2014 Soap Challenge ! -- Spoon/Chopstick Swirl

It has been more than a year since I participated in an official soap challenge. When Amy Warden of Great Cakes Soapworks announced the Spoon/Chopstick Swirl for her December Challenge Club, I knew that this technique would be perfect for my holiday themed soap! 

I started off by making some soap toppers. Using a leaf piping tip, I piped soapy holly leaves. Initially I was a little disappointed when the olive green colour morphed to a pale green; but they looked quite pretty with the small soap balls that I had rolled and tossed in red mica. 

Handpiped Soapy Holly Leaves

I decided to do the spoon swirl with a drop swirl in 3 different colours -- Red, Green and White. My choice of fragrance for this soap was Cranberry Fig from Bramble Berry. I apologise for not having "in-the-process" photographs to share with you as I was so focused on working fast and have forgotten to pick up the camera (AGAIN). I really should consider making a video the next time.

The soap frosting was piped on using a separate batch of soap. I used a disposable piping bag and  simply snipped off the end instead of using a piping tip. Sprinkled some fairy dust and popped on the soapy Christmas decorations!

and YES! There is a little surprise in the soap!

I love how my "Wishing Star" soap turned out. Thank you Amy for this wonderful tutorial! 

Soapy Alphabet Challenge!

 Sometime last month, I was asked to create a very special gift for a wonderful lady. 

This lady had visited the 2012 Singapore Garden Festival and she left her contact number with a fellow vendor after seeing my soapy creations. I gave her a courtesy call several days later and the rest was history. 

As an artist, it is an awesome feeling when someone truely appreciates your craft and passion. As Lady Captain of Seletar Country Club, she gave me numerous opportunities to share my passion with her peers. For this, I am always grateful.

So, when I received the call from C, I felt honoured that these lovely ladies had thought of me when sourcing a gift for their dear Lady Captain. C told me that they wanted to present their Lady Captain with my soaps, sculpted in the alphabets of her name. I could not say no to this soapy challenge!

This was my sketch of the soaps that I had sent for approval ...

TADAH!! These made me really happy ... they turned out exactly the way I had visualised!

Handcrafted Soap Alphabets