This project began when I was invited to join an international 'soap swap' with soapers from the USA and I thought to design something different, you know how it is when you want to impress others............ ;-))
It all went reasonably well until I poured in the 'Apple' fragrant oil and then the old familiar thickening of a speedy trace began and I used lightening fast movements to squash it into the dividers of my mould before I lost the lot. That was the only downfall. Most of it came out of the moulds with no problem but some of the blocks of green and yellow squares were not centered correctly due to the pace I had to move in order to get it into the mould. I would choose an 'Essential Oil' to scent the soap with.
I began by making the green and yellow finger lengths of re-batched soap, you could use any finished soap here but it always seems that I have plenty of soap in the re-batching box here at home. I chose green and gold as these are our national colours and the eucalyptus from our gum trees. The apple was a second thought just to give it that something different.
I used my wife's little machine for making chips (French Fries) and put the soap through it. I then built small blocks of alternating colours stuck together with a 'soap glue' I made from the yellow soap, just use rebatch in a bowl and into the microwave and add water until you get the consistency of glue, I wet all edges with the soap glue and then pressed them together. When I had them together in the chequerboard pattern I tapped them on the bench from all side just to compress them together firmer. I wrapped masking tape around the blocks and left them for a day to set. The following day I made the CP soap and placed the blocks of green and gold into the segments of the mould and poured the CP over them. When set I sliced them into bars. That's all there is to it.
Click on the photo to enlarge...
