Homemade Sidewalk Chalk

Need another idea for your silicone molds?  How about some homemade sidewalk chalk?

First get all of your supplies collected. 

1. Molds of your choice
2. Plaster of Paris
3. Powdered tempra paint in color of choice
4. Bowl for mixing the chalk
5. Water
6. Spoon
7. Knife 

Mix together 1 cup of plaster of paris with 3/4 cup of water.  Add colored tempra paint to get desired color.  Blend well and let stand for a  few minutes.  Line up your molds so you are ready to pour.

Pour mixture into the molds.  Just a little hint here - DO NOT lift the mold and drop to get out air bubbles like you do with chocolate.  This could result in a huge mess and sidewalk chalk mixture all over your laptop.  Of course - I'm just guessing that could happen?

Allow the chalk to set and then remove from the mold.  I was able to remove them from the molds after 45 minutes.  Then set the chalk pieces aside to dry thoroughly - this takes approximately 24 hours.

Now, I'm all ready for warm weather to get here so I can go out and play!  In the meantime, Jax and Mari ran outside for a quick test.  Future note -- add a little extra color -- the pink was a tad light.  

Mari was cold and wasn't staying outside any longer!

Molds used:

Gecko Mold

StarFish Small

StarFish Medium

Lace it up!

A special thanks to Sherrie Ortiz for the latest blog posting.  Get some great ideas on using some of the favorite lace molds.

Posted by: Sherrie Ortiz.

Owner Sherrie's Cake Magic.com

 This is the mold I picked to work into a draped lace border.  DTC Lace 2 Border-wide floral. I've really become a fan of Glenda's mold. They are so soft and easy to handle. I have some that I have made myself, they just don't compare to hers.

 Close up of this lace.

This is a nice size mold. It is long enough to cover a good distance without being difficult to manage.

You can see here where I added a small roll of fondant under the lace. I felt like it needed a bit of something to hold the lace away from the cake so I could get a batter draped look.

 

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Roll out the fondant fairly thin. I used a Kitchen aid roller down to a 2. You want it thin enough to look like fabric. If it is thick it just won't look nice.  Lay the fondant into the mold, lay the top part of the mold on top of that.....  and trim the edges. Remove the top part and gently roll the edges with your finger towards the inside to clean the edges. Remove from mold.

Looks like this.

Flip over and paint with water. Remember less is more.

 Attach the lace with water pinching the top edge to get the folds. This is not hard. Just go for it. If you really mess it up take it off and do again. The biggest hint I can give is not to use too much water. It should only be tacky.... not wet.

For the next section place upside down on the table... wet a bit then fold in the right side just a 1/4 inch. This will remove the "raw" edge. When you pick it up that fold will be on the left. Attach it to the last section with water and drap them to look seamless.

Next the bottom edge needs a bit of help keeping it "fluffed" I used the paint brush and water under the edge to make it stick to the borad where I wanted it to stick.

TA DA!! Here is the finished cake. In hind sight I could have used this same lace mold for the swags on the 3^rd tier down. It would have matched nicely. I used a texture pin. I could have also made a big bow out of this mold. The Lace on the second tier up is also from DTC... lace #1 Floral V spray. I really like that one too.   Yes the flowers are sugar. I made those.

I hope you enjoyed my blog.

You can see more of my work at www.sherriescakemagic.com

Products Used:
Lace Border - Wide Floral
Lace Floral V Spray

Isomalt Butterfly

The supplies:

- Silicone butterfly wing molds

- Isomalt stick from CakePlay

- Hot pot for melting isomalt from CakePlay

- Silicone cupcake liner - I use it to melt the isomalt but you can used whatever you normally use

- Toothpick - not shown

- Silpat - not shown

First I broke up the isomalt stick and placed it in the silicone cup. Microwave in 15-20 second increments until all melted. 

 Carefully pinch the silicone cup - be gentle and cautious so that you do not spill the hot isomalt on your fingers.  Pour a steady stream into the mold.

I found it necessary to gently coax the isomalt into the point of the mold.

Set mold aside for a bit to cool and firm up.

Once set and barely warm to the touch begin to gently pull the silicone away from the isomalt.

Gently dip the edges of the wings into the hot pot getting a little isomalt on each side of the butterfly wings.

Press the wings together over a non-stick surface - I used a silpat.  As you press them together the isomalt you gathered from the hot put will bunch between the wings creating a body for the butterfly.  

When you pulled wings away from the hot pot strings of isomalt will be drawn way from the pot.  I used bits of this to push into the still warm body and create the antennae.  Prop the wings up so they will be positioned how you want.

 A finished butterfly!

Products Used:
Butterfly - Monarch Wings Mold
Other Butterfly Molds:
Butterfly - Regular Wings Mold
Butterfly - Slim Wings Mold
Butterfly - Stained Glass Mold

Cake Play