Molds: regarding what to fill to replicate from Plaster of Paris mold. Try to fill the mold with auto body putty. Once set up it can be filed, sanded, painted, etc. Smear Vaseline into your mold, then you can pour Plaster of Paris into the Plaster of Paris mold if you prefer that material to work with. Ava |
Molds: a rather unconventional material to use, not to mention CHEAP, is paper pulp. I know what everyone is thinking already, but I use a recipe by Ronny Burkette a Canadian puppet artist (besides minis my other passion in life are puppets and marionettes). His recipe is located at http://home.echo-on.net/~props/recipes.html. If you compress the material in your plaster mold and allow to dry completely before removing your cast will have an almost porcelain finish to it. Plus it can be sanded, drilled, added to after drying, can be baked at low heat to speed up drying time, finished anyway your imagination can come up with. If a smoother finish is needed mix Elmer's school glue and Plaster of Paris together to make a homemade gesso and apply it to the cast and then lightly sand. I make dolls for my daughter's dollhouse out of the stuff and just cast a mold of a section of siding to make a cheap durable siding out of it. It is that strong and Joshua |
Molds: You need a container in which to make the mold - throw away cartons work pretty well. The item you wish to cast from must not have undercuts. Wipe it with a thin coating of liquid soap or mold release (some other things don't stick well to plastics). Anchor the piece to the bottom of the container with clay or tac material. Mix the plaster to the proper consistency in a different container and do not stir it! Tap the container to help get rid of bubbles. Carefully pour it into your prepared container and allow it to cure (it will get hot, then it will cool). Carefully tap the container to release the plaster block (it shrinks slightly) and then lift out your master mold. One thing I have found if there is difficulty getting something out of the cured mold is to try removing the master shape when it is still slightly damp and that sometimes works but is dangerous because the plaster is soft and easily breaks at that point. Do not try to use the mold until it is cry and warm to the touch. If this is not clear please e-mail me directly. Jacqui |
Molds: I love making molds and have been fortunate to have learned some of the craft from several very good mold makers. One of the best sources for both information and supplies that I've found is http://www.polytek.com/. They are a great source for various flexible mold making materials and "plastic" casting resins and polymers--the best thing is the description of each product and it's uses. They have an online version of their newsletter--you'll need a magnifying glass to read it. Another good site for an easy casting product is http://www.alumilite.com/product_line.html. Alumilite is a 1:1 two-part casting compound that cures in just minutes. This site also has an interesting section on mold making--it concentrates on silicone, but the two-piece mold demo uses the same steps you would use to make a two-piece plaster mold. There is a good "link" page to many different sculpting and sculpting supply sites at http://www.dolldesigns.com/sculpt.html Diane Foster |
Molds: An excellent mold making instruction page with diagrams and product list can be found at http://www.lagunaclay.com/. The directions are for a simple two-piece plaster mold to be used with ceramic or porcelain slip. If mold making is of interest to you, be sure to visit this site. Diane |
Internet Abbreviations: The "DH" abbreviation for "dear husband" or "darling husband" -- along with many other similar abbreviations -- did not originate with dollhouse enthusiasts. They were first brought into use, along with emoticons, when instant messaging and chat rooms became a part of the Internet because many new internet/computer users were VERY novice typists, and abbreviations were much quicker and easier to type. Some of the most commonly used online abbreviations are: Maggie |
Painting Resin Dolls: I use standard acrylic paint such as Ceramcoat or Apple Barrel brands. You can also use fabric do to your dolls clothing changes. Cut small pieces of desired fabric the approximate shape of area to be covered. Brush area with Designer Extra Thick Tacky glue. Press fabric over and into the clothing area to be covered. Be sure to turn edges of fabric slightly under as you glue down for a neat look. Let dry overnight [24-36 hours]. Trim with a very new sharp X-Acto blade or a very fine sharp pair of sewing scissors. (Have seen these dolls at shows sell for 2-4 times the original price of plain resin doll. It takes a little work but it is worth the effort. Could even do the wigging if into doing wigging.) Patricia / Redwood City, CA |
Yarn for Mini Knitting: I have been surfing the net to find materials for my knitting and crochet and I found this very interesting site http://www.minknit.freeserve.co.uk There are lots of patterns to buy , sweet little dolls and lots of yarns to chose from. Marianne |
Crochet: "1/2 triple double"? It is mentioned in several places in the book by Carol Wikberg, so it's not a mistake. What does this women mean? You make a 1/2" triple crochet twice. Marilyn, MI |
Crochet: Triple Double: Here is a site that someone gave to me when I needed crochet help. It explains all stitches. This should help you with your triple double. It certainly helped me out of a jam http://crochet.about.com/hobbies/crochet/library/weekly/aa052398.htm Jane |
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