SMF Soap Challenges ... across the years

[SaltedFig]

Our SMF soapmaking challenges have been running for over three years.

As always, they are hosted by members of this forum and the contestants receive no prize for their winning entries ... except, perhaps, for the adulation of their peers.

This is a look back, across history, at the SoapMakingForum challenges, from the 1st, in July 2015, until now.

 

[SaltedFig]

July 2015 - Pattern Combinations (1st SMF Challenge)

With these words ...
"WELCOME to the first of what I hope are many SMF Soap Challenges!!"
... @newbie launched the very first SMF soapmaking challenge.

July 2015 - Pattern Combinations (1st SMF Challenge)
Challenge: https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/1st-smf-soap-challenge-july.54947/
Entry: https://www.soapmakingforum.com/posts/531378/

 

[SaltedFig]

August 2015 - Inverted Stamping

Saponista gave us a way to create patterns on our soap using a dipping tool, and made a video to go with the challenge!


August 2015 - Inverted Stamping
Challenge: https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/smf-soap-challenge-august-inverted-stamping.55467/
Entry: https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/august-soap-challenge-thread.55760/

 

[SaltedFig]

September 2015 - Discoloring FO (Fragrance Oil)

galaxyMLP hosted one of the most popular discussions in a challenge thread ... discoloring fragrance oils!
(Check out the 21 pages of the challenge thread, as well as the entry thread, for photos - there are some amazing soaps in these threads!)

September 2015 - Discoloring FO (Fragrance Oil)
Challenge: https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/smf-soap-making-challenge-september-discoloring-fo.56017/
Entry: https://www.soapmakingforum.com/thr...ing-challenge-september-discoloring-fo.56326/

 

[SaltedFig]

October 2015 - Hidden Feather Swirl

Sonya-m's made this stunning hidden feather swirl, and gave us a video to show us all how!

With spiced sugar-plum FO (just in time for the season ) ...


October 2015 - Hidden Feather Swirl
Challenge: https://www.soapmakingforum.com/thr...challenge-october-hidden-feather-swirl.56597/
Entry: https://www.soapmakingforum.com/thr...challenge-october-hidden-feather-swirl.56870/

 

[SaltedFig]

November 2015 - Drop and Skewer

lionprincess00 gave us 3 video's to demonstrate this technique!
(And seriously - watch these! Honest to goodness good soaping!)





November 2015 - Drop and Skewer
Challenge: https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/smf-soapmaking-challenge-november-drop-and-skewer.57115/
Entry: https://www.soapmakingforum.com/thr...ing-challenge-november-drop-and-skewer.57332/

 

[SaltedFig]

December 2015 - High and Low Water
newbie called on Auntie Clara for inspiration for this challenge, which truly highlights the difference water makes!

It is worth having a look, just to find check out newbie's awesome host videos, to find out how Auntie Clara created the Ghost Swirl, and to see what our incredible contestants did with the idea!

December 2015 - High and Low Water
Challenge: https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/smf-december-challenge-high-and-low-water-batch.57559/
Entry: https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/official-entry-thread-for-the-december-challenge.57739/

 

[SaltedFig]

January 2016 - Black and White

saponista made another wonderful video (with no shades of gray )


(Before soap dough was a thing, newbie was carving soap and making things out of soap dough!)

January 2016 - Black and White
Challenge: SMF January Challenge Black and White
Entry:SMF January Challenge Entry Thread - Black and White

 

[SaltedFig]

February 2016 - Spin Swirl
Challenge: SMF February Challenge - Spin Swirl
Entry: SMF February Challenge entry thread - Spin Swirl

March 2016 - Whipped Soap
Challenge: SMF March Challenge- Whipped Soap
Entry: SMF- March Challenge Entry Thread Whipped Soap

April 2016 - Hanger Swirl, Petra Style
Challenge: April SMF Soap Challenge, Hanger Swirl Petra Style
Entry: April SMF Soap Challenge Entry Thread: Petra Hanger

May 2016 - Interpretation, not Imitation
Challenge: SMF May Challenge- Interpretation, not Imitation
Entry: May Challenge Entry Thread

June 2016 - Mosaic Soaps
Challenge: SMF June Challenge - Mosaic Soaps
Entry: June Challenge Entry Thread

(see the links to each of the monthly challenges to find out how they are done )

July 2016 - Clyde Slide
Heyyyyy! ... there was a prize for this one! (check out the entry thread - it contains MANY photo examples of the technique!)
Challenge: SMF July Challenge - Clyde Slide
Entry: July Challenge entry thread

August 2016 - Pokemon/Hanger Circling Taiwan
Challenge: SMF August Challenge- Pokemon/Hanger Circling Taiwan
Entry: SMF August 2016 Challenge Entry Thread

September 2016 - Ribbon Pour
Challenge: September Challenge- Ribbon Pour
Entry: SMF September 2016 Challenge Entry Thread

October 2016 - Spoon Swirl
Challenge: SMF October 2016 Soap Challenge- Spoon Swirl
Entry: SMF October 2016 Challenge Entry Thread

November 2016 - Creative Color
Challenge: SMF November 2016 Soap Challenge - Creative Colour Challenge
Entry: November Challenge Entry Thread

December 2016 - no challenge

January 2017 - Gradient Layer
Challenge: SMF January 2017 Challenge Entry Thread- Gradient Layer
Entry: SMF January 2017 Challenge: Gradient Layer

February 2017 - Ebru
Challenge: February 2017 SMF Soap Challenge- Ebru Soaps
Entry: February 2017 SMF Challenge Entry Thread- Ebru Soaps

March 2017 - Black background
Challenge: SMF March 2017 Challenge- Black Background Soaps
Entry: March 2017 Black Background Soap Entry Thread

April 2017 - Stripes
Challenge: SMF April 2017 Challenge-Stripes
Entry: April 2017 Challenge Entry Thread

May 2017 - Fluid Acrylic Cell Pour
Challenge: May 2017 SMF Soap Challenge - fluid acrylic cell pour
Entry: May 2017 Challenge Entry Thread

June 2017 - Peacock Swirls
Challenge: SMF June Challenge Peacock Swirls
Entry: Peacock Swirl Entry Thread

July 2017 - Mermaid Tail Soap
Challenge: SMF Soap Challenge -July 2017 Mermaid Tail Soaps
Entry: Entry thread- SMF July 2017 Challenge Mermaid Tail

August 2017 - Rock and Gem Soap
Challenge: SMF August Challenge -Rock and Gem Soap
Entry: August 2017 Entry Thread Gem and Stone soaps

September 2017 - no challenge

October 2017 - Minimalism

Challenge: October 2017 SMF Soap Challenge, simple minimalistic swirl
Entry: October 2017 Challenge Entry Thread- Minimalism

November 2017 - 1920's Theme
Challenge: November 2017 - 1920's Theme Challenge
Entry: SMF November Challenge Entry Thread

December 2017 - none

January 2018 - Hidden Heart Swirl

Challenge: January SMF Challenge -Hidden Heart Swirl
Entry: January Entry Thread

February 2018 - Soap Dough

Challenge: February SMF Challenge- Soap dough
Entry: February Challenge Entry Thread

March 2018 - unchallenge (music)
Sometimes we don't have a challenge ... (no voting, but we still soap!)
Challenge: https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/the-un-challenge-march-2018.69452/

Earlene and her granddaughter made this wonderful soapy-music together!
https://www.soapmakingforum.com/media/20180325_173627.1098/full

April 2018 - Sous Vide (HP) Soap swirling
Challenge: SMF April 2018 Challenge - Sous Vide (HP) Soap swirling!
Entry: SMF April 2018 (Sous Vide Soap swirl) Challenge Entry Thread

May 2018 - Mica Outline Swirl Technique

Challenge: May Challenge (Mica Outline Swirl)
Entry: May Mica Outline Swirl Entry Thread

June 2018 - sci-fi themed soap
Challenge: June SMF Challenge- sci-fi themed soap
Entry: June SMF Challenge Entry Thread

July 2018 - Mythological Creatures
Challenge: July Soapmaking Forum Challenge - Mythological Creatures
Entry: July Mythological Creatures Entry Thread

August 2018 - Dancing Funnel Pour
Challenge: Aug 2018 SMF Challenge - Dancing Funnel Pour
Entry: Aug 2018 SMF Challenge - Dancing Funnel Entry Thread

September 2018 - Carved Soap Designs

Challenge: Sept 2018 SMF Challenge - Carved Soap Designs!
Entry: Sept 2018 SMF Challenge - Carved Soap Designs Entry Thread

October 2018 - Travel Soap
Challenge: SMF October 2018 Challenge - Travel Soap!
Entry: SMF October 2018 Challenge - Travel Soap Entry Thread

November 2018 - December inspiration
Challenge: November Monthly Challenge: December Inspiration
Entry: November 2018 Challenge (December Inspiration) Entry Thread

 

[earlene]

You are a GEM, SaltedFig! Thank you for putting this all together!

 

[SaltedFig]

You are a GEM, SaltedFig! Thank you for putting this all together!

Thank you Earlene

It took a little longer to translate from my document to the forum that I thought it would, but I'm glad I have finished this project.
(It's worth it to see all the challenge links together!)

 

[dibbles]

Wow - thanks for putting this together. A wonderful walk down the SMF memory lane!

 

[HowieRoll]

This is fantastic! There were several from 2015-16 that I'd never seen before, and now it looks like a few new techniques need to be tried...

Thank you so much for taking the time to do this, SaltedFig!

 

[amd]

January 2016 - Black and White

January 2016 - Black and White
Challenge: https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/smf-january-challenge-black-and-white.57874/
Entry: https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/smf-january-challenge-black-and-white.57874/

@SaltedFig super cool that you put this together! I did notice that the January 2016 entry is linked to the challenge post.

 

[SaltedFig]

Thanks amd ... edit access has timed out, so I'll put in a request to get that link pointing in the right direction

Updated links:
January 2016 - Black and White

January 2016 - Black and White
Challenge: https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/smf-january-challenge-black-and-white.57874/
Entry: https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/smf-january-challenge-entry-thread-black-and-white.58149

 

[penelopejane]

Thank you, Salted fig.
I search for these all the time. It’s wonderful to have them all together.

 

[Dawni]

I can already imagine how many hours of not sleeping I'll have to "sacrifice" to go through all these hahaha....

Thank you @SaltedFig!

 

[SaltedFig]

A couple of new challenges for the list!

November 2018 - December inspiration
Challenge: https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/november-monthly-challenge-december-inspiration.72067/
Entry: https://www.soapmakingforum.com/thr...enge-december-inspiration-entry-thread.72275/

Dibbles first place entry: Created using Ebru soaping ... just WOW!

One of the things I like best about winter is how the snow will reflect the moonlight at night and being able to see into the wooded areas. In December, I am not yet sick of the snow, and there is something magical about the first few snowfalls. ...

December 2017 - no challenge

January 2019 - DOTS!
Challenge: https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/smf-january-2019-soap-challenge-dots.73232
Entry: https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/january-2019-smf-challenge-dots-entry-thread.73381/

 

[KiwiMoose]

I can already imagine how many hours of not sleeping I'll have to "sacrifice" to go through all these hahaha....

Thank you @SaltedFig!

I was about to say the same thing! lol

 

[KimT2au]

Gosh, @SaltedFig , you have done quite a bit of research there. Thank you for doing that. It is so great to see such fantastic soaps.