The brush embroidery technique was the focus of this month’s Soap Challenge Club. Brush embroidery is actually a cake decorating technique that has been adapted for soap making. I watched a lot of videos by cookie and cake decorators. It’s amazing what they can do with icing. After finding some inspiration, I decided that I really wanted to use 2 colors to decorate the soap like a cake – on 5 sides – allowing my design to flow around the soap. Well, I didn’t quite get all 5 sides done, but I was able to do at least 3 sides and managed 4 sides on one soap. I colored the soap using an oil replacement of woad infused olive oil and used titanium dioxide and indigo root for my two brush embroidery colors. :)
I first made a batch of 8 soaps using my 10″x 2.5″x 4″ tall and skinny mold. When I started the brush embroidery, I was able to get 3 soaps completed before my blue batter thickened on me. My 4th soap, (as you can see from the photos below), is just rows of tiny leaves across the face of the soap. That’s all I could manage with the super thick soap. My soap actually behaved pretty well. I was just SO incredibly slow at this.
BASE SOAP RECIPE
Olive Oil – 40%
Coconut Oil – 23%
Lard – 15%
Shea Butter – 8%
Sunflower Oil (High Oleic) – 5%
Castor Oil – 5%
Cocoa Butter – 4%
I replaced 12% of my total oils with woad infused olive oil (subtracting that amount from the olive oil in the recipe). I normally do a 6% replacement for a blue green color, but I wanted to try a bit more this time.
Superfat – 5%
Lye Solution = 33% (water = 2 x sodium hydroxide)
Essential Oil Blend:
Frankincense – 4 parts
Lavender – 2 to 3 parts (I used 2 parts this time)
Myrrh – 1 part
PIPING SOAP RECIPE
Olive Oil – 35%
Coconut Oil – 30%
Shea Butter – 20%
Cocoa Butter – 5%
Avocado Oil – 5%
Castor Oil – 5%
Superfat – 5%
Lye Solution = 33% (water = 2 x sodium hydroxide)
White soap – 1/4 teaspoon titanium dioxide (dispersed in water) added to 1 cup of soap
Blue soap – 1/2 teaspoon indigo powder (mixed in oil) plus a few drops of activated charcoal oil (mixed in oil) added to 1 cup of soap
I brought the soap to emulsion, divided it into two parts, added my colors, then started stirring and waiting. It took about an hour or so to reach a reasonable thickness. I used small Wilton piping bags to pipe the dots onto the soap.
Here are a few photos of me working on the soap.
After the finished soap sat for 24 hours, I took the photos below. I did end up with a bit of ash on the brush embroidery soap. I simply steamed them, and that took care of it.
Thank you for reading my post!
These soaps are absolutely off the chart! I love, love them. Everything about them screams elegance! I have tried decorating cakes and ended up using whipping cream and fresh flowers, no talent whatsoever!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much, Marla!! That’s so sweet of you to say!
LikeLike
I am amazed! Prettiest soap I’ve seen. It reminds me of fine China, Wedgewood to be exact! Excellent!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much! 😊
LikeLike
Great looking soap. Thanks for sharing
Jerry Merritt
Sent from my iPad
>
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much, Jerry!
LikeLike
You are such an artist, Holly! If anyone ever gave me such beautiful soaps, I would never use them, but frame them, instead! Just Beautiful!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much, Annie! ❤️
LikeLike
I love the depth of the design from combining the darker indigo color with the white! Wrapping it around the bars is also very stunning. Really great job, Holly!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much, Amy!
LikeLike
Just WOW! Patients and stunning talent. Wow!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you!!! ❤️
LikeLike
Holly💖
This one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen! Thank you so much for sharing
Tendō
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, thank you so much! That’s so sweet of you to say!!
LikeLike
Hi Holly,
so many wonderful ideas and beauties in the soap challenge, but this soap is in his simplicity and elegance unbeatable – a true beauty!!! Big comliment
Best regards
TINA
LikeLike
Holly:
These are Absolutely Stunning! And Gorgeous too!!
Extremely well done!
Thanks for sharing.
Sly
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much, Sly!! 😊
LikeLike
These bars are lovely. Excellent!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much, Barbara!
LikeLike
Hi Kapia,
I saw many of your videos I got inspired by the idea of creating your own chemical free soap. I have never made a soap and do not have any idea about it. I would like to know from you from which video I should start and also the easiest way to get all the ingredients.
Waiting for your reply.
Regards,
Sakina Murtaza
Dubai- UAE
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi, I would start with these two beginner YouTube series from BrambleBerry and Lovin’ Soap:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yR6ttCSrLJI&list=PLAADF6209996265D2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47ZbYvg7bvs&list=PLg93blR6U5bRqzmr02nin77tJYTSD64z4
Both series will guide you through everything you need to know, start to finish. As far as ingredients, you’ll have to research for your area, as I’m not familiar outside the United States. Good luck! It’s a fun hobby.
LikeLike
oh wow oh wow oh wow!!! I just saw your soap in the link ups and it is GORGEOUS!!! Great brushwork!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much, Sherry!! ❤️
LikeLike
Your soaps are stunning! You absolutely aced this technique. I loved seeing these.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much!! ❤️
LikeLike
WOOOOOW Holly 😍😍, these soap are soooo perfect!! I love the colors, the design, i love that you designed the sides as well!! They are just gorgeous as always 💕 thanks a bunch for sharing 💕 😘
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much, Angélique! That’s so sweet of you to say! ❤️
LikeLike
Pingback: Video: Woad Infused Oil for Soap Making | Kápia Méra
So impressive! You really nailed this one. Thanks for sharing your recipes, your step by step pictures, I love it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much, Lynette!! ❤️
LikeLike
Wow, these are so beautiful! 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much, Liz!! ❤️
LikeLike
Omg, your soaps are so stunning! It was such a good idea to wrap the design around multiple faces, and your color choices gave you such a sophisticated result.
LikeLike
OMG, sooooooooooo beautiful! Congratulations Holly!!!!
LikeLike
These are so beautiful! The colors blend so well at first I didn’t even realize there were two colors.
LikeLike
Just lovely – I like the subtlety of your work on these!
LikeLike
Can you tell me your source for woad powder? You show the jar but I can’t find the source from that info. I’ve been having terrible luck with indigo powder soaping grey or even green and want a better source for blue. Much thanks.
Deb H.
LikeLike