Crafty Inspiration:: Silicone Moulds

Hello hello.

One of the most interesting parts of my regular role as a 'Masterclass' writer at Papercraft Inspirations magazine is being challenged to experiment with all kinds of creative techniques and products which I might otherwise have never thought to play with and to then create two cards[Beginner and Advanced] with them.

Techniques and products like: iris folding, tea-bag folding, gilding flakes, embossing powders ... and silicone moulds ... which I used to create this glittering and marbled rose cabochon embellishment: 

Now don't tell anyone will you? But prior to learning about the moulds for the Masterclass in the current issue [No. 127] ...

p.s: that's also my '10 Ways with Paperclips' feature up there ^ too.

... I'd never actually used a silicone mould. But I had used plenty of pre-made cabochon embellishments that most likely began life in a very similar way! I just never knew it was that straightforward to make your own!

 

Once I had my hands on the necessary equipment [all Wow products] I needed to experiment before deciding on the best methods and tips to share with the magazine readers ... which meant I had some prototypes left over.

 

And you know me and my Push-Up Bra Approach to Blogging ... I like to make the most of what I've already got ... so I thought I'd share those examples with you here.  This is a card I made using the 'Medium Rose' silicone mould with a combination of pastel opaque powders with the clear Melt-It powder ... plus some glitter I threw in for fun!



 This card was not for the magazine feature, but you can see one that was here on the Papercraft Inspirations site.

The rose is pretty isn't it? And I think that this particular mould can be used as a pendant or at least with twine, as there's a little hole in the top to thread something through. 

If you're wondering how to make them then [other than reading my Masterclass for all my top tips!] the basic idea is to heat up some 'Melt-It' powder using a heat gun - adding in your chosen colour/s and extras [such as glitter if you chose] - then, once it's molten you tip it into the mould. And that's it; leave it to cool for a few minutes, pop it out, use it. Job done!

And here are a few more examples of my leftover experiments ...

These simply-coloured ones use the 'Foliage Button' mould:

And I love the black and white marbled effect on these:

But these are my favourites ...

Those leaves are just so nice and ... perhaps best of all ... I like the way the turquoise-blue marbled effect reminds me of the Shield soap we used to use when I was a little girl!



What do you think? Which effect do you prefer? The marbling? The clear? The mix of everything with some glitter thrown in for good luck?

And if you've tried making your own embellishments using silicone moulds [or if you try it after reading my article!] then don't hesitate to get in touch and share your thoughts and projects.

Thanks for reading here today.

Julie :-)

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To learn more about silicone moulds ...

• My Masterclass  [which includes step-by-steps - can be found inside Issue 127 of Papercraft Inspirations [print copy available in supermarkets/highstreet stockists online, also for the iPod via the Apple App Store & Google Newsstand]
• Or otherwise try searching for online tutorials
• And all the product details can be found via the Wow website.

Disclosure: This was not a sponsored post. I have not received payment to link to any of the products or companies mentioned. Wow provided the products for use in the magazine feature and I returned them to the magazine afterwards. I kept my test pieces but nothing else.

There ... now I can sleep at night ...