| How Easy is Baby Casting? | | | | down any lumps, the colour will turn pink whilst being |
| Creating 3d castings of your baby’s hand or foot | | | | mixed. |
| can be a very rewarding experience and needless to | | | | Step 3 – When the mixture has reached the |
| say, by doing it yourself, you can also save a lot of | | | | desired consistency (consult instructions) you will |
| money. | | | | need to pour it into the container or bag that you |
| The best place to start is with a baby casting kit. | | | | are using and place the foot or hand into the mixture. |
| For Keep’s Sake provides a standard casting kit | | | | Step 4 – Setting time will vary so again consult |
| on its own or with a frame (choose from a range of | | | | the instructions. Usually fast setting alginate is used, |
| box frames). The kit includes the following: | | | | given a baby’s tendancy to wriggle, which be |
| Contents | | | | take under a minute to set. Once set, carefully |
| - Chromatic Alginate. This is used to create the mould | | | | remove the hand or foot so as not to tear the |
| of the baby’s hand or foot. For life casting | | | | mould. |
| Alginate is the most popular moulding compound | | | | Step 5 – The casting powder is then mixed with |
| because it is completely safe and in fact used by | | | | water, stirring slowly and carefully to avoid air |
| dentists in the mouths of both adults and children to | | | | bubbles. Once the mixture has reached the desired |
| take dental mouldings. It can also capture all the fine | | | | consistency it is poured bit by bit into the mould, |
| creases in the skin, resulting in a life-like finish. | | | | swirling the mixture around the mould to ensure that |
| - High Grade Casting Powder. This is used to create | | | | it reaches all the nooks and crannies. Once full the |
| the cast and once dry can be painted in the colour of | | | | plaster is left to set. |
| your choice. | | | | Step 6 – Once dry, usually a few hours later, the |
| - Poly Bags or a Container. This will be used to | | | | mould can be broken off the cast. It is a rubbery |
| create the mould in. | | | | like texture and will break away easily. |
| - Cocktail sticks. Once the cast has set and is dry | | | | Step 7 – The cast can now be painted. Most |
| and the rubbery alginate mould peeled away from it, | | | | kits include a silver or gold paint, but any colour |
| there are often little bits of the mould left in some of | | | | acryllic paint can be used on the cast for an effective |
| the skin creases of the case. Cocktail sticks are | | | | finish. |
| useful for cleaning these little pieces out | | | | Step 8 – If you have chosen a kit with a frame, |
| - Stirrers | | | | the last stage of the process is framing the cast. |
| - Paint and Paintbrush. | | | | You may find that the flat side of the cast is a little |
| - Deep rebate box frame. This usually includes a twin | | | | uneven and may require a little light sanding. This |
| aperture mount so that a photo can be displayed as | | | | can be done easily using a fine sandpaper. Once flat |
| well as the casting. | | | | the casting can be stuck to the backing board and |
| - Complete set of instructions. | | | | the back of the frame closed. |
| - Glue. | | | | So how easy is baby casting? I think you'll agree, |
| There are 8 basic steps to the casting process: | | | | that provided you buy the right kit and get the right |
| Step 1 – Prepare the baby’s hand or foot by | | | | instructions it's much easier that you would have |
| rubbing a generous amount of baby moisturiser on | | | | ever imagined. |
| it. This will help to ease it out of the mould when | | | | 3D casts of your baby’s hand or foot (or both) |
| it’s been created. | | | | make excellent keepsakes and will ensure that you |
| Step 2 – Mix the alginate with the water | | | | can never forget how small they once were. |
| (according to instructions). Mix vigorously to break | | | | Invaluable! |