The Perfect Handmade Gift for the Geek in Your Life Remember that iconic 70s and 80s arcade game, Space Invaders? For those of us old enough to remember, this project is a fun throwback to your teenage years. This resin Space Invaders coaster would make a great gift for the geeky person on your gift list. This project is a variation of the Tetris coaster tutorial at Resin Obsession .  Supply list  Epoxy Casting resin Bright green pigment   Black pigment   Silicone trivet with square holes   Square silicone coaster mould  - mine measures  9.7cm (3 7/8")  Packing tape  BBQ torch   or gas lighter   S cissors or utility knife Plastic measuring cups Wooden stir sticks  Toothpick Gloves Work out the volume of your mould by filling it with rice and tipping it into a measuring cup. Mix enough resin to two thirds fill the mould. Mix it well and then divide it between two cups. Colour one green and the other black. Pour the black resin i......

Since decorating my studio in black and white earlier this year, I've been on the lookout for a white crocheted doiley to turn into a resin coaster. In keeping with my theme, I wanted to embed the doiley in clear resin and then fill the back of the mould with black resin. But when I stumbled across a black doiley, I got so excited - this would add such an unexpected twist to the project! Sadly, that black doiley was just a little bit too big for my coaster mould. I was disappointed to abandon the idea of a black-on-white coaster and continued my search for a smaller white doiley. But last week, I came across a black die-cut pvc coaster and the idea was reborn! So instead of using a white doiley on black resin, I'm using a black doiley on white resin.... cool! Here's how this project took shape. This is what I used ( to shop for any of these products, just click on the item ): EasyCast epoxy resin Castin'Craft White Pigment Square silicone coaster mould or plastic moul......

Yesterday, I had a bad resin day! Sometimes, things don't go quite as planned: I had bad pours, spilled resin, bubbling issues, cross contamination, you name it, I seemed to be clumsy enough to do it. It was just one of those days! But that's not what this post is about. Those mess ups give me the opportunity to show you some of the things that can go wrong when working with quick curing polyurethane resin so that you can avoid them. Now, let's take a look at a couple of the things that didn't go according to plan. If you're working with epoxy resin, you might find this video useful: " Dealing with Bubbles in Resin ". Contaminants in Resin The first bangle has a little bit of bubbling in the resin (not unusual for polyurethane resin) but the biggest problem is what I'd describe as warts on the surface. The culprit here is contaminated resin dye . A crack in the lid of the colourant I used has allowed moisture to contaminate the dye. Mix with resin an......