I'm busy at it...I need a cabochon for my next bead embroidery project so I'm making several others at the same time to have on hand and stock in my Etsy shop for others who might like to have some of these little "jewels" to add to their creations. Working with resin is somewhat messy so making more than one at a time saves a lot of assembly and cleanup time. It's also somewhat of a time-consuming project...I work in steps pouring just a bit of resin in each mold and then letting it set up until it's somewhat firm. Next I add some inclusions (pearls, mica, paper, ribbon, etc.) on top of the resin. I then mix a second batch of resin and pour over the inclusions so they are just covered. When the resin becomes firm, I add more inclusions and wait until the resin sets up again before mixing and pouring a third batch of resin on top of the inclusions, often adding a light sprinkling of extremely fine glitter or a dash of pearlescent powder. When that sets, I mix a fourth batch of resin and pour enough in each mold to create a level backing for the cabochon. Once the cabochon is cured, which usually takes 24 to 36 hours depending on heat and humidity conditions in the studio, I remove each cabochon from its mold and sand and file off any rough or sharp edges along the base of the cabochon. It's fun to do, but a lot of steps are involved and although the process is fun, the novelty of making these does wear off after a batch or two...especially when I have to be careful that mischievous cats stay off my workspace!
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