3D Life Casting Kits
Answers:
What
is a belly cast and what do I do with it when finished?
A belly cast is a
three-dimensional plaster sculpture of a woman's pregnant belly
for the purpose of having a keepsake of the pregnancy. Making a
pregnancy belly cast is a fun and easy project using our kit. It
takes only about 30 minutes from start to finish. All you need
to provide is a pair of scissors and a basin of water. The
casting material used in making a pregnancy belly cast is fast
setting premium quality plaster of paris bandage material and it
sets in as quick as 2-4 minutes. The bandages are placed
on mom's torso in overlapping layers. The result is a shell mold
of the shape of mom's belly. Some ideas for decorating
include applying sequins, feathers, dried flowers, photographs
or small, pretty, cut stones or glass. You also can wait to
decorate it until after your baby is born and apply paint to
your baby's hands and feet and put the prints on your belly
cast. When your baby is old enough, you could even decorate it
together. You could even have it bronzed. Your imagination is
truly the limit. Then
use as a bowl, hang in on a wall as art, incorporate it into the
baby's nursery decor, display on an easel. See finished belly
cast examples here. There is no mixing of materials required and our directions are easy to follow. All you need to do is to take the rolls of belly casting material, cut them into varying sized strips, (shorter strips for your torso area and longer strips for your belly area). After preparing the belly with a lubricant or other barrier, then you take one strip at a time and dip it very quickly in room temperature water. Place the wet belly casting strip on your skin and repeat in overlapping layers with the remaining strips. You will only need to sit still for about 10 minutes after the strips have been placed on your skin and then your belly cast will be dry enough to pull off. Overall, the casting process takes about 45 minutes from start to finish including prep time and clean up. Once you remove your belly cast, please allow it to dry completely before decorating it. It generally takes about one to two days for a belly cast to dry. You will know it is dry when it no longer feels cool or damp to the touch. [Back to the Top] [Shop Belly Cast Kits]
When do most moms make a belly cast? Most moms make their belly casts anywhere between 34 to 36
weeks of pregnancy but we have had some that have made them as
early as 30 weeks of pregnancy and some as late as full-term. It
really is a matter of personal preference.
How
to include arms and/or hands in the belly cast:
[Back to the Top] [Shop Belly Cast Kits]
[See Video (Note: There is upper body nudity.)] 
Our best advice is not to wait too long (or at least have the
materials on hand and ready to go) because babies have a way of
coming early.
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[Back to the Top] [Shop Belly Cast Kits]
How to get a smooth belly cast:
There are 3 options which can be used either independently, or all together. If you choose them all, do them in the order listed below.
1) This option requires no extra materials. While creating the belly cast, dip your fingers in water after you apply a couple of overlapping layers of the plaster casting strips and rub your fingers over the layers to mix the plaster of paris together among the layers. Work fairly quickly as the plaster strips will begin to dry within a few minutes after you begin applying the plaster strips. After your pregnancy belly cast has completely dried, very lightly sand it with the sanding screen included in our kit (while not disturbing the underlying plaster gauze).
2) Apply a thin layer of plaster casting stone (or other plaster product such as joint compound). Apply it with your fingers and as it starts to dry, smooth it out more with your fingers. Allow it to dry according to the manufacturer's instructions and then lightly sand it using our sanding screen. It is best to apply 2 thin layers of plaster casting stone, allowing each layer to dry and lightly sanding in between each coat. This step also further strengthens the cast. [Plaster casting stone is included with the Basic Belly Cast Kit and the Luna Bean belly casting kit and is available as an add-on to the Complete Belly Casting Kit.]
3) Apply
Gesso acrylic priming paint to your finished cast. This product
has the consistency and appearance of white school glue. It not
only helps to further smooth out the cast, it adds strength and seals the cast as well as
gives it a perfect canvas for further paint decorating if you so
choose. [This product is included in the Luna Bean belly casting kit and is available as an add-on to the other kits.]
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How to support your breasts during the casting:
Since pregnancy belly casting is typically done with the mom unclothed from below the belly up, a common question we get asked is "just how can my breasts have some support while I'm doing the casting?" There are a few different ways to give your breasts some support during the casting:
1. Wear a strapless bra (keeping in mind the seems will most likely show through the cast) and then cover the bra with plastic wrap to protect it. Apply the lubricant over the plastic wrap.
2. Put a
layer of Glad Press 'N' Seal over mom's breasts. Apply
the sticky side next to the skin. In most cases, the
breasts can be somewhat supported with the Press 'N' Seal alone.
[Back to the Top] [Shop Belly Cast Kits]
In order for you belly cast to look right, you will need to create your casting while standing. Start the casting from the top and work your way down. When you get to the bottom of your belly, place a piece of saran wrap over your pubic area to keep the wet casting material from sticking to it. Slather the saran wrap with lubricant prior to placing it over your pubic area. You will need to hold the saran wrap in place while your helper places the first wet strip over the pubic area. Thereafter, the wet casting strips will hold the saran wrap in place.
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Trimming the edges of your belly cast:
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Reinforcing thin areas of your belly cast:
Once your belly cast has dried, take a look at it to see if there are any thin areas that need reinforcement. If you have casting bandages left over, you can reinforce the cast where needed. Simply wet additional casting strips and place them on the inside of your belly cast where reinforcements are needed. DO NOT place the wet strips on the front of your cast.
Apply a layer
of plaster casting stone to the outside of the
cast (if you want it smoother) or to the inside
(if you'd rather keep the original appearance of
the casting).
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Hanging your casting on a wall:
To hang your pregnancy belly cast with ribbon,
punch a hole in each side of the cast at the
top. The easiest way to put holes in a cast is
to use either a phillips head screwdriver or a
power drill bit. Gently turn the screwdriver or
bit back and forth to make a hole. Think of where the strings
for a halter-top would be and place your holes
there. Start with 3 yards of ribbon. Fold in
half and cut. Feed each piece through the front
of your pregnancy belly cast and make a knot.
Bring both pieces up and make a bow. These
halter ties can be as long or short as you like.
[Back to the Top] [Shop Belly Cast Kits]
[Back to the Top] [Shop Belly Cast Kits]
