Greetings Amazing Crafters! Since last weekend was Thanksgiving holiday, all about family gatherings and tradition we saved this special post for a week. Today our Featured Artist for November, Heather Kindt joins us with one last project – one that is a lasting keepsake that has been repaired and preserved with Amazing Clear Cast Resin. CLICK HERE to see more of Heather's art adventures on her Facebook page, Heather Marie Kindt.
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Keepsake Shadow Box Repair
What is resin anyway? Basically, it's a plastic. It's a special plastic that is very hard and clear when it has cured. Resin is fun because it becomes very glass-like. More specific abilities of resin depends on the brand you are using. If you have tried it in the past and been frustrated, it's worth going back to.
Diamond Glaze, Glossy Accents, and a few others have some great shiny effects for paper crafting. They are ready straight out of the bottle and air dry. So why use a two part product that requires mixing and curing time? Resin has the ability to cover a large surface very quickly and much more economically. I have never seen Tim Holtz (who one cannot help but adore) filling up his shadow boxes with Glossy Accents.
I do not share this today to imply anything against Tim Holtz or the Glossy Accents product. I bring it up because I did coat a tray with Glossy Accents. Actually two keepsake trays – for two beloved family members. I share this in an effort to show visually why in the future, I will go the route of layering and sealing with resin. The compartments turned uneven and warped. I can hardly stand to look at it now – it's such a mess.
This is the keepsake tray I made in honor of my father-in-law. He passed away, and I had this tray on display at his memorial service. I wanted to repair this. Since the items were already sealed with a coating of the Glossy Accents, and thoroughly dried, I figured I could repair by pouring over a layering of Amazing Clear Cast Resin.
A Note: I did not prep the Glossy Accent surfaces with anything and I didn't sand it. I poured enough Amazing Clear Cast Resin to cover the photos and other items, maybe 1/4 inch thick.
At the time of my tray disaster, I did not know about self-leveling, doming, or the role of surface tension. The paper crafting products I used had high surface tension (the characteristic that causes water to form in droplets), and so it did not even out (or level). Resin will level out as far as it can when you have first mixed it before curing starts. This is why you can easily get a smooth, glassy surface in those jewelry settings (usually bezels).
Here is the tray after I fixed the lumpy areas with Amazing Clear Cast Resin. I wasted time and money trying to get Glossy Accents to work. Now the surfaces are smooth like glass and beautiful. It's hard to photograph something that has become clear, but I think it is obvious that the former lumps are gone – and I am pleased with the results.
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Thanks so much for dropping by! We hope you have enjoyed our Featured Artist Heather Kindt. We want to say THANKS to Heather for joining us and sharing her amazing mixed media creations using Amazing Crafting Products. CLICK HERE to head on over to Heather's Facebook Page, or HERE to visit her blog Color Me Heather to see more of her fabulous work.
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