Food Soap Challenge

One of the reasons I post challenges on Soaper's Retreat on facebook is to push your abilities to express yourselves and the photographs you take of the masterpieces you make.  In life and in work, I always feel like if I don't push the envelope or think outside the box, in my work, or anything else I do, will just be overlooked, be plain, "pedestrian"... and like everyone else's.  So this challenge, The Food Challenge, was to use a food item, never used BY YOU before in your soaps.  I was clear in my food challenge description, that failures (meaning that if the food item created a soap on a stick scenario or whatever) or ultimate messes, would all be considered. My hope was to open the idea to THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX and challenge you to add something unconventional that would, perhaps, open up a world of possibilities in your own mind in your soapmaking.

So after reviewing such amazing entries and photographs, I am only able to choose a few, but know that I was tickled pink to see the efforts and awesome envelope pushing I saw with this challenge.  I am really proud of the people who really left their "drawing within the lines" state of mind and took a chance with this challenge.  GOOD FOR YOU.

I hope you know that these challenges are not for this blog.  Not for any status symbol.  Not a popularity contest.  I do it FOR YOU.  To challenge you to not only think about your art and express it from YOU, but to also better photograph your art in new ways that you feel comfortable with and that show off the beauty of your artistic work.

Now, let's get to some photos.....

Food: Made with Budda's Hand (fruit), by Melinda Wimm Wolff Foster

Food:  Tahini + Honey with Acacia Gum sprinkles, made by Clara Lindberg

Food:  Sriracha Hot Sauce, mad by Debbie Thomas

Food:  Kale + Raspberries, Made by Katye Fredieu

Food:  Carrot Juice + Raw Noodle Topping, Made by Andrea Gerlach

Food: Dragonfruit, Made by Fransiska Tanadi

Like I mentioned, I couldn't list all of them, but these were some of the more unusual ingredients used in the challenge and I am proud of everyone who tried a new food in their soap.  Everyone!  Well done, people, well done.  Now hopefully, adding new things in your soap won't be as scary...O.o

xxxooo  Jo

The Soap Conference Part Deux

I feel pretty lucky to have been at the conference this year.  I met some wonderful people and left with lifetime friends and family, if you can even believe it.  Well I have decided to be part of the staff next year at the Handcrafted Soap & Cosmetic Guild's conference in Tucson, Arizona.  I encourage you all to save up now and sign up for the conference.  It's not only a great learning experience, but a chance in a lifetime to meet people you may really connect with.  For now or for life.  It was an experience to say the least.  

Here are some photos that I cherish:

Tricia Samundsen and Me - last day of conference

Amanda Griffin, Charlene Simon and Me - Party Night

Charlene Simon and Tanya Rasley - Winning Duo

Today Is All About Blue

Since I made blue soap yesterday, I thought I'd look at other blue soaps, too.  Here's a crappy phone photo I took of my Palm Beach Illustrated Soap:

~~--------------------------------------~~-------------------------------------~~

The Shire Soap: Future Primitive Soaps

I am loving the blue/white swirl on top.

Closed lavender buds waiting to hatch, Geranium leaves tossed in Gardenia 

absolute and a fistful of star-shaped Ylang Ylang flowers.

Coconut Cream Blue Flower Tarts: The Roche Shop

Sea Salt Soap: Empire Soaps 

(lemon verbena and lemongrass)

 Blossom Goat's Milk Soap: Two Blooms Design

Cotton Flowers

Big Ass Blue Soap: Heart Button Boat Soaps

Lives in my old neighborhood!  :)

Colorful Logs: River Country Soapworks

Soap Porn Wednesday!

Found at The Handmade Soap Blog:  "honey trap". non-spotty, non-freaky "honey trap". hallelujah.

 Found on Between Friends blog:  "Lace"

Found on Lynnz Artisan Soap Blog:: Cuppycake.  mmm.

Wine and Roses Goat Milk Soap by twentyseven27soap

Java Mint by Sheri's Soap Opera  So pretty!  Lawdee!



So there you have it.  A little beauty to start your day!

xoJo

Fresh Beauty From Тонкая Материя

I have been a long admirer of Тонкая Материя's.  The soaps look incredible and I am awed by the lighting and photography skills this person has.  Maybe one day I could get my hands on the soap so I could review it!  Mmmm....

Here is lovely eye candy for  you.

 

Soap: Milk Chocolate (2 photos)

 

Soap: Lavender

 

Scrub: "Milk + Jasmine"

 Soap: Chocolate and Mint

 

Soap: Lemon and Juniper

 Shave Soap

Birch Tar Soap




Visit Тонкая Материя's Flickr photo stream.

Soap Travels Unveiled

These past two weeks have been incredibly busy here at the Product Body Headquarters.  Between life, filling and shipping orders and me getting a 2 day migraine that knocked me on my feet, I have finally gotten to Soap Travels.  I feel bad that I didn't get to it sooner, but it came at the busiest time of year for me.

Regarding Soap Travels, started by Cocobong:

Imagine receiving a little parcel containing three soaps from three different soapers. You get to choose one, replace it with one of your own creations and send it on its way again. This little parcel will travel around the globe, sharing your work with other great soapers.

Here are the contents of my package... they are all pretty and lovely:

wrapped

 unwrapped except for Miss Julia's (cocobong) because it was too 

beautifully wrapped and I knew which one I needed to keep.

Julia guessed that I would choose Patti Flynn's soap and, indeed, that is the one I am keeping.  I have never had the pleasure of trying Patti's soaps, so I must confess, I have been curious to say the least.  I have tried Julia's soaps, so that was right out.  The Mianra one is absolutely gorgeous, but I had to pass because of The Flynn. 

I am now going to send this package across the world to the next in line for Soap Travels.  Hmmm, what bar to include.... I guess we'll all have to wait for that blog post.  I have a special soap I custom-made for a Palm Beach magazine that is quite pretty.... maybe I'll send that one along.  Made with Atlantic ocean water, coconut milk, banana and mango powder and blue and green mica. 

Once I try The Flynn, I will post again with my mini "review" - you must know, I know!

I have to say how honored I am to be on this list of soapers who were chosen to be part of this awesome journey.  

Thank you, Julia!

Holidays, Soap Travels + Soap Porn

With the holidays approaching, soap production has slowed A LOT.  Now I am just making more to replenish our depleting stock once the holidays are over.

I think this year I am actually taking a mental vacation from work.  We will actually close up shop for the duration of our children's holiday.  We are well prepared for the holiday shoppers and all packages will ship by the 19th and then we are closed until January.  Feels good to say it out loud and make it "official".  Oh....people can order, but nothing will be processed until January.

Now, I know I promised to take on more with this blog and bring it.  I MEANT it and it is my every intention to do so.  I just get so surprised every year how slammed business and life gets in the months of November and December, so I hope you are all patient with my bringings-ons...

I do have some great news.  I got a small package from Cocobong, who has started "SOAP TRAVELS", a project that will include many countries and their soap makers which is a super fun idea.  Here is how it works:

Julia sent me a parcel with three bars of soap in it.  I received it yesterday and I am super-happy-thrilled-amazed by this whole project.  It is such a great connection between us all.  Included in the package was a bar of her own soap, and two soaps from other soap makers, which I will reveal in my next post (I have no camera and I am typing in the pitch dark).  My job is to choose the soap I want to keep and replace it with one of my own.  I then send the package to the next Soap Travels participants and then, they get to choose what soap they want!  How fun is this going to be??  Cocobong has explained Soap Travels best.

So excited to bring the photos and descriptions to you over the weekend.

Come back to check it out.

I leave you with a photograph of Julia's soap.  This photo makes me want to be a wee little girl and dive into the peaks of that brown soap.  Just imagine being so small and feeling the smoothness of that bar.  Right now.

The Soap Bar Flickr Group Porn

A few months ago I set up a flickr group for us to share our soaps with each other, and I'm really pleased with the outcome. I am happy to see beginners, experts, people I've seen for years, and soapers I've never heard of yet. It's a new experience every time I visit and there is always a sense of excitement for me when I check out the newly uploaded soaps.

The collection that I've pulled together is from The Soap Bar Flickr Group. Please go and browse the pages and pages of soaps that have been so generously shared by soap makers from all around the world. This is an international industry and I am proud to provide a place for us all to share. These images moved me today:

Gardener's Soap - First try by Pienovonios

Gardener's Soap second try by Pienovonios

Amber by Seifechuchi

Budleigh Salterton Pebble Soap by SoapChick UK

Pure Dog XL by Seifenzwerg

Honey Soap by Тонкая Материя

Orange & Lavender by The Soap Trail

Satsuma Soap Cake by Mountain Farm Soap

Mugwort Mud Soap by Bie's Junkyard
I love green!

Product Body Is Giving Away $75

As most of you know, my husband and I own the soap /B+B company Product Body and we're having a $75 giveaway.

There's no purchase necessary for you to enter. We're extremely proud of our new line of soaps and the top-to-bottom redesign of our website. So to celebrate (and help promote it of course), we're going to be giving away a $75 gift certificate to one lucky Product Body/Absolute Soap fan.

We're giving everyone up to two entries in the drawing, and they're easy to earn by Facebook liking or tweeting. All the details are on our website, so stop over now and you can get your entries in. Now, go to the main page of Product Body and right above the photos there is a link to give you ALL the details on how to enter.

Good luck!! Entries stop counting 11:59 pm June 30th, 2011.

Winner will be chosen sometime between July 1st- July 3rd.

Go have fun and spread the word.

:D

Saboo Thailand

I was looking for soap made with real carrots for some soap porn and I found this site, Saboo Thailand. They make all kinds of soap. Cold process (CP), Melt and Pour (MP) and Hot Process (HP) soaps. All are really beautiful.

Take a look and go check out the site. Cool, huh?

Vanilla

Latte Coffee

Bamboo Charcoal & Goat Milk

Carrot & Tamarind

Carrot

Yogurt

Tamarind

Mmmmm, coconut. You know how much I love coconut.

:)

Thank you, Saboo!