By: April Greenlaw
Welcome back to another exciting and unique craft blog! In this week's epoxy craft blog we are going to be talking about how to make epoxy buttons. This is such a great craft to do, there are so many different silicone molds for this project! We will tell you what you need, how to make the buttons, and helpful tips. Let's get started!!
Let's start with what you will be needing. You will need gloves, a stir stick, mixing cup(s), whatever unique silicone mold you would like. You can find a lot of silicone epoxy molds at your local craft store or online! There are tons of unique ones online!! You will be needing either Ekopel 2K or another great epoxy. Make sure when buying epoxy that you look and read up on the epoxy carefully. Not all epoxies are the same, some are very toxic and have safety precautions that need to be followed, to keep you safe. With Ekopel 2K you don't need to worry that it's non toxic, odorless, eco friendly and pet safe!! But with Ekopel 2K you must follow the mixing directions to a T. We recommend you get a plastic covering or paper covering for easy clean up afterwards. If you desire to add color to your button you can get acrylic paint to tint. With Ekopel 2K at best all you can get is pastel colors. Some people like to add all sorts of cool unique things into the epoxy like glitter or gold flakes. The possibilities are endless with additives for this project, so make it fun!!
Next you will want to get all your supplies setup. Start by finding a level table for this project. Laying out your plastic or paper covering. Layout all the silicone molds you have chosen. Then lay out all the other things you will be needing like epoxy, additives, tools, etc. Make a line with materials like gloves, stir stick, timer, epoxy. This way you can have an easy flow. Put the gloves on, use the stir stick, set a timer, and stir the epoxy. This will make the process go smoothly and allow less room for errors. This should also make your clean up a little easier on yourself!
Once everything is set up and mixed you can start by slowly pouring your epoxy into the mold. This is where you can really get creative and do whatever your heart desires! If you're adding additives to the epoxy a helpful tip could be to use a toothpick to move your additive where you want it. Have fun and make it unique! After this make sure to use your heat gun or hair dryer to pop those tiny bubbles. Even if you don't see the bubbles they could still be there. These types of bubbles are called micro bubbles and will be a problem further down the road if not popped now. Leave to dry and harden for that 24 - 36 hours and then enjoy!!