SMF May 2023 Challenge: Spoon or Spatula Swirl

[basti]

Till then, here are my two wonderful-smelling failures that will soon become ciaglia or confetti soap.

A ciaglia spoon swirl, perhaps?

 

[AliOop]

A ciaglia spoon swirl, perhaps?

Ooohhh, maybe.... Thanks!

 

[KiwiMoose]

I’m gonna say no, but only because some people have already made theirs and had they been given the opportunity may have liked to used a slotted spoon. But any other stirring device such as spoon, spatula, wooden spoon is totally fine.

I haven't signed up yet, but it's looking like I may have a window of opportunity to make some soap. Is a perforated or slotted spoon allowed within the scope of the rules?

 

[dmcgee5034]

As of last night, we have a new double-feature in the ever-popular series, "Fragrances Behaving Badly."

Hi @AliOop - I want to thank you for this post. Sometimes I feel like all the soaps posted are masterpieces and it’s so awesome to learn from and see some of the challenges that obvi everyone faces. BTW - I always love Italian meats so that soap looks like it would go exceptionally well with a mimosa.
You’ve given me to courage to post my wacky results I only had the guts to message you about. More to come on that later.

 

[The_Phoenix]

My advice for those still waiting to make their entry is to make more than one pass with your spoon in each section of the soap. Unless you want the individual colors to be more defined and not heavily swirled with the other colors.

 

[The_Phoenix]

Deploying this soap design is a bit like putting makeup on in the dark.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

I’m gonna say no, but only because some people have already made theirs and had they been given the opportunity may have liked to used a slotted spoon. But any other stirring device such as spoon, spatula, wooden spoon is totally fine.

Thanks for the clarification! After thinking about it for a bit, I had already decided that using a perforated spoon wouldn’t align with the idea/intent of the challenge. Off to make soap!

 

[AliOop]

My advice for those still waiting to make their entry is to make more than one pass with your spoon in each section of the soap. Unless you want the individual colors to be more defined and not heavily swirled with the other colors.

I would add that you probably want to be at medium trace. My third try was at light trace, and although the shapes of the swirls are good, the colors are too muddied. If I get a chance to master-batch some lye solution, I’ll be making a fourth try.

 

[mx5inpenn]

There isn't anything in the rules against it, but I'd like clarification. Mica line between layers - yay or nay?

 

[Mobjack Bay]

Sign up list:
1. Servant4Christ
2. The_Phoenix - A spoonful of soap makes the grime go down the drain.
3. AliOop - This is my go-to rescue technique for those suddenly-thick batters. Ya never know how it will look but it's usually pretty!
4. dmcgee5034 - spoon swirl-tastic! Never done this one, so happy to learn it
5. Mx5inpenn - my 1st smf challenge was a spoon swirl
6. basti - an excuse to test my new mold i think
7. Cerelife
8. Vicki C 🌪
9. Nicolesica—I think life has calmed down enough for me to take up the challenge. Besides, I have several FO’s that accelerate like crazy, so a perfect opportunity to use them up!
10. The_Emerald_Chicken - It's high time I try this!...plus I need to be making more soap.
11. Blue 1969 - This one seems easy enough for a beginner like me to try - but as we know, sometimes it just looks easier than it is!
12. glendam - This one seems attainable for the time I can steal away for soap making
13. CLMP oh this looks fun can't wait!
14. Tammyfarms - my first challenge . Mostly challenging myself to make more soap and experiment with techniques. Excited!
15. Mobajck - 2 soaps, 2 spoons, with too, too much anticipation…

 

[KiwiMoose]

There isn't anything in the rules against it, but I'd like clarification. Mica line between layers - yay or nay?

Have you already made it? If not I'm gonna say nay - for same reasons I gave Mobjack about the slotted spoon.

 

[dmcgee5034]

please bear with me while I whine a bit….

Here is the story of non-entry batch 1…..
So my first try, the orange and yellow colors weren’t what I was hoping for, and I should have done a second pass to swirl the colors more. But worse than the swirls not being overly swirly are these red’ish bits that I cannot identify. After a chat with AliOop, and all the investigating I can do over the last week, I’m still perplexed. It’s not from a red mold, bowl or red spatula; it’s throughout the soap randomly and I see them in all the colors so I can’t say it’s mica bits that morphed or didn’t mix completely. They do squish when I dig them out. Booooooo. IDK



AND batch 2 I just made looked lovely sitting on the counter in my nice cool house as I did the soapy dishes, and upon a check after all the clean up was done - it’s cracked!

I think I should have made sugar scrub instead today

 

[AliOop]

AND batch 2 I just made looked lovely sitting on the counter in my nice cool house as I did the soapy dishes, and upon a check after all the clean up was done - it’s cracked!

@dmcgee5034 Trying pushing that crack back together while it is still warm. Then elevate the mold on something (soup cans are great) and set a fan to blow on it. You can also put bungee cords and straps around the liner and stick the whole thing in the freezer. Not that I've ever done that, but I've HEARD of people doing that. Yeah, one of my friends did that once.

 

[dmcgee5034]

@AliOop -thank you thank you! I just performed soap surgery and now it’s chillin’ in the recovery room (fridge). Fingers crossed

 

[VikingChick]

@dmcgee5034 Your swirl looks great, thought!

 

[VikingChick]

Sign up list:
1. Servant4Christ
2. The_Phoenix - A spoonful of soap makes the grime go down the drain.
3. AliOop - This is my go-to rescue technique for those suddenly-thick batters. Ya never know how it will look but it's usually pretty!
4. dmcgee5034 - spoon swirl-tastic! Never done this one, so happy to learn it
5. Mx5inpenn - my 1st smf challenge was a spoon swirl
6. basti - an excuse to test my new mold i think
7. Cerelife
8. Vicki C 🌪
9. Nicolesica—I think life has calmed down enough for me to take up the challenge. Besides, I have several FO’s that accelerate like crazy, so a perfect opportunity to use them up!
10. The_Emerald_Chicken - It's high time I try this!...plus I need to be making more soap.
11. Blue 1969 - This one seems easy enough for a beginner like me to try - but as we know, sometimes it just looks easier than it is!
12. glendam - This one seems attainable for the time I can steal away for soap making
13. CLMP oh this looks fun can't wait!
14. Tammyfarms - my first challenge . Mostly challenging myself to make more soap and experiment with techniques. Excited!
15. Mobajck - 2 soaps, 2 spoons, with too, too much anticipation…
16. VikingChick - I wasn't sure if I'd have time this month, but I do! I'll give it a shot....

 

[Blufuz]

Sign up list:
1. Servant4Christ
2. The_Phoenix - A spoonful of soap makes the grime go down the drain.
3. AliOop - This is my go-to rescue technique for those suddenly-thick batters. Ya never know how it will look but it's usually pretty!
4. dmcgee5034 - spoon swirl-tastic! Never done this one, so happy to learn it
5. Mx5inpenn - my 1st smf challenge was a spoon swirl
6. basti - an excuse to test my new mold i think
7. Cerelife
8. Vicki C 🌪
9. Nicolesica—I think life has calmed down enough for me to take up the challenge. Besides, I have several FO’s that accelerate like crazy, so a perfect opportunity to use them up!
10. The_Emerald_Chicken - It's high time I try this!...plus I need to be making more soap.
11. Blue 1969 - This one seems easy enough for a beginner like me to try - but as we know, sometimes it just looks easier than it is!
12. glendam - This one seems attainable for the time I can steal away for soap making
13. CLMP oh this looks fun can't wait!
14. Tammyfarms - my first challenge . Mostly challenging myself to make more soap and experiment with techniques. Excited!
15. Mobajck - 2 soaps, 2 spoons, with too, too much anticipation…
16. VikingChick - I wasn't sure if I'd have time this month, but I do! I'll give it a shot....
17. Blufuz - finally! a technique fit for my complete inability to control trace
18.

 

[mx5inpenn]

Have you already made it? If not I'm gonna say nay - for same reasons I gave Mobjack about the slotted spoon.

I have not. I'm going to make it anyway, just will enter a different one.

 

[glendam]

@AliOop The first soap with lemongrass and sage does not seem deserving of being shredded, sure, it wasn’t what you had in mind but it looks cool with that color combination, unless you are concerned the ricing created lye pockets or something along those lines.

 

[Whillow]

please bear with me while I whine a bit….

Here is the story of non-entry batch 1…..
So my first try, the orange and yellow colors weren’t what I was hoping for, and I should have done a second pass to swirl the colors more. But worse than the swirls not being overly swirly are these red’ish bits that I cannot identify. After a chat with AliOop, and all the investigating I can do over the last week, I’m still perplexed. It’s not from a red mold, bowl or red spatula; it’s throughout the soap randomly and I see them in all the colors so I can’t say it’s mica bits that morphed or didn’t mix completely. They do squish when I dig them out. Booooooo. IDK

View attachment 72635

AND batch 2 I just made looked lovely sitting on the counter in my nice cool house as I did the soapy dishes, and upon a check after all the clean up was done - it’s cracked!

I think I should have made sugar scrub instead today

I love these colours. And the swirls *chef's kiss*.