4th of July Retro Soap Bars: How to Personalize Soap with Craft Attitude

The retro luggage tags I made earlier this year were such a hit that I have gone back into the time machine for this fun project for the Craft Attitude 4th of July blog hop. Presenting…(drumroll, please)… retro soap bars with a 4th of July twist. It is really easy to make personalized soap. I have done it for years, but never with Craft Attitude film. I usually would photocopy images and apply the photocopy paper onto the soap, and it was obvious that it was paper on soap. But because the Craft Attitude film is transparent, when it is applied to the soap, it looks like the image has been printed directly on the soap! Oh, and the great thing about these soaps is that you can actually use them. The image does not wash off. You’ll see why in the how-to steps.

Admittedly, this 4th of July project is not obviously red, white and blue patriotic. But the humor of the retro photographs and their quotes is quintessentially American. For more traditional 4th of July projects I’ve done, check out my Mason Jar Flag Centerpiece, Patriotic Pinwheel Rosettes, my Red White and Blue Yarn Ball String Lights, and Stars and Stripes String Lights.

Here’s what you’ll need to make the customized soap bars: One sheet of Craft Attitude printable film; rectangular soap bars; Mod Podge; melted beeswax.

Step 1: Print out your designs on a sheet of Craft Attitude film using your home inkjet printer. Notice I printed them in reverse, so the words are “backwards.” That way, when you apply it to the soap with ink side down, the image will be in the correct orientation.

I created these graphics on Photoshop using images from vintage ads. Click here for the free printable PDF: soap_designs_ca

Step 2: When choosing soap for this project, look for bars of soap that have a flat surface, which will make it easier to apply the image. Curved soap is more difficult to work with. Also, look for soap without a logo embossed in it. I found these nice, plain bars of rectangular soap at Whole Foods.

Step 3: Using a foam brush, apply a layer of Mod Podge to one side of the soap bar. I used the matte finish Mod Podge.

Step 4: Trim the Craft Attitude film to fit the soap, and peel the image from its protective backing. Then position the image ink side down on the soap where the Mod Podge was applied. Rub your fingers on top of the film to burnish it. The Craft Attitude will conform to any nooks and crannies in the soap. It goes on like buttah!

Step 5: Apply another layer of Mod Podge on top of the Craft Attitude to seal it. Let the Mod Podge dry. Let me tell you, this is the first time I’ve used Mod Podge with Craft Attitude and the two work great together!

Step 6: The Mod Podge seals the image, but to make the Craft Attitude waterproof so you can use the soap without the image washing off, we are going to seal the image side with wax. Yes, wax. It sounds scary and hard, but it is actually really easy. I have an electric skillet from Target that was $20, and I melted a brick of beeswax in it so there was about a quarter-inch of melted wax in the skillet. Then I just dipped the image side of the soap in the wax for a second and removed it. Let the wax harden completely, and it becomes transparent so you can see the image beneath it. Now you can use the soap, and the sealed image won’t wash off! 

Although these soaps are customized for July 4th, you can obviously make soaps for all kinds of occasions. They make great personalized gifts when you apply photographs of family, friends or pets. These would also make perfect favors for weddings or baby showers (because soaps and showers go together). And with the Craft Attitude, the soap will look like it was custom printed. 

Disclosure: I am the designer/spokesperson for Craft Attitude, and the Craft Attitude links on this post are affiliate links. Thank you. I can sleep at night, now.