Diced rainbow coloured soaps in Goatsmilk & Oatmeal soap Tutorial!

I was shattered when I couldn't find the magic tool, the butter curler (the one that Eden's Secret used to make the pretty soap curls with), here in the stores in Australia?? Potato/Apple peelers and cheese slicers just won't work for me!!! Kept "almost" sliced my fingers off! :o( I was inspired by her soap curls design that I wanted to try for myself but tough titties for me!

By the way, Karen from Eden's Secret is one of the best soapers that I know of! Her soap designs are absolutely beautiful! She also makes cupcake soaps, soap cakes, massage bars, bath bombs, men soap, etc. I get a lot of inspiration from her! :D She also has a youtube channel filled videos of her making and designing her products!

Here's my first little tutorial that I will share with the world! Or whoever decides to look at my blog...

I get my supplies/goodies from Aussie Soap Supplies!

DICED RAINBOW SOAPS IN GOATSMILK & OATMEAL MELT & POUR SOAP TUTORIAL (MOSAIC DESIGN)

I made up layers of the rainbow spectrum (minus orange) in a container. Good thing about not spraying rubbing alcohol is the layers do not adhere and can be easily "peeled" off. I used clear soap and made red, missed orange, yellow, green, blue and purple layers. Once each coloured layer is almost solid, I pour another layer of coloured soap on top of it. Leave it overnight to fully solidify.

Unmould from the container and slowly pull apart the layers. I am extremely annoyed with myself for not taking pictures of that process!!!!

As I mentioned before, I initially wanted to make the pretty soap curls like Eden's Secret's but because I can't find the right tool, I decided to dice the coloured soap. My last post about improvising? Here's improvising!!

My untidy work bench! 

For now. :D

 This Lock and Lock mould holds 2 litres.

Measurements roughly: 9cm x 9cm x 25cm

First Goatsmilk & Oatmeal layer, I melted 200ml (or grams) for the bottom layer and added Bramble Berry's Oatmeal, Milk & Honey fragrance oil.

Once the bottom layer is almost solidified, I scattered a layer of the diced colour soaps.

I initially wanted it to stay in the middle BUT because the diced coloured soaps are not stuck to the bottom, it decided to do some floaty movements as shown below after I poured another layer on top of it.

REMEMBER TO SPRITZ THE TOP OF EACH LAYER BEFORE POURING THE NEXT LAYER!!

 That's the second layer with diced coloured soap.

Once the layer is almost solidified, spray rubbing alcohol for the little diced coloured cubes to momentarily adhere to the bottom layer. 

For the next layer remember to spritz rubbing alcohol before pouring!!

 

Just keep adding the layers of diced coloured soap.

As you can see, the 2nd layer is scattered because I don't want the coloured soap sitting on top of each other, if that makes sense!

I think it was up to 4 layers of diced coloured soap before I cover the top completely.

Remember the base was 200ml (or grams) of just the plain Goatsmilk & Oatmeal soap?

After the last layer of cubed coloured soaps are laid out, I poured 400ml of the Goatsmilk & Oatmeal soap. 

200ml to fill the layer of diced coloured soaps 

200ml to completely cover the top layer (to mirror the bottom layer)

This is now a waiting game. I will have to wait till tomorrow to ensure that the soap is fully solidified in the mould then I will cut it! EXCITEMENT!!!

***DRUM ROLLS***

...until tomorrow!!...

GOOD MORNING!!!

Lesson learned from last night?
1) REMEMBER TO SPRAY EVERY LAYER WITH RUBBING ALCOHOL BEFORE POURING ANOTHER LAYER ON TOP!!!
The bottom plain layer detached because I forgot to spray some rubbing alcohol...

2) Dice the coloured soaps bigger

I think that's it.
VOILA! Smells like baby powder. :o)

Needle felted teeth or molar with a heart!

I promised my friend, a dentist, that I'd needle felt something for him and here it is! A needle felted teeth/molar. Love your teeth!!

Now I just have to get this squishy hearted molar to him! :-)

(Wool tools & supplies from Felt Alive)

Origami addiction!!

As usual, been super slack at updating my blog BUT that's because I didn't have much to offer/show...

Seeing that I have dipped my hands on using different materials and making different things, I have gone back to paper! I absolutely LOVE IT! I've gotten myself into origami now and have folded a couple of complex origami designs. I learned how to make them from Youtube. Both tutorials are taught by Sara Adams, Youtube name AdamsSara.

Snowflake!

(Designer: Dennis Walker)

 Tracing paper Snowflake

 Tracing paper Snowflake

 Backside of tracing paper Snowflake

Silver pearly paper Snowflake

Tessellation: Star Puff!

(Designer: Ralf Konrad)

Backside of Star Puff Tessellation

I should update my blog more often and will soon when I start making cards again! :)

Enjoy crafting!!

Needle felted Ice cream!!

Last Saturday, I was minding my own business and needle felting sushi rolls for my nephew. The boys were watching tv, chatting and knocking back a few Vodka shots then they saunter over to where I was needle felting at the kitchen bench. One of the boys said, "Hey, why don't you make an ice cream for my girlfriend?" And I did! :D

Apologies for the bad photo. It's the only one I've got. It was fun needle felting it on the spot!

I've also received 3 of 5 packages from Dream Felt/Kay Petal's Needle Felting Supplies. Hoping for 1 to arrive this week and the last package next week!! Pictures coming soon! :D

Dream Felt Core Wool has ARRIVED on my door step!!!

My first order from Felt Alive's Needle Felting Supplies (Anchorage, Alaska) has finally arrived!!!

The Dream Felt Core Wool is exactly a DREAM to felt! I used to felt a plain egg using natural merino wool top and that took HOURS! This took about 15 minutes (or less)! :D Happy Happy Joy Joy! :D

 Dream Felt Core Wool needle felted in just MINUTES!

Merino Roving wool needle felted in HOURS!

 

 Roving/combed vs crimped messy wool

I do hope that the coloured Dream Felt FUN Economy batting will arrive tomorrow!! *FINGERS CROSSED*!

Needle felted cupcake with cherry on top!

Almost 4 hours later, I got a cupcake with a cherry on top!

I used merino roving for the core (hence it took me a while to manipulate it into shape...). Trying to use up as much merino natural coloured wool as I can to make way for the new wool coming from Felt Alive. Whoopeeeee!!!

Cupcake measures: 3 1/4" tall x 2 1/2" (widest point)

 The strawberries are real!

Merino roving/top/sliver vs wool batt/batting plus types of needles

Few days ago, while I was stalking (still stalking!) Felt Alive's needle felting supplies webpage, I came across some very valuable information regarding the type of wool used and the type of needles. I even have one of the Felt Alive's needle felting supplies page open when I open up Mozilla. That's how much I love being there.

I have to find it the hard and expensive way. I bought lots and lots of beautiful and colourful Merino top/roving only to find out that it is very difficult and time-consuming to needlefelt, especially when it comes to sculptural, 3D projects. 

Roving is combed one direction like straight hair, that's why it's quite difficult to felt as it is not a messy ball of wool like batt/batting. If you're really just after flat needle felting project, in my opinion, the merino wool tops/roving/sliver is ok. The wool batting is more for sculptural, 3D projects. It took me hours and hours to needle felt an egg using merino wool. I'm hoping the core wool batting will take me less than an hour to make one egg! I've also tried using the Clover tool with 5 needles to needle felt an egg. It also took a few hours.

It is indeed true (according to Felt Alive's guide) that it is very difficult to find the suitable supplies and tools for needle felting. We unfortunately cannot just walk in to craft stores here to find the wool batting and inexpensive needle felting tools. From what I've experienced, wool roving is pretty much the only wool I can find at such stores and online. I have not personally walked into a fibre store so I'm not too sure about their stock. I've scoured through the Australian websites/stores for wool batting but can't seem to find a whole lot of them. If I did find some, their prices are almost twice more expensive than overseas supplies. Apparently some needle felters use quilt wool batting for needle felting their core projects. I've never tried them but may give it a go if I do find some. It is unfortunate that I (and possibly a few other crafters or even more) have to source supplies and tools from overseas just because it's cheaper, although slower. 


Enough blabbering!!


Without further ado, here's the link to Felt Alive's guide to Needlefelting and supplies. 

Felt Alive needle felting supplies also features Dream Felt needle felting wool. They are based in Alaska so overseas eager needle felters, shipping can take a while longer to get to you. I still haven't gotten mine and can't wait (getting antsy!!) but I'm super excited to just wait for them to arrive at my doorstep!! *Fingers crossed* I get them next week!

I do not represent Felt Alive and even if I have not received my 4 orders from them yet, I'd highly recommend them for needle felting supplies. Kay Petal (owner and founder of Felt Alive) and Patti McAleenan (owner of Dream Felt needle felting supplies with husband, John) are rare cancer survivors who share the love of needle felting and work together to bring the world needle felting supplies! You can read about them here.

Please feel free to correct me or comment with any helpful tips or where to get wool batting (at decent prices!!).

Happy needle felting!!