Time for a plaster craft. This is one of my favorite DIY mediums to work in. I can’t help it, my grandma got me hooked on plaster crafting when I was a little girl. Every Easter I remember those fun times I had visiting grandma’s house with her plaster studio out back, full of molds and all kinds of fun things to paint.
My grandma would remind my dad to load up a box of things for me to take home and paint. I would have so many projects to paint. Even as a little girl I was passing my finished art project out to the neighbors. I used a lot of nature in my crafting as a child because I was always out in it. Wish more kids now days would be out there, so much better then seeing it on a cell phone. I loved painting my molds from grandma and sharing them friends and neighbors. Years later when I was an adult I visited one of those neighbors and up above her kitchen wall she still had my childhood plaster of Jesus that I had painted for her one Easter. So sweet, it made me smile. I mean, everyone knows how clumsy little kids art work is and yet this neighbor still kept one of mine.
Anyway, back to this fun little project. You will need a mold. There are cross molds on line to purchase but I didn’t want to wait around for orders so I headed to the dollar store in our neighborhood (we live in walking distance to hospitals, restaurants, all kinds of city buildings) and searched around for something I could use as a mold.
Guess what I found…yep, you guessed it, CHOCOLATE. Yum. I love my chocolate. Funny thing about that is, is that I used to not like chocolate until I was pregnant with my first child, a girl. I also never liked meat, but my baby did. I still am not a meat eater really but my daughter was obsessed with chocolate and meat. I tell her I knew that even before she was born. So I found this chocolate mold, ate the chocolate and kept the plastic container it came in.
I only bought one, which I should have at least bought three but then I probably would have eaten that chocolate as well. The more molds, the more items you can make.
Just mix up your plaster (can be purchased at most craft stores)
Add some twine to hang from.
Make sure you allow your molds to dry overnight or at least a few hours if you live in a hot and dry climate.
Once dry, you can start painting and decorating them.
I glued some tiny faux flowers to one of my crosses.
Hang your crosses on plant picks to give out as gifts for Easter.
Hope you all are having tons of fun decorating your homes for Easter and you get a chance to make some plaster crafts yourself and of course eat lots of chocolate too.
My nailed it moment- I was in a bit of a hurry when I mixed up this quick craft project to post for all of you. I had a door I was working on out in the garden and figured while it dried I could do a little DIY plaster craft. I ended up adding too much water in some of my molds and also stirred a little too fast which caused bubbles. I didn’t take the time to gently shake the bubbles out. You can see in some of the photos holes in my molds, this is not good.
It doesn’t bother me because I think the holes add a certain texture to my mistakes. I just paint over them and call it done. When ever I am pouring molds I always have extra molds out in case I have extra plaster to pour. In this case they were little cottages I plan on doing a post on in the future.
And you guessed it, there are tiny holes in some of those too…oh well. The lesson here, is to never rush. And don’t add a lot of water and be gentle when stirring.
i enjoyed all your pictures and the crosses are beautiful. 🙂
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Thank you. Hope all is well with you and you are having a wonderful Spring.
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thank you so very much! bless you! 🙂
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Bless you too.
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🙂 thank you! 🙂
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Oh my, I can only imagine how blessed you felt when you saw your childhood Easter gift displayed at your neighbors. That made me smile too. These are beautiful. Your pictures are perfect. It gives me the feeling I could do it 🙂 I always mean to tell you that but forget 🙂 It’s also miraculous how your grandma knew what would feed your happy side. All those projects. Another great post 🙂
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Thank you Margaret, you always have such kind words. Oh and that makes me happy to read that you love the photos too. I try to make it seem like anyone visiting is making the craft along with me. Think it is funnier that way.
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The crosses are lovely and so was reading about your memories and your early start to arts and crafts and incorporating nature.
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Awww…thank you. This was one of my favorite projects to share with all of you.
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So neat! I might do that for my sunday school class, thanks!
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Thank you, I hope the kids have a bunch of fun and I know they will be so pretty. Kids always makes things extra pretty with their creative ways.
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Very true 😊 thank you
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great idea! the molds came out so nicely. i agree, the bubbles give them character and look just as lovely as those without bubbles. 🌹
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Thanks, I agree, imperfections make everything unique and extra special.
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neat, I’ve never done plaster I’m a wood girl, even using paper for crafts is odd for me.
the imperfections are fine, carrying on something you did and have memories about is what matters
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Thank you, Wish I could do more with wood. I always end up with splinters. I love wood though and occasionally I will come across some wood projects to work on and I don’t even care if I get splinters, wood is so beautiful.
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VERY NICE!!!!!!!
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Thank you Kathy.
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It is so fun to get free craft supplies like the chocolate cross packaging!!!! Your crosses are cool😊
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Thanks. There are so many things that can be used for art. As you know, especially with your designs, anything can be turned into something unique and pretty.
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