Monday 4 May 2015

April showers bring May flowers

And this is my flower for May. A tribute (or maybe it's more of a nose thumbing since it doesn't look so great) to the May birthdays, especially to my sister.

I could've sworn, but old age and senility being what they are, that I saw something on Pinterest on how to make rose soaps, but not using a mould. It was almost like making the fortune cookies where you fold it, and I thought (again, there's that word) that I had saved it to a board, but I couldn't find it for the life of me. So, what's a gal to do?

Improvise of course. I used some more left over pink soap, added liquid glycerine to try and keep it more supple and poured it in rounds. Too little soap in the mould and it would be brittle and crack; too much soap and it was hard to roll. Being obstinate though, I persevered and this time I remembered to use the Baby Rose FO.

I used a program called FotoFuze to eliminate the background. What do you think?

I used only Picasa to edit this one, which version is better?
Hope you have a great week!


18 comments:

  1. And then you want someone to use this rose as a soap?! No way! Me first . I rather believe I'd keep it in my vase instead of bathroom.
    It's excellent, Monica.
    As for pictures, I better like the first one. I used to crop the background using some other online editors and 'erasers', but I was never happy with the results. I'll try this one,when I need it next time. Thanks for sharing.

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    1. Oh and happy b-day to Teresa, I hope she have received her gift (the overseas one) and she likes it! ;-)

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    2. You are so sweet Maja! It is not the prettiest soap in the world and therefore, very much useable. But if someone wanted one as a bathroom decoration, it does suffice. :)

      I heard about Fotofuze from the FB MP group, so I'll pass on your thanks.

      I'm sure Teresa will have a great birthday, as long as her kids remember. :D

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  2. Pretty pink rose...thank you for my birthday flower! 🌹💕

    I think the first photo might work better. I know Photoshop would probably work but you probably don't want to shell out money for that. I haven't either and I want to do digital art.

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    1. Guess the emoticons on my phone won't show up in a blog...

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    2. You're so welcome! I will have to attempt it again, but try doing it differently. The first photo is great in that it takes out all the extraneous stuff so I spend less time trying to "erase" them, and it makes one pay more attention to the actual product. No, no photoshop for me, it would take me too long to learn it too.

      Your emoticons didn't show up on the blog, but they showed up on the email notification. :)

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  3. Aw, it's so pretty - happy birthday Teresa! :) I actually like the 2nd photo better, it seems softer somehow.

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    1. Thanks Cee! Believe it or not, I was inspired to do a rose before you posted the picture of that beautiful rose and talked about making it out of soap.

      The second photo is softer, so maybe what I need to do is use Fotofuze to get rid of all the extra stuff, and then go back into Picasa to soften it up.

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  4. Your rose soap is so cool! I like the background on the first picture, it look alike it is free-floating.

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    1. Thanks Michelle! Yes, the first picture is as close to doing a magic trick as I'll ever get. :D

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  5. Monica, I just love your rose! I know which tutorial you refer to, I believe I saw it too, I will transfer it to you if I come across it again. I did not pin it as I thought this exercise required a lots more skill than I will ever had. You really need small agile hands... My hand are better suited to heavy gardening duties and rose pruning and training than soap-rose shaping!
    Maybe it is not really the shape of a rose, but it is a lovely flower, and it smells like a flower! It is a success!

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    1. Thank you Madame Propre! I would very much appreciate it if you do send me the link if you see it again because I'm nothing if not a glutton for punishment. You have a very deft touch in making beautiful delicate swirls, so I believe you are much more agile than you let on.

      That's a very smart way to look at it, it may not be rose like, but it is some sort of a flower shape.

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  6. And I think I prefer the second picture too. The first one is indeed floating in the middle of nowhere, it is weird....The second one is somewhat romantic, its great for cosmetics I think!

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    1. Hahaha! You're right, a free floating flower defies the laws of gravity. The second picture is softened which definitely enhances its romantic qualities.

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  7. Your rosebud soap is very pretty, Monica! For the photos, I like the second one the best. :)

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    1. Thanks Jenny! I think I poured the "petals" too thick so I'm going to have to try it again. Consenus seems to be for the second photo, so not more trying to make my soaps seem like their a magician's assistant. ;)

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  8. OMG, this rose looks perfect, Monica!

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    1. Thank you Nat! It's not quite how I envisioned it, but it's a start. :)

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