Crafty Crafts
The time when the sun is at its zenith is a great time to make an empowered crystal grid. This one is permanent and allows you to draw upon that sun energy anytime you want. You can make this cool craft on your back porch, in the sandbox, or even at the beach.
Sand Cast Crystal Grid Candleholder
Time to complete: 30–45 minutes (plus 30 for plaster to set)
Cost: $8 to $16 (depending on what you have on hand, like plaster from Beltane craft)
Supplies
Sand: playground sand can be purchased at your local garden center (craft sand from the craft store works great)
Plaster of Paris
Paint stirring stick
Water
Crystals: tumbled stones, quartz, citrine, or stones of your choice. I found a string of wand shaped crystal beads with holes in one end at my local craft store for about eight dollars.
An empty tea light cup (Plastic ones are a little bigger than the metal ones, so they work great.)
Cooking spray
Sticky felt
Bowl or bucket
Optional: A disposable container to mix your plaster in; you can re-use a plastic ice cream tub, large butter tub, or something similar
If you’re lucky enough to have a beach nearby, some people do sand casting right on the beach. If you’re not at the beach, you’ll need a container for your sand, such as a shallow box or a flat that soft drinks comes in. You can also use a disposable pie or cake pan. Once you begin, you should not move the project until it sets and you remove it from the sand, so find a good place to work undisturbed.
Mix your sand with enough water so it’s damp but not dripping wet. Dump the wet sand into the box and then push the pile of sand down using a shallow dish with a flat bottom. Press down into the sand about an inch deep. You may need to work the sand around to get the shape of the bottom of the dish with a good edge. Lay out your crystals and stones on the table next to your box of sand. Place the tea light cup in the middle with the crystals arranged around. Keep in mind that you can push shapes into the sand that will become part of the crystal grid: a spiral, sun rays, whatever you like. Decide if you want to add shapes to the sand, and if you do, arrange your crystals and stones accordingly.
Now that you’ve planned it out, you can start to work on your sand creation. Add the designs you planned in the sand first. You can press seashells, amulets, or other objects to leave an impression in the sand, or you can trace shapes with your finger. Keep in mind that you’re creating a mold so whatever you press into the sand will actually be raised in the finished item.
Next, lay out your crystals and stones as you wish. You can lay them flat as you would with a traditional crystal grid, or if you want, you can have them pointing up because they will be embedded in the plaster. If you want them lying flat, be sure to push them down into the sand. Keep in mind that the part facing down in the sand is what you will actually see when it’s finished. The part you can see while you’re arranging it will actually be covered in plaster. If you want the crystals standing up and pointing out of the top of the plaster, you’ll want to push them point first into the sand so the bottoms are all that you see. Keep about a quarter of an inch of the crystal bottom showing so the plaster has something to hold on to.
Once your stones are all set the way you want them, it’s time to place the cup for your candle holder. Spray the outside of the tea light cup with cooking spray; the spray will keep the plaster from sticking to it. Set the tea light cup upside down in the center of your arrangement, and push the rim of the cup just about a quarter of an inch into the sand. Once you have your sand mold exactly how you want it, prepare the plaster.
Use a large bowl or bucket and mix two parts of plaster to one part water, stirring with the paint stick and making sure it’s nice and smooth. Being careful not to disturb any of the details you’ve added to your cast, very slowly pour the plaster into your mold. Be sure to fill up your cast to cover the tea light cup. Now the hardest part—you have to wait. Oh yes, but you can do it, it’s only thirty minutes or so. Or, if you’re in a really humid environment, forty-five minutes to be safe. While you wait for the plaster to set, clean up your plaster mess and dispose of any extra plaster in the trash. If you’re on the beach or working in a sandbox, another option is to use up the rest of the plaster making cool casts of shells, leaves, or other interesting things. Otherwise, pour any leftover mixed plaster into a disposable container, and throw it away. If you’re using a disposable container for mixing, you can toss the whole thing. NEVER pour any plaster down your sink! Clean out your bucket immediately and be sure to do it outside. Again, don’t wash it in the house or it might clog your pipes!
Now that your plaster casting has set, you can wiggle your fingers under the sides of the casting and gently lift it out of the sand. Gently blow the extra sand off of the top of the crystal grid. Turn the tea light cup to loosen it until it lifts out of the center. The hole left behind is where you can put a tea light; you’ll find that the kind with a metal cup will fit perfectly in the hole left by the slightly larger plastic one you used. Allow the cast to cure overnight. The next day, you can use a soft toothbrush and a little water to clean it up. Apply a few dots of sticky felt to the bottom to protect your table tops, and now you’re ready to use your candle crystal grid anytime you want.