ResolvableOwl
Notorious Lyear
@SoapDaddy70 Butterfly swirl, not bee swirl 
SMF October 2021 challenge - butterfly hanger swirl
- Thread starter Primrose
- Start date
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I posted my official entry, so now I want to share what I learned in the challenge. I used my brand new tall and skinny clear acrylic mini-mold (2.5x4.5from customcrafttools. I love it! The design is much easier to assemble and disassemble than another acrylic mold I have.
For the swirl, I used one of the coated wire tools available on soaping sites, but It wasn’t thick enough to get a good swirl. So I saved a straw from Dunkin’ Donuts, cut it to fit inside the mold, and slipped it over the wire.
#1 was the first time I used the new mold. Unfortunately I used the wrong numbers to calculate how much soap was needed to fill the mold. Didn’t make that mistake again! Scented with Persephone’s Kiss from Nurture.
#2 Colors were inspired by my daughter’s beloved Blue Morpho butterfly plush toy, and I experimented with a peach colored background. Unscented.
#3 Inspired by the beautiful fall colors on trees outside my windows and a beautiful moth photo. Scented with Avalon from Nurture. (Did not like candy fragrance OOB, but it mellowed in soap and the apple note dominates.)
#4 Chose pink, red, and green to go with the fragrance Crisp Apple Rose from Bramble Berry.
#5 The shape looks just like a butterfly, but the colors weren’t poured right. The batter went from taking forever to trace to very rapid acceleration. It’s unscented, so I can’t blame it on the fragrance oil. I will try this swirl again and repeat using white (or background color) at the top of the pour.
Thank you @Primrose for choosing the butterfly swirl. It was on my list of techniques to try, and you got me moving.
For the swirl, I used one of the coated wire tools available on soaping sites, but It wasn’t thick enough to get a good swirl. So I saved a straw from Dunkin’ Donuts, cut it to fit inside the mold, and slipped it over the wire.
#1 was the first time I used the new mold. Unfortunately I used the wrong numbers to calculate how much soap was needed to fill the mold. Didn’t make that mistake again! Scented with Persephone’s Kiss from Nurture.
#2 Colors were inspired by my daughter’s beloved Blue Morpho butterfly plush toy, and I experimented with a peach colored background. Unscented.
#3 Inspired by the beautiful fall colors on trees outside my windows and a beautiful moth photo. Scented with Avalon from Nurture. (Did not like candy fragrance OOB, but it mellowed in soap and the apple note dominates.)
#4 Chose pink, red, and green to go with the fragrance Crisp Apple Rose from Bramble Berry.
#5 The shape looks just like a butterfly, but the colors weren’t poured right. The batter went from taking forever to trace to very rapid acceleration. It’s unscented, so I can’t blame it on the fragrance oil. I will try this swirl again and repeat using white (or background color) at the top of the pour.
Thank you @Primrose for choosing the butterfly swirl. It was on my list of techniques to try, and you got me moving.
@ScentimentallyYours those are all amazing! Any one of 2, 4, or 5 could have been a contender for a placing finish in the challenge.
Here's my single attempt and non-entry.
It was inspired by a photo from our honeymoon of a golden birdwing butterfly:
The colours came out pretty well, and the mango and jasmine scent is just the sort of exotic chaos I remember from Thailand
Unfortunately, the rapid acceleration put paid to my swirling plans, and this was the result:
It was inspired by a photo from our honeymoon of a golden birdwing butterfly:
The colours came out pretty well, and the mango and jasmine scent is just the sort of exotic chaos I remember from Thailand
Unfortunately, the rapid acceleration put paid to my swirling plans, and this was the result:
It would be nice to see how this butterfly would come out after a swirl without an accelerating fragrance. It’s nice the fragrance brings sweet memories.Here's my single attempt and non-entry.
It was inspired by a photo from our honeymoon of a golden birdwing butterfly:
View attachment 62120
The colours came out pretty well, and the mango and jasmine scent is just the sort of exotic chaos I remember from Thailand
Unfortunately, the rapid acceleration put paid to my swirling plans, and this was the result:
View attachment 62121
Peachy Clean Soap
Well-Known Member
Alas, no butterflies from my accelerated batch, either, but mostly because I swirled in the wrong direction. 
But if we ever have a twins-in-the-womb challenge, I'm all in!
(which reminds me that my very first butterfly swirl attempt resulted in a full set of female abdominal reproductive organs: ovaries, tubes, and uterus! Not sure what to make of this recurring theme in my swirls...
)
But if we ever have a twins-in-the-womb challenge, I'm all in!
(which reminds me that my very first butterfly swirl attempt resulted in a full set of female abdominal reproductive organs: ovaries, tubes, and uterus! Not sure what to make of this recurring theme in my swirls...
)Attachments
Oh, it's no secret, that clock wound down about 10 years ago. Actually at the time, it was more like a bomb timer going off, but we've all gotten past that, thankyouverymuch.@AliOop , It's still really nice, and I like the color combo and design.
Um, can I ask you something personal in a public forum? Is your biological clock ticking?
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You know there is a market for woman organ themed soaps right? I bet some nonprofit could use that soap in its fundraiser.Alas, no butterflies from my accelerated batch, either, but mostly because I swirled in the wrong direction.
But if we ever have a twins-in-the-womb challenge, I'm all in!
(which reminds me that my very first butterfly swirl attempt resulted in a full set of female abdominal reproductive organs: ovaries, tubes, and uterus! Not sure what to make of this recurring theme in my swirls...
Thank you so much for the kind encouragement!
Thank you! Now you know how I feel when I’m looking at your soap!
ResolvableOwl
Notorious Lyear
Until now I've always thought that organs were unisexYou know there is a market for woman organ themed soaps right? I bet some nonprofit could use that soap in its fundraiser.
. Have to have a close look next time I'm in a church, if there is more to the gender gap among organists than the notorious machismo in clerical hierarchies.
Or, it's twin chryslises.Alas, no butterflies from my accelerated batch, either, but mostly because I swirled in the wrong direction.
But if we ever have a twins-in-the-womb challenge, I'm all in!
(which reminds me that my very first butterfly swirl attempt resulted in a full set of female abdominal reproductive organs: ovaries, tubes, and uterus! Not sure what to make of this recurring theme in my swirls...
Peachy Clean Soap
Well-Known Member
@Jersey Girl My deepest condolences
.
@Jersey Girl I am sorry for the loss of your mother. I’d wondered why you haven’t been on the forums much.
@Jersey Girl I too am sorry for your loss. 
violets2217
Well-Known Member
I tried one more pour, mostly because I loved @earlene ’s monarch colors! I went with AC and
Nurture Soap Eye of the Tiger and Fire Fly. I also wanted to try out a FO I got from Soapalooza. It’s pretty awesome and behaved a little to well! I was afraid it was gonna be too fluid and mix. Plus it smells pretty good.. Lavender Ginger. I couldn’t wait until morning to cut it! As soon as I got home from work I unmolded it! It was still warm!
But OMG! I’m so pleasantly surprised! I will never be able to recreate this! Thanks @Primrose this was a awesome challenge and @earlene for the inspiration!
I think the very thin trace did have the colors blending a bit with the base making the charcoal a pleasant gray and shading to the orange and yellow! I’m so excited!
Nurture Soap Eye of the Tiger and Fire Fly. I also wanted to try out a FO I got from Soapalooza. It’s pretty awesome and behaved a little to well! I was afraid it was gonna be too fluid and mix. Plus it smells pretty good.. Lavender Ginger. I couldn’t wait until morning to cut it! As soon as I got home from work I unmolded it! It was still warm!
But OMG! I’m so pleasantly surprised! I will never be able to recreate this! Thanks @Primrose this was a awesome challenge and @earlene for the inspiration!
I think the very thin trace did have the colors blending a bit with the base making the charcoal a pleasant gray and shading to the orange and yellow! I’m so excited!
Thank you everyone for your kind words. I’ve been very devastated by the loss but I hope to find the joy in soaping again with time and be back to engaging more here with you all as I miss that a lot. 
Peachy Clean Soap
Well-Known Member
Beautiful Soap' Wow!!! left image a "Beautiful Butterfly" Right Image I see a "beautiful butterfly" in the image of a lady in high heels with a Flared Skirt.I tried one more pour, mostly because I loved @earlene ’s monarch colors! I went with AC and
Nurture Soap Eye of the Tiger and Fire Fly. I also wanted to try out a FO I got from Soapalooza. It’s pretty awesome and behaved a little to well! I was afraid it was gonna be too fluid and mix. Plus it smells pretty good.. Lavender Ginger. I couldn’t wait until morning to cut it! As soon as I got home from work I unmolded it! It was still warm!
But OMG! I’m so pleasantly surprised! I will never be able to recreate this! Thanks @Primrose this was a awesome challenge and @earlene for the inspiration!
View attachment 62134
I think the very thin trace did have the colors blending a bit with the base making the charcoal a pleasant gray and shading to the orange and yellow! I’m so excited!
Absolutely Love It..
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I tried one more pour, mostly because I loved @earlene ’s monarch colors! I went with AC and
Nurture Soap Eye of the Tiger and Fire Fly. I also wanted to try out a FO I got from Soapalooza. It’s pretty awesome and behaved a little to well! I was afraid it was gonna be too fluid and mix. Plus it smells pretty good.. Lavender Ginger. I couldn’t wait until morning to cut it! As soon as I got home from work I unmolded it! It was still warm!
But OMG! I’m so pleasantly surprised! I will never be able to recreate this! Thanks @Primrose this was a awesome challenge and @earlene for the inspiration!
View attachment 62134
I think the very thin trace did have the colors blending a bit with the base making the charcoal a pleasant gray and shading to the orange and yellow! I’m so excited!
Wow!I tried one more pour, mostly because I loved @earlene ’s monarch colors! I went with AC and
Nurture Soap Eye of the Tiger and Fire Fly. I also wanted to try out a FO I got from Soapalooza. It’s pretty awesome and behaved a little to well! I was afraid it was gonna be too fluid and mix. Plus it smells pretty good.. Lavender Ginger. I couldn’t wait until morning to cut it! As soon as I got home from work I unmolded it! It was still warm!
But OMG! I’m so pleasantly surprised! I will never be able to recreate this! Thanks @Primrose this was a awesome challenge and @earlene for the inspiration!
View attachment 62134
I think the very thin trace did have the colors blending a bit with the base making the charcoal a pleasant gray and shading to the orange and yellow! I’m so excited!
Absolutely gorgeous! How on earth did you get the black outline colors on the outside? I think thin trace works really well with the butterfly swirl, and it certainly worked for you here @violets2217. Eye of the tiger and firefly colors are perfect! Did you pour the colors separately or use an ITP technique for the color pour?
