SMF May 2021 Challenge - One Pot Wonder

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Oof. My one and only attempt is CPOPing in the oven now. So far I'm happy with how the pour itself went (let's see how it looks when cut open). What was less than optimal that I ran into major false trace issues, and of course I can't just pop the OneWonderPot into a water bath or the microwave and give it a good stir 😬.
I guess my liberal addition of canola wax was an overshoot from the last soap that had too little hard oils and was still soft after three days in the mould.

Anyway, I noticed that OPW makes adorable spills!
opw_spill.jpg


And now I'm glad that I don't have to follow this thread with the bad conscience of provoking a hectic finale. 😌
 
Oof. My one and only attempt is CPOPing in the oven now. So far I'm happy with how the pour itself went (let's see how it looks when cut open). What was less than optimal that I ran into major false trace issues, and of course I can't just pop the OneWonderPot into a water bath or the microwave and give it a good stir 😬.
I guess my liberal addition of canola wax was an overshoot from the last soap that had too little hard oils and was still soft after three days in the mould.

Anyway, I noticed that OPW makes adorable spills!
View attachment 57302

And now I'm glad that I don't have to follow this thread with the bad conscience of provoking a hectic finale. 😌
That spot is such a tease. lol pretty colors 🤗💫
 
Hurrah! I cut the loaf this morning to be greeted by lovely bars that look like the ones in the instructions video. I did "make every attempt to make a soap for the challenge" - in fact I made three. In the first attempt I used colours inappropriate for CP, consequently they were eaten up and didn't show much. In the second attempt I started pouring too early, the batter was too thin and wouldn't form layers necessary for the pattern. Besides, the improvised tall mould leaked which added to the general mixing of all layers into one (quite nice) colour. It was only in the third attempt that I caught the right thickness of the batter. It was nicely slow to allow all phases: mixing in fragrances, decanting and colouring, pouring in the tall jar, and finally pouring in the mould.

I used the remaining batter to pour into an octopus, a car, a carnation, and another flower. I believe my little grandsons will like the vivid colours in their soap.
 
Hurrah! I cut the loaf this morning to be greeted by lovely bars that look like the ones in the instructions video. I did "make every attempt to make a soap for the challenge" - in fact I made three. In the first attempt I used colours inappropriate for CP, consequently they were eaten up and didn't show much. In the second attempt I started pouring too early, the batter was too thin and wouldn't form layers necessary for the pattern. Besides, the improvised tall mould leaked which added to the general mixing of all layers into one (quite nice) colour. It was only in the third attempt that I caught the right thickness of the batter. It was nicely slow to allow all phases: mixing in fragrances, decanting and colouring, pouring in the tall jar, and finally pouring in the mould.

I used the remaining batter to pour into an octopus, a car, a carnation, and another flower. I believe my little grandsons will like the vivid colours in their soap.

Sounds exciting!

Is it ok to show off the extra soaps before the challenge? They sound cute. 😊
 
I mixed up the most lovely colors yesterday, took glamour shots of the batter in the individual pitchers, added the FO, stirred, watched as the batter started to accelerate, rushed to layer in the pot, and then rushed to pour without capturing that all important moment just before the pour. I have another soap I can enter and maybe this one won’t turn out great, but I was really sad yesterday when I realized what happened.
 
I mixed up the most lovely colors yesterday, took glamour shots of the batter in the individual pitchers, added the FO, stirred, watched as the batter started to accelerate, rushed to layer in the pot, and then rushed to pour without capturing that all important moment just before the pour. I have another soap I can enter and maybe this one won’t turn out great, but I was really sad yesterday when I realized what happened.

😓 Same thing happened to me...😓 and I don’t think I’ll be able to find the time to try again. I’m sure your soap is beautiful. ♥️
 
What a great idea!
Thanks. The only good thing about those inevitable spills on the sides of that cans is knowing the actual color inside when they all sit in the cupboard & we have to touch-up a wall. But to have as much spill out as usually does, is just plain a waste of paint. I was very happy to find this little trick!
And since we transfer so many artistic skills from the art world to soapmaking, wouldn't this be one be perfect for that? I use painters tape all the time in all kinds of ways, so always have it on hand.
 
I’m going to give it one more try. Here’s what I came up with in lieu of putting my iPad in the mold...
View attachment 57316
Brilliant idea!

I was so paranoid about forgetting the pic that I videoed myself doing the whole pour - twice! - so that I could retrieve a screenshot in case of emergency.
 
That's my twist on the OneWonderPot:

opw_spout_milkcarton.jpg


The DIY spout worked very well! Pouring was very precise, for the location and amount/flow rate, and it gave a nice mix with the tilt (the carton was less than half full with soap batter). One thing to optimise is the very tip, it was a bit too sharp. I would cut off the topmost cm if I intended to repeat OPW.

Thanks @Ladka for bringing me on the idea to abuse an (oat)milk carton!


The soap itself came out prettier than I had anticipated. Though, I have several things I'm not entirely happy about (besides the self-imposed provocation of false trace). But more on this once the entry thread embargo is lifted…
 
I’m going to give it one more try. Here’s what I came up with in lieu of putting my iPad in the mold...
View attachment 57316
That’s a great idea! Count me in as another who forgot to take a photo of the pre-pour container. 🤦‍♀️

That ok, though, because while I was introducing my mom to the addiction of watching acrylic paint pouring videos, I saw a lovely color combination that I’ll be replicating as soon as my T&S mold comes in.
 
@ResolvableOwl , this is a brilliant idea! Although I bought three jars with a spout for this challenge (with a view to use them in my projects-to-come of course) they were not enough for the challenge project. The problem is I buy milk or any other drink in a carton only very very rarely and used three for the challenge. In fact I didn't use them as a pitcher for pouring but as the mould and had to tear it off the solidified soap each time (I have no loaf mould). Will have to ask my children to save them for me.
 
The problem is I buy milk or any other drink in a carton only very very rarely
Ditto! With milk fetched at the filling station of a nearby dairy farmer (gosh, the one glass bottle where the label hasn't been washed off, its “best before” date is somewhere in 2009), and a soymilk machine at hand, such cartons are not too often in my house either. I won't deny that it was no accident that I bought that oat milk not too long ago 🙄.

Proper beakers with good spouts are a long-term investment. I foretell that they'll be useful in many other cases beyond OPW too!
 
Did my third and last try today. It's probably not going to be successful because the colors didn't blend properly as i was pouring, I think. But I did take a pot photo so it's my entry regardless of how it looks! 😂
You might be surprised when you cut. Sometimes it doesn't seem like they are blending, but they are! And you remembered the pre-pour photo, so that's a win right there!
 

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