You know those gorgeous Jesmonite trays you see all over Instagram? Smooth, speckled, perfectly marbled like they belong in a chic coffee table spread? Yeah… my first attempt looked like a something my children brought home when they were in nursery!
But here’s the thing: that’s the joy of working with Jesmonite. You mix, you pour, you hope for the best — and sometimes you get magic, sometimes you get a wonky coaster that doubles as modern art. Either way, you’re learning, laughing, and creating something totally unique.
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The Day My Tray Crumbled
I mixed up my first batch with confidence. I measured it properly and didn’t add to much pigment. But I didn’t realise mix thoroughly meant really mix it and then mix it some more and I took it out of the mould far to early which led to a mottled tray breaking into many pieces.
Lesson learned: Mix, mix, mix and be patient – don’t demould too early. .
👉 I went straight into buying everything separately (Jesmonite Base, Moulds and Dye but if I was starting over I’d buy a kit and start small with a Jesmonite Starter Kit.
Bubbles, Bubbles Everywhere
My second attempt was even funnier. Determined not to have uneven colour like last time I mixed like I was whisking eggs, which filled the whole batch with bubbles. The final coaster competed with a pumice stone for the most number of holes.
👉 Pro tip: stir gently and tap the mould to release bubbles. (Or just embrace the pumice aesthetic.)
And the fails keep coming
I’d consider myself competent but today I’ve been testing out some new pigments and moulds and I’ve had disaster after disaster. I mean look at these bears – one has holes in the top of his head (someone forgot to tap!), one was an experiment with “painting” the mould with Mica powder (still needs work) and the other half bear – well there was still water left in the mould from measuring the weight and I’d started pouring before realising.
Three very sorry looking bears.
What Jesmonite Taught Me
- Mistakes = happy accidents.
- Don’t expect Pinterest on the first pour.
- Even the ugliest piece can still hold a candle.
- The process is the best part — half science experiment, half comedy show.
Conclusion
Working with Jesmonite is messy, unpredictable, and full of fails… which is exactly why I love it. Every “disaster” piece makes me laugh, and every experiment teaches me something new.
So if you’re tempted to try Jesmonite, don’t wait until you’re “ready.” You’ll mess up, you’ll learn, and you’ll probably create something accidentally brilliant.
👉 Start your journey (and your fails) with the Jesmonite AC100 Starter Kit. Who knows — your first disaster might just be your masterpiece.