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Still can't find them!
1st SMF Soap Challenge- July
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My FO was moving too quickly for me to take pics. This is not a stand-out eye catcher but it's nice and I would use it again with a few tweaks.
B (not in rows), 90 degree turn and B again, then E (leap frog) in three rows, then turned the mold 180 degrees and did E again in between the other rows so they just touched.
B (not in rows), 90 degree turn and B again, then E (leap frog) in three rows, then turned the mold 180 degrees and did E again in between the other rows so they just touched.
I still have to post pics of my last soap, but just lost steam! I put out all the cut bars of the soaps I had done for the challenge and realized I had done six! I only have five left though. Two were really awful, I posted the one that seized (aka the "comb teeth" soap), the next one - on which I overcorrected and poured at emulsification - was so muddy and ugly I just threw it out as soon as it was hard enough to do so. Will try to get the energy together to download pics and add them here.
Ok, new post b/c this will be long enough as it is. Here is what I did:
Pour: Regular funnel
Swirls in order: all w/chopstick
B (diagonal loop)
A (zigzag): one big one from corner to corner (like an inverted V)
E (leapfrog): two big rows (one atop the other) horizontally.
Thoughts about the challenge, generally.
Never really used a slab mold before. Still prefer the discovery aspects of swirling in a loaf, but fun to see the immediate effects here, also to have the pattern go all the way through the bar, at least when using the funnel pour. Didn’t love the swirls, or at least mine, but could see how people who are good w/slabs do.
Much more ash. I usually do not get ash in my log molds. Pretty much all of these ashed. My formula was a little different than the usual one b/c I was trying to keep it as simple and slow to trace as possible, maybe will try again w/the standard one to see if there is a difference.
Harder to cut these than w/a log, bars seemed to need more trimming.
Repetition really helped me be more thoughtful about what I was actually trying to do with the swirls. More careful about trace levels. Drawbacks of overswirling/swirling too tightly/using too many colors
ETA: oops, used the pics w/o the chopsticks, have them and will use for the official thread.
Glad that is done! Are the thinking caps on for the next challenge? This one was fun, but I am ready for 8/1 and the next one .....
Pour: Regular funnel
Swirls in order: all w/chopstick
B (diagonal loop)
A (zigzag): one big one from corner to corner (like an inverted V)
E (leapfrog): two big rows (one atop the other) horizontally.
Thoughts about the challenge, generally.
Never really used a slab mold before. Still prefer the discovery aspects of swirling in a loaf, but fun to see the immediate effects here, also to have the pattern go all the way through the bar, at least when using the funnel pour. Didn’t love the swirls, or at least mine, but could see how people who are good w/slabs do.
Much more ash. I usually do not get ash in my log molds. Pretty much all of these ashed. My formula was a little different than the usual one b/c I was trying to keep it as simple and slow to trace as possible, maybe will try again w/the standard one to see if there is a difference.
Harder to cut these than w/a log, bars seemed to need more trimming.
Repetition really helped me be more thoughtful about what I was actually trying to do with the swirls. More careful about trace levels. Drawbacks of overswirling/swirling too tightly/using too many colors
ETA: oops, used the pics w/o the chopsticks, have them and will use for the official thread.
Glad that is done! Are the thinking caps on for the next challenge? This one was fun, but I am ready for 8/1 and the next one .....
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Ohh what a fun soap! Nice job!
TVivian
Well-Known Member
NA those are gorgeous!! The colors and the amount of swirling are just perfect! I love the red heart you had right in the middle of the slab at the beginning! Very well done!
I'm with you, I have my final pictures and my video almost edited ..ready to see what they come up with for the next one
I'm with you, I have my final pictures and my video almost edited ..ready to see what they come up with for the next one
TVivian
Well-Known Member
Newbie! I absolutely love the colors you used! Ahhhh so pretty!!!
Saponista
Well-Known Member
That's lovely newbie, I love the teal mixed with that green yellow colour.
I love yours too not_ally, the larger swirls make it look less symmetrical in a good way.
Here is the link to the cutter page https://www.facebook.com/groups/455340654625203/?fref=ts
I am doing the next challenge, it will be inverted stamping - http://auntieclaras.com/2014/04/tutorial-inverted-stamp-technique-lattice-tops-more/
I love yours too not_ally, the larger swirls make it look less symmetrical in a good way.
Here is the link to the cutter page https://www.facebook.com/groups/455340654625203/?fref=ts
I am doing the next challenge, it will be inverted stamping - http://auntieclaras.com/2014/04/tutorial-inverted-stamp-technique-lattice-tops-more/
navigator9
Well-Known Member
I'm so very impressed with the talent on this forum. I can't believe the beautiful soaps that you have created. You should all be really proud of yourselves. Nice work!
Ooh, thanks for giving us a heads up, Saponista! I love Auntie Clara's stuff. I feel funny calling her that, she looks kind of elegant and young-ish on her home page, not aunty-ish at all. Or at least not like one of *my* aunties 
ETA: Thanks to you and newbie for being willing to take on the tasks of heading these challenges up so far. I know it is a lot of work, but I think a lot of us have enjoyed this first one, and learned a lot.
ETA: Thanks to you and newbie for being willing to take on the tasks of heading these challenges up so far. I know it is a lot of work, but I think a lot of us have enjoyed this first one, and learned a lot.
Sonya-m
Well-Known Member
If I did one layer 2 days ago and I've flipped ready to do the other side tonight do I need to do anything to make sure the two halves stick together?
Sonya-m
Well-Known Member
I'm done!! Are we just posting our attempts in here? Actual are going somewhere else?
Sea, that one is taking for ever to harden. Here's bars from one of the earlier batches, did not take pics of the chopstick so didn't post. But the pattern goes all the way through - one pic is of the top, the other is of the bottom. I did plane to take ash off the top and scrape off the blurry/mold contacting layer at the bottom.
Sonya-m
Well-Known Member
Beautiful!!
Saponista
Well-Known Member
Those blues are lovely!
kchaystack
Supporting Member
Hey not_ally, what did you use to hold your funnel in place?
K, I have terrible dexterity in my hands - carpal tunnel, plus a persistent shake - so after trying a regular funnel I ordered some of these, w/handles, from ebay. They work really well, I just put my colors into cups and pour away. I ordered several b/c I thought I might need them to keep the colors super crisp, but only ended up using one.
So Sea, will give you one next time I see you. Also helps me avoid splashing myself w/batter:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/371359682619?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&var=640469086959&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
So Sea, will give you one next time I see you. Also helps me avoid splashing myself w/batter:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/371359682619?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&var=640469086959&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
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kchaystack
Supporting Member
WOW, that looks like a perfect funnel, I thought you had to have some kind of stand that holds the funnel. Very impressive that you can free hand that.
No, believe me, it is the tool. I am awful at free handing anything. Between the wonky hands and the innate lack of artistic talent, I have developed pretty good skills in finding the right tools
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