Sunday Soap: In Search of the Elusive Butterfly

The master soapmaker, Zahida, of  Handmade in Florida, had a shop update last weekend and it sent a frenzy through soapers everywhere. Even if you are not buying, you go to look. Her work is amazing and her video tutorials are Oscar worthy. Here is some Pink Honeysuckle that Daughter requested a few weeks ago. Swirled, yes but simple. I wanted more. I wanted the Handmade in Florida signature Butterfly Hanger Swirl.

 I watched every tutorial on Youtube over and over. I sat and practiced without any batter just to get the technique down but nope. It still wasn't happening. When you put two bars together you should see a butterfly.  There's no butterfly there. This is Whispering Mist which smells like delicate star jasmine and violets.

 The next day I tried again with yummy Pistachio and Cardamon Cake. Nope.  Not even close. That's what a butterfly looks like after the cat got it. Ouch.

 Hmmmm....I got a little closer the following day with Pink Berry Mimosa. I can almost see wings.

 Same with Lemongrass Verbena. I can see I've got the idea of how to make the pretty swirls but something's still not quite right.

Look at that. Finally. I did it! See the butterfly? I put The Mister on it. I made him watch the videos and then watch me and he saw what I was doing wrong. First, I had the wrong shaped mold. You need a tall and skinny mold and I was using my regular loaf mold. Then I was not swirling the hangar like I was drawing a butterfly. Top wings are wider, bottom wings are smaller. Duh.

Of course the butterfly is only there when you have two bars of soap side by side. The pile of half butterflies is not quite as impressive. Of course I used up every bit of soaping materials I had in the stash to do it-and filled the drying racks with lots of weird looking soap.