SMF April 2021 Challenge (Lollipop Swirl) Entry Thread

[Primrose]

This is the Entry thread for the SMF April 2021 Challenge - the Lollipop Swirl. Please post your entry photos in this thread. Please remember not to post your entry photos anywhere else until after the challenge is finished. You can not use any photos that you have shared elsewhere already. Your entry may include information about the soap itself, the oils, colours, fragrances etc used, inspiration for design, etc. But please keep comments, compliments, and questions about anyone else's entry in the Challenge announcement thread. This Entry thread is only for posting entries. Thank you

After the closing date on April 27, 2021 at 11:59 pm GMT the winning entry will be chosen using Survey Monkey. Voting will be open from April 28-29, 2021 and the winner will be announced on April 30, 2021. There is no prize attached to this challenge.

Remember to show at least two bars from your batch in your entry photo

Good luck!

 

[Jersey Girl]

Ok...I’ll be first to post. Lol. This was my first try and my first time using a PVC mold. I did three more attempts after this one looking for other color combos, none of which were entry worthy. Although this technique looked easy enough it really is quite hard IMO. Scented with my favorite well behaved FO Black Raspberry Vanilla. Two of the soaps look like parrots kissing.

 

[Vicki C]

I decided to try making a rim for my soap, which I have never done before. I used a plastic container to make a pull through in a loaf mold, to make a round design echoing the lollipop swirl and then used the same colors in the pour. I don’t have a loaf splitter so I fashioned one from a coping saw with the blade upside down to cut the slices for the rim. I did not manage to achieve the perfect consistency, and the final bars have stearic spots, which is disappointing. In retrospect I think a different design for the rim would have been better - something that contrasted or looked more obviously different. I still had fun and had a chance to practice some new techniques. The soap is scented with peppermint and lemongrass and is colored with ultramarine, chrome oxide, and titanium dioxide.

 

[glendam]

I was inspired in the nautilus. I learned that they can close themselves up in their shell when threatened, and that worked better than trying to make all their tentacles with soap dough. I used a silicone pouring container as a mold (it was oval) for it and used it as an embed. The fragrance was Eucalyptus spearmint (since it usually behaves well). I added cornmeal and ground oats to the bottom to resemble sand. I can't wait to see the rest of the entries!

 

[KimW]

I was inspired by The Twilight Zone. The first time I saw this a few months ago it reminded me of the swirly thing from The Twilight Zone, a favorite late-night rerun in my teen years, so that's where I went with it. This was my second attempt, if you don't count the attempt when I melted the mold. Charcoal, a little less charcoal and plain batter for the centers. What a fun challenge!

 

[The_Phoenix]

This was my second attempt. I’ve been on a mid-century modern kick and chose these colors inspired by that time period. I really enjoyed this design and will absolutely do more of it. The creative potential is endless.

 

[szaza]

Here's my entry picture for this month. Since this was my first soap in a while the inspiration was 'easy'. I used an easy to control recipe and some annatto and alkanet Infusion that I had on hand. Even though I slipped up halfway though the pour, the upper bars still made nice cuts.

 

[linne1gi]

 

[Tara_H]

Giving up on the concept that's been haunting me and entering this soap. Not exactly a traditional example of the pour, but I really liked the way it spiralled into the centre (it even triggers a spirally optical illusion if you look off to one side!)

Scented with Lemon, Lime, and Rosemary EO.

 

[ResolvableOwl]

Sushi, anyone?

In lieu of wasabi proper, I hope you're fine with a few bars of wasabi chocolate?

ETA: out-sourced some background into the challenge chat thread. In case my decoration is inappropriately opulent, see over there for a close-up view that reveals the full ugliness of the soaps.

 

[AliOop]

No time to make another entry, so here is my yin-yang lollipop swirl. It won't win any design awards, but I'm proud of the few almost-technically correct bars, after I had to stop using the third color that had thickened up too much.

Colors are AC, white kaolin clay + TD, and pink Australian clay (the villain in this story). Scented with Brambleberry's Energy stirred into the oils before adding the lye, because it has ZERO acceleration. In fact, sometimes I think it decelerates the batter.

Wish I had a video so we could all have a good laugh. My table and counters are too high for me to pour into this mold. So it was sitting in a holding container which was sitting on towels on the kitchen floor. I was sitting on a step-stool, wearing sweats, slippers, a headlamp, gloves, and a face shield, and rotating my three color containers around the towel. No actual swearing happened, but there were swear-word substitutes and lots of muttering.

 

[Corsara]

This was my first ever attempt at any kind of swirl, so I kept it really simple. I'm pretty pleased it even kind of worked!
I was running low on some of my oils, so I tried out some canola oil for a more fluid batter.
1/2 TSP activated charcoal in half of the batter, and I used a 3 inch pvc pipe coated in vaseline.

 

[ResolvableOwl]

(delete)

 

[Vicki C]

delete

 

[violets2217]

So my last attempt (9th or 10th... I lost count!) and I’m entering it. I tried my pink, kaolin and French green clays plus some aloe Vera powder again and stuck with the most well behaved FO I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with... Earth meets Sky from Nurture Soap. I love the smell and it’s performance!
Thanks @Primrose for the “challenging” yet calming pour. I had a ton of fun!

 

[Primrose]

The entry thread is now closed, thank you to all who entered! I will get the voting link out to everyone soon.

 

[Primrose]

Our winners for this challenge are:


First place: @glendam
Second place: @Jersey Girl
Third place: @Tara_H

Well done to everyone who participated, this is a deceptively difficult technique!

 

[SPowers]

Great entries everyone... congrats to the winners!

 

[Christine Beale]

They all looked amazing!!!! And it's a technique that I have not tried yet.. but you all have given me inspiration!!!