Thursday, September 19, 2013

Fall-ow me into Autumn Day 4 Molding a Grape Globe Pendant

Hello again! Today I'm showing you how to make a gorgeous globe pendant out of a simple grape and some dried berries picked on a nature trail!



To make the mold I'm using EasyMold Silicone Rubber. It is a pourable liquid molding material that conforms to odd shaped items... like round ones!




You'll need a disposable cup that is tall enough to hold the object you're molding, some rice, and a grape.
The grape I'm using is a Scuppernong muscadine grape that was grown by my granddad. This variety is larger and more round than the typical seedless grapes. The one I choose is not ripe yet, it is still very firm so I can get it back out of the mold without popping it!
The mold will take on the finish of the grape and any surface imperfections so be sure to pick a nice smooth one.


Put the grape in the cup and cover it with rice...


Measure how much rice it took to cover the grape, this is how much EasyMold you need mix up.


Use a bit of polymer clay to stick the grape to the bottom of the cup...


The area where the clay touches the cup will be the mold's top opening.


Mix your EasyMold and fill the cup covering the grape.
Let it sit to cure for 24 hours before removing the grape.
Give it an additional 24 hours before using with resin.


The bottom of my mold came out a bit lumpy so I'm settling it in some sand to keep it level.


I'm using a cluster of dried purple berries to put in my resin...


Mix up a batch of EasyCast Resin and fill the mold about halfway...


Stuff in the berries trying not to crush them...


Finish filling the mold with resin...


Let this sit for 24-72 hours until hardened.


I didn't fill my mold quite enough so I've settled the globe in sand, domed the top, and let it set for additional time to harden.


To turn the globe into a pendant I'm using an eye pin, a bead cap, some pliers and some E-6000.


Grab the eye of the eye pin and make a small coil...


Bend the wire at a 90 degree angle...


Slide the hole in the bead cap over the wire, your coil should be flush with the bead cap...


Now clip off a bit of the wire and make another coil, this will be the loop you hang on the necklace.


Apply some E-6000 to the globe...


Firmly press the prepared bead cap on and let set for 24 hours to get maximum adhesion.

 
 
Attach it to a necklace chain and now you have a festive fall globe that began as a grape!
 

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