Druin Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 I have been making wax melts for several months now and while I love making them, I would like to be more creative. I've spent lots of time reading and admiring all of your M&P creations and I think I would like to try M&P. I have read about everything I can get my hands on concerning instructions, ideas, etc. Now for the weird question I really don't want to just melt, color/fragrance, and pour because I already do that with my wax melts and I'm familiar with that process. I know I will need to do that for the first try just to see for myself how the soap behaves, but I would like to try some of the more creative techniques I've seen - which method would you veterans recommend?I certainly hope this post makes sense!! Oh - and this would only be for my personal use... I just want the opportunity to play and be creative Thanks in advance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeAnna_EC Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 you can always try adding things to the soap base at first, like different butters and oils to get the right kind of feel you want from your soapthen you can try embeds, soap curls, layering, you will be surprised at what you come up with just by playing with simple methods Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soapymomma Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 Pouring clear soap over colored chunks is fun and makes a pretty bar. You can also make colorful chunks and pour white over them. You can do multi pour bars which can be awesome works of art and challenge your sense of creativity. There really is no limit to what you can do with soap. I get to the point that sometimes I just make a plain, scented bar to use for myself. LOLSoapymoma Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candybee Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 There are many M&P recipes here on this forum if you do a search. I used ideas I got here on CT and also bought myself a couple of books on M&P soap making. The books are worth their weight in gold because you get instructions and pictures of some really awesome techniques and soap making ideas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fern-Marie Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 Soapymomma!! Wowza! Beautiful stuff!Druin, your questions are no weirder than questions we all have asked starting out in our crafts. In fact, they aren't weird at all. If you can't find the answer and you are in need of help...ask away! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairieannie Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 Soapymomma!! Gorgeous soap!! You need to post pictures more often.. they would surely motivate people to make MP soap!! I just love helping people get addicted to it don't you??! Edited to add.. I collect dragonflies and I LOVE those little dragonfly soaps!! Too stinkin cute! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Druin Posted January 30, 2009 Author Share Posted January 30, 2009 Thanks guys for the warm welcome!Those are *gorgeous* soaps I look forward to exploring my creative side. I love making tarts, but with a severe adversion to flames, tarts are as far as I go on that end...Believe me, I have read here - looked at *every* page in the B&B gallery (that took a while!), plus several other soaping forums and blogs. I have learned a lot and look forward to trying the ideas.I do have one more question... when pouring layers, I know about the alcohol spritz, but one of the sites (may have been here actually) suggested using a fork to put score lines to help adhere the layers. This advice made perfect sense to me, but in all of the websites I've read, that was the only place that suggested it. Do you guys do this for layers or just spritz the alcohol?Thanks again for everything - I really look forward to working with you!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairieannie Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 Hi Druin,I've not tried that method, but it does make sense.. and it seems I've read it somewhere before too!I just use the alcohol spritz. Never know til you try! Have fun making your soap! This is a great place for information and ideas! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soapymomma Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 Yes, I do love to help people get into our craft! I love to share thoughts and ideas. It makes us all richer. Thanks for the nice comments about my soaps. I was hoping to give ideas and to inspire. I also want people to know that melt and pour is lots more than just melting soap bases. It can allow a lot of creativity and does involve talent. Druin, I wish you all the very best and please share some of your work with us as you practice. Also, have you tried to do the fancy melts with embeds and toppings and stuff? Mine are not the greatest, but I have seen some with amazing foody, yummy stuff added to them. Some even have the look of birthday cakes and other cool stuff. Just a thought. Here are my apple and blueberry ones.We also love dragonflies and have several different soaps made with them. Yeah, no questions are weird. It is how smart people get smarter!Soapymomma Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeAnna_EC Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 i sometimes poke holes through the skin formed on the top of the layer with a toothpick or a fork and push down gently to get some soap to come up then spray with alcohol to make sure my layers really stick together Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emjones Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 I read in Marie Browning's book that she does not use alcohol because she said it is drying to the skin. She says she does not have problems with the layers adhereing. I'm going to try not using alcohol and see if it works. Emily Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Druin Posted February 3, 2009 Author Share Posted February 3, 2009 Okay - after lots of research and adding lots of links and videos to my Google notebook (LOVE THAT!!), I finally got brave enough to try my first M&P. I used the base from Hobby Lobby (life of the party) because I had a gift card and I couldn't beat that price with the cost of shipping! hehehI know I have a lot to learn and it needs to be cleaned up, but I was sooo excited to have successfully made my first M&P soap that I had to share!!!Scented with Bert's 'Candy Cane' Thank you for all of your help!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soapymomma Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 Hey, that soap looks great. That does not look like an easy one to start with either. I bet it smells great too. It is fun isn't it?Good job!Soapymomma Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kandlekrazy Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 Druin your first soap looks great and I bet it smells great too! Welcome to this addictive B & B world, it's more addicting than candles were for me. OMG soapy, your soaps are beautiful!! You really do need to post pics more often as they are very motivating (and enabling). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairieannie Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 Hooray Druin! It looks wonderful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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