Today we have a wonderful guest post by Gwynne Olsen of Silver Lining Soaps. You can see an interview with Gwynne here. Gwynne is a part of our Facebook Group, Saponification Nation and is continually posting the most adorable, colorful and bright soaps.
In this project, she shows us how to create adorable geodes by combining rebatch soap and melt and pour.
So let’s get started! -Amanda Aaron
Jade Geode Gemstone Soap
Estimated time to complete project: 1-2 hours
Geode and gemstone inspired DIY projects are really popular right now, and its no surprise why. Crystals and gems are breathtaking when replicated in various forms including candy, crayons, foods like Jell-O, chocolate, cake accents, and of course, soap. The naturally beautiful aesthetic of crystals and gems make it easy to create these mystical shapes out of soap since gemstones are imperfect. In fact, the more perfect I tried to make mine, the less realistic they looked.
If you have old soap or shreds of rebatch laying around, this project is perfect for you. This tutorial is intermediate and does require some time. But trust me when I say, the results are worth it!
Soap making tools:
- For this tutorial, you won’t need to suit up with goggles since we are working with rebatch and melt and pour soap. But I do recommend both soap making gloves and even a pot holder because this project can be messy with the micas and glitter. It involves heat so be careful, and use a potholder when needed.
- Double boiler large enough for 2 lbs of grated rebatch. Hint: If it doesn’t all fit at once, let the rebatch melt and add gradually as it melts down.
- Sphere molds. The one I used is from Brambleberry and holds four spheres sizes 5.75” length X 5.75” width X 2.5” tall. I use both top and bottom so I get 8. You can also use metal bath bomb molds, but be sure to line each one with plastic wrap so the soap will release.
Ingredients:
- 2 lbs rebatch (grated) soap. Use cold process soap only for the rock portion, not melt and pour. Tertiary colors work best. Shades with grays and browns tend to make a more realistic looking “rock”.
- 3-5 oz distilled water
- Green mica of your choice. I chose Kelly Green since it looks a lot like Jade.
- 1.5 oz. Jade fragrance oil (Bramble Berry) to be divided in half.
- 12 oz. Clear melt and pour soap base. (You might have leftovers after this project.)
- 91% Rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle
- 1 tsp Gold mica mixed with 1 tsp of rubbing alcohol in a small dish. Your solution should be the consistency of watercolor paint. (You can make this right before you use it at the end of this tutorial since alcohol evaporates quickly)
- Silver, Pewter, or patina mica. All of these look excellent on the surface of the rock. If you have one or all of these, use them!
- Variety of 3-4 paint brushes
- Any type of glitter you might have. I happened to have two different greens so I used both. But iridescent, gold and even black all look great!
Let’s make our geodes!
SAFETY FIRST: Make sure kids and pets are out of the way. Making rebatch can get hot!
Place your rebatch shreds in the double boiler and add 1 oz of distilled water. Let the soap “melt” which should take 10-20 minutes and stir. Keep melting and stirring until it is thick like mashed potatoes. You may have small shreds and flecks of color, this is normal and in fact makes the soap look like real rock. If you add too much water, add more soap shreds. It should be comparable to the consistency of mashed potatoes.
Add .75 oz of Jade fragrance oil. Stir well until fully incorporated.
Take your sphere mold and scoop one heaping spoon full into one of the molds and form it into a birds nest. See image. You should be able to easily form a center cavity. Do this for all 8 and let cool. I put mine in the fridge while I made my melt and pour gemstones.
Chop, then melt 12 oz of melt and pour soap in 10 second bursts until fully melted.
Add the Kelly green mica and stir thoroughly.
Add .75 oz of Jade fragrance oil. Stir completely.
Pour about 8 oz of soap into a flat silicone mold. I used a loaf mold. Pop in the fridge to help it harden faster.
Once the mp soap is hard, chop into small bits that resemble crystals.
Remove the “birds nest” soap rocks from the fridge. If the edges are messy like mine (see image) you can use a knife to clean them up. I cut the edges so they were even but not smooth to keep them looking rough, still resembling rocks.
Re-melt the rest of your clear green soap and fill the rock cavity about ½ way, then add enough of the soap crystals to fill the cavity. Pour a small amount over the crystals to just cover them, then finish with crystals again. Shake off the excess. (You can gently tap the sides on a hard surface.) Fill the rock as much or as little as you want. I like mine to be stacked high.
After all 8 rocks are filled, turn them over gem side down.
*You may want to wear gloves for this part of you are not already. Take a medium brush, dip into silver mica, and dust in a swirling motion until the rocks are covered in mica. Spritz with rubbing alcohol so it sticks.
*You may want to wear gloves for this part of you are not already. Take a medium brush, dip into silver mica, and dust in a swirling motion until the rocks are covered in mica. Spritz with rubbing alcohol so it sticks.
Take your gold mica alcohol solution and paint around the rim of each gem. You don’t need to make perfect lines, in fact the less perfect, the better! I go over the edges in random places for a more realistic effect.
Take a pinch of glitter and evenly sprinkle over the top of the crystals.
Admire your Jade Gemstone soaps! Give as gifts. Perfect for the budding geologist or gemstone lover. Now that you know how to make gemstones, experiment with different scents and colors!
Thank you so much for this wonderful tutorial, Gwynne! Love it! -Amanda
Find Gwynne online!
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