Darice EZ08-529 Precious Impressions Memory Hands Keepsake Kit

I bought this for a fun project to do with my son and a keepsake that will be forever treasured by me. I was a little nervous buying it at first because I was worried about my 4-year old son staying still and having it not turn out okay. Well, he did great and it turned out great!I set the stage by covering the coffee table and putting his favorite show on so he could watch it while waiting. We then practiced a few times putting our hands in the bucket before mixing the materials.It was suggested to have a third person to help pour it and his grandma was over and she was helpful but I could have done it myself if necessary. The only part that he didn't like (and which is totally understandable) was when the mixture started to become firm around our hands. He needed some verbal cues to stay still while I gently held his forearm in place. Overall, he did awesome & I was impressed with how he did.So fast forward a day (almost to the minute as it turned out)...and we did the grand unveiling. I was definitely impressed! I mean, it got everything down to the creases on my knuckles! The only flaw in the final product was that the very tips of his index and ring finger didn't completely form but I think that was because of him moving a little as it became firm and not as much to the product malfunctioning. It also could have been from an air pocket that we didn't get out. Most importantly, the thumbs and pinky's came out perfectly. Now, it does suggest to set some mix to the side to fill in air bubbles and I would strongly suggest following that recommendation. I mixed some up afterwards and used a paint brush to go over a few spots and then wiped off the excess with a paper towel and it helped make it look a little nicer.I have to say that I was impressed with how it turned out and plan to make a wooden base from some of the wood we have so it has something to sit on. I also am glad I did it when he was a little older (4yrs) so that I felt like he was an actual willing participant. I also love it as a visual sign of father-son bond as he'll keep growing on me and, in the blink of an eye, will be old enough that he won't be holding Dad's hand anymore.The only (barely) negative thing about this (and I say it mostly in jest) was that the instructions referred only to the mom and child as participants in the activity. Now, I'm sure the majority of consumers are moms but should they really limit their target audience to just one population? It's a great gift/project for anyone with a kid or even for siblings to do together. I might even have him do it again but this time with his 7yr old sister.

My love and I have never made anything like this before. The directions were so simple and verbatim, honestly I don't know how some people messed up on it. If you follow the instructions, you will get a amazing sculpture. After following every step make sure you wet your hands before stick them in the position you want to mold. Hold hands in cast for 2 mins and it will feel weird and feel like cement getting hard. Allow one person to wiggle slowly out of mold then the next person. My husband and I were able to do this, just beware do not touch the sides or the bottom (we both have huge hands and this was a tight fit, but it worked). I would recommend and order again. It is imperative that you follow the directions to active a great result. This was super fun. Loved it. Going to order another one soon only because we forgot to wear our rings while doing this, and another one so my 3 girls can have a molding together. *have to wait 24hrs for it to set, turn bucket upside down and carefully peel away. The fingernails are very fragile. After a week you can stain it and paint it*

I have used this product several times over the years. I love a craft that can really become a timeless keepsake. I made this one of my youngest son's hand with one of the toy cars that defined my 3 sons' childhoods. Done 13 years ago, it becomes more of a treasure as time goes by. The price I found on Amazon makes it a more reasonably priced craft, too, and less of a disaster if things don't turn out perfectly (see below!)One tip: Carefully measure your water amounts out prior to starting and have them at the ready. My last time doing this was one cast of my three grandchildren's hands. I was in such a hurry to get this made before the youngest was taken home that I mis-measured and mixed entirely too much water in the 'plaster' part! While heartsick, I just left it all to sit for at least 24 hours and was surprised when I removed the mold that the figure actually still turned out REASONABLY well, even if it was a little soft for a time. The worst area was where the 3 year old moved his fingers enough to allow the too-watery mix to swirl and a couple of his fingers were ill-defined.I made the still-white figure of my then-three-year-old niece (now a senior in high school.) I divided the kit up into smaller portions and made hers in a large disposable cup. Little hands do not need the full-sized bucket and the materials can be used to make another later. Just be aware that touching the sides of the container 'can' leave little flat areas on the plaster fingers. I simply said to her, "Try not to touch the sides of the cup if you can," and she did a wonderful job cooperating. Her little hand really needs to be sanded to a different angle on the bottom. Because it is unbalanced, it has tipped over and I have had to glue a couple fingers back on.Along with the little car (that I removed from the bottom of the mold before replacing the mold into the bucket and pouring the plaster) I've had the kids hold things that will remain with the piece. The three grandchildren were each holding a seashell since we had been staying at the beach at the time. Tell children to "let go" of the object when they remove their hands from the mold. Keep in mind that objects must be near the bottom of the bucket so they can be removed without tearing up the mold too much. Small imperfections can be removed from the finished figure and any small pinholes filled (save out a very small portion of the plaster to use for this. The mold medium is easy to remove from object, such as the toy car and your rings, just in case you've wondered. Enjoy!