SMF Soap Challenge -July 2017 Mermaid Tail Soaps

[Wyredgirl]

1. earlene - I have not seen this one before; it should be fun!


2. Omneya- I have seen this before, but it was called dragon scales. Still want to try it!


3. dibbles - I've actually tried this once - it didn't go well. Time to try again!


4. toxikon - pretty shiny scales!!!


5. BattleGnome - an exercise in patience for me


6. PenelopeJane - Time poor this month but I will try and make time.


7. Soapprentice - oooooooohhhh..... Dragon scales!!


8. Mx5inpenn - I was thinking dragon too!


9. jewels621 - I'm in again....so fun!


10. Saponista - always wanted to try this!


11. SunRiseArts - I love mermaids, and their scale tails!


12. Sonya-m - haven't been around much lately so about time I took part!!


13. KristaY- Been SO busy with family and I NEED to make soap so this is the perfect challenge to get back into the swing of it!


14. Kittish- This will be fun.

15. Cherrycoke216 - I'm in! What should mermaid smells like? Hope she doesn't smell rotten fishy...

16. Wyredgirl- finally another challenge that I have time for!

 

[galaxyMLP]

Wyredgirl, you can absolutely enter! Glad to see you've added your name to the list. Looking forward to entries. The thread opens in two days!

 

[Kittish]

That did not go exactly as planned. My freakin soap would NOT hit thick trace. Not even with the stick blender. Medium was the best I could manage. I got tired of waiting for it (after more than an hour) and just did a sort of approximation of the challenge. It's pretty, it smells good, and it's soap. At least it's a partial win.

 

[KristaY]

Well that was fun! I ended up making 2 batches and definitely like my first one best. I found it really difficult to get that last row looking like scales because of the mold wall (I noticed Galaxy had the same problem in her video). I think I'll increase my batter volume by about 6 oz next time to bring the base layer up to the top of the mold. But I'm really pleased with this technique so thanks for this challenge Galaxy!

On the down side of things it reminded me why I detest using squirt bottles ~ the clean up is a huge PITA! I don't have a bottle brush so that's part of the problem. I'm considering piping bags next time. I won't have all the wasted batter and clean up will be nothing since I'll toss them in the trash. For those of you that pipe soap cupcake tops and the like, is there a specific brand or type that's best?

 

[SunRiseArts]

Well the inverted steam tent idea didn't really work at all with just steam. So I decided to just lightly spray with alcohol & then put under the steam 'tent' instead of just the steam tent. Actually it was a large stainless steel mixing bowl turned upside down over a freshly poured cup of boiling water.

.

Have you tried this? I have and it works.

http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=63325&highlight=promising

 

[KristaY]

Here's my non-entry soap. It looked good in my head when I was planning it but not so good in reality, lol. It's scented with Verbena & Lemon by Crafter's Choice.

 

[galaxyMLP]

Krista, that reminds me of fruit loops! I really like it. Can't wait to see what your entry soap looks like.

Sunrise, that looks amazing! I'm off to try that on a few of my soaps! I like that it is an after the ash fix instead of prevention.

 

[lenarenee]

Here's my non-entry soap. It looked good in my head when I was planning it but not so good in reality, lol. It's scented with Verbena & Lemon by Crafter's Choice.

Good gravy Krista. On what planet is that not entry-worthy?:wink:

 

[dibbles]

Here's my non-entry soap. It looked good in my head when I was planning it but not so good in reality, lol. It's scented with Verbena & Lemon by Crafter's Choice.

Your soap is beautiful!! I'm going to have one more try at this, and I hope it turns out as nice as your 'reject'.

 

[dibbles]

Have you tried this? I have and it works.

http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=63325&highlight=promising

I've had good luck with spraying with water, and then alcohol for ash removal. Not everyone has though. I would caution you to try it on one bar first rather than spraying the whole batch. You can tell pretty quickly if it is going to work.

 

[SunRiseArts]

Here's my non-entry soap. It looked good in my head when I was planning it but not so good in reality, lol. It's scented with Verbena & Lemon by Crafter's Choice.

What!!!!!! That is so pretty!

 

[Kittish]

My faux mermaid tail soap (failed challenge attempt)-

 

[KristaY]

I love your color combo Kittish! What a fun looking soap!

 

[SunRiseArts]

So why is that a fail?

I guess my submission is a toast from what I am seeing. Not close to any of the ones posted!

So I guess I am out ....

 

[Kittish]

So why is that a fail?

I guess my submission is a toast from what I am seeing. Not close to any of the ones posted!

So I guess I am out ....

It's a fail because I didn't do the actual technique called for in the challenge. I couldn't get my soap to do more than smear in a big puddle when I tried to use a spoon to get the shape right, so I said heck with it and simply piped on overlapping circles. By that point I'd been messing about with that batch of soap for nearly three hours, and it STILL wouldn't come to a thick trace. Gonna give the challenge another go, though.

And seeing the variety of ways people approach the challenge and the different results they get is part of the point! That, and having fun with learning a new technique (or getting a chance to practice one already known). Don't give up! We want to see what you make!

 

[Soapprentice]

I made my 1st try today.. I have to say, the recipe I chose for the challenge was perfect, the colours were exactly how I wanted them( my inspiration was drogon from the game of thrones). The trace was perfect... the only thing that was not is the SPOON! Well, you can imagine the rest... :|

 

[jewels621]

Wow.....everyone's fails are better than my entry. Still entering, though, because I will not be upset that I tried. Can't wait to see them all.

 

[earlene]

KristaY, your entry is gorgeous! The colors remind me of the Mermaid Barbie Doll I bought to use as inspiration for this challenge (even though I chose not to use pinks for my own entry.)

So here is my practice soap that I made right after signing up for the challenge. I was tempted to enter it because it's the best one so far, but the cut soaps are not satisfactory and I like the one I entered better.

The other reject is the same color scheme as my entry and because I dropped a partially filled squirt bottle on the top of half of the soap before I was done, it only came out with a few scales. The rest had to be textured to save the top.

 

[KristaY]

Earlene, I LOVE the colors in your entry soap! There's just something about teal and purple together that always draws my eye to it. And your reject? That looks amazing! It's like travelling through New England in October as the foliage colors change. What did you scent it with?

 

[penelopejane]

Krista - beautiful entry! I'd love to know how you get the tops of your soap shiny after cure?

Earlene - great colours and I love the way you've offset your scales. I was going to use that method as my secret weapon but I've been concentrating on troubleshooting soap problems and won't have time to do an entry.