June 2021 SMF Soap Challenge - Garden Inspired

[Mobjack Bay]

Sunflower oil for “garden inspired“? I wasn’t very adventurous with my first soap dough, but I guess I could always knead in some garden variety plant colorant.

 

[The_Phoenix]

Because this is such an open challenge, it's tough to share much because we're not all making the same go at a single design. This just feels like more of a solitary challenge, which isn't a bad thing.

Anyway, the roses I clipped from my bushes this morning.

 

[Tara_H]

I'm still in the infusing stage! Which is not so exciting to talk about... Curiously though the oil is going very red, which normally isn't meant to happen *until after adding the lye.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

I haven’t been thinking in terms of pastel colors for my challenge soap, but here’s my garden-inspired ingredient solution. From left to right: indigo infused oil, spinach powder in oil or water, annatto oil, paprika oil, rhubarb root oil plus madder tea.

 

[ResolvableOwl]

I harvested a large bunch of thyme from my garden yesterday. It won't be an ingredient in the challenge (that ingredient has already been incorporated) but wondered if anyone has ever used oil infused or juiced thyme in a CP soap. Thoughts?

I've once had the chance to use chemical-grade thymol (the main component in the odour of thyme, savoury, ajwain etc.), and added it to CP soap. Would not use again, it nearly broke me of my affection to these spices. No idea though how the EO/herb itself survives saponification.

not being allowed to post pictures of your entry soap before posting on the entry thread doesn't mean you're not allowed to talk about your soap, please keep sharing any ideas, troubles or insecurities you come across along the way!

My idea/trouble/insecurity is that I'm still not far enough into my silent-film slide show to safely rule out a change of mind, to eventually sign up for the competition…

 

[Mobjack Bay]

Is there a minimum number of bars required for this competition?

 

[dibbles]

Is there a minimum number of bars required for this competition?

Nope Which might be a good thing for me. My first attempt wasn’t so successful and it’s not nearly as complicated as what I expect is going on elsewhere.

 

[szaza]

My idea/trouble/insecurity is that I'm still not far enough into my silent-film slide show to safely rule out a change of mind, to eventually sign up for the competition…

Well, I'm curious to see what you come up with!

Is there a minimum number of bars required for this competition?

I guess the minimum is one although now that I wrote that down I'm starting to wonder if half a bar could technically be part of a challenge...

 

[Tara_H]

I wonder at what point one draws the line between half a bar and a small bar?

 

[SPowers]

Does coconut milk count as a garden inspired ingredient? And whatever ingredient is chosen, does it have to relate to the story of the soap design in some way? I always use Coconut milk and I have some infused oil sitting on the shelf but neither would relate to what I'm thinking in terms of a design - they would just be additions to the recipe.

 

[earlene]

Another question:

I hope it is okay to use a substitute, or that is to say, a stand-in for another plant. Specifically, what I mean is, my inspiration garden is not my own garden, and I don't currently have access to said garden. So I am using a plant from my own garden to substitute for a plant (not the same genus, however) as an ingredient in an infused oil. Will this be acceptable as a garden ingredient?

It just occurred to my that I can actually use some flower petals from another plant that I am pretty sure is in the inspiration garden, that are also in bloom in mine right now. They only just started blooming this past week, so I did not realize I would be able to use them, so I'll go gather some petals and see if I can preserve them as an ingredient.

 

[dibbles]

My understanding is that the inspiration garden can be any garden, and that the garden ingredient doesn't necessarily have to match the garden inspiration. For example, I could have a soap with pumpkin design elements, but the garden ingredient I choose to use could be raspberry tea as a liquid. Since the rules said that the inspiration could be anything - including insects - I think this is correct - @szaza?

 

[Peachy Clean Soap]

For my garden inspiration i've saved from last season organic: Rose Peddles' Lavender Flower' Sage' Rosemary I'll implement these in my soap.
Finally the creative forces kicked in & I have a plan, however what I have in my minds eye & finished soap may not be the same.

 

[szaza]

@SPowers the ingredient should be inspired by a garden, an ingredient that you add to all your soaps isn't really inspired by this challenge, so I'd encourage you to look a bit further. The infused oils sound nice!

@earlene that's more than ok and a whole lot more than the challenge asked for!

@dibbles you're absolutely right! I wanted to add another layer to the challenge, but I don't want it to become impossible to execute. The 'garden inspired ingredient' doesn't have to come from the same inspiration as the theme of the soap (although obviously it's cool if it is!)

 

[MarnieSoapien]

Sign-up list:

1. Marsi - soaping in the garden
2. Tara_H - I was hoping for an inspiration challenge!
3. Vicki C - my two favorite pastimes!
4. Jersey Girl- Gardening and Soaping are my two favorite things!
5. dibbles - so many options!
6. Glendam - this sounds like so much fun
7. MrsZ - I really want to try this!
8. AMD - anything to avoid weeding my actual garden...
9. Peachy Clean Soap - This is gonna be challenging & fun.
10. earlene - Soap making has been added my therapy plan for my thumb per my OT; and I have a vision
11. KimW
12. peachymoon - I was gonna sit this one out, but there are so many inspirational green thumbs in my family that it felt so wrong!!
13. linne1gi - I’m not much of a gardener but I do love flowers, so count me in.
14.bookreader451 - okay going to try harder this month. I am having soapy withdrawal.
15. Violets2217- I can’t ignore this post any longer, I’m giving it a shot!
16. Vikingchick......ok, I’m in! Still waiting for inspiration to strike, but I have time, right?
17. Mobjack Bay - With a tip of the hat to @Tara_H I’m making my first soap dough right now.
18. The Phoenix - The challenge will be executing my inspired vision…but I will give it a shot.
19. SPowers - ok... will give this one a go!
20. Nona's Farm - I need a challenge and there are so many possibilities.
21. MarnieSoapien - I found inspiration!

 

[bookreader451]

I finally figured out what I want to do! I have looked at all my gardens, my roses are in full bloom, my delphinium is swaying in the breeze and the clematis is towering the side of my house, and I am going savory

 

[VikingChick]

@The_Phoenix Beautiful roses! And your kitchen is

 

[Tara_H]

I was hoping to make some soap before work this morning, but I only got as far as straining the oil...


Hopefully by the weekend I'll get a bit more time for soapy things!

 

[The_Phoenix]

Finished my entry last night. The first time I met my “one and done” plan.

 

[The_Phoenix]

@The_Phoenix Beautiful roses! And your kitchen is

Thank you! The blue cabinets are a conversation piece. Really fun. We redid the kitchen in November because the old countertop literally fell apart.