For many kids and teens this is the last week of summer before school begins, and my son will be starting preschool for the first time! To celebrate this big step I have created these bright and happy Vivid Soap Blocks. They use a guest size soap mold, perfect for small hands, and pair up non-bleeding colorants with crystal clear Labcolors. The letters are cut by hand, but you can find small letter fondant cutters in craft stores if you prefer or use Bramble Berry’s Alphabet Mold (when they’re back in stock next wee).
1 lb clear soap base
Purple non-bleeding liquid soap colorant
Red Labcolors soap colorant
Red Apple fragrance oil
Square and Round Guest Soap Mold
Exacto Knife
Alphabet template or fondant cutters
To choose your color combination, you need to consider the bleeding factor of the Labcolors. Like watercolor paints, certain colors bleed together nicely and some do not. So in this case, choose your face color first from the non-bleeding liquid color selection, then choose a Labcolor that is the same color or a lighter color in the same family.
1) For the alphabet template, click on alphabet image and print out.
2) In a Pyrex cup, melt 4 ounces of clear base. Stir in a few drops of non-bleeding colorant, then stir in 1/2 teaspoon of fragrance oil. Pour into molds, filling each only 1/4″ full. Put in freezer for a few minutes and unmold.
3) Roughly cut letters out of template. Place on top of soap and cut through paper and soap at the same time with Exacto knife.
4) Melt 8 ounces of clear soap base. Stir in Labcolor, one drop at a time (they’re really concentrated – it’s easy to overdo it!). Pour a thin layer into your mold, then put letter soap into the hot soap, pressing down to mold surface. Spray with rubbing alchohol to remove any bubbles, then quickly top off mold with more melted soap. If you chose a letter that has an inner shape, like my letter Q, place this piece into the hot soap and press down before topping off mold.
5) Allow to set overnight or put into a freezer for a few minutes and unmold.
The color combinations I show above are:
Letters E and U: Purple non-bleed liquid and Red Labcolors.
Letters Z and Q: Blue non-bleed liquid and Brilliant Blue Labcolors.
Letter H: Red non-bleed liquid and Canary Labcolors (red looks orange when done).
To learn more about gorgeous Labcolors and the cool things you can do with them, come back on Thursday for a few helpful hints!
Love the vibrant color combinations!
That looks so fun!!!
Thank you Debbie! This is a really cool tutorial! Very easy to follow and cute.