Monday 15 September 2014

One Step Closer to Fall

I'd love to tell you that I did this on purpose, that the cool mornings and earlier sunsets had me thinking about fall and what's great about it. Truth is, I was looking for something completely unrelated and found a bag of apple tea that we'd bought in Istanbul quite a few years ago. Still smells kinda nice, but there's not that nice apple-y flavour to it. I've heard of people using tea in soaps, so I thought I'd give it a try. (By the way, settle in, you're going to hear all the gory details).

Oh I had such great visions of how this soap was going to look like; a clear layer studded with apple tea nestled in among two white layers so you could see the tea. I'd do up a nice fluffy top and sprinkle more tea bits to contrast against the whiteness and provide more exfoliating. I'd scent it with strawberry FO because strawberries and apples are a lovely blend. Who was I kidding? I've been spending way too much time on Facebook obviously staring at Maria Angeles Galan Thayer's page and thinking I could channel her.

I was trying to figure out how to make apples, and decided I'd use the heart moulds and put little leaves on top to make it look like apples. All it does it look like strawberries without seeds. The leaves themselves were enough to make me pull my hair out.

Next problem, the bits of apple tea were supposed to float in the clear layer, not colour it a dark brown. The only thing that worked in my favour was remembering what others had said about pouring subsequent layers much later - rough up the dried layer with a fork and spray liberally with rubbing alcohol. So at least my layers stayed together.

Making a fluffy top has never been my forte, and it wasn't until I tried putting in the first couple of embeds that I realized the soap was a little hard to push them in. I ended up losing one or both leaves off each "apple". I had to use a spoon to make an indentation into the soap to get the embeds in.

This soap was supposed to be called "Apple Crisp" or "Autumn Clean" or something like that, but I'm thinking of changing that to "How to Start Drinking if You Aren't Already." Truth in advertising after all.

In the loaf mould. Looks like synchronized swimmers getting ready to dive.

See how some have leaves and some don't? And they're kinda angled. Hmm, maybe they've been dipping into the schnapps.



Cut products, one with leaves, one without.




The end result? Looks like white cake with a chocolate layer (mmmm, chocolate), which would be great if that was the goal I was going for.

Hope you all have a lovely week ahead and enjoy the final days of summer. I know I will.

14 comments:

  1. Hahaha! You're funny!

    Well, even though that wasn't the effect you were going for, it really still looks great at the end. And you could market the leave-less ones as some sort of "love" thing. :)

    What's the scent that you used?

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    1. I'm only funny because it sounds nicer than saying I'm weird right Teresa? ;)

      It's funny how things can turn out okay in the end even if it's nothing like what you had in your mind. "Love" thing, like love potion #9? ;)

      Scented with strawberry smoothie, so it smells really yummy.

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    2. Strawberry milkshakes are better than strawberry smoothies! ;)

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  2. You are too funny Monica! I should always read your blog posts before I start my day because I'll go into it with a smile on my face.

    I agree with Teresa, it really does look beautiful even though it wasn't what you hoped for. Sometimes the best things are accidents :-) It would be an awesome Valentines soap.

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    1. You're very sweet Michelle. Reading my blog makes you appreciate the fact you aren't inside my head, right?

      You're right, there really are such things as happy accidents aren't there? I'm going to take your advice and re-present it as a Valentine's day thing.

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  3. Well, you need to act according to situation, not plans. Take the leaves out and it will be a perfect cake! Or you can do some additional decoration on the top to make it look more cakey!
    You're so funny, I was laughing aloud while reading!

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    1. You are so very wise Maja. I should maybe add some chocolate sprinkles on top to give it the full cake effect.

      I'm glad you enjoy my sense of humour, only a special group like you guys truly appreciate it for what it's worth. ;)

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  4. Maja is absolutely right - act according to situation, not plans!
    With or without leaves, you made a cutie pie soap. :)

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    1. You and Maja are both very wise, Silvia, especially considering how young you both are. ;) The leaves look like devil's horns, what does that say about me? ;)

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    2. Oh, good to know that I'm young! But please, not younger, just young!

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  5. Your soap looks good, Monica, especially because it contains a chocolate layer! Love the idea of combining chocolate and ' heart's ;).
    Love your humor, as always!

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    1. Thank you Nat! You're right, the chocolate and hearts should be my selling point. Now to get people to appreciate the idea of "chocolate" without the calories.

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  6. It still looks nice, Monica! Like yummy chocolate cake with strawberries on top. Just pretend that you meant to do that and no one will ever know otherwise. :)

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    1. Thanks Jenny! You're right, if I treat it like it was meant to be, then people will ooh and ash instead of looking at it sideways like it was some modern sculpture that only the artist understands. ;D

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