SMF October 2019 Challenge - Mini Drops Swirl

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dibbles

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Welcome to the October 2019 SMF Soap Challenge – Mini Drops Swirl

PLEASE READ ALL RULES for the challenge

SMF Challenge General Rules
1. To enter you must have a minimum of 50 posts and been a member for a month (sorry but no exceptions on this).

2. 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.

3. This month’s voting will be password locked. Passwords will be sent by private message (conversation) to registered participants ONLY. So please check your PM's (conversations) when the voting begins.

4. No posting your entry photos until the entry thread is made. Non-entry photos are very welcome and may be posted in this thread.

5. 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.

6. 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).
__________________________________________________________________________

Rules for this month’s challenge

This technique works best with a traditional loaf or a tall & skinny mold. Likewise, this technique will work best with CP as the batter needs to remain fluid.

The goal is to keep the drop swirl portion in the upper 1/2 to 2/3 of the soap bar. Your entry will not be disqualified if the drops go below this point, but this is what you should strive for. This should also be considered when the time comes to vote on the entries.

The bottom of the soap must be one color only (or uncolored). The drops portion must include at least 2 colors. I have found 3-4 colors to work the best – one of the colors can be the same as the solid base colors.

You may try including a raindrop element in your design, and these individual drops can reach any depth of the soap bar (examples of this in video links).

The challenge thread should be used to upload pictures of any of your attempts that are not your entry, where you can ask for advice and discuss the technique with other members.

Your entry soap must be made specifically for the challenge. You may not enter a soap that was made prior to the posting of the challenge thread.

Constructive criticism is welcomed, but please keep your comments polite.

Entries must be uploaded to the separate entry thread before the closing date.
__________________________________________________________________________

The Entry thread will open on October 20, 2019 (Please follow the challenge specific rules as to what you need to enter).

The Entry thread will close on October 25, 2019 at 11:59 pm CST and the winning entry will be chosen using Survey Monkey. Those who have submitted an entry will be sent a link and password to the voting survey via PM. The survey will remain open until October 29 at 11:59 PM CST and the winner announced on October 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 would 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, 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 voting.
__________________________________________________________________________

Tips:
Use slow moving recipe and a fragrance or essential oil you know will not accelerate trace.

Unlike a traditional drop swirl, you want to pour your lines for the drop swirls close to the top of the batter.

I recommend coloring up to half of the batter for the drop swirls.

Squeeze (condiment) bottles will give the best results. You can cut one side of the air pillows used as cushioning in shipping boxes or a plastic bag and use that to line the squeeze bottle for little to no soap residue left in the bottle. Wide mouth bottles are pretty easy to get a small spatula into to scrape out the soap batter remnants. https://www.amazon.com/New-Star-Foodservice-26177-Squeeze/dp/B009LS6LZU/ref=sr_1_4?crid=283YEQSRK27PW&keywords=wide+mouth+squeeze+bottles+16oz&qid=1569376606&sprefix=wide+mouth+sque,aps,166&sr=8-4

I scrape/wipe out as much of the soap residue as I can, then fill with water to keep the soap from getting hard before I wash them. I let the caps sit in a container of water as well.

Below are photos and links for examples and inspiration.

9.2018 Purple Rain Mini Drops.jpg
8.2019 White Tea & Ginger Mini Drops.jpg

By Me Do It Meself:
Me Do It Meself.JPG
Eco Library.JPG

Links:
https://www.elementsbathandbody.com/raindrop-swirl-soap-recipe/





And if you just can't with the squeeze bottles:


This is one of my favorite techniques, and one of the few I find messing with squeeze bottles to be worth the trouble. I hope you give it a try!! If you have any questions, please ask and have fun!!
 

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Sign up list:
1. Artemis -- love those little drops
2. Cellador-- I'm so busy... but I have been wanting to try this
3. AMD - my recipe moves far too fast for this, so wish me luck!
 
sign me up!

1. Artemis -- love those little drops
2. Cellador-- I'm so busy... but I have been wanting to try this
3. AMD - my recipe moves far too fast for this, so wish me luck!
4. SoapySuds - I may try this without squeeze bottles! :beatinghead::lol:
 
Last edited:
1. Artemis -- love those little drops
2. Cellador-- I'm so busy... but I have been wanting to try this
3. AMD - my recipe moves far too fast for this, so wish me luck!
4. SoapySuds - I may try this without squeeze bottles! :beatinghead:
5. Shunt2011 - Going to try to find time to give it a try. Haven't soaped since February.
 
1. Artemis -- love those little drops
2. Cellador-- I'm so busy... but I have been wanting to try this
3. AMD - my recipe moves far too fast for this, so wish me luck!
4. SoapySuds - I may try this without squeeze bottles! :beatinghead:
5. Shunt2011 - Going to try to find time to give it a try. Haven't soaped since February.
6. Arimara - I just want the right to vote. I definately want to try this to though, I may have to get some tools.
 
1. Artemis -- love those little drops
2. Cellador-- I'm so busy... but I have been wanting to try this
3. AMD - my recipe moves far too fast for this, so wish me luck!
4. SoapySuds - I may try this without squeeze bottles! :beatinghead:
5. Shunt2011 - Going to try to find time to give it a try. Haven't soaped since February.
6. Arimara - I just want the right to vote. I definately want to try this to though, I may have to get some tools.
7. MarnieSoapien - IKEA here I come!!
 
1. Artemis -- love those little drops
2. Cellador-- I'm so busy... but I have been wanting to try this
3. AMD - my recipe moves far too fast for this, so wish me luck!
4. SoapySuds - I may try this without squeeze bottles! :beatinghead:
5. Shunt2011 - Going to try to find time to give it a try. Haven't soaped since February.
6. Arimara - I just want the right to vote. I definately want to try this to though, I may have to get some tools.
7. MarnieSoapien - IKEA here I come!!
8. DKing - I would like to give it a try.
 
1. Artemis -- love those little drops
2. Cellador-- I'm so busy... but I have been wanting to try this
3. AMD - my recipe moves far too fast for this, so wish me luck!
4. SoapySuds - I may try this without squeeze bottles! :beatinghead:
5. Shunt2011 - Going to try to find time to give it a try. Haven't soaped since February.
6. Arimara - I just want the right to vote. I definately want to try this to though, I may have to get some tools.
7. MarnieSoapien - IKEA here I come!!
8. DKing - I would like to give it a try.
9. bookreader451 - I really want to give this a try
 
1. Artemis -- love those little drops
2. Cellador-- I'm so busy... but I have been wanting to try this
3. AMD - my recipe moves far too fast for this, so wish me luck!
4. SoapySuds - I may try this without squeeze bottles! :beatinghead:
5. Shunt2011 - Going to try to find time to give it a try. Haven't soaped since February.
6. Arimara - I just want the right to vote. I definately want to try this to though, I may have to get some tools.
7. MarnieSoapien - IKEA here I come!!
8. DKing - I would like to give it a try.
9. bookreader451 - I really want to give this a try
10. Geniash - Excited to give it a try! First challenge.
 
So I was made aware that some people sign up more so for voting rights. So I would like to state this- Please give the challenge a try and post a pic of your entry or your attempt at it. I am trying to learn how to do some swirls with micas, which seems to be a few steps different from the natural colorants I am used to. I plan to submit either an entry or my failure because I want to grow. BUT, as I stated above, I am giving this challenge a try. If you just want to vote and NOT participate in this challenge, please be fair and and just like the soaps you like. You're still voting for a soap in that respect but you're allowing the soaps to be judged more fairly for the challenges.

Lastly, there have been a few times I signed up and just not voted because I did not feel it was fair since I had submitted nothing. I guess it's a flaw in my character but I don't regret it. I just like to be as fair as possible.

1. Artemis -- love those little drops
2. Cellador-- I'm so busy... but I have been wanting to try this
3. AMD - my recipe moves far too fast for this, so wish me luck!
4. SoapySuds - I may try this without squeeze bottles! :beatinghead:
5. Shunt2011 - Going to try to find time to give it a try. Haven't soaped since February.
6. Arimara - Edit: I definitely want to try this to though I may have to get some tools.
7. MarnieSoapien - IKEA here I come!!
8. DKing - I would like to give it a try.
9. bookreader451 - I really want to give this a try
10. Geniash - Excited to give it a try! First challenge.
 
Sign up list:

1. Artemis -- love those little drops
2. Cellador-- I'm so busy... but I have been wanting to try this
3. AMD - my recipe moves far too fast for this, so wish me luck!
4. SoapySuds - I may try this without squeeze bottles! :beatinghead:
5. Shunt2011 - Going to try to find time to give it a try. Haven't soaped since February.
6. Arimara - Edit: I definitely want to try this to though I may have to get some tools.
7. MarnieSoapien - IKEA here I come!!
8. DKing - I would like to give it a try.
9. bookreader451 - I really want to give this a try
10. Geniash - Excited to give it a try! First challenge.
 
1. Artemis -- love those little drops
2. Cellador-- I'm so busy... but I have been wanting to try this
3. AMD - my recipe moves far too fast for this, so wish me luck!
4. SoapySuds - I may try this without squeeze bottles! :beatinghead:
5. Shunt2011 - Going to try to find time to give it a try. Haven't soaped since February.
6. Arimara - Edit: I definitely want to try this to though I may have to get some tools.
7. MarnieSoapien - IKEA here I come!!
8. DKing - I would like to give it a try.
9. bookreader451 - I really want to give this a try
10. Geniash - Excited to give it a try! First challenge.
11. amy78130 - I’m down!!! I haven’t tried this yet!
 
1. Artemis -- love those little drops
2. Cellador-- I'm so busy... but I have been wanting to try this
3. AMD - my recipe moves far too fast for this, so wish me luck!
4. SoapySuds - I may try this without squeeze bottles! :beatinghead:
5. Shunt2011 - Going to try to find time to give it a try. Haven't soaped since February.
6. Arimara - Edit: I definitely want to try this to though I may have to get some tools.
7. MarnieSoapien - IKEA here I come!!
8. DKing - I would like to give it a try.
9. bookreader451 - I really want to give this a try
10. Geniash - Excited to give it a try! First challenge.
11. amy78130 - I’m down!!! I haven’t tried this yet!
12. szaza - I told myself no challenges in October.. so I made my first try yesterday:rolleyes:
 
I did my first try last night (even though I should have been doing labels or sleeping, I had an urge to make soap). Dropped my MB by 100g and added 100g OO to see if I could get it to stay fluid long enough. Nope. I have a strong suspicion that it is not going to look like drops. I didn't use squeeze bottles for this attempt. Next attempt I will try sweet almond oil in the same amount - I know in the past that has always slowed down trace for me so maybe it will fair better than the OO.

And just to keep continuity of the sign up list... here it is.
1. Artemis -- love those little drops
2. Cellador-- I'm so busy... but I have been wanting to try this
3. AMD - my recipe moves far too fast for this, so wish me luck!
4. SoapySuds - I may try this without squeeze bottles! :beatinghead:
5. Shunt2011 - Going to try to find time to give it a try. Haven't soaped since February.
6. Arimara - Edit: I definitely want to try this to though I may have to get some tools.
7. MarnieSoapien - IKEA here I come!!
8. DKing - I would like to give it a try.
9. bookreader451 - I really want to give this a try
10. Geniash - Excited to give it a try! First challenge.
11. amy78130 - I’m down!!! I haven’t tried this yet!
12. szaza - I told myself no challenges in October.. so I made my first try yesterday:rolleyes:
 
sign up list... here it is.
1. Artemis -- love those little drops
2. Cellador-- I'm so busy... but I have been wanting to try this
3. AMD - my recipe moves far too fast for this, so wish me luck!
4. SoapySuds - I may try this without squeeze bottles!
5. Shunt2011 - Going to try to find time to give it a try. Haven't soaped since February.
6. Arimara - Edit: I definitely want to try this to though I may have to get some tools.
7. MarnieSoapien - IKEA here I come!!
8. DKing - I would like to give it a try.
9. bookreader451 - I really want to give this a try
10. Geniash - Excited to give it a try! First challenge.
11. amy78130 - I’m down!!! I haven’t tried this yet!
12. szaza - I told myself no challenges in October.. so I made my first try yesterday. 13. SYT - I've signed up for other challenges and then got too busy to soap or vote. But really need to try this one, so many possibilities!
 
sign up list

1. Artemis -- love those little drops
2. Cellador-- I'm so busy... but I have been wanting to try this
3. AMD - my recipe moves far too fast for this, so wish me luck!
4. SoapySuds - I may try this without squeeze bottles!
5. Shunt2011 - Going to try to find time to give it a try. Haven't soaped since February.
6. Arimara - Edit: I definitely want to try this to though I may have to get some tools.
7. MarnieSoapien - IKEA here I come!!
8. DKing - I would like to give it a try.
9. bookreader451 - I really want to give this a try
10. Geniash - Excited to give it a try! First challenge.
11. amy78130 - I’m down!!! I haven’t tried this yet!
12. szaza - I told myself no challenges in October.. so I made my first try yesterday.
13. SYT - I've signed up for other challenges and then got too busy to soap or vote. But really need to try this one, so many possibilities!
 
1. Artemis -- love those little drops
2. Cellador-- I'm so busy... but I have been wanting to try this
3. AMD - my recipe moves far too fast for this, so wish me luck!
4. SoapySuds - I may try this without squeeze bottles!
5. Shunt2011 - Going to try to find time to give it a try. Haven't soaped since February.
6. Arimara - Edit: I definitely want to try this to though I may have to get some tools.
7. MarnieSoapien - IKEA here I come!!
8. DKing - I would like to give it a try.
9. bookreader451 - I really want to give this a try
10. Geniash - Excited to give it a try! First challenge.
11. amy78130 - I’m down!!! I haven’t tried this yet!
12. szaza - I told myself no challenges in October.. so I made my first try yesterday.
13. SYT - I've signed up for other challenges and then got too busy to soap or vote. But really need to try this one, so many possibilities!
14. Megan- This will be my first challenge! Very excited!! I've been wanting to try this technique for a while.
 
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