SMF September 2023 Un-Challenge - Simple Pleasures

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dibbles

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SMF September 2023 Un-Challenge – Simple Pleasures

Welcome to the SMF September 2023 Un-Challenge. As I am currently still unable to make soap due to an injury, this month we will be doing an Un-Challenge. While I have been healing over the past months and have been unable to do much of anything, I find that I am missing the simple little things we tend to take for granted. With that in mind, for this un-challenge you will create soaps that represent something that is a simple pleasure for you. For this un-challenge, a simple pleasure is defined as something that costs no (or very little) money. An example of this might be taking a shower (I had weeks of sponge baths as our shower is on the second floor and stairs weren’t an option for awhile). To represent this, I might make a soap using the mini drop swirl technique or use a water inspired fragrance. If you love relaxing with a cup of tea, you might use tea as a water replacement and/or a tea FO or bergamot EO. I have included a few pictures of things I have especially missed this summer.

You can make your design as simple or as complex as you would like, and you are more than welcome to make and post pictures of multiple soaps. Your soap may be made using any technique, process or mold you choose to represent something that is a simple pleasure for you. You may also use any colorants (micas, oxides, natural colorants, clays, etc.). Your soap must be made after September 1, 2023, but that is really the only guideline this month. Please share a bit about the simple pleasure your soap represents, and an inspiration picture if you choose to include one.

This Un-Challenge is open to everyone. There will not be a separate entry thread and there will not be a vote. Post your soap pictures in this thread at any time. I hope to see lots of people join the fun this month.

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1. Any SMF member may participate in this Un-Challenge, regardless of length of membership or number of posts.
2.The soap must be made after the Un-Challenge announcement is posted (so do not post pictures of soaps that were made before 9/1/2023).
3. Make and post pictures of as many soaps as you would like. There will not be a separate entry thread and there will not be a vote, so post pictures of your creations in this thread at any time. Photos of failures are just as welcome as photos of successes.
4. If your design is inspired by another maker, please give them credit.
5. A sign up list will be posted, however, if you make a soap and want to share it but haven't officially signed up, please feel welcome to post a picture! Un-Challenges are meant to be relaxed and fun!
6. Experiments are always interesting. If you learned something, please share. Likewise, if you would share anything about your process/result, we'd all be interested in seeing that.
7. As always, please keep comments kind and have fun!

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market produce.jpg
barefoot on grass.jpg
bonfire.jpg
sandbox.jpg
 
It is not necessary to sign up to participate in the Un-Challenge, but feel free to do so by copying the list and adding your name. All are welcome!

1.
 
It is not necessary to sign up to participate in the Un-Challenge, but feel free to do so by copying the list and adding your name. All are welcome!

1. Mobjack - feeling inspired!
2. dmcgee5034 - I’ve got an idea 🌸
3. Tammyfarms - I have been planning something that fits perfectly in this category.
4. CLMP - I'm not sure yet what I'll do but this sounds fun!
5.
 
It is not necessary to sign up to participate in the Un-Challenge, but feel free to do so by copying the list and adding your name. All are welcome!

1. Mobjack - feeling inspired!
2. dmcgee5034 - I’ve got an idea 🌸
3. Tammyfarms - I have been planning something that fits perfectly in this category.
4. CLMP - I'm not sure yet what I'll do but this sounds fun!
5. Cindy D. Oh goody another soapy idea swirling around in my head, while I tell myself "finish the vest" repeatedly.
6.
 
I've been busy making my simple pleasure soap today I hope it turns out ok it wasn't that simple to make LOL I tried a advance technique I've been wanting to try since I first started soap making a year ago and I finally tried it. I don't know if it worked out my batter got a bit thick to work with by the end of my pour but I'll try not to spoil the surprise it should be ready tomorrow night. Should we wait till the end of the month to post it or can we post it right away?
 
Hi Everybody! So I've decided to make 2 in 1 Orange Chocolate, Wooden Grain Simple Pleasure Soap. To me a piece of wood is a simple pleasure because you can use it in a million different ways to create what you want in life ( like my homemade wooden soap molds Lol 😄 ) I also find that Orange Chocolate is a Simple Pleasure in this family so I made Orange Chocolate Wood grain soap with Blood Orange and Goji FO from Candora with Cocoa to do most of my coloring. I Also put Charcoal and Colloidal Oatmeal in it. My main color was Hershey's Chocolate Cocoa with Charcoal my Black is the same Chocolate Cocoa with Charcoal my Off White is EVOO as main ingredient with TD in it. My Gold is Gold Pearl Mica from Sud n Scents. This soap was really fun and my inspiration is from watching 50 different soap making people on YouTube making this technique it's my first wood grain soap and I'm pretty happy with it I just need to make bigger knots next time. I hope you all like it!
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Beautiful soap, @CLMP - I love the wood grain you got and your story behind it 🥰💚🥰
Fun that our color palette is the same this month!

I just popped mine into the refrigerator. I finally got to make soap, because for 3 days I was doubled over in pain and went to the ED for what turned out to be a proper case of diverticulitis. The antibiotics and motrin have done enough that I’m feeling on the mend and well enough that I could make soap. Nothing like being home planning soap but unable to make it to get “someone” (aka me 😂) to make soap where I had to do math! I have to say, for a “simple pleasure” there was a lot to it LOL! Hoping it comes out close to my plan, and if not, it was a fun time anyways….we shall see tomorrow…. 🌸
 
Beautiful soap, @CLMP - I love the wood grain you got and your story behind it 🥰💚🥰
Fun that our color palette is the same this month!

I just popped mine into the refrigerator. I finally got to make soap, because for 3 days I was doubled over in pain and went to the ED for what turned out to be a proper case of diverticulitis. The antibiotics and motrin have done enough that I’m feeling on the mend and well enough that I could make soap. Nothing like being home planning soap but unable to make it to get “someone” (aka me 😂) to make soap where I had to do math! I have to say, for a “simple pleasure” there was a lot to it LOL! Hoping it comes out close to my plan, and if not, it was a fun time anyways….we shall see tomorrow…. 🌸
Hi @dmcgee5034 I'm sorry to here about your diagnosis hopefully it goes away I could be wrong but I think my mom has that and I think she controls it with a vegetarian diet or she has figured what foods trigger it. I can't wait to see your soap.
 
It is not necessary to sign up to participate in the Un-Challenge, but feel free to do so by copying the list and adding your name. All are welcome!

1. Mobjack - feeling inspired!
2. dmcgee5034 - I’ve got an idea 🌸
3. Tammyfarms - I have been planning something that fits perfectly in this category.
4. CLMP - I'm not sure yet what I'll do but this sounds fun!
5. Cindy D. Oh goody another soapy idea swirling around in my head, while I tell myself "finish the vest" repeatedly.
6. Gecko - I can do 'simple'
 
My “Simple Pleasure” is a cuppa - cup of coffee in the am and cup of decaf tea in the pm. I am continuing my quest to finish bottles of FO to make room for more, so I used the last of BB Caffe Latte for this coffee house inspired soap. Thanks @dibbles for helping me with my FO goal and for hosting the challenge this month 😉🥰
I had to do math (add up by color, add up by layer, carry the one, double check, label the pitchers - recheck half way thru 😂😳😂) to get my layers right for what I had in my head.
Bottom layer - dark like straight coffee before the creamer gets to it
Middle layer - dark, lighter and creamer all swirling around together
Top layer - I like my coffee light so a generous pour of creamer with hints of coffee swirls
Drops of creamer - mostly because I wanted to try the mini drop swirl shown by Tree Marie (she makes it look soooo easy - emphasis on the “look”, because it wasn’t as easy for me as her video shows)
I don’t usually do frosting except for soap cupcakes, but adding “whipped cream and a chocolate drizzle” sounded fun, so what the heck, plop those on top!
I put this GMS in the fridge overnight so ensure it didn’t get too hot and melt the whipped cream.
Have to give kudos to DH for suggesting I use the big ol’ coffee cup we use to hold our k cups as a photo prop.
ETA - BB Cappuccino Mica, TD and Black Oxide for colorants
IMG_1786.jpeg

IMG_1778.jpeg
 
My “Simple Pleasure” is a cuppa - cup of coffee in the am and cup of decaf tea in the pm. I am continuing my quest to finish bottles of FO to make room for more, so I used the last of BB Caffe Latte for this coffee house inspired soap. Thanks @dibbles for helping me with my FO goal and for hosting the challenge this month 😉🥰
I had to do math (add up by color, add up by layer, carry the one, double check, label the pitchers - recheck half way thru 😂😳😂) to get my layers right for what I had in my head.
Bottom layer - dark like straight coffee before the creamer gets to it
Middle layer - dark, lighter and creamer all swirling around together
Top layer - I like my coffee light so a generous pour of creamer with hints of coffee swirls
Drops of creamer - mostly because I wanted to try the mini drop swirl shown by Tree Marie (she makes it look soooo easy - emphasis on the “look”, because it wasn’t as easy for me as her video shows)
I don’t usually do frosting except for soap cupcakes, but adding “whipped cream and a chocolate drizzle” sounded fun, so what the heck, plop those on top!
I put this GMS in the fridge overnight so ensure it didn’t get too hot and melt the whipped cream.
Have to give kudos to DH for suggesting I use the big ol’ coffee cup we use to hold our k cups as a photo prop.
ETA - BB Cappuccino Mica, TD and Black Oxide for colorants
View attachment 74446
View attachment 74448
Mmmmmm it looks so yummy ever nice I want a bite of that or I should say sip of that.
 

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