Monday, August 9, 2010

Stampin' Soap

Hello everyone!  I received a request for a post about stamping soap.  So here goes.  My son did the photos of the process on several different days, but I think you'll get the idea  of what I do.

Don't be fooled by the photo, though:  I don't stare straight ahead, smiling when I stamp my soaps...that could result in injury! LOL  I had to smile for the camera though, right?   "Wardrobe!" "We need some color here!"   "Try pink, she looks younger in pink!"    O.K., now here are my un-fancy yet functional tools.  1)A homemade soap stamp.  Using letters from a Making Memories magnetic stamp kit....glued with my Hubby's boat-making epoxy.  Those letters are STUCK now!  2) An ball peen hammer that's even older than I am.    3)  Soap that's cured, though not yet rock-hard.
Here's the technique part.  Not much to it, just line the stamp up where you want it, hold it very still, and whack away at it.  I try to move the hammer around over all areas where I know the words are.  Bang! (upper left)  Bang! (upper right)  Bang! (a little lower on the right) Bang! (lower left)  Cool sound effects, huh?   The "trick", if there is one, is to whack hard enough that if the imprint comes out uneven and you have to do some more hammering, you need to be able to "find" the positioning and get it lined up the same way.  Otherwise you ruin a bar (well, not really) for retail sale and it becomes one for your own personal use.  Or a "second" for sale at a scratch & dent price.

One thing I've learned is my bars with a cocoa "line" don't hold together with all that whacking.  So I don't stamp them.  Maybe I could do it while they're much softer and not have to hit them so hard?

I do love the look of stamped soap...I'm especially impressed with those of you who have custom stamps.  They really add an extra touch of elegance to the finished bars.  Maybe someday I'll get one of those.  But for now I'm pleased with my low-budget stamp and the mark it makes!
Happy Skin, All!  ~Becky

5 comments:

Ambra said...

Oh, Becky, you look so cute in that photo! I love your stamp and even more because it's so simple and inexpensive. It looks handmade and fits so well with the image, I think. I have been longing for a stamp, but I can't make up my mind about what it should look like. Same with packaging, which I need to start to think about. Decisions, decisions...

TheSoapSister said...

Thanks Ambra! Boy "cute" is just something we don't hear enough, isn't it? : ) It's just the tan and a new haircut....in the dead of winter I won't be posting photos of myself! LOLI'm glad you like the stamp. I'm sure you'll come up with a great idea for yours! Plus I think all that whacking is therapeutic! : )

Jennifer Young said...

I love your stamp and like Ambra fantasize about having one of my own... so I will keep your tips in mind. Thanks for the tutorial. I also LOVE your photo. You look GORGEOUS in this photo. xo Jen

TheSoapSister said...

Thanks Jen! I am, do I dare say it? CONTENT with this stamp! I'm not feeling the need to mess with the labeling right now. Whew! That's good for production.Thanks for the "GORGEOUS" comment! It clashes nicely with the "frumpy housewife" image that has been trying to take over the last few years! : ) It is a better photo than my old one, so I'll use it instead! (Maybe my son will be a photographer some day!) LOL!

Splurge Sisters said...

I've had the same problem with cocoa line soaps and tried stamping them and they split on me. I haven't figured out how to stamp them.I also am looking into getting a custom stamp soon.