In last week's post, I talked about how I'm a true beginner when it comes to using resin. So I've been practicing, making lots of pieces in my molds. (By the way, I love the mold-making stage — it's much more forgiving than the mixing/pouring/curing processes.)

Here are a few of my first pieces, ridden with bubbles.

 
There are many, many pieces like the ones above. To add insult to injury, the backs of these pieces — the sides that no one sees — are glossy and smooth.

So frustrating.

But then I had a breakthrough: I traced many of my problems back to temperature. It's critical that you pour the resin at the appropriate temperature — 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. And I had been pouring cold resin. To achieve better results, I warmed the bottles in cups of warm water. (Never microwave the bottles.)

Also, my office isn't 70 to 80 degrees, so when I left for the day, I came back to bubbly pieces.

So I shut the door and put the pieces near it (where it's warmest). Now I'm making progress.

One last thing: last week, I mentioned adding a drop or two of colorant. I should have said "at a time." Of course it matters how much resin you're pouring. But a drop or two will add a tinge of color rather than a bright, even shade. I have yet to overdo it on the color, so this is another thing for me to watch for.

I'm actually pleased with the results of the gummy popcorn pieces: the sugar from the candy created a texture in the mold, and these are the results:

Don't they look good enough to eat?