Sea Horse Treasures with EasySculpt® Clay.

Karen Bearse here today.  I have been playing with EasySculpt® Epoxy Molding Clay!  I used a few of the molds I had made previously with Silicone Putty.

Materials:

EasySculpt® Epoxy Molding Clay

EasyMold™ Silicone Putty

Objects for mold

Glitter glass

Glitter

Decoupage

Gesso

Metallic Luster by DecoArt, Copper Kettle

Zot by Thermoweb

Sandpaper

Instructions:

EasyMold™ Silicone Putty Directions:

First, start by making the mold.  Figure out how much putty you will need to create your mold.  Work on 1 mold at a time.  Read product directions for more information.

Pinch off equal parts of Silicone Putty, part A and B and then, knead the putty together for 1 minute or until you have a uniform purple color.  Shape putty to the size and shape you need so there is enough to push your piece into the putty.  Place on a craft sheet and gently push your original item into the putty.  Let set for 25 minutes and remove the original object.  To use with resin the mold must cure for 24 hours.  If you are making a mold using a word, make sure you reverse the word before pushing it into putty so your word is in reverse.

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To prep the clay, mix equal parts of A and B.  Knead until the clay is a uniform color.  The clay will be quite sticky but can be used for molds right away.  

For my seahorse, I put some glitter glass & micro beads in the mold first & then pushed the clay into the mold.

I pulled it out of the mold after 4 hours & trimmed the edges. If the clay is too hard to trim simply sand the edges. The clay will be fully set in 24 hours.

Now, what do I do with a clay seahorse?  Well first I needed some color but I didn't want to cover up the glitter and beads so I put a thin layer of decoupage glue over those areas.  Then, any paint that got on this area could be easily wiped off.  I covered the clay in gesso which creates a foundation for paint to adhere and will give me a shabby vintage look.  Again, staying clear of the beaded areas, and wiping off any gesso that got on them.  Once the gesso is dry, I use my finger to add the Metallic Luster.  Using fingers or a firm piece of foam helps keep the color from going in the depressions. Now my piece has an old relic look.  I did end up covering the glass glitter.  So in hind sight, next time I would add a lot more in a more condensed way so it would be easier to protect.

This is so cool!  I love how my piece looks like I could have found it in an ancient archeological dig except I just made it!!!  This technique would be great to use with shells, cherubs, mermaids.... the possibilities are endless.  I decided to make a quick home decor piece.  

It may end up in my bathroom as a toothbrush holder but for now, it is a pencil holder.  I had bought this $3 tin from Target in the dollar bin and it was the perfect home for my treasure.  Sometimes gluing these pieces can be difficult but I found a trick.

I started by placing a large Zot by Thermoweb or glue dot in the middle of the seahorse.  Before I placed it on the tin I covered the area around the Zot with a nice coat of Glossy Accents (a strong wet glue).  After placing the seahorse clean off excess glue with a wet paint brush.  Tie a piece of ribbon or fabric around the seahorse and the cup to hold it together strongly while the glue sets.

Here is a finished project using my new vintage treasure!  I am excited to make more pieces and adhere them to frames, mirrors, journal covers or art journal pages.