Watermelon Soap Winners
June 2023 Soap Challenge
The goal of the challenge this month was to make watermelon themed soaps using the cold process method, using any design technique.
Our amazing sponsor is Custom Craft Tools! They have been supporting the Club for several years now, always providing generous prizes for our winners. Grand prize for the competitive categories and their Sponsor’s Choice pick in the non-competitive bonus category is a $150 gift certificate! Second and third place winners will receive a 20% off coupon code.
If you’ve never used their products, they are all high quality, innovative soap making tools. Every mold or cutter is 100% designed and produced by hand in their workshop in Charleston, South Carolina. Worldwide shipping available!
This challenge has been completely blind, so no names were attached to the entries until now, and no one was allowed to post anything on the internet about their soaps, so if you’d like to find more information about these soaps, check #soapchallengereveal! The links go to Instagram profiles for those that have them. The photos are not linked to specific posts about the soaps.
Winners Category
Grand Prize
Name Melanie McNeice
Location Australia
Link Instagram
Prize $150 gift certificate from Custom Craft Tools
Merry Melons
Second Place
Name Will Baczek
Location Massachusetts
Link Instagram
Prize 20% off coupon code – Custom Craft Tools
A Slice and a Bite
Third Place
Kaleido-Melon
Recognition Awards
Best Technique
Criteria Well-executed design work, demonstrating mastery of chosen technique
Name Lisa Cunningham
Location UK
Link Instagram
Carved Watermelon
Best Presentation
Criteria Well displayed soap with interesting presentation and excellent photography (focus, lighting, etc)
Name Clare Norman
Location Australia
Link Instagram
Crimson Sweet
Best Use of Color
Criteria Well-mixed, beautiful color palette with excellent contrast
Name Elaina Romero
Location Canada
Watermelon Sunset
Advanced Category
Grand Prize
Name Taryn Barber
Location Maryland
Link Instagram
Prize $150 gift certificate from Custom Craft Tools
Art Deco Watermelon
Second Place
Watermelon Punch
Third Place
Name Kelley Conway
Location Massachusetts
Link Instagram
Prize 20% off coupon code – Custom Craft Tools
Recycled Melons
Recognition Awards
Best Technique
Criteria Well-executed design work, demonstrating mastery of chosen technique
Name Victoria Khasanshina
Location New York
Link Instagram
Au Naturale
Best Presentation
Criteria Well displayed soap with interesting presentation and excellent photography (focus, lighting, etc)
Name Chriss Bange
Location Germany
Link Instagram
Just one bite!
Best Use of Color
Criteria Well-mixed, beautiful color palette with contrasting colors
Name Cindy Pierce
Location Utah
Link Instagram
Wild Rindnoceros
Regular Category
Grand Prize
Name Rachel Brinkerhoff
Location California
Prize $150 gift certificate from Custom Craft Tools
Hot Summer Day
Second Place
Name Lori Kindsvatter
Location Michigan
Prize 20% off coupon code – Custom Craft Tools
Watermelon Dreams
Third Place
Name Annalise Bennett
Location New Zealand
Prize 20% off coupon code – Custom Craft Tools
Watermelon Margarita
Recognition Awards
Best Technique
Criteria Well-executed design work, demonstrating mastery of chosen technique
Name Heather Merritt
Location Minnesota
Pure Whimsy
Best Presentation
Criteria Well displayed soap with interesting presentation and excellent photography (focus, lighting, etc)
Name Agnieska Kalenbach
Location Illinois
Link Instagram
Watermelon Slice
Best Use of Color
Criteria Well-mixed, beautiful color palette with excellent contrast
Name Suzanne Thomashow
Location Michigan
Link Instagram
Citrullus Lanatus
Bonus Category
Sponsor’s Choice
Name Alejandra Meneses
Location Mexico
Link
Prize $150 gift certificate from Custom Craft Tools
Feedback “This ‘smiling face’ watermelon soap won us over with its imaginative design. Among all the bonus entries, this soap stood out as a frontrunner, showcasing remarkable creativity and a playful touch. Great job!” -Alex & Alex
Watermelon Slice
Great job to all our winners, as well as everyone else who participated in the challenge this month! If you would like to see the rest of the entries, check out these links. The names are now attached. Just click on the title of the entry to see them.
Registration for the July and August challenges opens Monday, July 3! July’s challenge is the Swing Swirl with guest teachers Rion and Savannah Brandt of San Juan Soapery. This is the soap they made for our tutorial with materials from our returning sponsor, Bramble Berry! Check out the Upcoming Challenges page for more information and sign up to be notified as soon as registration opens.
