I-L-L-I-N-I!!! We’re big Illinois fans around here, so I decided to make a soap to match for this month’s Great Cakes Soapworks Soap Challenge Club. November’s challenge was to make a design on the bottom of the soap using squeeze bottles. High contrast colors work really well to show off the design. What better than orange and blue?
Illini Energy!
I used my usual soap recipe with the fragrance “Energy,” which smells just like oranges. Perfect in both name and color, right?! It’s a nice bright scent, great for both guys and gals who love the Fighting Illini.
According to Amy’s (awesome-as-usual) instructions, slab molds will show more of the squeeze bottle design. My problem: no slab mold. So, of course, I improvised. I have an old tupperware container that’s about 5 inches wide and 13 inches long, but it is slightly curved and has a funky texture on the bottom. To straighten and flatten it out, I bolstered the insides and bottom with a few layers of thick cardboard.
I folded up my freezer paper to fit my mold, measured out where my soaps would be positioned, then drew a big “I” on the wrong side of the freezer paper where each bar of soap would be. I was able to get 5 bars of soap in my mold.
By the way, have you ever tried to figure out how much oil to use to fit your mold? I found a great formula for it a few years ago. (Sorry, I can’t remember where I found it; five kids + lots of missed sleep = mommy-brain memory loss). It’s really simple:
width of mold x length of mold x depth (or height of soap) x 40% = ounces of oils to use
For my make-shift slab mold, the formula was:
4″ x 13″ x 1″ x 40% = 21 ounces of oils
After making my soap, I divided it into 3 separate cups for my orange, white, and navy colors. I used white and orange soap in my squeeze bottles, putting the white border in my mold first, then filling in the “I” with orange soap. The most difficult task was creating straight lines of uniform thickness with the white soap. They are certainly not perfect lines, but they’re not too bad for my first try!
Straight lines are difficult, especially with squeeze bottles! And square corners are hard, too!
After letting the design set for a few minutes, I carefully spooned on the navy soap.
The navy soap was pretty set up already as I tried to get it into the mold without disturbing the orange and white. I kind of made a mess!
With the remaining orange and white soaps, I did an in-the-pot swirl for a bit of added interest. The final result is orange and blue from every angle.
Illini swirl
Unwrapping my Illini soap was exciting! I actually had dreams about this unmolding!
I think I may have overheated the soap in the oven. It has a bubbly film (maybe glycerin) all over the navy and orange bottom. Interesting. It’ll be gone after one use of the soap, leaving a nice smooth and shiny surface.
Like I said, it’s not perfect, but it sure is fun! Great soap for all of those Illinois fans around here.
Go Illinois!
I’m going to try another squeeze bottle design soap again soon. It was fun to do, and now I want a real slab mold. There’s always something else to build or buy, isn’t there?!
Lovely design!
Thanks, Natalia! Certainly not the most artistic! Just a bit of fun. 😉
Fun, indeed! maybe the most interesting challenge( and new, for me!).
Your design came through very well and it looks great! Love the colors, too. I would like to try your Energy f.o. Orange is one of my favorite scents but the Energy that I have smells like stale eucalyptus!
I am also wishing for a real slab mold with dividers. 🙂
This scent is pretty yummy, not like stale eucalyptus at all! It’s from Majestic Mountain Sage.
As for the slab mold…I’m thinking I’ll ask for one for Christmas! Hubs just asked me this past weekend what I want. He’s really on the ball this year!
By the way, love your new header. Beautiful illustration!
Thanks so much! I had a very talented friend and neighbor design it! 🙂 Looks so much like my five girlies!
This is awesome! I am also an Illini and I love your design.
Thanks! Go Illini! Do you live in Illinois? I’m from a small town about an hour south of Champaign.
Yes, I live in northern Illinois. I was near your neck of the woods in Champaign for homecoming Oct 26. I was great to see all the orange and blue (too bad the football team was blown out)!
well done
Thanks! 🙂
Awesome soap!! You did great with your mold and your design – very original!
Thanks, Amy! I know it’s not the typical “pretty” design, but lots of people around here will like this one! 🙂 Thanks again for doing the challenges! I’m having a blast!!!
Wow, that turned out SO cool Katy….great job!!!
Thanks, Cee Gee! They smell great, too! 🙂
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