SMF October 2019 Challenge - Mini Drops Swirl

[JoeyJ]

1. Artemis -- love those little drops
2. Cellador-- I'm so busy... but I have been wanting to try this
3. AMD - my recipe moves far too fast for this, so wish me luck!
4. SoapySuds - I may try this without squeeze bottles!
5. Shunt2011 - Going to try to find time to give it a try. Haven't soaped since February.
6. Arimara - Edit: I definitely want to try this to though I may have to get some tools.
7. MarnieSoapien - IKEA here I come!!
8. DKing - I would like to give it a try.
9. bookreader451 - I really want to give this a try
10. Geniash - Excited to give it a try! First challenge.
11. amy78130 - I’m down!!! I haven’t tried this yet!
12. szaza - I told myself no challenges in October.. so I made my first try yesterday.
13. SYT - I've signed up for other challenges and then got too busy to soap or vote. But really need to try this one, so many possibilities!
14. Megan- This will be my first challenge! Very excited!! I've been wanting to try this technique for a while.
15. JoeyJ - My first entry. Great to see so many competitors!

 

[DeeAnna]

1. Artemis -- love those little drops
2. Cellador-- I'm so busy... but I have been wanting to try this
3. AMD - my recipe moves far too fast for this, so wish me luck!
4. SoapySuds - I may try this without squeeze bottles!
5. Shunt2011 - Going to try to find time to give it a try. Haven't soaped since February.
6. Arimara - Edit: I definitely want to try this to though I may have to get some tools.
7. MarnieSoapien - IKEA here I come!!
8. DKing - I would like to give it a try.
9. bookreader451 - I really want to give this a try
10. Geniash - Excited to give it a try! First challenge.
11. amy78130 - I’m down!!! I haven’t tried this yet!
12. szaza - I told myself no challenges in October.. so I made my first try yesterday.
13. SYT - I've signed up for other challenges and then got too busy to soap or vote. But really need to try this one, so many possibilities!
14. Megan- This will be my first challenge! Very excited!! I've been wanting to try this technique for a while.
15. JoeyJ - My first entry. Great to see so many competitors!
16. DeeAnna. Need to find some soapy mojo. This sounds like fun. I'm with Arimara -- If I sign up, I WILL make soap.

PS: @JoeyJ -- I'm sorry, but don't think you're qualified yet to participate. See the first post "...1. To enter you must have a minimum of 50 posts and been a member for a month (sorry but no exceptions on this)...."

 

[Dawni]

1. Artemis -- love those little drops
2. Cellador-- I'm so busy... but I have been wanting to try this
3. AMD - my recipe moves far too fast for this, so wish me luck!
4. SoapySuds - I may try this without squeeze bottles!
5. Shunt2011 - Going to try to find time to give it a try. Haven't soaped since February.
6. Arimara - Edit: I definitely want to try this to though I may have to get some tools.
7. MarnieSoapien - IKEA here I come!!
8. DKing - I would like to give it a try.
9. bookreader451 - I really want to give this a try
10. Geniash - Excited to give it a try! First challenge.
11. amy78130 - I’m down!!! I haven’t tried this yet!
12. szaza - I told myself no challenges in October.. so I made my first try yesterday.
13. SYT - I've signed up for other challenges and then got too busy to soap or vote. But really need to try this one, so many possibilities!
14. Megan- This will be my first challenge! Very excited!! I've been wanting to try this technique for a while.
15. JoeyJ - My first entry. Great to see so many competitors!
16. DeeAnna. Need to find some soapy mojo. This sounds like fun. I'm with Arimara -- If I sign up, I WILL make soap.
17. Dawni - rarely do I CP but I wanna see if I can pull this one off.. It's one of the few designs I'm drawn to try. Who knows, maybe I'll even attempt it in HP (like my previous challenges)

 

[dibbles]

@JoeyJ I'm sorry, but DeeAnna is right. You have been a forum member long enough to join the challenge, but you need to have 50 posts as well. I have to remove your name from the sign up list for now, but when you do reach 50 posts please sign up again. We'd love to have you join in.

Your post count can be found below your avatar, shown as messages. You currently have 33, so you don't have too far to go!

sign up list:

1. Artemis -- love those little drops
2. Cellador-- I'm so busy... but I have been wanting to try this
3. AMD - my recipe moves far too fast for this, so wish me luck!
4. SoapySuds - I may try this without squeeze bottles!
5. Shunt2011 - Going to try to find time to give it a try. Haven't soaped since February.
6. Arimara - Edit: I definitely want to try this to though I may have to get some tools.
7. MarnieSoapien - IKEA here I come!!
8. DKing - I would like to give it a try.
9. bookreader451 - I really want to give this a try
10. Geniash - Excited to give it a try! First challenge.
11. amy78130 - I’m down!!! I haven’t tried this yet!
12. szaza - I told myself no challenges in October.. so I made my first try yesterday.
13. SYT - I've signed up for other challenges and then got too busy to soap or vote. But really need to try this one, so many possibilities!
14. Megan- This will be my first challenge! Very excited!! I've been wanting to try this technique for a while.
15. DeeAnna. Need to find some soapy mojo. This sounds like fun. I'm with Arimara -- If I sign up, I WILL make soap.
16. Dawni - rarely do I CP but I wanna see if I can pull this one off.. It's one of the few designs I'm drawn to try. Who knows, maybe I'll even attempt it in HP (like my previous challenges)

 

[msunnerstood]

1. Artemis -- love those little drops
2. Cellador-- I'm so busy... but I have been wanting to try this
3. AMD - my recipe moves far too fast for this, so wish me luck!
4. SoapySuds - I may try this without squeeze bottles!
5. Shunt2011 - Going to try to find time to give it a try. Haven't soaped since February.
6. Arimara - Edit: I definitely want to try this to though I may have to get some tools.
7. MarnieSoapien - IKEA here I come!!
8. DKing - I would like to give it a try.
9. bookreader451 - I really want to give this a try
10. Geniash - Excited to give it a try! First challenge.
11. amy78130 - I’m down!!! I haven’t tried this yet!
12. szaza - I told myself no challenges in October.. so I made my first try yesterday.
13. SYT - I've signed up for other challenges and then got too busy to soap or vote. But really need to try this one, so many possibilities!
14. Megan- This will be my first challenge! Very excited!! I've been wanting to try this technique for a while.
15. DeeAnna. Need to find some soapy mojo. This sounds like fun. I'm with Arimara -- If I sign up, I WILL make soap.
16. Dawni - rarely do I CP but I wanna see if I can pull this one off.. It's one of the few designs I'm drawn to try. Who knows, maybe I'll even attempt it in HP (like my previous
17. Msunnerstood - Can it be done in HP? Time to join Dawni and find out!

 

[szaza]

@Dawni and @msunnerstood I had my fist try in CP and used piping bags in a very similar way I did my HP straight line design last month. I think it must be possible in HP!

 

[Mobjack Bay]

1. Artemis -- love those little drops
2. Cellador-- I'm so busy... but I have been wanting to try this
3. AMD - my recipe moves far too fast for this, so wish me luck!
4. SoapySuds - I may try this without squeeze bottles!
5. Shunt2011 - Going to try to find time to give it a try. Haven't soaped since February.
6. Arimara - Edit: I definitely want to try this to though I may have to get some tools.
7. MarnieSoapien - IKEA here I come!!
8. DKing - I would like to give it a try.
9. bookreader451 - I really want to give this a try
10. Geniash - Excited to give it a try! First challenge.
11. amy78130 - I’m down!!! I haven’t tried this yet!
12. szaza - I told myself no challenges in October.. so I made my first try yesterday.
13. SYT - I've signed up for other challenges and then got too busy to soap or vote. But really need to try this one, so many possibilities!
14. Megan- This will be my first challenge! Very excited!! I've been wanting to try this technique for a while.
15. DeeAnna. Need to find some soapy mojo. This sounds like fun. I'm with Arimara -- If I sign up, I WILL make soap.
16. Dawni - rarely do I CP but I wanna see if I can pull this one off.. It's one of the few designs I'm drawn to try. Who knows, maybe I'll even attempt it in HP (like my previous
17. Msunnerstood - Can it be done in HP? Time to join Dawni and find out!
18. Mobjack Bay - of course I need to learn how to do this, right?

 

[bookreader451]

Amazon delivered my squeeze bottles today! I worked out the colors in each row at work yesterday........who says excel is for numbers.....it works just fine for colors too.

 

[Dawni]

@Dawni and @msunnerstood I had my fist try in CP and used piping bags in a very similar way I did my HP straight line design last month. I think it must be possible in HP!

Actually, when I thought about it, the process for both techniques aren't very dissimilar so I figured if you pulled it off last month, HP drop swirl is doable

Let's see..

 

[Cellador]

Where have you all found squeeze bottles? I found some in WalMart but they weren't the "soap safe" plastic. Maybe a beauty supply store?

 

[dibbles]

@Cellador The first squeeze bottles I bought was for the SMF secret feather swirl challenge. I'm pretty sure I got them at WalMart, or maybe Joann's, and used them without a problem. The soap batter isn't in there very long, and I clean out what I can right away. I know in one of the challenges the hostess was using squeeze bottles from the dollar store. Sorry, I can't remember which challenge, or who it was.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

@Cellador I have the really flimsy clear plastic squeeze bottles from the dollar store and they’re working fine despite having narrow necks. I pour the batter in using a funnel pitcher. When I used them last month I was able to get most of the excess soap out with an icing spatula and then used an old toothbrush to finish the job. I haven’t come up with any suitable plastic bag to use as liners.

 

[JoeyJ]

1. Artemis -- love those little drops
2. Cellador-- I'm so busy... but I have been wanting to try this
3. AMD - my recipe moves far too fast for this, so wish me luck!
4. SoapySuds - I may try this without squeeze bottles!
5. Shunt2011 - Going to try to find time to give it a try. Haven't soaped since February.
6. Arimara - Edit: I definitely want to try this to though I may have to get some tools.
7. MarnieSoapien - IKEA here I come!!
8. DKing - I would like to give it a try.
9. bookreader451 - I really want to give this a try
10. Geniash - Excited to give it a try! First challenge.
11. amy78130 - I’m down!!! I haven’t tried this yet!
12. szaza - I told myself no challenges in October.. so I made my first try yesterday.
13. SYT - I've signed up for other challenges and then got too busy to soap or vote. But really need to try this one, so many possibilities!
14. Megan- This will be my first challenge! Very excited!! I've been wanting to try this technique for a while.
15. JoeyJ - My first entry. Great to see so many competitors!
16. DeeAnna. Need to find some soapy mojo. This sounds like fun. I'm with Arimara -- If I sign up, I WILL make soap.

PS: @JoeyJ -- I'm sorry, but don't think you're qualified yet to participate. See the first post "...1. To enter you must have a minimum of 50 posts and been a member for a month (sorry but no exceptions on this)...."

Im so sorry!, I dont want to be a spammer...but thought I had enough about a month ago, so didn't recheck. Sincere apologies.

 

[Arimara]

Im so sorry!, I dont want to be a spammer...but thought I had enough about a month ago, so didn't recheck. Sincere apologies.

You still got time. Just share what you know and/or have learned on some of the threads. You'll be able to qualify by then.

 

[dibbles]

Im so sorry!, I dont want to be a spammer...but thought I had enough about a month ago, so didn't recheck. Sincere apologies.

You aren’t a spammer, and I hope you get your posts to 50 so you can join the challenge.

 

[bookreader451]

I found them at amazon. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077CVBR31/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=

 

[DeeAnna]

I didn't intend to make you think you were a spammer, Joey. Furthest thing from my mind.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

I found them at amazon. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077CVBR31/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=

I need some of those 6 oz bottles! My bottles might be twice that, which is much more than the needed capacity for a 1 lb. batch with 4 colors.

The size of the tip hole is also a consideration relative to the fluidity of the batter. I’m thinking about taping pipette tips over my bottle tips to vary the depth of the drop produced, and to increase my control of the amount of batter released.

I guess the size of the drop depends on at least these variables:
Fluidity of batter (I’ve seen everything from thin, thin to light trace, maybe even light/medium trace)
Size of the tip opening
Width of the line poured for the drop
How set up the poured batter is (for drops on or near the surface)
And these next three, which are guesses:
How firmly the bottle is squeezed
Resistance of the batter around the drop (for internal drops)
How fast you move the bottle along the line

After watching numerous YouTube videos, and looking at entirely too many photos, I can see that there is very wide variation in the geometry of the drops produced, which I think must relate to some combination of the above variables and others I haven’t thought of.

For the deeper lines, Holly (Kapia Mera, in the video linked above) and Teri (Tree Marie, pic here) were able to produce individual drops that are almost round. Others, including Teri (link from the soap pic to her FB page), can also produce a tear drop shape for the internal drops.

Does anyone know how to control drop shape for the internal drops? Do you squeeze more firmly to get the teardrops to form and more gently to form the round drops?

 

[dibbles]

@Mobjack Bay if you have those little air pillows that come in shipped boxes to protect the stuff inside from sliding around, you can trim off one side and use as a liner. They don't fill the squeeze bottle completely, but do work well.

I think the link to Teri Endsley's tutorial for Elements Bath & Body may have gotten lost among all the pretty pictures, so I'll repost it here: https://www.elementsbathandbody.com/raindrop-swirl-soap-recipe/ This is a good pictorial and might help give some insight into the technique. For the top mini drops section, you can see that the lines don't have to be perfectly straight for the technique to work well. You want to use enough pressure on the squeeze bottles to break the surface of the soap. If your batter starts to get too thick, you can put the tip of your squeeze bottle into the batter in the mold, just under the surface, and use a little more pressure on the bottle.

To get the drops to form individually, it might take a bit of practice/experimentation to see what you like. I think the intent was to get the teardrop shapes and the rounder ones were a surprise, but I'm not positive about that. What I do think is that there are so many factors that can affect the teardrop size and shape. Thickness of batter, pressure on the squeeze bottles, bottle tip opening size, speed of pour can all make a difference. Sorry, I know that isn't a lot of help.

Taping a pipette end or straw to the end of the bottle tip is the best way to achieve depth for individual drops. For the mini drops on the top portion varying the angle as the batter is squirted can also produce different looks.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

@dibbles Thanks for the new link. I think that’s the first “shooting” batter I’ve seen!

By the way, your WINNING purple soap, above, is beautiful!