[Ariana]

Remove the plasticine from the moulds

Turn over the nest to expose its open base and pull out all of the plasticine. Carefully winkle out all the little bits that will try to cling on or hide in tiny cracks. If any large chunks seems really stuck, it might be a good idea to trim some of mould away so that the same doesn't happen with the chocolate later. Give the mould a thorough wash under hot, soapy water.

You can see here that I failed to use a proper release agent, so was left with a heavily stained mould. This required hours of painstaking scrubbing with an old toothbrush to clean fully. Don't make the same mistake: check that your plasticine and release agent are compatible with your silicone before you start the project.









Crack open your mummy

Use a craft knife to cut the plaster shell in two down the midline. Hopefully you will have chosen a shape that divides conveniently into two halves.

Don't worry about also cutting the silicone while you do this. You're going to cut the silicone along the same midline anyway, so just cut in one deep continuous motion and you should neatly cut through both the plaster and the silicone (and also slightly into the plasticine).











Peel the silicone off

Having divided the silicone into two halves, peel it off the plasticine sculpture. Be careful not to stretch it too far or it might tear. Give the silicone a good scrubbing under hot, soapy water.

Again, notice the heavy staining on my silicone moulds. Do not make this mistake. Test your materials before you start. Grrr.





Admire your moulds

You should now be left with:

• A slightly battered plasticine sculpture
• A set of silicone moulds
• A set of matching plaster shells