Hobbies And Interests
Things You'll Need
Instructions
Spread a piece of wax paper on a tabletop. Roll a large handful of modeling clay into a ball. Then slice it in half with a wire or knife, and lay the two halves on the wax paper.
Rub a light coating of petroleum jelly over your seashell. Press the seashell straight down into one of the clay halves. Press firmly, but do not push the shell through the clay.
Set the other half of the clay on top of the embedded shell. Gently push the clay down onto the shell -- completely encasing it in the clay.
Pull apart the two sections of clay -- carefully, without twisting them. Remove the shell from the clay by lifting it straight up. Try not to drag it across the clay or blur the edges of the impression. Rub another thin layer of petroleum jelly on the impression left by the seashell in the two halves of clay.
Press the two clay halves together so that the seashell imprints are matched against each other. Use a rubber band to seal the clay mold tightly together.
Make a small hole in the top of the clay mold with a nail or other sharp object. Insert a funnel into the hole.
Mix Plaster of Paris according to package directions, and pour into the funnel to fill your mold. Pour slowly until the plaster has filled the seashell impression. Gently tap on the mold to remove air bubbles, and then remove the funnel.
Leave the filled mold upright to dry for at least 24 hours.
Remove the rubber band, and carefully separate the clay halves. Gently remove the clay mold from the plaster model of the seashell.
Let the "fossil" sit and dry for at least 12 more hours.