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Monday, October 13

The Mummy Gets Moldy!!! When #Cre8time meets #AmazingMoldRubber by Sandra Strait

It's ALIVE!!! My mummy experiment has worked and the ancient Egyptian Mold RubberRa has risen. I can hear the slither of his ragged feet as he approaches. He comes for me!!


What have I done!

MUSIC CUE: Horror Music


Supplies:

This project consisted of four phases: 
  • creating the prototype mummy that would be cast
  • building a molding bag to mold it in
  • making the mummy mold
  • casting the resin mummy

Creating the Prototype

I didn't have to buy anything for my prototype, because I used things that I had in my crafty stash. I LOVE thinking up ways to use what I've already got. Especially... when it means I'll have to go to Baskin and Robbins so I can replace the tasting spoons that I've used. Those things are awesome for crafting with!


To make the mummy:
  • I tore off several strips of duct tape.  
  • Then I tore each strip into 4 narrower strips.
  • Stuck a toothpick into one of the Styrofoam balls and dribbled on some Tacky glue.
  • Stuck the second ball onto the toothpick as well.  
  • Glued and taped on the spoons.
  • Pulled the sponges out of the two sponge daubers.
  • Glued and taped the tubes on for legs.
  • Wrapped strips of duct tape around the whole thing until I was satisfied it was a mummy.  
  • Glued and taped on the googly eyes.



Building the Molding Bag

I had gone through all my cereal and craft boxes looking for one that would fit my mummy. However, because of the reach of the arms and the legs, I knew I'd be using lots (lots) of Amazing Mold Rubber, and I wanted to reduce that amount as much as possible.

Finally, I decided a bag would be better than a box. A bag that I could pinch inward to mirror the shape of the mummy.

The answer was right at hand. Duct tape!! If you've ever made a duct tape wallet, you'll be familiar with this portion of the process.
  • I tore off a strip of tape that was about an inch longer than my mummy.
  • Placed the strip sticky side up on a non-stick mat.
  • Placed a second strip, sticky side down, to overlay half the first one. 
  • Placed a third strip so it overlaid the remaining sticky half.
  • Flipped the tape so the sticky from strips 2 and 3 was facing up.


  • I continued doing this until I had a band that would surround the mummy without touching any part of it.
  • Taped on a bottom.
  • Pinched the bag inward at places, to take up extra space, and taped it at the top.  


Making the Mummy Mold

To make sure that neither the mummy nor the bag would stick to the Amazing Mold Rubber, I poured some olive oil on a paper towel, and rubbed it all over the mummy and the inside of the bag.


Amazing Mold Rubber comes with a base liquid and a catalyst. You can mix up small batches by using the measuring cups and ladle that come with the kit – but I knew I'd be using all of it, so I dumped entire bottle of the pink catalyst directly into the white base. I ended up using two and a half containers of Amazing Mold Rubber. You can view mixing/preparations instructions for using Amazing Mold Rubber HERE.



To prepare each batch of the mold rubber:
  • I mixed the base and catalyst until everything turned pink. 
  • Poured the mixture into my duct tape bag.
  • Let it cure (letting one batch cure before pouring the next helps prevent air bubbles).
I left the top of the mummy's head exposed. This was because the feet weren't entirely flat, and I wasn't sure they would leave holes for pouring (turns out they did). Just in case, I wanted a hole at the top.  I had a plan though--my mummy wouldn't be left without his brains. Although – aren't all mummies brainless? Didn't they pull the brains out through the nose or something? Eeuccch!

Once the entire mold was cured, I tore away the duct tape bag.



You may have noticed that there is no way to remove the prototype from this mold. Yep. I knew this would happen, which is why I had some sharp scissors handy to cut it in half. But before I did that, I needed something to hold the mold together again once I had the mummy out. 



So I sprayed the top and sides of the mold with Alumilite UMR Mold Release Spray. I received this after I had started the project. The olive oil (or any vegetable oil) would have worked, but this is easier and more certain, especially when there are lots of nooks and crannies. I'm doing this so that the addition of Amazing Mold Putty to the silicone mold rubber mold will not stick together.


I rolled out equal amounts of Amazing Mold Putty, parts "A" and "B" and smooshed them together until the putty was a uniform yellow {CLICK HERE to view mixing/preparation}. I smoothed the putty over the top of the mold rubber mold, and also covering the mummy's head, and also an inch or two of the sides inside of the mold rubber mold. I the turned it upside down and let it cure. Now my mummy's brains will be intact!

Almost a work of art in itself!


Casting the Resin Mummy

Amazing Casting Resin also comes in two parts, "A", which is yellow, and "B", which is clear.  You mix equal amounts together and pour them into your mold.  You can find more complete instructions for using Amazing Casting Resin at the Amazing Crafting Products library or CLICK HERE to view.


Once I had the mold rubber cut in half, and the prototype was out, I sprayed the inside of the mold with the Alumilite UMR Mold Release Spray and let dry.


I prepared and mixed up 2 oz. (1 oz. of each part) of Amazing Casting Resin and poured them into the arms as well as filling a little of the head and body.


Then I let that batch of resin cure. 



I placed the rubber mold back into the putty mold and added rubber bands so the resin couldn't push the top half of the rubber mold apart. Then I mixed up 3 more batches of resin (2 oz. each batch), poured and let cure. After letting Amazing Casting Resin cure and cool {a thick/deep mold that can hold larger amounts of resin will cure faster and generate more heat in the curing process}, I opened the mold and took my mummy out. 

I used Golden fluid acrylics to paint my mummy, adding details with a small brush.
  • I lightly brushed yellow ochre, everywhere, rubbing off most of it immediately with a paper towel. This was to age the 'rags' and bring out the detail.
  • Painted the eyes with primary yellow.
  • Painted the pupils with phthalo blue.
  • Added depth (and horror!) to the eyes with a circle of red.
  • Highlighted the eyes with a dot of Titanium White.
  • Painted the strip around the eyes with all three colors, letting the colors mix as I painted.
  • Painted the mouth with the same mix of colors. 
  • Painted the teeth with Titanium White.
**Note** I did let the paint dry in between colors, but they dried so fast that I really didn't have to wait.  It might take more time according to temperature and humidity in your area.

And with that, my Mummy was ALIVE!!!


He did the mash, he did the monster mash
The monster mash, it was a graveyard smash
He did the mash, it caught on in a flash
He did the mash, he did the monster mash
Wah-oooh!


~~Bobby Pickett - Monster Mash Lyrics


To see more of my work and weird humor, please visit
my blog, Life Imitates DoodlesSandra Strait

What creatures have you conjured up
in your Cre8time lately???


Join us each Monday for Mold Rubber Mondays – where we will share projects and inspiration using this fabulous product available at Amazing Crafting Products!

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