• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Recipes & Tutorials Crafting Library
  • Soap »
    • CPHP Soaps
    • Cold Process Soaps
    • Hot Process Soaps
    • Liquid Soap
    • Melt and Pour Soaps
    • Special Soaps
  • Bath & Body »
    • Bath & Body
    • Lip Balm
  • Candles & Scent »
    • Container Candles
    • Pillar Candles
    • Wax Tarts
    • Votive Candles
    • Special Candle Projects
    • Fire Starters
    • Air Fresheners
    • Fragrance OIls
    • Scent Blends
  • Seasonal & Holiday »
    • Spring
    • Summer
    • Fall
    • Winter
    • Valentine’s Day
    • Easter
    • Mother’s Day
    • Father’s Day
    • Independence Day
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Christmas
  • Misc. »
    • Misc Craft Projects
    • Business Side of Crafting
  • All Tutorials
  • Contact
You are here: Home / Seasonal / Fall / Mini Leaf & Pumpkin Mold Tutorial, part 1

Mini Leaf & Pumpkin Mold Tutorial, part 1

September 17, 2012 By Rustic Escentuals

by Rustic Escentuals

This is Part One of a Fall inspired soap tutorial using the Mini Leaf and Pumpkin Silicone mold. Look closely at the outdoor trees and you’ll see the beginning of Fall, so I thought it fitting to make a leaf shaped soap using this mold. It is a fun way to enjoy the season!

Skills: Swirling 2 colors and soap painting

Click here for part 2 of this tutorial!

fall inspired soap tutorial
enjoy autumn with these seasonal soaps!

 

Supplies and equipment needed:
Microwave
Microwave safe glass containers (2)
Sharp knife to cut soap into cubes
Spray bottle with rubbing alcohol
Butter knives for stirring soap
Measuring spoon
Rubber gloves
Disposable pipette
Thermometer to monitor soap base temperature
Mini Leaf and Pumpkin Silicone mold (6 cavities, 2 5/8″ x 2 1/2″ x 1 1/2″ deep; each cavity holds 3.5 ounces)
Ultra Clear Melt & Pour soap base
Creamy Cinnamon Vanilla Fragrance Oil
Gel Soap Colors in Emerald Green, Lemon Yellow, and True Red (not shown)
Metallic Gold soap paint (optional)
Paint Brush

basic supplies required
gather your supplies together

 

get ready to paint!
don’t forget your soap paint and paintbrushes!

 
Step 1: Cut up approximately 12 ounces of Ultra Clear Melt & Pour soap base
into small cubes using a sharp knife.

Step 2: Using a microwave safe container, melt your soap in a microwave using 30 – second bursts until melted. Do not burn or boil, this will result in a poor quality rubbery soap. If there are any small chunks of soap base left, stir slowly; the heat of the soap base will melt these small chunks.

TIP: There are three leaf cavities in this mold and each holds 3.5 ounces of soap – melt a little extra to take into account that some of the soap base will stick to the container.

Step 3: Split the 12 ounces of melted soap base into two 6-ounce containers.

split the melted soap into 2 containers
split the melted soap into 2 microwave safe containers

 
Step 4: Use a thermometer to monitor the soap base temperature. I don’t like to add any fragrance oils or additives when the soap base is too hot so I wait for each container to cool to about 145 degrees.

use a thermometer to monitor soap base temperature
wait until the base has cooled before adding fragrance oils or additives

 
Step 5: Using a disposable pipette, add 2 ml of Creamy Cinnamon Vanilla Fragrance Oil into each container and stir in slowly.

add fragrance oil
add the yummalicious fragrance oil and stir in slowly.. mmmm!

 
Step 6: In the first container, add 5 drops Emerald Green Gel Soap Colorant and stir in slowly.

add 5 drops Emerald Green gel soap colorant
add your green gel soap colorant to the first container and stir in slowly

 
Step 7: In the second container, add 5 drops Lemon Yellow and 2 drops True Red and stir in slowly.

add yellow gel color
drop in your lemon yellow gel color

 

add red gel color
and then your true red and stir together (voila, it’s orange!)

 
Step 8: We are going to be creating a swirl effect to mimic the changing leaf colors of fall. In order to do this the soap should be poured as cool as you can get it but before it starts to harden on you. Pouring the soap too warm will allow the colors to mix together and you don’t want this. Using the thermometer, make sure the soap is approximately 125 degrees or cooler before pouring. It also helps to pour one color cooler than the other. The soap may form a skin on top while it’s cooling – to avoid this, keep stirring slowly until you’re ready to pour. The soap will start to thicken on you. If it starts to look like thickening gelatin, get ready to pour!

TIP: This takes a bit of practice to get the pouring temperatures just right. If the soap cools too much, quickly zap it in the microwave for 10 seconds.

cool until slightly thickened
your soap should be poured as cool as possible – but before it starts to harden

 

check the temperature before pouring
that thermometer comes in super handy for times like this

 
Step 9: Slowly pour both colors (green and orange) of soap into each leaf cavity at the same time. Don’t pour too fast, or the colors will start to mix together.

slowly pour both colors into each cavity at the same time
SLOWLY pour the green and orange at the same time

 
Step 10: Finish off with a spritz of alcohol to remove any bubbles. Do not move the soap mold until set. You’ll be able to see the two colors of soap in the mold. It may look like the two colors are moving (they are), but the movement will stop as the soap hardens.

TIP: You can also spritz the cavities before pouring the soap into them to help the soap flow smoothly into the design.

poured and ready to cool
all done – let cool for a few hours

 
Step 10: Wait 2-3 hours for the soap to completely harden.

Step 11: Turn the mold over carefully and slowly press on the bottom of the cavity to release the each soap. You may have to pull the edges of the mold away from the soap slightly to add an air pocket. Admire your hard work!

finished soap
how beautiful… but we can make it even more so. Time to paint!

 

Soap Painting

Now it’s time to paint! I wanted to add some metallic gold to the leaf veins of one of the soaps.
To get more familiar with soap painting basics, check out the Soap Painting Tutorial.

metallic gold soap paint
use metallic gold soap paint to add dimension and sparkle to the leaf veins

 
Step 12: Use a small artist’s brush to help you paint the raised veins of the leaf using Metallic Gold soap paint. Dip the paintbrush into the paint and using a small amount, begin brushing lightly in smooth strokes, being careful not to use too much paint. I applied 2 coats because I wanted a solid gold color. Wait 20 – 30 minutes between coats or you will just pull off the first coat.

don't use too much paint
dip paintbrush into paint and (using a small amount) brush lightly in smooth strokes

 


apply a second coat if desired, waiting 20-30 minutes between each coat

 
Have fun, be creative, mix and match your colors, and above all enjoy your soap – they make perfect gifts for the holidays!

perfect gifts for the holidays
look what you created – they’re gorgeous!

 
Come back next week for Part II of the Mini Leaf and Pumpkin Mold Tutorial! It’ll be pumpkin time!

Filed Under: Fall, Halloween, Melt and Pour Soaps, Thanksgiving, View All Tutorials Tagged With: how to make holiday soaps, molds soap

Previous Post: « Silk Soap Petal/Leaf Tutorial
Next Post: How to Make a Soy Container Candle »

Primary Sidebar

Search the Library

Random Tutorials

Watermelon Votive Tutorial

How to Make Confetti Cube Candles

Rubber Ducky You’re the One

Soap Brains Tutorial

How to Make Dry Oil Perfume Spray

Pine Cone Fire Starters

Football Soap Tutorial

Tilted Votives Tutorial

Home | View All Tutorials | Contact Us
copyright 2011-2022. Rustic Escentuals
All rights reserved.