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Ice Ice (Resin), Baby!

 

Ok, only a few of you will actually get the Vanilla Ice reference in the title- but I couldn’t resist! Today I’m talking about Ice Resin, a 2-part epoxy resin that is jewelry grade. The beautiful people at Objects and Elements told me it will never yellow, and the best part is that it’s labeled non-toxic!

I received a sample at CHA Winter 2010, and I really couldn’t wait to get it back home to try out. It’s one of the first goodies I played with, and folks… I’m lovin’ it!

I have some limited experience with traditional 2-part resins, and I found them fussy and stinky. I’m pleased to report that Ice Resin was not really odiferous- a mild aroma, at worst. I measured out equal parts of resin and hardener, and commenced to folding it together with the included craft stick.

I started off by doing a traditional pour, using molds. I got a few bubbles, which I am OK with…but I know if they were out of hand I could use a flame to clear them right up!

I had some quite a bit of resin left, so I tried the painting technique using some butterfly wings I’d saved from a nature walk this summer. Using my non-stick craft sheet to protect my surface, (like the kind bakers use), I carefully dabbed Ice Resin onto the wing with a paint brush. When I was satisfied that it was covered, I gently turned it over with a bamboo skewer and dabbed the other side. Interestingly, the wing went completely transparent!

Application: brushing resin onto surfaces

I also brushed some resin onto paper, and on top of some polymer clay pieces. Take it from me, if you are brushing Ice Resin onto the surface of an object, less is more to start with! I had a bit of an issue with the resin running down the sides of my pieces and puddling on the sheet. I figured I’d have to “wait-and-see” just how this would turn out!

Well, I came back to my resin pieces the next morning, and did my de-molding. They popped out like a charm, and the pieces on the craft sheet peeled up, to problem. I did have some little puddles and drips to contend with, but I found I could cut this resin with my regular ol’ scissors, no sweat! Then I used a bit of sandpaper to carefully sand down my rough edges. Wow! That was easy!

Lastly, I took my biggest risk and tried using a 1/8 hole punch to make a hole in the butterfly wing. It worked! I got a nice, clean hole, ready for an eyelet! Amazing!

In sum, I’d have to say that I’m a convert. I love my UV-curing resins for top coats, but Ice Resin proved to be much less finicky overall. It had a nice working time of about 30 minutes in my studio, and the fact that it was easy to finish makes it hands-down my choice for molds!

If you’d like to see what other folks are doing with Ice Resin, visit the Blog Hop that’s going on this week! Here are some other folks you’ll want to check out:

And then also the Objects and Elements Design Team and Susan Lenart Kazmer

Rings and Pendants made with Ice ResinHappy Hopping!

If you’d like to purchase ICE resin products, please support CTD by using our affiliate links:

About Jenny

Chief Craft Test Dummy, Craft Evangelist, Founder, Editor, bottle-washer, trouble-maker, and creative whirlwind.

Comments

  2. just popped over from FB (saw your status) very interesting article on start to finish with the Ice Resin. i really enjoy using the stuff as well! i’m in the blog hop too, so stop by and see how i used the ice resin in my project.

    kecia

  3. love the great review – uh the butterfly wings are stroke of genius my friend! Thanks for sharing your creativity. I too loved that the resin could be cut with scissors. Sweet.

  5. Great review. I want to try some of this. I also enjoyed the blog hop. I’m blown away by the creativity of these people!

  6. i love what you did with it! the butterfly wings are gorgeous… i had plans for something natural and fragile but i think someone in my family thought it was a bag of trash – agh! and the candy hearts are too cute!

  7. I’ve been considering trying this with butterfly wings, but was afraid that I’d lose all the iridescence. You said they went transparent — did they dull? Guess I should just try it!

  9. Love the way you painted ICE Resin onto the butterfly wings and then punched a hole. You’re right, an eyelet here would be perfect. The cool thing is that you can wear your real wings now and they will never fall apart.

    As for the bubbles, this just means you are really good at following directions! 🙂 ICE Resin must be thoroughly mixed, but you can froth it a bit when mixing. If it has a lot of bubbles after a mix, set it aside under a warm task light and leave it for 5 minutes before you pour. This lets the self-healing properties of ICE to dissipate the bubbles. You have a 1-hour pot life so waiting a few minutes is just fine.

    Anyway, I LOVE that you are a now a “Convert”. Have to say, Jenny, you are our favorite convert from CHA!

    — Jen

  14. They did lose a little iridescence– but the colors got bright and vivid, not dull at all. I’m pretty happy with them….!

  15. I’d LOVE to take a class with Susan- she is such a hoot! I might just have to go out and get her DVD with some of my mad money…..

  17. I admit that I got the Vanilla Ice thing too…lol Anyway, I had never seen Ice Resin before, now I am dying to try it! It’s never enough, is it? they keep coming up with more and more fun products. I would LOVE to make some jewelry using the Ice Resin with pigments and make a lot of fun stuff. Thank you!. It’s going on my wish list.

  19. Every time I walk down the aisle that has the resin, I bite my lip and wisk by quickly! LOL! I want to try it but I know it will be another crafting addiction. Your butterfly idea is so ingenious! We have a monarch butterfly refuge near where I live. They stop there to rest during their migration. I’m almost guaranteed to
    find some wings there. I may now have to slow down in the resin section next time at the craft store and pick up a bottle of this product to play with now ^_?? Trying it on polymer clay sounds fun too!! Great ideas.

  20. I’ve been looking for something to use to coat shrink plastic. I use sharpie pen, so concerned it might make the pen run… the first problem with spray finishes, even doing a light spray if it spits, the piece is ruined. Sprays… might work for someone with a covered patio and lots of time… I have neither. Most water based coatings, I see too many complaints, they don’t wear well, they yellow, they separate in water… and sometimes make inks run. I’ve been using nail gel, but… takes time to brush on two coats and somethings separates at the edges.

    so… resin? the smell and messiness kept me from trying it
    thank you for your review!

    do you know, does it make sharpie pen run? I usually let the pieces set a few days to let the more volatile chemicals evaporate…

  21. I wrote on a piece of watercolor paper and then brushed resin over the top- no running! Hope this helps!

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Jenny Barnett Rohrs is Head Dummy and Pied Piper behind CTD, which focuses on reviews, tutorials, and craft industry news. Jenny has appeared on HSN, Scrapbook Soup PBS series, and is currently the co-host of Hands On Crafts for Kids on PBS.

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