Soap Class Summary Page

It's a *SOAP FRENZY* at The Nova Studio! We are thrilled to offer you the widest variety of soap making classes in the universe! Choose from the classes below and you'll be a soap maker (or soap addict) in no time. Here's a quick list of what's coming up (just our soap making classes):

Now Available: Our First eClass: Color Soap with Confidence (Instant Download)
July 10, 2010 - Sat., 10am-4pm - Adv. CP Soap Design w/Loaf Molds
July 24 & 25, 2010 - Sat. & Sun., 10am-6pm - 2-Day (CP & HP) Soap Boot Camp
August 21, 2010 - Sat., 10am-1pm - Cold Process Soap Making 101
August 21, 2010 - Sat., 2:30-4:30pm - Hands-On CP Soapmaking Lab
September 18 & 19, 2010 - Sat. & Sun., 10am-6pm - 2-Day (CP & HP) Soap Boot Camp
October 23, 2010 - Sat., 10am-1pm - Cold Process Soap Making 101
October 23, 2010 - Sat., 2:30-5:30pm - Transparent Soap Making
October 24, 2010 - Sat., 10am-4pm - Adv. CP Soap Design w/Loaf Molds
November 13 & 14, 2010 - Sat. & Sun., 10am-6pm - 2-Day (CP & HP) Soap Boot Camp
November 20, 2010 - Sat., 10am-1pm - Cold Process Soap Making 101
November 20, 2010 - Sat., 2:30-4:30pm - Hands-On CP Soapmaking Lab
November 21, 2010 - Sun., 1-4pm - Liquid Soap Making
December 5, 2010 - Sun., 10am-5pm - SoapyLove Holiday Melt & Pour Gift Workshop

[scroll down or click on links for a description of each soap class]

The Original
2-Day Soapmaking
Boot Camp

No Pre-Req or Experience Needed

2-Day Weekend Intensive
Soap Making (CP & HP) Boot Camp

[Demo] This weekend workshop covers 4 classes on making natural soap from scratch: CP 101, CP 201, Hot Process & Big Batch / Production Soap Making. Take home 4 bars of soap, thorough handouts with instructions, detailed recipes for everything we make and a certificate of completion. Due to the nature of making soap from scratch, classes are demonstration style with some hands-on elements (the best/safest way so you’ll feel confident doing it at home). Ideal for out-of-towners flying in to learn all they can about making fantastic soap in 2 days.
Click HERE for a full description & dates.

Cold Process Soap:
(CP 101) The Basics & More

No Pre-Req or Experience Needed

Cold Process Soap Making 101

[Demo] This is the class that started it all (and the one you must take before almost all the others). Come & learn how to make your own all-natural soap from scratch using vegetable oils, herbs, clays for color & pure essential oils for scent. Learn the history & chemistry of soap & why homemade soap is *the* absolute best soap money can buy. Note: CP soap takes 4-6 weeks to cure before using and requires the use of lye (since all real soap must be created using lye). Take home handouts, resources & one awesome bar of soap. Beware... soap making is addicting, so prepare yourself!
Click HERE for a full description & dates.

Hands-On CP Soap Lab

Prerequisite: CP 101 or Equivalent

Hands On Cold Process Soap Making Lab

[Hands-On] Are you are a little apprehensive about working with lye? Or is your kitchen is a bit too small or a bit too occupied for a safe & focused soapmaking session? Or maybe you just don't want to deal with ordering all the supplies - you just want to go somewhere, make soap & take it ALL home with you! We’ll be there to lend a helping hand, answer questions or simply observe as you design & make cold process soap. We supply all the raw materials - you just need to bring a few things (call or check website for details). Take home all 18 bars to cure & cut at your leisure.
Click HERE for a full description & dates.

Advanced CP Soap Design
with Loaf Molds

Prerequisite: CP 101 or Equivalent

Advanced CP Soap Design w/Loaf Molds

[Demo] If you want to jazz up the look of your cold process soap, this is the class for you (a perfect "next-level" class after our CP 101 or the 2-Day Soap Boot Camp. Concentrating exclusively on log- or loaf-shaped molds, Ruth will teach her sure-fire techniques for color layering, color swirling, embedding soap shapes and adding textured interest to the tops of bars. The soap made in class will be cut the next day and each student will receive 4 full-size bars of soap in the mail a few weeks after the class (one from each technique covered in class).
Click HERE for a full description & dates.

Liquid Soap Making

Prerequisite: CP 101 or Equivalent

Liquid Soap Making (Paste Method)

[Demo] Come & learn how to make your own all-natural liquid soap in this 3-hour demonstration & discussion class. We'll use the paste method to make a gallon of thick, luscious, liquid soap in a slow cooker (crock pot) from plant-based vegetable & nut oils. Because liquid soap cannot be made from start to finish in 3 hours, we will use a batch of paste that was made on a prior day, but show from the beginning how that paste was made. You’ll also learn how to use phenolphthalein to test the pH of your soap & adjust as necessary. Take home a 4 oz. bottle of liquid soap, custom scented with your choice of essential oils.
Click HERE for a full description & dates.

Transparent Soap Making

Prerequisite: CP 101 or Equivalent

Transparent Soapmaking

[Demo] Handmade Soap from scratch (Cold Process & Hot Process) is opaque (i.e., not see-through), but with a few added ingredients, you can put a unique twist on your handmade soap that will set it apart from the rest. This is a new class, so students who sign-up should expect a few kinks. The making of transparent soap from start to finish takes longer than 3 hours, so parts of the process will be pre-made (where necessary). Students take home 1 full-sized bar of soap (in a to-go container) made in class, to cure at home & handouts which include the recipe made in class, as well as instructions.
Click HERE for a full description & dates.

SoapyLove Melt & Pour Holiday Gift Workshop

No Pre-Req or Experience Needed

Soapy Holidays Gift Workshop:
5 Fun & Festive Melt & Pour Soap Projects

[Hands-On] Get ready for the holidays with Debbie (aka SoapyLove) in this fun, full-day workshop. Make & take 5 original Melt & Pour soap projects, perfect for holiday gift giving: Glittery Glass Ball Ornaments, Sugar Plum Hanging Ornaments, Vintage Tree Soaps, Fancy Ball Ornaments & Candy Cane Loaf Soaps. Imagine how impressed your guests will be to see/use these soaps at the holiday party. Take home instructions & bunches of soap. A great workshop for all levels of soap crafters.
Click HERE for full bootcamp description.

Big Batch CP Soap

Prerequisite: CP 101 or Equivalent

Big Batch / Production CP Soap Making

[Demo] Do you already make cold process (CP) soap and want to take it to the next level? Learn how to increase your production to 100+ bars per day using inexpensive and proven methods. A professional soap maker & supplier will demonstrate his process of mixing, pouring and cutting a 35-pound batch of soap. This class is not to be missed if you sell soap or are thinking of selling. David only teaches this class exclusively at The Nova Studio, and only a few times a year as a stand-alone class.
Click HERE for a full description & dates.

CP 201: Swirls & Layers

Prerequisite: CP 101 or Equivalent

Cold Process Soap 201: Swirls & Layers

[Demo] This is a class in intermediate design for cold process soap. Lori Nova, 2-time winner of "Best in Show" at the Handcrafted Soap Makers Guild Conference (2006 & 2007), reveals her methods for creating award winning swirled (& layered) soap. Until recently, this class was only available as part of our 2-Day Soap Making Boot Camp, but now we offer it a few times a year as a stand-alone class. A shortened version of this class was taught by Lori at The Handcrafted Soapmakers Guild annual conference in Vermont in May of 2008.
Click HERE for a full description & dates.

Hot Process Soap

Prerequisite: CP 101 or Equivalent

Hot Process (Crockpot) Soap Making 101

[Demo] Tired of waiting a month to use your handmade Cold Process (CP) soap? Hot Process (HP) is another method of making soap where you cook the soap in a crock pot before putting it into the mold. The benefit is that your soap is safe to use immediately (but a few weeks curing makes the soap last longer) and you can get away with using less scenting oil (essential oils or fragrance oils - whichever you prefer) since the scent is added "post-cook." Great class to continue your soap education since one must do all the steps of CP to make HP.
Click HERE for a full description & dates.

Coloring Soap with Confidence

No Pre-Req or Experience Needed

Coloring Soap with Confidence

Many people make good handcrafted soap that feels great on the skin. But what sets yours apart from the rest? A beautifully colored soap attracts attention and practically sells itself. Do you want to know the difference between dyes and pigments? Do oxides morph or bleed in soap? What is a lake color? All these questions and more will be answered in this class.You will see results of 77 different colors tested in cold process soap in pigments, dyes, lakes, neons, pop micas and natural colors. Students will take home very thorough handouts, color samples and get access to the power point presentation to print at home.
Click HERE for a full description & dates.
or Click HERE to buy the E-Class Downloads.