Diamond Cement Push Pins

Now that I have totally freaked you out by showing you the horrible, terrifying pictures of my garage, I thought I would pop back in to share a sweet little craft project to assure you that there is still beauty in the world.  However, like most good projects, this one will also get ugly before it gets pretty.

I’ve been wanting to experiment with cement for a long time, and this weekend I finally got to try it out.  Since I was a total novice, I thought I would start out easy and use some silicone ice cube trays which are very easy to work with.

I originally picked up this diamond mold from Amazon (affiliate link – read our policies) thinking that the diamond shapes would make cool magnets or pendants, but when it arrived it was smaller than I expected.  Even better!  I had been wanting some decorative push pins, and I figured that the smallest size on the mold would be perfect for this.

I chose Quikrete Hydraulic Water-Stop Cement.  It cost more than regular cement (this 10 lb container was about $8, while I could get 60 lb bags of cement sand for less than that).  However, it dries very quickly – like in 5-10 minutes – and so is perfect for impatient people.  Also, I just had some small projects in mind; what would I do with 60 lbs of cement?

Regardless, this project could work just as well with normal cement, you just need to let it dry longer.

I also learned that cement is not the safest material to work with.  You shouldn’t inhale the dust or let it get into your eyes, and prolonged contact with the wet mix can burn your skin badly.  To be safe, I used nitrile rubber gloves, goggles, and a respirator.

I looked really cool and the neighbors love me.

This project really could not be easier.  First, I mixed the cement in a small cup.

I made it just a little wetter than the package directions so it would be easier to fill the molds.  Wetter mixes are less strong, but I didn’t need maximum strength for this project.

I then filled a mold with cement using a plastic spoon, pushed a basic push pin down into the mix, and cleared off the edges as well as I could using the spoon.

Since my cement starts to harden so fast I did them one at a time, but with standard cement it would be easier to fill all the molds at once.

Oh, that looks gross, but it really isn’t.

I made a set of six pins.  However, I would recommend making a few more than you want for your final set, since there will be occasional bubbles that get trapped that will ruin the shape.  To minimize this, tap the mold gently onto the table top to help the mix settle fully into the molds.

I let the pins dry for about an hour (because it is quick drying cement) and then popped out the pins.  I then let them sit for a few days to dry fully, just in case.

I think the shape and proportions are quite sweet!  I do like the bare cement look, but since this was my first cement project I wanted to see how they’d look with some color.  I painted just a couple sides of four of my six pins with white, yellow, or red craft paint to help define the angles.

I then coated each of the pins with polycrylic.  I figured that this would help minimize oil transfer from hands (you know, from very frequent re-arranging of inspirational cork boards) and also sharpen the tone of the concrete.  The difference is pretty subtle, but it does darken the finish and add a bit of shine.

I let them dry, and it was all done!  Seriously, this project is EASY.

I’m really pleased at how they turned out, and am already regretting not making many more.  I immediately pulled together an inspirational cork board to celebrate.

…I mean, of course I have an inspirational cork board in every room.  THIS IS A BLOG AFTER ALL.

But back to the cement push pins.  The size is really nice, as they are not distracting or impractical, but are substantial and add some interest.

These would make great gifts: they hit that sweet spot of being both useful and superfluous.  I could see giving them to co-workers…  they are office supplies!

I’m quite relieved that my first attempt at a project with a cement wasn’t a disaster.  It is seriously fun to work with!  I tried out a few more things that day (which I can’t wait to share!) and I’m sure I’ll be doing more in the future.

 

(Sharing at  Think and Make Thursday, Tip Me Tuesday, One Project at a Time, AKA Design, Link Party Palooza, and Remodelaholic)