Starry Night, but made it Christmas

Last year my husband and I took a quick trip to NJ. and since we flew in and out of NY, we allocated some time to do some sightseeing there.  I knew I wanted to go to the Statue of Liberty since last time we went, we did not get to do it. 

Then when trying to decide which museum to go to, I found out that the Starry Night, the original painting, is actually there, in NY! at the Museum of Modern Art.  So the decision was made then.

Despite the crowds, despite the fact that they made us throw away our water bottles at the entrance, despite waiting for a turn to actually be in front of it, the experience was surreal (no artsy pun intended).  To be in front of the same canvas that was painted over 140 years ago in a different continent, and that I have enjoyed seeing and recreating over and over, it was emotional. 

Something that struck me that I had not noticed before, was that parts of the canvas are not covered in paint, there are parts where you can actually see the bare fabric.  I decided I would try to reflect that,the next time I attempted a soap inspired by it.

So when a friend commissioned a slab soap for Christmas, I suggested a Christmasy Starry Night, and here we are.

I first wanted to add the linen texture to the slab, for which I tried different things for the texture, a netting fabric worked best. I did try painting with a palette knife, to get the thick texture from the original, but it was hard. Especially with a medium that unlike oil based paint, hardens as you work. Overall I was happy with the result though. Here is the video of the making:

Needed Ingredients for the Base

Ingredient	Gram(s)	Ounce(s)	Pounds(s)	Oil %
Coconut Oil, 76 deg	306.17	10.80	0.68	24%
Ricinus Oil (Castor Oil)	76.54	2.70	0.17	6%
Karite Butter (Shea)	127.57	4.50	0.28	10%
Tallow, Beef	369.96	13.05	0.82	29%
Rice Bran Oil	395.48	13.95	0.87	31%
Ingredient	Gram(s)	Ounce(s)	Pounds(s)	Batch %
NaOH (2% Superfat)	172.25	6.08	0.38	9.88%
KOH (2% Superfat)	12.72	0.45	0.03	0.73%
Water (40% Lye + 60% Water Solution)	277.46	9.79	0.61	15.91%
Total Oils	1,275.73	45	2.81	73.16%
Soap Weight (Pre-Cook)	1,743.82	61.51	3.84	100%

Ingrediens for the Top:

Needed Ingredients for Top

Ingredient	Gram(s)	Ounce(s)	Pounds(s)	Oil %
Coconut Oil, 76 deg	190.51	6.72	0.42	24%
Ricinus Oil (Castor Oil)	47.63	1.68	0.11	6%
Karite Butter (Shea)	79.38	2.80	0.18	10%
Tallow, Beef	230.20	8.12	0.51	29%
Rice Bran Oil	246.07	8.68	0.54	31%
Ingredient	Gram(s)	Ounce(s)	Pounds(s)	Batch %
NaOH (3% Superfat)	106.09	3.74	0.23	9.79%
KOH (3% Superfat)	7.83	0.28	0.02	0.72%
Water (40% Lye + 60% Water Solution)	170.88	6.03	0.38	15.77%
Total Oils	793.79	28	1.75	73.24%
Soap Weight (Pre-Cook)	1,083.87	38.23	2.39	100%

Fragrance:

• For Base: Nature Garden’s Balsam 1.4 oz + 1.4oz Nature’s Garden Apples and oak
• For Top: Nature’s Garden Apples and Oak: 1.4 oz

Safety Equipment:

Respirator  (I use this when mixing the lye, I mix the lye in the window sill, window opened, with a pedestal fan blowing the fumes away, better yet, freeze your distilled water prior) I also try to wear long sleeves, pants and closed shoes.  In my personal experience, most of my near misses (when I feel my skin itching or a slight burning sensation), or when I come contact with the soap batter, have happened when I am wiping down the containers, when I am almost done.

Nitrile gloves

Facial Shield (I use either a facial shield or the goggles below)

Safety Goggles

Colorants

• 4 oz strong blue: 1/2 tsp of Midnight blue mica mica
• 4 oz – strong blue 1/4 tsp: 1/4 tsp of ultra marine blue oxide (optional, above should work)
• 4 oz dark blue/navy 1/2 tsp Midnight blue mica plus 1/2 Black Pearl Mica
• 4 oz light blue: 1/4 tsp Kashmir Mica (Blue)
• 4 oz lightb blue: 1/4 tsp Klein Blue Mica  (Nurture Handmade aff link)
• 4 oz green blue: 1/2 tsp Midnight blue mica 1/2 tsp Savage Garden green
• 4 oz light yellow: 1/4 tsp of yellow Vibrance mica
• 4 oz white: 1/2 tsp Winter white mica

4 oz darkgreen: 1/4 tsp of savage green + 1/4 tsp black PEARL mica

• for 14 oz of soap (1/3): 1/2 tsp Savage Garden green + 1/4 tsp green oxide
• for 14 oz: 1/2 tsp Synergy (next time I will use less or more white color instead)
• for 14 oz: 1/2 tsp Winter white

I also used micas and glitter for the top (enviro glitters) but they are no longer available where I bought them. So if you try this, feel free to experiment.

Equipment

• List of regular equipment
• Long and skinny spatulas
• Funnel containers
• Heating pad (to force gel)
• Deli wrap sheets to avoid soda ash
• Plastic palette knives