These hourglasses are custom-filled with your keepsake. These are made with breastmilk sand. This sand does pass through the glass as functional, however, I’m not certain on the timing it will have. These make for a wonderful keepsake that stays safely at home while making a lovely statement. These are created with breastmilk and whatever other add-ins or tints you choose.
Breastmilk Snow Globe
The breastmilk snow globe can be created with several elements and customized completely to the client’s taste. Choose a gem tree center or the options are honestly nearly endless. I have a slew of ideas that I am just waiting to create. The snow and some of the other items can be created with breastmilk. Breastmilk snow flows freely throughout your globe. You can also choose to have gems floating in your globe. Again, these are completely customizable with your DNA or other keepsake items.
Naturally colored breastmilk jewelry
Captivating, one-of-a-kind keepsake jewelry and décor. Specializing in preserving breastmilk jewelry and décor without the tints and pigments. Naturally colored breastmilk jewelry and breastmilk décor. Your breastmilk colors your breastmilk jewelry and décor. Breastmilk jewelry, breastmilk décor, breastmilk keepsake. Breastmilk jewelry without the powders and tints.
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Comparing Breastmilk Preservation Recipes
Here is a good example of three breastmilk preservation method recipes. Images are taken in natural light with a DSLR on Manual mode.
In the cup, I have the same batch of breastmilk used for the experiment so you can compare the examples of methods WITH the actual milk. The top image is after it has dried (you can see it preserved on my other blogs or YouTube), and the bottom is after is has been crushed.
Here we have my method on the left. It doesn't make nearly the amount the other two do, but remember, it also doesn't have nearly the filler "substances." Also, take note, that my method is not meant to be dried out, I did so for the sake of keeping the experiment fair. (You can also see my method in the wet form as it is used via a previous post.)
The second, towards the bottom, is the CA method. You can read more about this method in previous posts.
Lastly, the famous MM breastmilk preservation powder recipe on the right. You can read more about this method in a previous post as well. - As you see, it retains the least amount of actual breastmilk color out of the methods shown. I still don't understand why this became the "go-to" recipe for breastmilk preservation. It CLEARLY has pigment in it. It made it big because the lady who started creating it didn’t tell the whole truth or the full result of the method, and didn’t care while the people in her group blindly followed.
This is why you should ask what method your DNA artist is using, and ask them to show you the method of preservation with water. This way, you can make an informed choice about your keepsake, asking this gives you a great idea as to how much your milk will actually be coloring your piece. While they don’t owe you their recipe, if they don’t want to tell you ANYTHING, that is a big red flag.
Famous powder/dust, the CA method, my method (dried), and the actual milk used for this experiment.
DIY Breastmilk Preservation Recipe
There are a few ways you can do this depending on how ethical and stable you want your preservation to be. Naturally, you are going to want the best of the best, let’s be real. Unfortunately, you aren’t going to find too many people giving that information out for stable, well-established formulas.
Some are more ethical than others, but if you are making it yourself you are well in the know of what you are putting into your piece.
This DIY method is easy and you can get most of the items quickly. Please note this method is NOT professional grade.
You can see the below method done on a previous blog post or my YouTube.
Resin
You will want 5 ml of Citric Acid
5ml of breastmilk
(titanium dioxide) if you choose
Mix together and evaporate off the liquid in a double boiler method until the mixture becomes a paste.
Flatten onto parchment paper to dry for 1 week. Silica gel sand helps this process as well.
Once dried mix with your resin and cast. - I recommend sealing your piece to give it extra protection.
The famous powder dust is made with various ingredients. Most are not public, but I speculate a lot of them are filled with titanium dioxide, plaster, citric acid, and other finely ground powders. Most of all, whatever they are using is highly pigmented. I’d assume things used in the powders are anything from safe products to dangerous chemicals. BE CAREFUL ordering, using, and creating these products.
Wet Method Preserved Breastmilk unrefrigerated, 2 years later. . .
I thought this might interest some of you who have been following along on my wet method breastmilk preservation. Here is some preserved breastmilk that has been put through the wet method preservation and stored in a tube, on the shelf for 2 years waiting to be made into jewelry. I’m trying to test how long I can keep preserved orders on file without refrigeration. Look how cool it is, it reminds me of plasma! Two years strong! Once shaken, it mixes right up.
M.O.M. Breastmilk Wet Method Cure-out
Here’s a good example of The Mind Over Matter breastmilk preservation wet method. This shows the method next to the client’s actual milk used. The two pearls show how the cure-out phases go with this method. When the breastmilk is cast it tends to be a dramatic, crisp white. This method cures out to a more natural milk color once it settles (oxidizes) into the resin. Some might consider this discoloring, but as spot on as my pieces seem to cure out to, I’d say it’s much more natural than the super white pieces that typically don’t represent the natural colors of the milk.
I also have a photo of a cured-out ring next to the client’s actual milk. I thought it was pretty stunning how well the gem represents the actual milk from my client.
Resins: Epoxy, UV, and Poly
There are many different types of resins you can choose from if you are looking for a crafter or trying out your own hand at the craft.
ALL require safety gear, no matter what the package, or your artist claims. Be sure to use a well-ventilated area with the proper eye, face, and skin protection.
There are MANY different types of resins, but I’m only going to talk about a couple. (Ones I have the most personal experience with.)
Epoxy resin. This is what I use for almost all of my crafting, though I use various brands for different looks and reactions as they all work a little differently and hold up differently. I use jewelry-grade resin for my jewelry crafting and sealing. Pros to epoxy resin are that it’s pretty easy to use and can do a great deal of work with it. Cons is that it isn’t very heat or scratch resistant to extreme temps and can yellow with time and improper care. Does release curing gasses for up to 30 days after cure out.
**Even food-grade resins are only for incidental use only, this doesn’t mean the food should be eaten directly from the resin, it means, the food, such as a cupcake can be used with it because it has a wrapper between the two. DO NOT use resin items for direct contact with food or use with any amount of heat.
UV resin. This is what a lot of crafters use because it is a quick and easy product that you don’t have to wait nearly 14 to 24 hours to be done. This requires UV light to work and is also relatively easy to use. Pros it’s fast and rewarding to see your pieces right away. Cons, it’s not very long-lasting as some crafters would like you to believe. It yellows quickly and is only really made to last for a year or two. It can become brittle and break and is not recommended for thick castings and is not recommended for a sealer/protectant. AND it can actually continue to leech toxins for long after it is cured.
Polyresin. This is an extensive list of resin types. I’ve only worked with one poly resin and ended up throwing it away because it was awful. Pros are that it cures quickly and hard. Cons are that is incredibly potent, so you need to use a ventilation tent or outside applications. It is also more difficult to cure resin depending on what you are adding to it and what climate you live in. It also yellows very fast. Leeches toxins for months after cure out, and easily cracks when it gets cold.
You can obviously find a lot more detailed information about the types of resins and why which one should be used with a quick google search.
My top choice for my keepsake work is hands down, the epoxy resin in 2 parts. I have pieces over 8 years old that are yet to show signs of aging resin. Choose your brand wisely.
2 part epoxy is stronger and much better of an option to use for many reasons. The crafters who are using UV for keepsakes are not using what's best for their pieces/clients. A lot of them are using UV merely for the fact that it cures fast and gives instant gratification as well as a way to pump out orders. While I agree, waiting 14 to 24 hours in between pours is a drag, it's really best. It isn't a long-term epoxy nor jewelry grade to be crafting keepsakes with and IMO pretty irresponsible.
All resin/epoxy is bound to change over time. Like most plastics, they can absorb colors and oxidize over time. It's up to each crafter to find which holds up best with time and which holds up best with the method of preservation they are using. Different chemicals react differently in each epoxy.
Happy crafting.!