tonight was a huge failure LOL

[jessica31876]

SO I am sure you guys have seen those kits at walmart to get your babies footprints in a stepping stone right? Yea those things suck. We mixed it according to instructions (well mostly LOL) wait for it to set up enough to get the footprint, grab the baby and it is already set up and it wont take the print. We did three...first two fell apart. Third stayed together but still did not take her print. My daughter did a fourth and we finally decided we are just gonna put paint on her foot and do it that way on the block already set up and then put a sealer on the block. So that was my day today. Mixing plaster of paris and trying to get her footprints in it before it set. And they make it look so flippin easy on the box. Kids can do it?? Well maybe that was hte issue maybe we get some kids to come help us LOL

[Zoe Pearn]

LOL - I've seen those things before and thought they were a good idea... Glad I didn't buy one now!!

[Arual]

My brother has done several with his kids and never a problem Jessica. What a bummer that yours didn't work out, how frustrating.. not to mention how costly! Ugh! My brother also did one where they did the hand of the baby... and then his wife put it on top of a glass cookie jar, it's so cool!

Maybe my brother had a different brand that was easier to work with? Glad I didn't try it!

[rach3975]

How disappointing! Painting seems like a good substitute for the stepping stone.

I did a framed handprint kit with all of my kids, but the kit I used came with something like air drying clay. (It wasn't exactly clay; it was a lightweight white modeling compound.) No mixing required, just shape it and push the baby's hand or foot in. I can't remember what the name of the stuff was, but I remember seeing individual packs of it in Walmart's art section for around $5. (We don't celebrate Christmas, but I always thought they'd make good first-Christmas ornaments.) I did it when they were a few weeks old, then did a couple more over the years as they grew. Or should I say I did a few more for my sons...I think my youngest has only had the newborn print. I think I need to make a trip to Walmart soon.

[kelley]

Ive seen those but never tried it!! That's stinks!

[Amber1279]

some kits work better than others. I have a cement stepping stone from one Mother's day, but the kids were older. I tried a few newborn kits but I found an easier no mixing way. We use Crayola Model Magic
http://chasingcheerios.blogspot.com/2009/12/model-magic-hand-footprint-ornaments.html

If you mess up you just re-knead it and try again. Plus it is really lightweight.

[jessica31876]

Ill have to try that Amber. The stuff we used was essentially just plaster of paris which I used in art class many many years ago. I just dont remember it setting up so quickly. The directions say mix it evenly water to mixture and mix it up until it is the consistency of pancake batter. Which it pretty much was all three times. We tested it by pressing our thumbs in to see if it would take them and when it got close we got the baby and then it was too hard to take her footprint. I dont mind doing it with paint because I think itll be more noticeable on the white background.