Workbench Wednesday....Resin

Hey...

Check it out..

A clean workbench.

That won't last for long.

I am working on resin components.

I like to do resin when the weather is warm so it sets up faster and the garage doors can be open to let the fumes out.

I am using a variety of purchased molds.

I also used handmade silicone molds.

Some are made from silicone mold compound and some are made form 100% silicone in the tube from the hardware store..

There is a trick to using it for molds.

 I will share it with you some time.

I even used some plastic packaging I saved from some scrapbooking and jewelry components..

For right now, I am showing you the resin madness on my workbench.

I am very messy when I work with resin.

It gets all over it seems.

So I try to work on the trays so my counter is not covered with little resin puddles.

Those of you that have worked with resin may wonder about the color of my resin.

Here is my little secret.

While I do use clear resin from the craft store, I also use resin from automotive supplies.

I buy it by the quart.

It is reasonably priced.

It is amber instead of clear.

If I am painting the pieces, the color does not matter anyway.

And sometimes I LIKE the amber.

When I went to use resin this time, I noticed 2 of my partial quarts had hardened and were useless.

Sigh.

So I decided to use this whole quart this week.

I did multiple moldings of many of these molds.

See anything intriguing?

I always love this kind of photo on someone's blog.

It is like an artist's version of Where's Waldo...

My eyes dart all around taking in the shapes and possibilities.

One trick I learned is for when your resin pieces are a bit sticky when you unmold them...

I put them on a tray and pop them in my craft dedicated toaster oven on the lowest heat for 15 minutes.

If they are still sticky after they cool, I do it again.

Usually that fixes them right up.

Here is one of the molds made from the silicone from the hardware store.

Not pretty, but effective.

I like this silicone for making bigger molds since the 2 part silicone mold making compound is expensive.

It seems to work almost as well as the purchased mold compound.

Any spillover can be easily broken or snipped off once they cure.

These animal heads are my favorites this time.

Inspired by Sandy Martin in the Winter 2015 issue of Belle Armoire Jewelry magazine, I have been dying to do this.

I am loving these and cannot wait to add paint and work them into some fun designs.

What is on your workbench right now?

Thanks for stopping by....

                 Linking up with these great blogs.

Workbench Wednesday: Stamping Tin

I am so excited this week to share my newest passion with you: stamping tin.

Now, from the title and the name, you are probably picturing something different than what I am actually doing.

I am melting tin and then stamping it with rubber stamps.

What I get it these amazing pieces.

Some of these are almost paper thin.

It is a learning process to see what rubber stampers work the best.

It depends on what you are hoping for.

These butterfly pieces have a large design with a lot of rubber to displace the tin.

These coins were made from a silicone mold made from a jewelry charm.

These pieces used some of those silicone molds I made a few weeks ago with the botanicals from the yard.

I love the texture of these.

I did a bunch with one of my favorite child face stampers.

I think it is neat how it is sort of an abstract image.

The angle has to be just right to see what it is.

What fun!

I also did some with script stamps.

Some have irregular edges.

I am starting to learn how to control the tin.

Some are more round like coins.

My husband is the key to the success of the process.

The way I created them is a two person process I will share later.

I cannot wait to show you how they look when they are patinaed and used in designs later.

Thanks for stopping by....

                 Linking up with these great blogs.

Workbench Wednesday: Silicone Molds and Polymer Flower Pieces

A couple weeks ago, I showed you my workbench with some silicone molds I made using fresh flowers and plants from the yard.

You can see it here if you like.

I wanted to share today how I have started to use them.

I tried to show you the mold with the polymer pieces made from each mold.

The funny thing about the process is that sometimes I think the mold turned out great or not so great.

Then when the clay is molded in them, I may completely change my mind.

For example, the one below has more detail than I originally thought.

This first batch of pieces has a variety of purposes.

The double-holed pieces are intended to be bracelet disks.

This next mold was made from clover...weeds.

But I love the way they turned out.

I made pendants and little clover beads...

More weeds....

Aren't they lovely?

The next mold I was meh about.

Once I saw the molded pieces, I was in love.

How cool are these?

It is fun to see how you can change the design by changing where you push your clay on the mold.

I like to add bails to some.

The next mold I made with lavender...a favorite of mine.

I love the way the mold turned out.

Once I actually molded the clay, it did not have as much definition as I originally thought.

I made some lavender chips or petals.

I also rolled some to make beads.

They look completely different depending on how thick you roll out the clay before molding.

These are going to be so much fun to paint and color and finish.

I also made some lavender pendants.

This mold looks promising...

What a delightful little meadow of wildflowers.

I love disks with holes in the centers for bracelets.

I varied the size of some of the holes.

I used yarrow for this mold.

The detail in the molded pieces is remarkable.

I love deep definition...

Lots of variety just from one mold.

I made some more of those chips/petals...

Even just the foliage from plants can be lacy and lovely.

More thin petals...

Last but not least, these pendants.

Next steps: color and finishes.

I'll show you how they look when they are done.

Until then, thanks for stopping by....

Linking up with these great blogs.