What do you guys suggest for making molds for stepping stones in the shape of a cat's face? I would like to keep the shape of a cat, but even after using wire the ears still broke off. Also if I'm not planning on walking on them can I use plaster of Paris instead of concrete?
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You should use cement. Here is an article that says how to make them. www.bhg.com/
They sell cat stepping stone molds online. But you can make a mold like for the face as a circular and triangles milk cartoons and use durable tape then pour in your mixture.
There are resin molds for sale on Etsy (not sure if they are big enough) but they may work for you to do your pours:
www.etsy.com/
There is always a home made option...although I never tried it with concrete or plaster of paris, but I used to make simple molds to press homemade bird food (suet and seeds) into out of cardboard. (corrugated boxes, not cereal boxes).
If you wet strips of cardboard (3 or so inches tall and long strips) they become quite flexible (don't drown them, just wet until pliable. Then you can shape them and then attach them to one another (bull clips--those black metal office clips) while wet and duct tape at seams when dry. Basically you are creating a a spring form pan outline in the shape you want (in your case a cat).
I made mine into hearts...which were simple, but a cat should be easy enough with a round face, and the triangle shape ears. Be sure to make the ears wide or long enough that in the finished product they don't break off
The problem is the base needs to be sturdy enough to hold liquid when you pour....which mine wasn't--it was a thick paste).
You may try setting it on another piece of sturdy cardboard lined with parchment paper and just put a thick bead of elmers glue around the edges of the spring form type mold you created (so if your cat is 10 x 10, your base will be 15 x 15 with the 10 x 10 placed in the middle and "glued" down. This way your concrete mix doesn't ooze out.
BEFORE your pour, spray the mold down with Pam or the generic version of non stick spray WHEN IT IS ALL DRY, then do your pour.
When you are done, cut away the cardboard and sand down the edges and decorate. It is a one time mold--but you can then truly say you are making an OOAK item! (one of a kind)
This sounds like such a cute idea! You must post pix when you are done!
I'm not sure anything else will work as well as cement. Maybe you could find a picture to copy that has flop ears so there would be nothing to break off.
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