SMF June 2019 Challenge - Rimmed Soap

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earlene

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Welcome to the June 2019 SMF Soap Challenge – Rimmed Soap

First, I must apologize for the delay. Due to technical difficulties, I will not be able to include the video I was was making for this challenge. If I overcome the technical difficulties, I will add it later. But in the meantime, here we go...

If you choose to participate, you will be creating soap with an outer Rim which is made separately from the inner portions of the soap, using any method you choose from those listed below.

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 month’s voting will be password locked. Passwords will be sent (via SMF Conversations) to all registered participants ONLY. So please check your messages 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.


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. The Entry thread will open on June 22, 2019 (Please follow the challenge specific rules as to what you need to enter)

· After the closing date June 26, 2019 at 11:59 pm CST the winning entry will be chosen using survey monkey (Voting will be open from June 27, 2019 through June 29, 2019) and the winner announced on June 30, 2019. 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 fulfill 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.

· All the challenge mods reserve the right to have the final say on whether a soap is eligible for for voting.


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The June 2019 SMF Challenge is Rimmed Soap.


Rules for this month’s challenge:


Create a Rimmed Soap using CP, HP, or MP, or combination. It can be any shape you choose, round, rectangular or whatever shape works for your design. However, the Rim of the soap must surround the outer perimeter of the finished soap. For a round soap, the outer RIM obviously circles an inner circle of soap, while in a polygonal shaped soap, the RIM is continuous around the outer perimeter of the soap as it is viewed as a two-dimensional shape. For other shapes, such as flower petal type shapes, the Rim would still be around the outer perimeter of the mold as it is viewed from the two-dimensional standpoint. See examples below.


Your Rimmed soap may be made in a multi-bar mold and cut into multiple bars, or it may be made in an individual mold, one soap at a time.


The outer Rim is made separately as a flat soap, then shaped to fit into the outer perimeter of the soap mold. The inner portion is added to complete the soap. The outer Rim may have seams, but every attempt should be made to create a smooth seam rather than a seam that has an obvious gap. The inner portion can be plain, multi-colored and/or include embeds if you choose.


You may enter a group of soaps in one photo, or choose only one soap as your entry, but choose one entry photo, please.

When you enter your soap on the entry thread (which will be posted on June 22nd) please feel free to include a description of your creative process.



TOOLS that may be useful in making/preparing the RIM:

Shallow tray lined with Freezer Paper (for single layer Rim)
Log or Slab mold (a thin layer for one Rim or thicker soap to cut for multiple RIMs)
Cutter (for slicing thin layers for Rims when using a thicker molded soap) – suggestions below*
Knife or slicing tool to trim the edges of the seam(s) for the RIM
Dowel or other tool for smoothing the Rims prior to filling with core soap batter


Cutter for Thin, even RIMS ideas/suggestions:
* loaf or soap cutter with adjustable height for cutting wires
* DIY hand-held wire (see video below on how to make one)
* mudwire or wire clay cutter
* see tools used in tutorials and videos for more ideas


INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEOS and TUTORIALS


Create the RIM:

Rims may be as colorful and as intricately designed or as plain as you choose. Some contrast between the Rim and the center portion of the soap creates interest.
The soap made for the RIM must Gel in order to maintain pliability when manipulating the thin layer to conform to the shape of your mold. Some add extra castor oil & some add glycerin to increase pliability of the Rim and help prevent cracking.





Additional tutorials:

DIY hand-held wire knife video (clay cutter, but can be used to slice soap)



Alaiyna B has a very good tutorial on how to create a single outer rim in a slab mold.

http://alaiynab.blogspot.com/2015/10/rimmed-soap-tutorial.html


Holly – Kapia Mera Soap’s video of making & cutting the rim with a DIY wire cutter made with corks:




Yuri Kuma: Group cutting multiple Rim slices with a another DIY wire slicer:




Melt and Pour Rim tutorial by Tatsiana Serko (Steso):
http://bysteso.blogspot.com/2015/07/blog-post_22.html



You may also choose to do straight-sided Rimmed Soaps. To get a really nice mitered edge on the corners of the Rim, I chose to cut the corner edges of the Rims at an angle to provide a mitered corner, which I thought looked nicer. I will include some examples of straight-sided Rimmed soaps below.



MJR Soaps Rectangular Rimmed Soap video:




An alternative to the traditional Rim, is the Side-Wall method used by Lisa at Blossom and Birch Soaps, a method she reports that she has used since about 2005. She uses shredded soap that she creates using a salad shooter, puts them into a plastic baggie and heats (as in the Sous Vide method we used in a previous Challenge), then a rolling pin to flatten the contents to create the ‘Side Walls’ for the soap. Then fills the inner portion just as done in the traditional Rimmed Soap. Below are some videos for the Side-Wall soaps from Blossom and Birch Soaps. My only caveat is that for this Challenge, if you choose to use this method, you will still need to have walls make up the entire outer perimeter of the soap with smooth seam transitions, which might be harder with this method. In other words, if you do a 4-sided shaped soap (square, etc.), then the 4 outer sides of the soap must be rimmed, hopefully with smooth seams. Unfortunately, I think the side panel technique does not lend itself well to curved molds.



Side Wall method by Lisa at Blossom and Birch Soaps:
continued in next post (here)


Thank you for participating and please sign up using the sign-up sheet below.


Enjoy!
 
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Additional tutorials continued from previous post:


Side Wall method by Lisa at Blossom and Birch Soaps:


(creating the outer panels)

(using shredded soap)



Thank you for participating and please sign up using the sign-up sheet below.

Enjoy!


Example Photos of Rimmed Soaps:


Kápia Méra:

032016_18282wp.jpg


Link to blog post: https://kapiamera.blog/2016/03/19/charcoal-clay-rimmed-soap/

Svetlana:

Austria-300x255.jpg


Link to post: https://blog.thesage.com/2015/09/25/mosaic-soap-challenge-svetlana/


Yoshiko Takahashi:
45689490_275044609819785_2030040053108742760_n.jpg

Link to post: https://www.instagram.com/p/Bqo8cGuntdq/


If I had been successful at creating a heart-shaped rimmed soap, I'd include it here, but so far, I have not succeeded!
 
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Some tips I put together for inclusion in the video:


Tools & Tidbits

Round soap – round mold

Small size Pringles can – small mayo jar lid is a tight fit inside the bottom.
With the jar lid fit inside, this makes 4 bars of 1 inch thick soap.
insert video here
Curved palette knife makes scraping the outside of a round bar a breeze.
I looked for a curved potato peeler, but to no avail.
insert video here
Plan ahead if you choose to make multiple Rims.

Watch videos and read tutorials for ideas of special tools or adaptations you may find useful.

Share if you think of something useful.


~~~~


Making the Rim:

Goal: To have pliable soap that when manipulated to fit the mood, will not braking or crack.

Recipe choice will affect pliability.

Tips to help with pliability:​
  • Castor Oil (up to 10%)
  • Glycerin
  • Important: The rim soap must gel.
  • Avoid: beef tallow; butters: cocoa, shea, mango; salt; sodium lactate

Important: The rim soap must gel; if it doesn't, it will crack and break when you try to bend it.


~~~~
Although, my Purple Plumeria rimmed soap, I made with a recipe that has 12% shea, 6 % Cocoa butter, & 2 % soy wax.

full


I used a similar recipe for another rimmed soap. In both recipes I believe adding glycerin was the secret for a fairly successful rim. Castor Oil may have helped, as well, but I didn’t include any.

~~~~

Decisions and consequences:
  • Single Rim => No need to slice thin layers

  • Multiple Rims => need a Slicing tool

~~~~
Preparing the Rim


Cutting the Rim

Goal: To create a thin enough Rim that bending is easy. It is harder with a very thick rim.

Rim slicing Tools:
  • Adjustable height soap slicer
  • Wire cheese knife
  • Mudwire or Wire clay cutter
  • DIY wire slicing too, made with steel wire and handles.
  • Height lifters (books, cardboard, etc.)
~~~~

Smooth seams

Some tips for smooth seams:

Mitered corners

Making Mitered Corners.jpg

Don’t cut mitered joints too sharp, or you may have gaps.

full




Scarf Joints

For joining long pieces smoothly

scarf joint-001.JPG

Helps prevent seepage of inner soap to the outside of the rim.


 
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If you wish to sign up, please copy the list and paste it into your reply, adding your name.

1. steffamarie - why the heck not?! I'm only slightly terrified ;P
 
1. steffamarie - why the heck not?! I'm only slightly terrified ;P
2. TheDragonGirl- This looks exciting and I already know what I want to do
3. MarnieSoapien - It's not what's on the outside that counts. Wait a minute...
 
If you wish to sign up, please copy the list and paste it into your reply, adding your name.

1. steffamarie - why the heck not?! I'm only slightly terrified ;P
2. TheDragonGirl- This looks exciting and I already know what I want to do
3. MarnieSoapien - It's not what's on the outside that counts. Wait a minute...
4. dibbles - I see some Pringles in my future
 
1. steffamarie - why the heck not?! I'm only slightly terrified ;P
2. TheDragonGirl- This looks exciting and I already know what I want to do
3. MarnieSoapien - It's not what's on the outside that counts. Wait a minute...
4. dibbles - I see some Pringles in my future
5. Primrose - yes! Been wanting to try this for ages
 
1. steffamarie - why the heck not?! I'm only slightly terrified ;P
2. TheDragonGirl- This looks exciting and I already know what I want to do
3. MarnieSoapien - It's not what's on the outside that counts. Wait a minute...
4. dibbles - I see some Pringles in my future
5. Primrose - yes! Been wanting to try this for ages
6. Im up for a Challenge
 
I have overcome the technical difficulties that prevented me from uploading the challenge video on time and it is now in its place here.

Due to the limit on the number of media files included per post, I had to move a couple from the first post to the third post.

Enjoy!
 
1. steffamarie - why the heck not?! I'm only slightly terrified ;P
2. TheDragonGirl- This looks exciting and I already know what I want to do
3. MarnieSoapien - It's not what's on the outside that counts. Wait a minute...
4. dibbles - I see some Pringles in my future
5. Primrose - yes! Been wanting to try this for ages
6. msunnerstood- Im up for a Challenge
7. Serene- Earlene is hosting, I must.
 
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So, I just realized that I didn't mention something I meant to mention regarding soap process.

Obviously this lends itself well to CP & CPOP, but also it can be done with M&P, as shown by the Tutorial by Tatsiana at Steso Soaps. But it can also be done with HP, particularly if you do the straight-sided soaps.

So if any of you want to give this a try using HP for a round rimmed soap, I have a couple of ideas on how that can be done as well. Here are some possibilities:
1. Make the out Rim using Cold Process soap (don't forget it has to gel)
2. Make the outer Rim using Melt & Pour soap
3. Make the out Rim with a very liquid HP batter, pouring a very thin layer of soap batter to create a single Rim
4. Include or increase the Castor Oil to 10% to increase pliability
5. Include glycerin in your batter to increase pliability

The outer Rim and the Inner soap can be made with different processes, so if you want to do a combination of CP &/or HP &/or MP, that is perfectly fine.

I also forgot to mention using a silicone mat, although I did make a Rim using a fondant mat in preparation for this challenge. So that is okay, too. Leaving it out was just an oversight on my part.

I really do hope some of the HP and MP soapers join in as well. And I am really looking forward to what you all come up with!

Plus, one more video!

D' Clumsy Soaper, Cathy making MP Rimmed soap:

 
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1. steffamarie - why the heck not?! I'm only slightly terrified ;P
2. TheDragonGirl- This looks exciting and I already know what I want to do
3. MarnieSoapien - It's not what's on the outside that counts. Wait a minute...
4. dibbles - I see some Pringles in my future
5. Primrose - yes! Been wanting to try this for ages
6. msunnerstood- Im up for a Challenge
7. Serene- Earlene is hosting, I must.
8. AMD - I'm b-rimming with excitement over this challenge! (someone had to do it, right?)
 
Thanks for that tip re using a thin layer in a flat mould Earlene. I thought I was destined to never make a rimmed soap because I didn't have a way to cut a thick slab into thin pieces for the rim. I will ponder this as i consider joining the challenge. :p
 
Thanks for that tip re using a thin layer in a flat mould Earlene. I thought I was destined to never make a rimmed soap because I didn't have a way to cut a thick slab into thin pieces for the rim. I will ponder this as i consider joining the challenge. :p

Oh, I hope you do! My first rimmed soap was with the thin layer in a cookie sheet lined with freezer paper. I even did another attempt on a fondant mat, but the recipe was all wrong for that one and it ended up cracking when I tried to roll it. So you really need to use a recipe that will be pliable. I know you and I love our soy wax, but I found high SW in a rim doesn't work so well. But you can fill the inside with any recipe you desire.

Anyhoo, I cut up the fondant mat rim fail into little shapes and am planning to use it as embellishments sometime in the near future.
 
If I have time before I leave for the east coast, I would love to do this. I have been wanting to do this for a long time.
 
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