AMAZING Detail Even from Spoons... Amazing Mold Rubber Inspiration from Carole Lassak

Hello - Amazing Crafters! Carole here with some inspiration today. I was thrilled when Amazing Crafting Products announced their new Amazing Mold Rubber!! Amazing Mold Rubber cures to a strong, flexible mold. As a crafter who loves to dabble in jewelry, I immediately saw great potential and tons of uses for Amazing Mold Rubber. Now I could mold all those three dimensional jewelry pieces that aren’t appropriate for Amazing Mold Putty.

Because Amazing Mold Rubber has a liquid consistency – it’s like honey – it flows into and around undercuts and intricate detail. The liquid can reach places the clay-like texture of Amazing Mold Putty can’t. And because it’s so flexible and elastic when cured, removing cast pieces is a snap. 

Remember spoon rings from decades past??? Rings fashioned from handles of silver flatware. I see they’re enjoying a bit of a revival now. So, I found this original in my jewelry box and decided it would be a perfect candidate to reproduce with Amazing Crafting Products. I made the mold using Amazing Mold Rubber, and cast the ring with Amazing Casting Resin. I finished the piece with silver Rub ‘n Buff and Mars Black Perfect Pigment Acrylic paint. 

I was AMAZED at the detail the Amazing Mold Rubber captured and how clean the casting came out of the mold.

What beautiful objects would you love
to mold in Amazing Mold Rubber?

You can see more projects using Amazing Crafting Products on my Create & Craft blog. Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

Carole

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Faux Pearl Perfection... DIY Vintage Reproduction Jewelry by Carole Lassak

Hi!! Carole here with another jewelry piece to share with you. For those of you who follow the Amazing Mold Putty blog, you know that I am drawn to jewelry projects. Today, I'm going to walk you through the steps for creating great reproduction pieces using Amazing Mold Putty and Amazing Casting Resin – along with a couple other Amazing Crafting Products.

A friend found this vintage brooch at a garage sale that, sadly, had seen its better days. You can see that several of the stones are missing. When stones are missing, you need to decide how you will treat your finished piece. Will you add new stones? Would you prefer to finish molded stones? I molded a small section of this brooch so you can see the difference stones or no stones makes in a mold, and hence in the final casting.

The bottom depression [marked 2 in the photo] is from the faux pearl, and would result in a raised "stone" formed in the casting. The top element [marked 1 in the photo] would result in a depression where you could add your own stone. For this project I chose the remove all the remaining stones and add my own to the finished casting.

Another important consideration when working with vintage jewelry is to be sure you have a clean original. Amazing Mold Putty picks up the tiniest surface imperfections. So, I carefully remove any traces of old adhesives. This is especially common with old rhinestones. Often the metallic backing on the stone remains adhered to the metal. This is work for my jeweler's files and Dremel. Here you can see the remnants of glue along with rhinestones that I haven't yet removed. After I've removed all the loose bits and pieces, I soak the original in hot, soapy water and give it a good scrub. 

Now that I have a clean original I can mold the piece using Amazing Mold Putty. It's so easy – just mix equal parts "A" [white] and "B" [yellow]; then knead together until there are no streaks. Next form a ball or egg-shape, depending on what you're molding, and flatten the putty. Watch this video of the molding process to see how easy it is.

Next I filled the mold with Amazing Casting Resin. Again, mix equal parts "A" and "B", stir until there are no streaks, and pour into the mold. Amazing Casting Resin is opaque white when it cures. If you want a colored finished casting, just add a drop or two of one of the Alumilite dyes. 

**Here's a TIP for filling your molds: pour the resin down your stir stick to "guide" the resin into the mold. This helps get the resin in narrow areas without excess over-fill.

When the casting is cured and removed from the mold, I use the jeweler's files and my Dremel to sand any rough edges and remove any stray "resin feathers" on the edge of the casting.

To simulate the metallic finish that I wanted on this casting, I mixed Alumilite Gun Metal Metalllic Powder and Gold Metallic Powder, is separate batches, with USArtQuest PPA to a consistency of acrylic paint. I painted the Gun Metal over the entire piece – front and back. Here it is hanging on my worktable to dry.

After the Gun Metal coat dried, I highlighted areas on the brooch with the Gold Metallic Powder/PPA mixture. Another drying session, and then a finish coat of plain PPA.

I also made a dark version using the finished technique that I shared in a previous post. Here are the two finished reproduction vintage brooches.

So, tell me – which one is your favorite?

The gun metal highlight with gold or the darker faux patina one?

You can see more projects on my Create & Craft blog.

Carole

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AMAZING Surface Treatments for Cast Resin Pieces by Carole Lassak

Hi!! Carole here to share three ways that I color my cast pieces. There are several ways to add surface treatments to cast resin pieces. Untreated pieces made with Amazing Clear Cast Resin dry clear and pieces made with Amazing Casting Resin dry white. In an earlier post, I shared how I use acrylic paints for surface treatment. Today, let's explore dyes, metallic powders, and gilding.

None of these methods are difficult, but dyes have to be the easiest. And, Amazing Crafting Products offer a rich array of colors. Here I've used two of the newest additions to their rainbow – Fluorescent Green and Fluorescent Orange. Of course, you can mix the dyes to create your own custom shades, too.

Just add up to 20 drops/fluid ounce of Part "A" the resin – Amazing Clear Cast or Amazing Casting Resin – and stir until the dye is incorporated into the Part "A" resin. From there you mix Parts "A" and "B" of the resin, following these standard procedures. For these frames I was a bit timid with the dye and only used one drop of the dye. 

I'm totally pleased with the soft colors. More drops would yield a more vibrant color.

The next method is using Alumilite Metallic Powder. The metallic powders result in a cast piece that truly looks like metal. For this frame I used one of my favorites – metallic gun metal.

Using a soft, dry brush gently dust the mold before pouring the resin. A little bit goes a long way, and I find I have better results if the mold is lightly, but thoroughly, coated with no extra powder granules. The casting comes out of the mold completely colored and finished.

The last surface treatment that I'll share today is gilding. I started with a clear frame.

I coated it with Duo Adhesive. This adhesive goes on liquid and milky. When dry and ready to use, it is clear and tacky – perfect for adhering gilding.

I pressed the gilding to the frame, then gently burnished the excess with a texture sponge and finished with a soft cotton puff.

The line of resins from Amazing Crafting Products accept many surface treatments allowing you to transform the ordinary white and clear pieces.

What surface treatment are you going

to use on your next casting project?

You can see more projects using Amazing Crafting Products on my Create & Craft blog. Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

~ Carole

Create & Craft

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WHAT - Empty Bezels!!? Create Custom Resin Cabochons... AMAZING Inspiration from Carole Lassak

Hi!! Carole here to report about my rearranging/cleaning of my craft supplies the other day. I came across a handful of bezels left over from a long-ago project. I just couldn't bear to put them in the discard pile. (Truth be told, I never did get a discard pile. Can you spell h-o-a-r-d-e-r?) So, I decided I'd put cabochons in them and have great jewelry pieces.

Great idea, except that I didn't have any cabs the right size. Not a problem!! I found a marble with the right diameter and molded the bottom third of it. I followed these standard directions for creating a mold using Amazing Mold Putty and pouring the Amazing Casting Resin.

Next comes the fun part. Staining the resin cabochon with alcohol inks.

Yes, it really is a round cabochon—not just a flat disc of resin. 

My handmade cabochon was a perfect fit for my bezel. I secured the cab in the bezel with a bit of E-6000 adhesive. The encircling melon-colored rhinestone chain is held in place with dabs of E-6000, too.

Can't wait to make more of these resin cabochons. The Amazing Crafting Products make them so easy to produce, and the alcohol inks make each one unique.

What would you mold and cast to fill your bezels?

You can see more projects using Amazing Crafting Products on my Create & Craft blog. Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

Carole

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Never Leave Home without a Book Thong for Your Summer Beach Read... AMAZING Inspiration from Carole Lassak

Hi!! Carole here to inspire you with a quick, easy and fun project. Even though I have several electronic gadgets for reading a book – Kindle, tablet, iPhone – I still like the feel of the paper in my hands. On those occasions I need a way to mark my place. What is better than a handmade book thong!!

I created these from pieces I cast using Amazing Casting Resin in molds that I made using Amazing Mold Putty.

Cord, a few beads, knots, and crimps added to the resin charms equals a book thong. I used my Dremel to drill the hole for the cord in the resin charms.

What's on your summer reading list that could
use a book thong to mark your place?

You can see more projects using Amazing Crafting Products on my Create & Craft blog. Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

~ Carole

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From Plain to Patina... Faux Copper Patina How-to by Carole Lassak

Hi!! My name is Carole, and I'm addicted to Amazing Crafting Products! Today I have a confession: For the longest time I was too intimidated to try painting my castings. You see, I'm not an artist. I lived with art majors in college, and I definitely couldn't do what they did with paint, pens, ink, charcoal, and all that other stuff that produced images. So, paint just wasn't something that I considered. I didn't even have any in my craft arsenal.

With a little help from friends, I got over my phobia. So, if you too are hesitant about painting the castings from your molds, here's an easy project, guaranteed to give you great results.

The original of this piece was from a friends garage sale find of an old copper piece. It measures about 4" x 5". I used Amazing Mold Putty to create a mold from the original piece using these standard directions. I used Amazing Casting Resin for the casting and followed these standard directions for mixing and pouring the resin.

Here the Amazing Casting Resin in the mold is just beginning to bloom – this is when the resin begins to change from a clear liquid to a white solid.

After the casting was set and removed from the mold, I used jeweler's file to smooth and rough edges and eliminate any over-pours. When I file the edges, I'm careful to angle the file so that any resulting bevel is on the underside of the piece.

Next, I selected my color palette for transforming this plain white casting into a beautiful piece with a faux patina finish. I used acrylic paints and chose black green for the base coat, leaf green for the accent color, and metallic gold for highlights.

With a small round brush, I completely coated the casting with the black green, taking care to cover all the sides, edges, and nooks and crannies.

When that coast was dry, I added the leaf green accents with a barely wet stipple brush. I gentle dripped the brush into the paint, then tapped off excess by stippling onto scrap paper until the brush held just the slightest amount of paint. Once the paint meets the piece, I find that it's easier to add more than to take away too much. Of course, how heavily you stipple your piece is totally a matter of personal taster.

Again, let that paint dry before adding the gold highlights. These I added with a sponge brush that had even less paint on it than the stipple brush did. I just wanted to graze the topmost areas. The difference after adding the gold highlights is subtle, but definitely adds another dimension to the piece.

Here's the finished piece and a close-up showing how you can transform plain white resin into a beautiful patina finish with acrylic paints.

Finished Patina Lily

Close-up showing gold highlights

So, tell me: what casting piece are you going to paint?

Visit my Create & Craft blog for more ideas and projects.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

Carole

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Perpetual Signboard with Resin Charms... by Carole Lassak

Good afternoon! Carole here today and I have a perpetual project to share with you. I have always enjoyed celebrating holidays and remembering special occasions. And, that is exactly what my signboard does.

I’m always on the look-out for small items to mold and cast, and they are perfect for the signboard embellishments. The source for these cast items ranges from found objects to jewelry to rubber stamps to odd pieces that friends have loaned. I used the standard methods for creating the molds using Amazing Mold Putty and pouring the resins for these charms. All of these were molded in Amazing Mold Putty and cast using Amazing Casting Resin, but the pieces were finished using different techniques.

Original was a piece of jewelry; it's finished with acrylic paint with a top coat of PPA Gloss; mounted on ATC Original was a metal trinket; finished with Duo adhesive and gilding; mounted on chipboard Original was an acrylic stamp; finished with Perfect Pigment Acrylic Paint; mounted on pattern paper Original was a rubber stamp; finished with Duo adhesive and Mica D'Lights; mounted on craft metal Original was a metal trinket; finished by dust mold with Alumilite Bronze Metallic Powder before pouring casting; mounted on shimmer cardstock

Original was a metal trinket; finished with Duo adhesive and gilding; mounted on mica tile Original was a metal trinket; finished with Duo adhesive and gilding; mounted on cardstock Original was a metal charm; finished with Duo adhesive and gilding; mounted on shimmer cardstock Original was a metal trinket; finished with Perfect Pigment Acrylic Paint and top coat of PPA Gloss; mounted on cardstock

I said that this is a perpetual project because I can continue to mold and cast embellishment pieces for the signboard. I’m still looking for the perfect item to mold and cast for birthdays, anniversaries, and patriotic holidays.

Here's my signboard heralding our glorious summer season.

Here are the steps for creating the sign board:

1. Decorate the background of 6" x 8" canvas board. I printed my background on Craft Attitude film and adhered to the canvas board following manufacturer’s directions.
2. Using a Crop-a-dile punch 4 holes each ½" from the side. Two holes 1 ½" from top and two holes 1 ¾" from bottom.
3. Using brads, attach coiled wire in top holes.
4. With an aggressive adhesive, attach pinch clothespin to center top of the signboard.
5. Cut coordinating cardstock 2" x 6" for greeting banners. Pierce holes, centered, at each end of banner ½" from each edge. Attach to sign board with brads. I have banners and brads to go with each of my resin embellishment, and they're changed to match the holiday or occasion. The banner titles were cut using my Zing electronic cutter.
6. Individually, mount each resin casting to a backing material. I’ve used mica, cardstock, ATCs, chipboard, and metal. 

What other occasions and holidays
do you celebrate?

What would you mold and cast

to commemorate them?

You can see more INSPIRATION using Amazing Crafting Products by Alumilite Corporation on my Create & Craft blog.

Carole

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Use this COUPON to shop at the Amazing Mold Putty

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Please use coupon code " summerhaus " {no quotations}.

Coupon expires June 30, 2013.

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Dragonflies to INSPIRE... AMAZING Inspiration from Carole Lassak

Hi!! Carole here with a June inspiration for you. I've always been intrigued by dragonflies – the way they dart over water and flowers, the iridescence of their wings. To me, they are the ballet dancers of the garden.

The original jewelry piece for these dragonflies came from a friend who knows I'm always on the look out for interesting items to mold and cast. Each of these dragonflies was cast using Amazing Casting Resin, but I used two different coloring techniques.

For the golden dragonfly, I painted the head, legs, edges of the wings, raised areas on the thorax, and antennae with gold metallic acrylic paints. The shadings on the wings was done with mica powders mixed with USArt Quest's PPA, and painted on with a fine brush.

For the silver dragonfly, I dusted the mold with Alumilite Metallic Powders Gunmetal for the head, legs, edges of the wings, raised areas on the thorax, and antennae. Pearlescent for the center of the wings. When the casting came out of the mold I used the same mica powder/PPA mixture on the wings and recessed areas of the thorax.

There are so many different techniques

for adding color to resin castings!! 

What other technique should I try? 

You can see more INSPIRATION using Amazing Crafting Products by Alumilite Corporation on my Create & Craft blog.

Carole

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__________________________________________

Use this COUPON to shop at the Amazing Mold Putty

website HERE and receive 25% OFF your purchase.

Please use coupon code " summerhaus " {no quotations}.

Coupon expires June 30, 2013.

__________________________________________

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Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

Don't forget to subscribe to our blog on the right side bar:

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Tchotchke Charm Necklace... by Carole Lassak

Hi, there!! Carole here with a piece of jewelry created with Amazing Crafting Products. This necklace has lots of baubles and trinkets – many of them created from items I've molded using Amazing Mold Putty. There are reasons I molded these pieces rather than use the originals. First, I don't own all the originals – the flower basket and the bee are from friends' jewelry collections. The original of the gilded baby was a toy that as a child I played with in church, and I want to preserve the original. The frozen charlotte original is white porcelain – not the look I was going for. But, that's what so great about Amazing Mold Putty and Amazing Casting Resin. I can have my cake and eat it, too.

For all the pieces in this project I followed these basic molding and casting directions.

Here are close-ups of the flower basket, frozen charlotte, and the bee.

     

I used Amazing Clear Cast Resin with butterscotch Ranger's alcohol ink added during the mixing process to get a translucent finish. For the bee I used Amazing Casting Resin with no color additive. The bee was white when it came out of the mold, and I used the same butterscotch alcohol ink to stain it. Then, I added a couple drops of ginger and pitch black to accent the recessed areas.

I cast the baby doll with Amazing Casting Resin. Next, I coated her with USArtQuest Duo Adhesive. This adhesive becomes effective and tacky only after it dries, and it the perfect thing for using with gilding. My little gilded baby lives in a shrine from Coffee Break Designs.

For this heart charm I covered the bottom with fine gold glitter and filled the bezel with Amazing Clear Cast Resin. I let it sit overnight, and when it was cured, I glued the red rhinestone to the top.

Here you can see the finished necklace with

all the fun charms, trinkets, and Amazing pieces.

What will you mold and cast

into a jewelry piece?

Thank you so much for visiting! You can see more projects on my Create & Craft blog.  ~ Carole

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