337th times a charm...

This project was--seriously-- a year in the making. I don't know if you've ever tried to get a 14 month old to hold their hand per-fect-ly still and dip it into some wet, gooey stuff, but I'm here to tell ya', it ain't easy. Nor is it all that much easier to get a 20 month old to do it. Or a 23 month old. But 25 months-- ah, yes. Success.



But I didn't want just the impressions of his wee little hand. Oh, no. That would never do-- a cast it had to be. We tried several methods-- I won't bore you with our failures, but will move straight on to our success. Fine, fine sand-- I bought this stuff in the florist section of our local craft store-- made just damp. Make a layer a few inches deep in a large, flat pan. Press the hand ever so gently-- but firmly-- into the sand, and c-a-r-e-f-u-l-l-y remove. I then used my own fingers to deepen the impression all around so that it would be deep enough to accept the plaster. Pour in a very, very watery mixture of Plaster of Paris and let dry overnight. I found it's best to use a spatula to remove the hands, and then gently rinse them under running water. Watch those little fingers-- they snap so easily! Make extras. Lots and lots and lots of extras. We mounted ours in a shadow box using the two-sided hook-and-loop included with the kit, and mailed in an ever-so-well-cushioned mailer off to Grandpa in Florida. Hope he didn't notice that last year's promised present was, oh, about 364 days late...