August 2021 SMF Soap Challenge - Ombre Designs

[CpnDouchette]

@Mobjack Bay !! Thanks! Got it! Yeah, I used AC. I think I would have been better of sticking to mica to be honest because I ended up with about 6 teaspoons of TD and AC for a 3lb batch...

 

[Tara_H]

I may make an attempt today - I'd been holding off until I got my 3d printed mould finished, but it's still not done and I'm running out of time!
Thinking I'll try lining it in the normal way and see how it goes...

 

[MrsZ]

@CpnDouchette , I love your entry soap! The blue and the red reminds me of clay vessels from Mexico.

 

[violets2217]

And here's my second batch that I decided not to submit. I was going for a white to black ombre but didn't anticipate the obscene amount of TD I'd need to achieve it. Perhaps I should have gone white to black but I have such issues with soda ash, I wanted to do the black first. I would have submitted this though, I think, if my embed hadn't displaced my ombre quite so much. How did you manage it Violet? (Also, need to figure out how to tag people....)

I poured my soap backwards… pour my top color first and when the bottom corner was what I thought was full enough I placed my embed and pushed a wee bit to sink it in a bit. Then continued pour. The only problem I had with this pour was my mold was a tall & skinny mold and my hands were not skinny enough! So I kinda had to drop it & hope for the best.

 

[The_Phoenix]

I poured my soap backwards… pour my top color first and when the bottom corner was what I thought was full enough I placed my embed and pushed a wee bit to sink it in a bit. Then continued pout. The only problem I had with this pour was my mold was a tall & skinny mold and my hands were not skinny enough! So I kinda had to drop it & hope for the best.

That “skinny” description sure is accurate. As it the “tall.” You pour and pour and pour and pour…it just keeps going.

 

[ResolvableOwl]

Spoiler: Non-entry noise

Y'all know what we haven't had in a long time? SMF soap challenge designs mocked with margarine!



I had planned to blend pumpkin seed oil into margarine anyway (it's about time to revive my dormant consumption of mini Danish-pasty Potica with pumpkin seed + tarragon taste), so this was a good opportunity to “not” take part in this challenge .

 

[maryloucb]

Just got back from a hockey weekend with my son. I love everyone's entries! I'm glad I submitted mine early, otherwise I might have chickened out and not submitted it! I had planned on doing at least one other attempt, but I'm just not going to get a chance. I will continue to play with ombre designs in the future!

 

[Zing]

I made my entry soap today. Well, we'll see if it passes inspection for entry. I'm really pushing the deadline here. It's my one and only attempt. I'll enter if it's decent -- if not I still have soap, right?

I had sketched out one design that went light to dark (bottom to top). And I wanted specific colors for mica lines. I called on Mrs. Zing for moral support -- and her frosting skills -- and she advised reversing the order to dark to light and a change in the color of the mica line. But she was asking if it was all okay with the rules. And I said, who cares about rules, and she said, you're such a rebel. And I said, yeah, that's just how I roll.

 

[Tara_H]

Made mine yesterday, finally! I had to simplify my intended design significantly since it would require a multiple day process for what I had intended to do, and my mum is visiting again so there hasn't been a lot of time for soaping.
Put it in to CPOP last night before dinner and woke up at 2am realising I never turned off the oven so I'm not sure how it will be when I check on it (still in bed right now trying to wake up).

 

[amd]

I made mine yesterday, it did not go well. I knew I was working with some limitations - GM which moves quickly in my recipe, as well as an FO that can be tricky to work with. In hindsight, I probably could have done a few things that would have helped me out, but I was tired after being on my second day of marathon soaping and this was my last soap for the weekend. I will be cutting it over my lunch hour, but do not have high hopes for it. Mixing in the TD to make lighter layers for the ombre became an arm workout. I didn't even bother wiping out the dishes, they're still soaking in the sink. I'll be keeping this design on my list of "things to achieve". [will post my fail later]

 

[Vicki C]

I rushed to make mine early this morning as I am helping out with child care this week for my granddaughter. I had a notion, but we’ll see how it works out. This is my second try, and I’ve used the batter mixing method as opposed to the adding a little colorant with each pour method. I think, and would love to hear what others found, that if you go from a dark color to a light color it works well to start with about 1/3 dark batter and 2/3 light batter. Lots of possibilities with this technique I think. Love the entries so far!

 

[Vicki C]

Also glad I watched a Kilo Soap YouTube video and stuck with their recommendation of a 70% white/30%color split… it made my math a little easier. And pouring was easier than I was thinking it would be… I just poured 70% of my batter into a pitcher the split the remainder for my colors then added the white batter or the next color (for color change) as I went.

Oh that’s funny I just posted that I found a 1/3 dark 2/3 light batter worked well - I probably read your post and forgot!

 

[Mobjack Bay]

Here’s the first gradient ombre soap I made while practicing for the challenge this month. This one is colored with ultramarine blue and scented with the Revive EO blend on EOCalc. I really like this technique for a simple soap and plan to use it in the future along with a higher proportion of white or uncolored batter. I also made a small batch with rose and yellow clays and rhubarb root oil infusion and one with (not enough) gromwell infusion. I will post the clay soap when I get a chance to take a decent photo in daylight.

Cheers to @dibbles for hosting this challenge and for inspiring me to learn this technique.
Cheers also to those who have already posted their beautiful soaps.

 

[user 29214]

@Mobjack Bay that is such a subtle transition! Excellent work

If by some miracle my experiment works, I will post it if I can make the deadline. I haven’t looked at the entries yet but I am looking forward to that.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

@glendam thank you! I look forward to seeing your soap.

 

[The_Emerald_Chicken]

So for a little more information about my entry...I started out a little too confidently and stickblended to what seemed like a nice trace (looking back, I think I blended too long). The batter was a nice consistency when I started pouring, but before I'd gotten more than halfway through the pouring it started to get quite thick. Realizing there were few options left, I ditched the "subtle ombre fade" idea and piling the rest of my yellow batter on top in desperation. Here's how it looked when I cut the loaf vertically, like normal:

But partway through cutting, I decided to try cutting a few bars horizontally through the middle of the loaf, and the look was almost exactly what I'd been going for! Those are the bars I posted on the entry thread.

Interestingly, this soap was inspired by this Kirkland Signature tissue box

 

[dibbles]

Just a reminder - the entry thread will close today at 11:59 GMT. Love the entries so far!

 

[HoliHealerz]

Here’s the first gradient ombre soap I made while practicing for the challenge this month. This one is colored with ultramarine blue and scented with the Revive EO blend on EOCalc. I really like this technique for a simple soap and plan to use it in the future along with a higher proportion of white or uncolored batter. I also made a small batch with rose and yellow clays and rhubarb root oil infusion and one with (not enough) gromwell infusion. I will post the clay soap when I get a chance to take a decent photo in daylight.

Cheers to @dibbles for hosting this challenge and for inspiring me to learn this technique.
Cheers also to those who have already posted their beautiful soaps.

View attachment 60307

Beautiful! Well done!

 

[linne1gi]

The entries are all gorgeous!

 

[maryloucb]

I just love seeing what all you artistic soapers come up with!!