SMF August Challenge -Rock and Gem Soap

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Welcome to July’s SMF Soap Challenge!

PLEASE BE SURE TO READ THIS FIRST (and ALL Rules)-

General Rules:
1.The only members eligible to vote are those with their names on the sign up list - regardless of whether or not you have submitted an entry.

2. This months voting will be password locked. Passwords will be PM'ed to registered participants ONLY. So please check your PM's when the voting begins.

3. No posting your entry photos until the entry thread is made. Non entry photos are very welcome!

4. You are allowed to change your entry photo up until the entry thread closes. So if you decide after you post your entry you want another try, and you like the second better, you can change it up until the deadline.

NOW
This month’s challenge goal is to create a rock, gemstone, or pebble soap.

I had some major technical difficulties this month. My computer died and with it, died windows movie maker. I decided to try to use my phone to capture the video because I couldn't find my normal camera either. On top of that, I couldn't find a software to edit the videos on the phone itself. Some of the videos are also upside down. But, I figured it out eventually. Thank you are for your patience with me.

This month is a design challenge month. You may use any technique to make this soap. This includes but is not limited to: Cold Process, Hot Process, Melt and Pour, soap carving, jelly soap, soap dough, a blend of any of those processes, ect.

The only real rule is that your soap must resemble a real rock, pebble or gemstone. For example, although my soap does not follow a specific picture of one, it is clearly an amethyst. You must let us know what stone inspired you for your challenge. I hope to see a huge variety in this challenge!

Video 1:
Making the amethyst soap. I did a poor job editing this video together as it was about 5-6 different videos and I'm still learning the new software. If you guys want me to post each one individually to the youtube channel I can do that. Really, all this video shows is me pouring the melt and pour soap in a gradient pattern. I add a cap to the soap to block the flow when I'm pouring the next layer of dark soap.

https://youtu.be/ykeUK4lvsEQ

Video 2:
Cutting of the amethyst soap. This took 35 minutes to do. I rinsed the soap with water after I cut it to get the smooth look in the pictures.

https://youtu.be/OQppUKXtTC0

Video 3:
Cutting of the Yellow jasper soap. Yellow jasper can sometimes have green veins to it so that is what it is modeled after. This soap was originally made for the spin swirl challenge over a year ago. The batter was too thin and I thought it looked like stone. I cut it out to resemble a tumbled piece of yellow jasper.

https://youtu.be/CiidQfzBw4M

Finished soaps:

HtqHykm.jpg


f28vkFW.jpg


7vYibr1.jpg


IhgRhR0.jpg



SMF Challenge Specific Rules
· You must create a rock, gemstone, or pebble soap for this challenge.

· Your design must be modeled after a real or existing stone, gemstone or rock.

· It does not need to match an existing picture of one although you may feel free to do so.

· You may use any ingredients or techniques into this soap.

For the entry thread
  • For soaps that have been carved: you must show a "before" carved picture (or video) and a picture after carving.
  • All other soaps only need the finished picture. Feel free to tell us about your process.


Challenge Entry Thread Opens August 20th 2017 .
Challenge Entry Thread Closes August 26th 2017.
Survey for choosing the winning choices opens the 26th, no later than the 27th and closes 30th
Winners Announced August 30, 2017.

SMF Challenge General Rules
· To enter you must have a minimum of 50 posts and been a member for a month (sorry but no exceptions on this)
· Please add your name to the sign up list if you wish to participate (however, you don’t have to enter a soap at the end if you don’t feel happy with what you have produced)
· The challenge thread should be used to upload pictures of any of your challenge attempts where you can ask for advice and discuss the technique with other members.
· Constructive criticism is welcomed, but please try to keep your comments polite.
· Competition entries must be uploaded to the separate entry thread before the closing date.

· After the closing date the winning entry will be chosen using survey monkey and the winner announced. There is no prize attached to this challenge.
· If you fail to make the challenge deadline, you are still welcome to upload your soap onto the thread, but your entry will not be eligible for voting. We still love to see anything you have produced.
· Even though there is no prize, this is still a competition. If your entry is deemed not to fulfil the general rules or the rules specific to the challenge in any way, then you will be given the opportunity to amend your entry. If this is not possible then your entry will not be included in the voting.
· Newbie, Saponista, Lionproncess00 and GalaxyMLP reserve the right to have the final say on whether a soap is eligible for voting.
 
Sign up list:

1. toxikon - I literally just bought a gem-shaped silicone mold... must be fate!
2. Soapprentice - This is going to be my 1st MP soap and I'm excited!!!
 
Sign up list:

1. toxikon - I literally just bought a gem-shaped silicone mold... must be fate!
2. Soapprentice - This is going to be my 1st MP soap and I'm excited!!!
3. Kittish - too bad my jade soap was a failure and has already been disposed of, it would have been great for this. Time to look over my rock collection for inspiration...
 
Sign up list:

1. toxikon - I literally just bought a gem-shaped silicone mold... must be fate!
2. Soapprentice - This is going to be my 1st MP soap and I'm excited!!!
3. Kittish - too bad my jade soap was a failure and has already been disposed of, it would have been great for this. Time to look over my rock collection for inspiration...
4. earlene - Lots of gem stones to look through once again, & thousands of photographs for inspiration.
 
Sign up list:

1. toxikon - I literally just bought a gem-shaped silicone mold... must be fate!
2. Soapprentice - This is going to be my 1st MP soap and I'm excited!!!
3. Kittish - too bad my jade soap was a failure and has already been disposed of, it would have been great for this. Time to look over my rock collection for inspiration...
4. earlene - Lots of gem stones to look through once again, & thousands of photographs for inspiration.
5. jewels621 - hmmmm.......I like this idea.
 
Sign up list:

1. toxikon - I literally just bought a gem-shaped silicone mold... must be fate!
2. Soapprentice - This is going to be my 1st MP soap and I'm excited!!!
3. Kittish - too bad my jade soap was a failure and has already been disposed of, it would have been great for this. Time to look over my rock collection for inspiration...
4. earlene - Lots of gem stones to look through once again, & thousands of photographs for inspiration.
5. jewels621 - hmmmm.......I like this idea.
6. dibbles - rocks and gems...a lot of choices
 
1. toxikon - I literally just bought a gem-shaped silicone mold... must be fate!
2. Soapprentice - This is going to be my 1st MP soap and I'm excited!!!
3. Kittish - too bad my jade soap was a failure and has already been disposed of, it would have been great for this. Time to look over my rock collection for inspiration...
4. earlene - Lots of gem stones to look through once again, & thousands of photographs for inspiration.
5. jewels621 - hmmmm.......I like this idea.
6. dibbles - rocks and gems...a lot of choices
7. Mx6inpenn - lots of ideas...can I make the vision though?
 
It is absolutely allowed to discuss plans before posting! It's completely up to you! Some like to keep it secret and some like to share!

Edit: Let me know if you want me to further explain what I did to make the soap, or provide links to resources to learn about gemstone/rock/stone soaps.
 
Well then. I've got several ideas. I'll give as many of them as I have time for a try.

First idea is for blue lace agate. The soap base that I used for the design trial with the cocoa lines is a perfect texture for agate, nicely hard and kind of waxy and very shiny. It's also a nicely white soap. Use ultramarine blue to color part of the batter a nice, pale blue and leave the rest uncolored, and pour in lots and lots of thin layers. If I make it as a one pound block, I can cut and carve pieces and blocks to my heart's content. I can use the same soap recipe and a little bit of cocoa powder or activated charcoal instead of the ultramarine to make Italian marble.

I'm also thinking of using the made from scratch melt and pour recipe from the Melt & Pour forum here, with one change to the recipe. I'd replace palm oil with cocoa butter (has similar properties in soap and similar sap value) because I have cocoa butter and I do not have palm oil. I ran the recipe through SoapCalc, entering the oil in ounces first and using that to generate the amount of water and lye needed (which came up right in line with the recipe as given). Depending on what color the soap comes out after I've added the solvents, it may become amber or carnelian. If it's not too dark an amber or brown, it could even become jade or emerald or sapphire depending on the colorants I use. I also plan on pouring it into one large block that I can cut it up and carve as wanted.

I'm thinking of trying to reprocess some of my raw meat soap one more time, and going for a red granite look. It's just about there now, except that it's all in little cubes waiting for me to decide what to do with it. My mermaid tail rebatch would also probably make a pretty good mottled jade. It's not quite the right color for aquamarine, though.
 
I love alexandrite! It would be really cool if you could capture the dual light effect by using mica or glitter!

Kittish, the lace agate sounds like a beautiful idea! In fact, all those ideas sound great!

I've made melt and pour from scratch before. Not clear mp soap though. I'm not sure if the link you posted is clear mp soap or not but if it is, clear soap can be finicky to make and might not pan out if you switch and oil even if their sap/profile is similar. There are non-saponifiables in the oils that can affect clarity.

Oh, and turquoise sounds lovely! Texturing the soap with all the veins will be fun to do!
 
1. toxikon - I literally just bought a gem-shaped silicone mold... must be fate!
2. Soapprentice - This is going to be my 1st MP soap and I'm excited!!!
3. Kittish - too bad my jade soap was a failure and has already been disposed of, it would have been great for this. Time to look over my rock collection for inspiration...
4. earlene - Lots of gem stones to look through once again, & thousands of photographs for inspiration.
5. jewels621 - hmmmm.......I like this idea.
6. dibbles - rocks and gems...a lot of choices
7. Mx6inpenn - lots of ideas...can I make the vision though?
8. SunRise Arts : well.... MP is my thing!
 
Honestly, galaxyMLP, I'm already figuring the MP is going to not be very clear. I've got images picked out to use, depending on what color and clarity I wind up with. The main complaint I saw about this recipe in the original thread is that it comes out amber colored, which I'm guessing is due to the palm oil, and possibly also related to how hot you let it get. Cocoa butter should give a much lighter base color, even if it does make the soap less clear and I'll also be watching the temps fairly close.
 
That's a great idea galaxy, I m pretty sure I am aiming pretty high for a first timer. But hey, when did that stop me!! Will def give it a try or many tries...

I honestly think this is your challenge SRA.. no pressure ;)
 
1. toxikon - I literally just bought a gem-shaped silicone mold... must be fate!
2. Soapprentice - This is going to be my 1st MP soap and I'm excited!!!
3. Kittish - too bad my jade soap was a failure and has already been disposed of, it would have been great for this. Time to look over my rock collection for inspiration...
4. earlene - Lots of gem stones to look through once again, & thousands of photographs for inspiration.
5. jewels621 - hmmmm.......I like this idea.
6. dibbles - rocks and gems...a lot of choices
7. Mx6inpenn - lots of ideas...can I make the vision though?
8. SunRise Arts : well.... MP is my thing!
9. BattleGnome - my parents are visiting next week, maybe my mom will help with some m&p



Edit:
I already have an attempt in the mold!

I feel like a passed a soaping milestone (ha!) with this one. I made an 80% co bar using the heat transfer method and a spatula. No extra heat or electricity! (I also got an acceptable level of trace in about 5 minutes.) No idea if this will be anything close to an entry but I feel very accomplished for no reason.
 
Last edited:
1. toxikon - I literally just bought a gem-shaped silicone mold.. must be fate!
2. Soapprentice - This is going to be my 1st MP soap and I'm excited!!!
3. Kittish - too bad my jade soap was a failure and has already been disposed of, it would have been great for this. Time to look over my rock collection for inspiration...
4. earlene - Lots of gem stones to look through once again, & thousands of photographs for inspiration.
5. jewels621 - hmmmm.......I like this idea.
6. dibbles - rocks and gems...a lot of choices
7. Mx6inpenn - lots of ideas...can I make the vision though?
8. SunRise Arts : well.... MP is my thing!
9. BattleGnome - my parents are visiting next week, maybe my mom will help with some m&p
10. PenelopeJane - I've always wanted to try this!
 
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