SMF May 2021 Challenge - One Pot Wonder

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I have pictures taken. I will be posting my entry later today or tomorrow. I'm recovering from surgery, so it all depends on my energy level. In the meantime, here is a picture of my favorite batch. My pre-pour pot picture didn't clearly show that all colors were poured in the same spot, so I'll use the other batch I made for my entry. The FO is Earth Meets Sky from Nurture, and all colors are from NS as well - Mocha Brown, Maya Gold, Winter White and Sky Blue.
View attachment 57728
Ooohhhh thats pretty .
 
My fails because I didn't follow directions :eek:

1st try - I disqualified myself because I split the blue into two layers :eek: This was my thinnest pour. At first I hated it but it's growing on me.

IMG_8153a.jpg



2nd try - Again, I disqualified myself because I did a mica drizzle over the purple layer :eek: This try was my thickest pour and least favorite.

IMG_8149a.jpg



3rd try - I especially disqualified myself because I divided 3 colors into 7 equal layers. It is my favorite though 😍

3rd try - soap.jpg


For a technique that looks so easy, it has really tried my patience. I've ordered a new TS 1lb mold for future tries as it was cumbersome (and expensive) trying a new technique in a 4.5lb mold.

Everyone's entries are FABULOUS!!! It's going to be very hard to choose the top 3.
 
My goodness' 2nd try at the OPW challenge' Total Fail. No such luck having a smooth pour, It was A Plopping Kinda Situation. But It Smells Good👍🏼🧼✨

My fails because I didn't follow directions :eek:

1st try - I disqualified myself because I split the blue into two layers :eek: This was my thinnest pour. At first I hated it but it's growing on me.

View attachment 57747


2nd try - Again, I disqualified myself because I did a mica drizzle over the purple layer :eek: This try was my thickest pour and least favorite.

View attachment 57745


3rd try - I especially disqualified myself because I divided 3 colors into 7 equal layers. It is my favorite though 😍

View attachment 57748

For a technique that looks so easy, it has really tried my patience. I've ordered a new TS 1lb mold for future tries as it was cumbersome (and expensive) trying a new technique in a 4.5lb mold.

Everyone's entries are FABULOUS!!! It's going to be very hard to choose the top 3.
I love try number 3 too, pretty.
 
My fails because I didn't follow directions :eek:

1st try - I disqualified myself because I split the blue into two layers :eek: This was my thinnest pour. At first I hated it but it's growing on me.

View attachment 57747


2nd try - Again, I disqualified myself because I did a mica drizzle over the purple layer :eek: This try was my thickest pour and least favorite.

View attachment 57745


3rd try - I especially disqualified myself because I divided 3 colors into 7 equal layers. It is my favorite though 😍

View attachment 57748

For a technique that looks so easy, it has really tried my patience. I've ordered a new TS 1lb mold for future tries as it was cumbersome (and expensive) trying a new technique in a 4.5lb mold.

Everyone's entries are FABULOUS!!! It's going to be very hard to choose the top 3.
Love number three too - the colours are awesome! Yes please explain how you did that pour because I want to try it :)
 
Working with this darned T&S mold is giving me unexpected challenges. After 20 hours, I pulled yesterday’s batch out of its nest and it was still warm. Like, really warm. That is unusual for me. And it was REALLY soft. Another unusual thing. What I’ve gathered is that it went into gel later than normal, which is why it was still warm. Maybe because it’s skinny?

I was feeling impatient so I cut the bars anyway and they were very squishy. Too squishy. Put them on a silpat over my sprouting mat covered with an overturned styrofoam cooler to get them warm again.

I need to stop doing these challenges. I could swear I said that two or even three months ago. I end up getting obsessed and super frustrated. And I honestly don’t have time or resources. 🤣😂🤦‍♀️

I would have been a one and done had I remembered to take a photo of the pouring vessel pre-pour. But nooooooo.

Please don’t let me participate in the June challenge.
I’m feeling the same, I made four attempts this month and today was feeling a little foolish for being so obsessed and dissatisfied with attempt #4. My soap backlog is getting... full. But I’ll probably do the June challenge!
 
@gardengeek I love #3, too. Did you adjust the mold in 4 steps? I’m wondering how you achieved the concentric ring effect.

I poured the layers into the pouring pitcher at about the 3:30 position to avoid the raised measurements on the inside of the bowl. The pitcher is not round either - dimensions are ~7 3/4" from spout edge (inside the bowl) to the handle edge and 7 1/4" from side to side. My entry soap was poured from the same pitcher but I loaded it at the 2 o'clock position. As you can see below, the batter was really getting thick by the time I finished pouring into the mold. I left the ripples on the top because I didn't want to disturb the design, I'm glad I did because the design goes all the way thru to the top. I tend to swirl too deep.

3rd try - bowl a.jpg



0518212000c_HDR a.jpg



0518212000_HDR a.jpg
 
@Mobjack Bay
My notes say, "I poured the batter into the mold slowly, may have been too slow because the batter got so thick. Had trouble dropping the mold back down flat. Kept it angled pretty much the whole pour."

ETA colors used in #3: Ballet Slippers (MM), Siren's Song (NS), and Granny Smith Green (WSP-CC)
 
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I have pictures taken. I will be posting my entry later today or tomorrow. I'm recovering from surgery, so it all depends on my energy level. In the meantime, here is a picture of my favorite batch. My pre-pour pot picture didn't clearly show that all colors were poured in the same spot, so I'll use the other batch I made for my entry. The FO is Earth Meets Sky from Nurture, and all colors are from NS as well - Mocha Brown, Maya Gold, Winter White and Sky Blue.
View attachment 57728
Sooooo pretty, 🙌🏼🧼💫

@The_Phoenix
I cannot say I'll try & talk you out of joining June Challenge' Its kinda like the more the merrier 😃🤗💫.
 
I poured the layers into the pouring pitcher at about the 3:30 position to avoid the raised measurements on the inside of the bowl. The pitcher is not round either - dimensions are ~7 3/4" from spout edge (inside the bowl) to the handle edge and 7 1/4" from side to side. My entry soap was poured from the same pitcher but I loaded it at the 2 o'clock position. As you can see below, the batter was really getting thick by the time I finished pouring into the mold. I left the ripples on the top because I didn't want to disturb the design, I'm glad I did because the design goes all the way thru to the top. I tend to swirl too deep.

View attachment 57751


View attachment 57752


View attachment 57753
So you didn't pour four times to get that effect? It was all from one bowl? I'm still a bit confused as to how you did it.
 
@violets2217 No, not yet! My entry soap is scheduled for its debut tomorrow. Never got around to taking suitable photos. I’m relieved to be done monkeying with the design.

My challenge with this design (besides waiting three weeks for the mold to arrive) was getting the consistency just right. I did two batches that were the perfect fluidity but forgot to take the container photos. 😩 Those were created using my regular 9-bar mold. Then I made another attempt when the T&S came in and LOVED the colors but I was simultaneously getting myself and daughter ready for prom so I miscalculated on the capacity and only filled it 3/4 full. 🥺🤬

My entry soap came out not exactly as I expected. Frustrated, I consulted with my daughter (she has a knack for telling me what I don’t want to hear which is usually what I also need to hear ) who thought I should recreate one of my first two soaps to submit but to heck with that. I need to just accept that my soap is “enough” and submit it.

The story of my last soap, which will be my entry soap, is that I wanted to have varying fluidities to create different effects with each color. So that when they poured into the layering container, they didn’t all lie perfectly. Thereby also failing and building differently into the mold. So two colors were to emulsion, one to light trace, and another thick trace. While I achieved that, i think having two colors just to emulsion has something to do with the very soft soap. I even experienced for the first time ever a “”zap” while doing a zap test. 🤬😱👹☠ So I’m guessing it’s just barely an emulsion. No biggie. I’ll just throw it into a box and forget about it for a good long while and see what happens.

As my mom likes to say, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
 
I have pictures taken. I will be posting my entry later today or tomorrow. I'm recovering from surgery, so it all depends on my energy level. In the meantime, here is a picture of my favorite batch. My pre-pour pot picture didn't clearly show that all colors were poured in the same spot, so I'll use the other batch I made for my entry. The FO is Earth Meets Sky from Nurture, and all colors are from NS as well - Mocha Brown, Maya Gold, Winter White and Sky Blue.
View attachment 57728
This is pure perfection to my eyes! So beautiful!
 
I have pictures taken. I will be posting my entry later today or tomorrow. I'm recovering from surgery, so it all depends on my energy level. In the meantime, here is a picture of my favorite batch. My pre-pour pot picture didn't clearly show that all colors were poured in the same spot, so I'll use the other batch I made for my entry. The FO is Earth Meets Sky from Nurture, and all colors are from NS as well - Mocha Brown, Maya Gold, Winter White and Sky Blue.
View attachment 57728
If this isn’t even your entry batch, I’m in awe!
 
So you didn't pour four times to get that effect? It was all from one bowl? I'm still a bit confused as to how you did it.

No, I poured all the batter into my pouring pitcher (pink, green, teal, pink, green, teal, pink) and then poured slooowwwllly into the mold until all the batter was empty from the pouring pitcher. I had the mold propped up on an angle and noted that I had a hard time dropping it back down so poured all the batter with the mold propped up. The mold is deep enough and there's enough batter that doesn't get poured into the mold that I can leave it propped for the whole pour.

I honestly don't know what created the effect and am highly doubtful I could create it again.

FO was Salty Mariner from BeScented.
 

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