Preparing handmade holiday gifts requires a little bit of planning. That’s why Soap Queen holiday projects have come early this year! This modern holiday melt and pour project features festive layers and embeds to create a snowy forest landscape. With glitter and the piney Christmas Forest Fragrance Oil, this soap is the perfect holiday gift.
When making melt and pour soap in advance, it’s important to store and wrap it properly in order to keep it in tip-top shape. This Packaging Soap Queen Tv Episode shows you how to protect your melt and pour from glycerin dew (aka: sweating) and fading. Storing your melt and pour in a dry, cool place also helps extend the life of your creations.
Ready to kick off your holiday crafting? Now until September 18th at noon, PST, all fragrance oils are 20% off! Use the code: SAVESCENTS during checkout.
What You’ll Need:
10” Silicone Loaf Mold
29 oz. Clear Melt & Pour Base
15 oz. White Melt & Pour Base
4 mL Christmas Forest Fragrance Oil
Chrome Green Color Block
Ultramarine Blue Color Block
1/8 tsp. Iridescent Glitter
Handmade Cardboard Mold
ONE: Cut and melt 10 oz. of Clear Melt and Pour Base in the microwave on 15-20 second bursts. Add pieces of the Chrome Green Color Block and stir until fully combined. Place the V-shaped cardboard into the 10 Inch Silicone Mold, and pour green soap into the cardboard mold until nearly full (you will have soap left over). Spray with rubbing alcohol to disperse bubbles.
TWO: While the soap in the cardboard cools, balance a 10″ Silicone Mold on its side, and pour the remaining green melt and pour into the corner of the balancing mold. Spray with isopropyl alcohol to disperse any bubbles.
Note: If you don’t have two 10″ Silicone Molds, wait until the soap in the cardboard has fully cooled. Remove the hardened soap from the loaf mold, and use this mold to balance and pour the remaining soap into the corner.
THREE: Gently remove both embeds from the cardboard and the balancing silicone mold. The embed created from the cardboard will be tall and thin, while the other will be short and wide.
FOUR: Cut and melt 9 oz. of White Melt and Pour Base in the microwave on 20 second bursts. Add 1mL of Christmas Forest Fragrance Oil, and stir until fully combined. Pour into 10” Silicone Mold and spray with rubbing alcohol to disperse any bubbles.
FIVE: Once the white melt and pour has hardened slightly and has begun to form a thin skin, spritz tree embed with alcohol and place the tall “tree” embed onto the white soap. Spray with isopropyl alcohol generously. Allow the melt and pour to fully harden.
SIX: Once the first layer of white melt and pour has cooled and hardened, cut and melt 6 oz. White Melt and Pour Base in the microwave on 10-20 second bursts. Add 1mL of Christmas Forest Fragrance Oil and stir until fully incorporated. Once the melted soap has reached approximately 120-125 125 °F, spray the first layer of white soap with 99% isopropyl alcohol, and pour the melted soap evenly over the first layer of white. Gently place second “tree” embed into the second layer of white. Spray with 99% isopropyl alcohol. SEVEN: Allow the melt and pour to fully harden and cool. EIGHT: Cut and melt 19 oz of Clear Melt and Pour Base in the microwave on 20 second bursts. Add pieces of Ultramarine Blue Color Block, 2 mL of Christmas Forest Fragrance Oil and 1/8 tsp of Iridescent Glitter. Stir until fully incorporated.
NINE: Once the blue melt and pour has reached a temperature of approximately 120-125 degrees,spritz the white and green soap with alcohol. Pour the blue soap over all areas of the green and white soap. Be careful to not pour the blue soap too hot, or it may melt the peaks of the green embeds.
TEN: Spray with isopropyl alcohol to remove any bubbles. Allow the soap to fully harden before removing from the mold and cutting into bars.
What is your favorite handmade gift you have ever received or given?
Dana S says
This is super cute! I need to try kit!
Kelsey says
Thanks Dana! This makes an amazing holiday gift. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Joanne Valent says
I read in the comments that it may be important to add the glitter at a certain temperature of the soap but there was no mention of what that correct temperature should be.
Kelsey says
Hi Joanne!
Glitter can sink to the bottom if the soap is too hot, so we like to add it when the soap is around 130-135F. Then, stir that base until it starts to thicken (around 125-130F). That way the glitter will suspend evenly throughout the soap. 🙂
You can learn more about suspending glitter in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwtNblDKmfk
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Terry says
I made the Christmas tree in white snow and blue sky the white broke off I followed directions with temp and alcohol, What did I do wrong? I can’t give these soaps away as gifts.
Kelsey says
Hi Terry!
Oh no! I’d love to help you out with this. How much alcohol did you spray on the bottom layer before pouring the blue layer?
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Cindy Selensky says
Can I use the Shea butter or goats Milk for the white in this pattern? My girls and I really want to do this for gifts this year! Thanks for your advice- This will be my first soap making experience!
Kelsey says
Hi Cindy!
Absolutely! Either of those bases would work wonderfully.
Also, how exciting! Have fun soaping. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Shea Melt and Pour Base: https://www.brambleberry.com/Shea-Melt-and-Pour-P3192.aspx
Goat Milk Melt and Pour Base: https://www.brambleberry.com/Goat-Milk-Melt-And-Pour-P3184.aspx
Rebecca says
I tried this, and had trouble with the blue. It went from too warm, to way too clumpy and cold really quickly. I’m wondering if maybe the glitter confused the thermometer. When it cooled, the blue is more a cloudy opaque that’s hard to see the glitter. Do you have any idea what I did wrong? Was it too much color? Too cool? I’m going to try again! I’m determined to get it right.
Kelsey says
Hi Rebecca!
What temperature did you add the glitter at? Also, did your melt and pour boil at all? If so, it can burn and cause your soap to misbehave.
Let me know and we’ll figure this out. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Rachelle says
I love this soap I made it and I love it. I just made mine much bigger. Question for you if I want to sell soap would it be a problem if I made a soap like this or similar and used the name snowy forest soap ? If it is a problem I understand completely.
Kelsey says
Hi Rachelle!
That’s totally fine! I think people will love it. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
niki says
I had problems with the soap sticking to the cardboard mold for the trees. I scraped off the cardboard fuzz and re-melted, this time lining the cardboard with parchment paper. Hopefully that will be successful.
Kelsey says
Hi Niki!
That soap may not be set up fully, which is why it was sticking to the cardboard. If you’re having trouble removing it, you can wait a couple more hours until it’s harder. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Niki says
Thanks, I will be a little more patient next time I make this.
Kelsey says
Hi Niki!
You’re welcome! Let me know how it goes. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Alina says
What an amazing project for Holidays 🙂
It would be great if you guys had an Eggnog FO
Kelsey says
Hi Alina!
Thanks so much for your suggestion! A combination of Oatmeal Milk and Honey and Cinnamon Sugar Fragrance Oils may make a nice eggnog-y scent. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Oatmeal Milk and Honey Fragrance Oil: https://www.brambleberry.com/Oatmeal-Milk-And-Honey-Fragrance-Oil-P3931.aspx
Cinnamon Sugar Fragrance Oil: https://www.brambleberry.com/Cinnamon-Sugar-Fragrance-Oil-P3644.aspx
Alina says
I will definitely try that for my Holiday projects. Thank you 🙂
Kelsey says
Hi Alina!
You’re very welcome. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Allie says
I love this project! I’ve got some m&p coming soon, so I may try it out. My favorite handmade gift to get was always a new pair of knit pichous from my gram. I always had toasty warm toes with those =)
Kelsey says
Hi Allie!
So glad you like the project! Also, toasty warm toes sound perfect during the cold winter. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Sue says
New to soap making but just tried the trees i made the mold using coragated card to give them the xmas tree look. There looking good, now for the rest, can i use any sort of glitters.
Kelsey says
Hi Sue!
That’s so exciting! It will be fun to see how they turn out.
For this soap, you’ll want to use skin-safe glitter. You can find that on our website. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Glitter: https://www.brambleberry.com/Glitter-C42.aspx
Calla says
Can you make a red velvet fragrance oil please? Would be perfect for the holidays
Kelsey says
Hi Calla!
Thanks for that suggestion! You may like a combination of our Dark Rich Chocolate Fragrance Oil and Cream Cheese Frosting Fragrance Oil. That would make a great red velvet scent. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Dark Rich Chocolate Fragrance Oil: https://www.brambleberry.com/Dark-Rich-Chocolate-Fragrance-Oil-P3881.aspx
Cream Cheese Frosting Fragrance Oil: https://www.brambleberry.com/Cream-Cheese-Frosting-Fragrance-Oil-P3654.aspx
Joan says
I appreciate you always showing cute ideas…thanks.
Kelsey says
Hi Joan!
You are so welcome! 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Marleny says
What a cute project!
Kelsey says
Hi Marleny!
I’m happy you like the tutorial! 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Michael says
Totally cute! This technique could be revised for any number of things – thanks for sharing!
I give away handmade quilts – that’s my favorite.
Kelsey says
Hi Michael!
So glad you enjoyed the post! Those quilts sound like an amazing gift. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
marin833 says
Very cute!
Kelsey says
Hello!
So glad you like this tutorial! 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry