon!
Twitter:
To keep up with the latest soapy social media throughout the week, you can follow me on Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, Pinterest, Vine and YouTube. And Snapchat! To watch my ‘stories’, which include sneak peeks into future projects (including all the soaping I’m doing this weekend), add me. I’m Bramble-Berry on Snapchat.
Using milk in cold process soap gives it a luxurious and creamy feeling. For the next couple weeks, the blog will be full of projects made with milk. Adding milk to your cold process soap is different than using distilled water. If milk gets too hot, it can scorch. That creates an unpleasant smell and can discolor your soap. To prevent milk from scorching, it helps to freeze it beforehand. Then, add the lye slowly and stir well. Learn more in the How to Add Lye to Milk for Cold Process Soap Post.
I hope you all are having a fantastic Easter Sunday! The family and I are taking Jamisen, Lily and Cousin Alise to an Easter egg hunt, and later will be dyeing eggs with LabColors. We are still living out of suitcases since the boiler explosion, but it is slowly becoming our new “normal.” The house we stayed at this week is near the beach, so the kids have been having a blast. Honestly, I think they will be sad to go home!
Now that Easter is “over,” I’m setting my sights on Mother’s Day and other spring projects. Next week, I will be sharing a collection of projects made with various milks, so keep your eyes out for those. In the meantime, here are my top tweets, pins and ‘grams from the week.
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This little girl sure knows how to turn a rainy day into a day filled with laughter and fun. Below, Lily jumps in the puddles while dressed in her pink rain boots and adorable Hatley jacket.
Below on the left, is a column pour made with Island Escape Fragrance Oil and lots of bright colors. On the right, is a coconut milk soap with Lime Fragrance Oil and Coconut Lemongrass Fragrance Oil. Lime in the coconut…get it? 😉
Twitter:
To keep up with the latest soapy social media throughout the week, you can follow me on Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, Pinterest, Vine and YouTube. And Snapchat! To watch my ‘stories’, which include sneak peeks into future projects, add me. I’m Bramble-Berry on Snapchat.
