Melt & Pour Soap Making: Christmas Grinch Soaps

What child doesn't like The Grinch Who Stole Christmas movie or storybook? I know my grand kids do and it's a Christmas tradition to read the book at bedtime during the holiday season. This year I will make it more interesting by incorporating these soaps into the elves escapades. If you're not yet acquainted with the Magic Christmas Elves, I have posted ideas on my Pinterest board.

My grand kid's Magic Elves will leave this soap in the bath tub with a note that reads:

Rub-a-dub-dub, there's a Grinch in your tub.
He says lather up and wash off the grub
Then put on pajamas and crawl into bed
And the story of Grinch will then be read.

Each soap will be packaged in a 4 x 2 x 9" clear cello bag with the above message attached. There are a dozens of creative ways to incorporate this soap into a Magic Elf event. Your imagination is the only thing required.

Supplies needed to make this soap:

• 16 ounces clear melt and pour soap base (to make 3 soaps as shown)
• 6 ounces white melt and pour soap base (use as the background for Grinch image)
• Grinch print-out. There are many images you can use if not reselling the soaps.
• GPE Water Dissolving Paper (1 sheet will make a number of soaps depending on the image you are using)
• Mold Market basic shape mold (we used the basic oval and basic round)
• Spray bottle of rubbing alcohol (you can purchase a spray bottle here and then fill with rubbing alcohol)
• Soap fragrance (optional)
• Soap colorant (for the bottom layer of the soap). We used tomato red and Kelly green liquid gel colors.

Print your image onto the GPE water dissolving paper. Trim image to fit center area of each mold cavity. Set aside.

Melt 4 ounces clear soap in the microwave. Allow to cool down to a comfortable pouring temperature. Pour off a 1/4 inch layer  into each mold cavity. Spritz the poured soap with rubbing alcohol to remove any surface air bubbles.

Once the poured soap has a thin layer, gently place the cut image face side down on the soap. You want the image to show once the soap mold is flipped over.

Slowly pour a very thin layer of clear soap over the paper image. Let the soap set until almost firm, you don't want the next "white" color layer to penetrate and bleed into the clear soap. Below is an example of how pouring at the "wrong" temperature can cause the soap to bleed or migrate into the prior layer.

It's a learning experience. The pouring temperature of each soap layer will determine the outcome of the finished soap. In the above photo, Mr. Grinch looks like he was in a snow ball fight. The white layer was poured too hot and penetrated into the first layer of clear soap.

In my opinion, the the soap was not a total failure. I would label it, "Mr. Grinch Loses the Snowball Fight".