Making actual flower resin jewellery is a whole lot of enjoyable (see previous tutorials within the hyperlinks beneath). However the flowers and leaves need to be on the small facet. What about bigger specimens? Use them for actual flower and leaf resin coasters!
I’ve coated the principle steps earlier than. It is very important dry botanical supplies in any other case these will rot contained in the resin. Utilizing a microwave press not solely shortens the drying time to actually seconds but additionally helps protect the colours earlier than embedding in resin. Drying and urgent the normal method means the floral colours might fade over a number of days or even weeks. I exploit the ceramic microwave flower press from the Canadian Lee Valley firm. This one can be dear so that you would possibly wish to verify different makes like this one. You do need to experiment with how lengthy to microwave the floral supplies. There’s a tendency for some flower colours to darken through the course of. 
I additionally beforehand demonstrated how utilizing a laminator helps to rapidly seal the dried flowers and leaves from the air and can defend them from the resin. Some flower colours go translucent if you put them into the resin. The laminator mannequin I exploit is the Apache. Both the three miL or 5 miL sheets work. I do reduce strips as I don’t want the whole web page width more often than not. 
As you possibly can see, laminating floral designs might be carried out effectively forward of time. The flowers and leaves have been preserved and might be left like that till you might be able to make the resin coasters.
I exploit Little Window’s Sensible Resin , the most effective jewellery grade resin I’ve ever come throughout. It is a low bubble producer, has a protracted shelf life and isn’t poisonous. Notice that every one resins, irrespective of how good, will yellow with time. So all the time retailer the bottles and cured resin items away from excessive warmth and lightweight.
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The resin combine was divided into three parts, every rather less than 40 mL. I did a “moist” run with water prior to find out simply how a lot resin I wanted to simply cowl the underside of every mildew.
The primary layer is the bottom.
After checking for bubbles, I coated the molds up and left them to treatment in a single day.
I used some coloured paper to make a template to suit the molds.
I then positioned the paper template beneath one of many laminated designs and marked the chopping traces utilizing a black marker pen.
As soon as the proper form has been reduce, take away the black marker pen marks with some isopropanol or rubbing alcohol from the pharmacy.
I then determined which lamination seemed finest with the three totally different backgrounds I had. Then I combined a contemporary 120 mL batch of resin and divided it into three parts as earlier than. I poured every portion right into a mildew.
Take this step actual gradual. Ease the laminated design sideways into the clear resin. Don’t transfer too rapidly or you’ll have a resin tsunami on the opposite facet!
Working slowly means no main air bubbles will likely be trapped beneath the lamination. Pop any stray bubbles – significantly on the edges.
Cowl and treatment in a single day. It helps to come back again and verify the coasters a few instances early within the curing course of as late bubbles would possibly emerge.
As soon as cured, the coasters peel simply away from the molds. Sand the tough edges utilizing 400 grit wet-dry sandpaper underneath some water to comprise the mud. There seems to be a slight lip to the sides so you might want to use a coarser sandpaper to rapidly take away these larger components earlier than switching to finer sandpaper.
I missed some bubbles right here :
I believed that the white background was nice for the pressed flowers and leaves. The pearlized one was particularly fairly. Blue labored for the predominant leafy coaster. I in all probability wouldn’t use this shade for flowers as it could detract from their loveliness. A transparent background can even work particularly on picket tables.
Have enjoyable with this mission. The autumn leaves are nonetheless to come back! The maple leaf you see within the left coaster beneath was collected final autumn.
Earlier than You Go:
Disclosure
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