End of the swirling experiments

[JustBeachy]

So I think I'm done with the swirling experiments. Found one or two things I'll keep, but most were just for fun. I'm trying more to find things I can duplicate easily. Not sure what I'm going to do with my new collection of swirling toys. ;-)

First is a Coconut Mango that I used a tool I call the Marquis de Sade swirling tool. It was made of wire and chain. :crazy: Think I might keep this one.



Next is another coffee soap, Vanilla Mocha. And a Cinnamon Oatmeal with a failed in the pot swirl.



Then two salt soaps. The one on the right is an attempt to layer some in the pot swirls. The green just swirled right to the bottom. haha. The one on the left is an attempt, using a meat injector, to "shoot" a lighting bolt into the stormy seas. Too thick. Need to find a smaller gauge needle that will still allow batter through.



I also made a Vanilla Bean pot swirl that I'm waiting for the vanilla to darken up on to see if the swirl took. Also made my first Pine Tar Soap and a HP shaving soap pucks. Shaves well, but still wanting to play with the recipe a bit.

 

[snappyllama]

I'm really partial to the salt bar look. They seem like marble..the green almost looks like moss on marble. The Coconut Mango looks lovely - very fitting of what I imagine it smells like.

You'll have to post a picture of your Marquis de Sade tool. My imagination is running away with me. :shock:

 

[JustBeachy]

I'm really partial to the salt bar look. They seem like marble..the green almost looks like moss on marble. The Coconut Mango looks lovely - very fitting of what I imagine it smells like.

You'll have to post a picture of your Marquis de Sade tool. My imagination is running away with me. :shock:

Haha, I'll see if I can snap a picture of it later and post it.

I'm more partial to the salt bars too, but I'm still working out a "preferred" color and swirl for this one. It's my Stormy Seas bar. Can't get a blue to stick for nothing, so I started playing with some greens too. Still looking for a source for some good woad powder.

 

[girlishcharm2004]

I love the Coconut Mango the best!

 

[cmzaha]

Haha, I'll see if I can snap a picture of it later and post it.

I'm more partial to the salt bars too, but I'm still working out a "preferred" color and swirl for this one. It's my Stormy Seas bar. Can't get a blue to stick for nothing, so I started playing with some greens too. Still looking for a source for some good woad powder.

Blue ultramarine make a great blue. It is my go to blue

 

[Lynnz]

I'm really partial to the salt bar look. They seem like marble..the green almost looks like moss on marble.

Agree very nice

 

[JustBeachy]

Thanks all, I tend to like all the salt bars the best, but it's what I use most of the time. Though, girlishcharm, the Mango Coconut may end up being a keeper. It smells great.

Carolyn, thanks for the recommendation. Don't think I tried that one yet. I'll put it on this weeks order.

 

[JustBeachy]

I'm really partial to the salt bar look. They seem like marble..the green almost looks like moss on marble. The Coconut Mango looks lovely - very fitting of what I imagine it smells like.

You'll have to post a picture of your Marquis de Sade tool. My imagination is running away with me. :shock:

Ok here's a pic of the tool. I couldn't figure out how to put an actual whip on it, so I used the dangling chains.:shh: It actually works pretty well. At a thin trace the batter drags through the holes and creates some neat color patterns. It's the only tool i will probably keep out of all the different things I tried.

 

[snappyllama]

That's a pretty hard-core swirler! It does make a nice pattern though.

 

[CaraBou]

Cool soaps. I'm patial to the salt bars too.

Isn't it fun improvising swirl tools??

 

[JustBeachy]

Cool soaps. I'm patial to the salt bars too.

Isn't it fun improvising swirl tools??

Yeah, I had some fun with different things. My saw blades didn't work out like I thought. Some others that didn't do too bad were some flat bars that I twisted and some all thread screw rods.

 

[CaraBou]

Hmmm, chains, whips, saws, meat injectors, needles, pine tar, thread screw rods, Marquis de Sade -- I better quit asking questions lol.

 

[Susie]

What about a larger chain? Something like twice the size of the current links? With the heavier gauge and larger size, it should give interesting patterns. I love the idea of stringing that chain on a wire to keep it where you want it! Maybe hook that center loop of chain to the bottom wire somehow...still thinking.

 

[JustBeachy]

What about a larger chain? Something like twice the size of the current links? With the heavier gauge and larger size, it should give interesting patterns. I love the idea of stringing that chain on a wire to keep it where you want it! Maybe hook that center loop of chain to the bottom wire somehow...still thinking.

I tried it with a chain that was twice the size and it didn't seem to work as well. Seemed to distort too much. Good thought on the middle chain. I left the middle chain dangling, but would put this tool in the mold and pour on top of it. Then swirl. The dangling middle would then drag to the top. To be honest, I don't think it had much of an effect and will probably just remove that section.

The rest of it though I really like. I'm working on developing a "line" of products, and want them to be repeatable in design. So I probably won't do a lot of tool swirling. The Mango Coconut with the Sade Swirl, will however, make it into the line up. haha

 

[shunt2011]

Those turned out really nice! Your getting the hang of it. I love my salt bars too. I have also found that it takes more colorant in salt bars. It seems to fade quite a bit with the salt. I have gotten some pretty bold colors including blue but add more than usual.

 

[JustBeachy]

Those turned out really nice! Your getting the hang of it. I love my salt bars too. I have also found that it takes more colorant in salt bars. It seems to fade quite a bit with the salt. I have gotten some pretty bold colors including blue but add more than usual.

Thanks! Actually around 15 years ago, I made and sold soap. I just never did much decorations. Solid colors or uncolored. Started up again about a year and a half ago. I decided to test some swirl patterns over the last two months. Think I"m pretty much set on just in the pot swirls. I'm willing to admit the "swirling techniques" aren't my strong point. Heck, I can't draw stick people with a ruler.

I've been doing salt bars for around a year and a half and yeah, the blue just seems to be my nemesis. Carolyn suggested a ultramarine that I'm going to try, and I'm thinking your idea on amounts might be an answer to creating more shading differences.

 

[Jstar]

All nice looking soaps..altho you can probably guess I am really liking the coffee soap..cant go wrong with chocolate and coffee

And I love the look of those salt bars..they look like marble