Adding cornstarch to Melt and Pour soap turns your soap into a play dough fantasy land! Let your kids sculpt soap into any shape and let it air dry. These hardened shapes can be used in the bath or embedded for a unique soap look.
1. Cut melt and pour into 1” cubes and put into microwave safe container (6oz of soap should be plenty), cover with saran wrap and microwave for 30 second intervals until soap is melted. Add your fragrance oil to the soap and stir.
2. Add the Corn starch to the soap, about 4 tablespoons for 6oz of soap and stir, stir, stir! The cornstarch may not be very willing to mix in, just keep stirring and it will eventually mix in for you. You can scoop out any floating clumps with a spoon if they just refuse to cooperate.
3. Decide how many colors you want and pour the cornstarched soap into individual containers, one per color then add your colorants.
4. Let the soap cool, it is easiest to work with if it is still soft and warm. We have found that pouring a thin layer of the soap out into a mold (not the one you plan on using), or even on your counter is the quickest and easiest way to do this. Once the soap has stiffened it will peel off easily. (For this example we poured little pools of soap onto the counter)
5. Knead the soap in your hand, depending on how cold it is it may take a minute to be moldable – then do this with all of your colors.
6. Start sculpting! Let your sculpted soap sit for about an hour to fully harden
You can use your soap as it is just like this – or you can embed your masterpiece in clear soap to make it last a little longer.
To Embed:
1. Follow step 1 and use clear soap. then pour a thin layer of the soap into the mold and spray with alcohol to pop any bubbles.
2. Let this layer sit until there is a stiff skin on top, spray with alcohol – this helps the next layer stick
3. Get your sculpted soap and spray it on all sides with alcohol then set onto the first layer of soap
4. Fill the mold the rest of the way full with the clear soap and spray with alcohol
5. Let this sit for a few hours before removing (the longer you wait the easier it will be to remove from the mold)
The thing to keep in mind. There are a number of different recipes for making sculpt-able soap. Each person that creates/discovers a recipe will have their own technique for creating their recipe.
The recipe I use, Does Not require being wrapped with plastic wrap while it is in the mold
I strongly suggested when creating any recipe for the first time to follow it completely.
Once you get familiar with the different recipe/s you will then find the one that works for you.
Wrap with Plastic Wrap to prevent Soda Ash
Don't insult/wrap the mold to force gelling. Gelling changes the texture of the Play Dough CP Soap
This recipe works With each slight change you made to this recipe, it Will change the outcome
How to make Play Dough CP
Part 2
The recipe is in the files section of my Facebook Group page:
Learning Curve,I learned that I could work with soft/fresh soap. Creating soap balls and roses. I have since been able to get it to work much like fondant in the videos I watch on the web.
I would take the fresh/soft soap from each batch and play with it to see if I could make
soap balls for embeds. I kept a journal of each recipe, good & bad. Over time I started to realize what was the best to work with as Play Dough CP Soap constantly. Then I started trying to make Soap Roses by Hand., https://youtu.be/XSD6lK8iYCo.
Through trial and error I learned how to get the Play Dough to play
nice. I kept notes as to how different recipes would allowed for a smooth texture, lump free and not too sticky.
The recipe is just a guideline of one recipe that
works well for Play Dough CP Soap.
I would suggest trying your fresh soap and finding out if it soft enough to make your own Play
Dough Soap.
I use Soap Calc to create my recipes: Soap Calc: http://soapcalc.net/calc/soapcalcwp.asp
Some Variations of Oils:
Palm Oil. could be replaced with Tallow
Canola Oil, high oleic could be replaced with Crisco
Things I noticed:
1) Use EO & FO Sparely as they can make your Play Dough CP Soap Sticky
2) When I Shave/cut off the top and the dry edges I had least lumps to break down
3) Corn Starch is great for working with sticky soap
4) When I wipe my hands with a damp cloth to clean them and then handle the soap it
smoothed out the surface of my project that I was working on.
5) If I wrapped the soap and keep the air off of it, it was soft the next day. Over time I
learned that it stay soft for a very long time.
6) I could use a brush and a little water to clean off the surface of my project of the corn
starch that I had use
7) When attaching pieces of soap I could use water
8) I would then let it cure as usual once I was done with my project.
I saw a picture on Twitter that inspired me. I was a cute Unicorn in a tube, cake topper. Here I go, trying to figure out, how to make Play Dough CP Soap do what fondant does.
My first thought was how can I make it but make it a little different. I made a couple heads.
Then I decided to try a Claw Foot Tube. Once I got the tub made and tried to place the Unicorn head I discovered there was no way it was going to fit.
Okay, now plan B.
I ended up with a project called, Plumber in a Tub... :-P
I learned that I was not so cleaver. I decided that I would start with the water. That way I can test the water size up against the Unicorn head size. The size was better, although if I made it again I would make the head smaller. Some of the feedback I got back on the Plumber was to try and make the water with more interesting. The other challenge I was faced with was to make the wood to go around the water. How do I do the wood free hand. I was fairly happy with the with how the water and the wood came together.
I put the metal bands around the tub and added some flowers. Now it was time to figure out how to do the legs & hooves. I really wanted to do black hooves. I messed around for awhile until I felt I had achieved a facsimile of hooves. I put it all together :-)
After making enough soap that I had to start learning how to rebatch my leftovers and soap ends. I went back to YouTube and watch videos on the subject. The colour of the rebatched soap was ugly, in my opinion. I had decide that there had to be a better way then having a certain amount of ugly rebatch soaps. I was not happy with the colour and I felt like it was second grade soap. I have since made rebatch soap that was my favourite soap to use.
So after I cutting a loaf. I had soft fresh soap. I started making soap balls with it. Soap balls make great embeds for future projects. I had also seen videos on how to make Roses. In many of the videos they were using gadgets to make the Roses. My sense was I did not care for the look. Plus I did not want the expense of buying the gadgets. I tried to recreate the Rose but by hand molding the petals.
I was surprised that it actually worked to a degree.
One day I did not have time to make roses when I had fresh soap. I wrap it in plastic wrap. The next day when I had time, with anticipation, I unwrapped the soap and discovered it was still soft.
I was excited to do the reveal of each new soap batch I made. To see if I could use the leftovers to make Roses. I started to make notes of the recipes that allowed me to sculpt and the ones that did not. As I figured out the recipes that worked well for Play Dough. I started to deliberately making soap for different projects with that recipe and colours that I didn’t have. I tried different ways to make different colours of Rose pedals. As time went on and I got better at making the Roses.
I started to make other things out of the Play Dough CP Soap. It was a learning curve. Finding ways to make the Play Dough CP Soap do what I wanted it to do. It seemed to take hours. Now I can make figures relatively quick. One of my favourite sayings is,
"Don’t Tell Me I Can’t Do it Until,
After I have Done It.”
Everyone on the web talks about how you have to cure the soap before using it. There are people that advocate using gloves when handling fresh soap. Normally that is enough to scare most people off of touching the soap. No, not me. If I try it and it is a problem for my hands then Yes, I would stop. It was not a problem for me handling the fresh soap.
I also noticed the time I spent creating new rose & figures out the soap it was very relaxing. I refer to it as, "Soap Therapy." It was like I had found the Yin Yang of Soap Making.
Making soap batches can be very intense. You have to be very organized, safety conscious, precise about measurements, temperatures and know exactly how and what is going needs happen to make soap. I found that it is helpful to have a plan B, in case the soap batter starts to act up. On the other hand, making figures out of fresh soap can be very forgiving. Working at your own pace, no rush. I even learned that if I didn’t care for something. I could take a piece off and make a new one. I could correct what I did not care for. When I figure out how forgiving the Play Dough CP Soap was I thought, how amazing is that. I had started making soap in August 2016. Now I am in Feb 2017 and I have continued to go to school. I call researching on Google & YouTube going to School. I have continued learning and found other ways to make Sculpt-able soaps. I found a way to use Melt & Pour into Play Dough. I bought a recipe off the net for, "Incredible Soapy Clay by Willow Dawn." Again as I tired different ways I continue to get a broader understand of the concept. I achieved different effects with for Play Dough CP Soap recipe.
In January 2017, I was asked to make a video on how I made my Rose. I made the video of my Rose. Then I started to think this is a great way for me to remember how I made my Soap Figures from Christmas last year. My memory sucks. I had gotten proficient at making multiple Snowmen at a time. I started to record the weight, dimensions & shape of each piece. Which allowed me to make uniform figures in larger numbers, rather than one at a time. What a great way for me to have recall, for next Christmas. I don’t have to struggle to remember how I did them. I did keep notes but I am a visual learned. So I started creating more videos as my own DIY videos and created a YouTube Channel, Soap by Kick it Up a Notch - Ronda Scorpio. My thought is, if someone else gets inspired that is only a Plus.
My first YouTube video - Rose
I really like what I was seeing. How the cake decorators were make cake toppers using fondant, sugar paste, gum paste….. I remember many times thinking, I wishing soap would be work like that. My first tries at translating cake decorating figures into soap sculpting. They were not great. They took forever. I seem to really over work them. I persevered and was surprised as my snowmen started to get easier and easier on the eyes. lol
My first snowman cupcake I called it, “Demented Snowmen.” They took forever to make.
I personal did not like them at all. They sold well, even though I did not like them. Which brings me to another point. I have learned that even though I don’t care for some of my work, there are many people that like it. "Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder."
I got better at my Snowmen
I even made a Minnie
I hope my story has inspired you. It does take tenacity and patience to build the knowledge and understanding of soap sculpting but, it is doable. Join us on Facebook at Soap by Kick it Up a Notch and learn with us. Share your the your experience. We would be glad to have you. :-)
I would take the fresh/soft soap from each batch and play with it to see if I could make
soap balls for embeds and roses. Then I started trying to make Soap Roses by Hand.
Some of my first Roses & Soap Balls
Put my soap Balls on top of my soap
With practise I was able to make what I thought was a better recipe for making Roses
I kept notes as to how different recipes would allow for not lumps and not too sticky.
Through this process I learned tips & tricks that started to make the Fresh/Soft Soap that played nice constantly. The recipe I pinned on the group page is just a guideline of one recipe that
works well for Play Dough CP Soap.
I would suggest trying your fresh soap and finding out if the soap is soft enough to make your own Play
Dough Soap recipe.
Things I noticed:
1) EO’s dough tend to be sticky. I started to use FO’s and I was happier with the
consistency.
2) When I cut off the top and the dry edges I had least lumps to break down
3) Corn Starch is great for working with sticky soap
4) When I wipe my hands with a damp cloth to clean them and then handle the soap it
smoothed out the surface of my project that I was working on.
5) If I wrapped the soap and keep the air off of it, it was soft the next day. Over time I
learned that it stay soft for a very long time.
6) I could use a brush and a little water to clean off the surface of my project of the corn
starch that I had use
7) When attaching pieces of soap I could use water.
I use Soap Calc to create my recipes: Soap Calc: http://soapcalc.net/calc/soapcalcwp.asp
I just created my Twitter account: scorpio_ronda
https://twitter.com/scorpio_ronda
I would love to Follow you
_______
YouTube Channel: Soap by Kick it Up a Notch - Ronda Scorpio
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjldZbd2GwKzN4rqBTr6X1g
Video Tutorials on how to make Sculpted Soap Figures
Tips & Tricks for soap related things
How to make a mold. Using corrugated plastic
How to make the recipe, Play Dough CP Soap
and more.....
I will update this page as I continue to learn how to connect with you
Hi, My name is Ronda Scorpio. I started making soap August 2016. I have since learned through trial and error to formulate my own Play Dough CP Soap for Sculpting Soap Figures. I make soaps but my love is Soap Figures and expanding my skill. When I learned about this challenge my first thought was, it is like coming home. Finding like minded people 😃
I started out thinking that I would do the Dragon Eye. Then I decided to Kick it Up a Notch with what I had be learning with my Soap Figures. I would go with Winnie the Pooh theme. I needed a bar of soap. Okay, what or how am I going to incorporate a bar of soap with Winnie the Pooh theme. I went on a search and looked at many pictures of Piglet & Pooh which had a tree, a log or a tree limb in them. At this point I was thinking that I had made my bar of soap too big,
I asked: Amy To be Clear... The entry must be made in a bar shaped base or on a bar of CP Soap. There are no restrictions on size, weight, or height. It must be all CP Soap. We can use an embellishment. Have I missed anything?
Amy responded: Sounds about right to me!
Awesome I can go with the bar that I had in mind even though I thought it might be a little too big. Off I went to went to start creating ……..
I found a clips of art that I liked Winnie and Pigglet and found out that Winnie & Piglet Loved each other very much.
Now that I have my bar for the base of my project, it is time to figure out how to the colour and texture of the tree bark on the bar. The brown play dough I had made was a great colour; made with dark cocoa powder and Black Walnut Hulls. It is a nice dark colour with darker flecks. As I am applying the brown I am thinking that I am kidding myself. How the hell am going to get it to look like the rough bark of a tree? So, I blindly applied the brown and shifted the Play Dough around trying to get a bark texture.
The ends of the log were going to show. So I decided to make an attempt at putting a light colour on the ends. I placed bits of grey and some of the brown flecks on it to add dimension. Then I carved life tree rings into it. Repeat and did the other end. I let the log dry over night.
Good Morning 😃 Back to the soap challenge….do you know how to say, “addicted”. 😛
In the morning I was really happy as the colours of the bark had darkened. The bark looked better than I had thought. I have learn to walk away otherwise I have been known to mess it up and scrape it.
Day two and I realized my creativity was with me. When I would start a painting with no idea what it would look like when I was done. I would trust my creative intuition and it would come to me as I worked through my project; that is how, The Hunny Log, came to me.
Looking at the first sketch of Pooh & Piglet leaning over a log, (picture above) The next stage is to add create points of interest to make the log more authentic. I added a knot hole and a broken limb.
I decided to add grass for further interest. I made grass with the extruder. I used 3 different greens and a little black in the mixture, to create the grass.
I liked the flowers on the side of the log in the sketch. So, for the first time I used my Blossom pressure cutter and made flowers. First I had to check and see if the cutter would make small enough flowers that would work with my project. I did have a plan B, which was make them by hand. Gladly the small cutter worked.
I was interested to see how I was going to do the Hunny pots. I really wanted to be able to write Hunny on the pots but I was not sure if I could pull that off. Back to the net and researched Hunny Pots. The thing is I set my intention a little high and if it doesn’t work, go to plan B. Plan B would be no writing on the Hunny Pot. I am fairly happy with the results. I made the Hunny Pots with one piece of Play Dough and I carefully work the word, Hunny.
I don’t usually make things with Play Dough that are so small that it will disappear in my fingers but, here it goes. This time I went to Pinterest to find a Bee that I wanted to try and make. What a challenge. These tiny balls and now I have to wrap them with 2 thin black strips. Oh Ya, Dam I can’t let them go with out trying to make a face. How the Hell am I going to do that. I found a toothpick and started messing with the face. Poke two eye spots. Okay breath, Now I had to mess with like grains of black soap to make the eyes and get it into the eye holes. Plus I want them to be reasonably matching. Try, Try, Try again…I got it 😃. With the tooth pick I created a a smile. The other thing is I have no idea how the bees are going to used in the project. Oh well that it well be revealed later…..
I had made a couple of Winnie’s before. One I liked and the other well, not so much. Back to the net to look at pictures of Winnie. When it came time to start making Pooh the colour of Play Dough that I wanted to use was too soft. Plan B, take a light yellow and add colour to it to achieve the colour for Pooh. What a mess but, I did it. 😃 Now for the task of making Winnie the Pooh. As I look at the colour I realize I like it and it is going to work well. I start with making his body, sweater, head and his face. I wanted them to setup a bit before I handle them too much, getting him in place on the Log. I have learned to do some projects in stages. There is nothing worse that making an item which I like; then go to place it. While handling it an eyebrow comes off, an eye gets squished, an ear comes off or something like that and then I have to start over again.
I had also made a Piglet before but the face was too round. As I researched the pictures of Piglet I was determined to try and get the shape of the face and ears better this time. It took a few tries until I felt I had an improvement on my first Piglet. Piglets body I wanted to give a bit of bum this time. Okay I am fairly happy with Piglet. Time to move on.
I added the arms & legs to Winnie & Piglet when I place the Hunny Pots were placed on the Log.
Now it is time to place the Bees. I decided to use a wire from a twist tie. I have made 6 Bees. I placed one using the branch stump sticking out on the end of the log just beside Piglet’s side. The second Bee was place just to the side on Winnie’s Hunny Pot. I really wanted to add more but I did not want to over due it, so it is 2 Bees.
Taking pictures of my Hunny Log was a bit scary for me. I take pictures of my creations regularly but, most times they look better in person. The picture doesn’t seem to caught the colour right or the details. It was a beautiful day with a tree in the yard in bloom. I took the Hunny Log outside and proceeded to see if I could get a better picture outside. Yes, the pictures were much better outside.
Being that is was my first challenge I felt there was much to learn, beside stretching my soap sculpting skills. I had to write a short story about how I made my soaps. I am a custom to making tutorials for creating Play Dough CP Soap Figures for my YouTube Channel. I am not used to explaining and introducing myself.
I researched doing a blog. Holly, talk about stretch marks, I am out of my comfort zone. I created one but I am not sure if it will be work?
I decided to create my story for the Amy Warden’s Soap Challenge May 2017 in Evernote and make a quick video of the pictures of creating of Hunny Log for YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTKSUvDZItU
Thank you for your time and commitment to facilitating the Soap Challenge Club
Attach Legs & Arms
