My daughter isn’t having a wedding list because she would like people to be free to make a personal choice, which she will be able to associate with them for life. No pressure then – so much easier to tick the toaster and get the shop to do the rest. Anyway, I was casting around for an original and personal present idea when the word cast reminded me of the gorgeous little hands and feet you sometimes see in peoples’ homes of their babies.

Brilliant – maybe I could give the happy couple a life-sized fibre-glass model of my husband and I?
This isn’t us – it was done by Vision Quest Life Casting Studios , Ottawa, to celebrate a 60th wedding anniversary.
Maybe not that brilliant – but what is, is that there is a studio of experts ready and waiting to help in Hornsey High Street. How handy is that? Cast, 2 High Street, N8 supplies ‘architectural mouldings and restoration’ to projects such as Buckingham Palace, Palace of Westminster and Chiswick House. This group of artists produce both reproduction and original work. They also a offer a body and baby casting service on commission which is where the fun begins. It seems casting your body is quite a thing these days, with pregnant women commemorating their ‘bumps’, couples their anniversaries and individuals the beauty of their bodies in all their glorious diversity.
Pictured above ‘Bump with Hands’ York Body Casting Studios.
So what exactly happens? The Cast website explains: ‘Using new dental casting materials the process is completely safe and captures every detail making each one as unique as you. The perfect keepsake, like a 3D photograph of a special period in time. Body casting was first pioneered by the Ancient Egyptians, and made popular through the centuries in Europe when ‘death masks’ were fashionable. As new casting materials have been developed, so have the possibilities to capture life as well as, or in place of death, in these wonderful life cast sculptures, perfect for any home. The Casting process is incredibly fun for all the family and the final pieces make great gifts. Why not contact us today to book an appointment or arrange a home visit (for the more discrete castings).’
Above: woman models for body art sculpture by D M Harrison
Hmm – not sure if I want to go to that much trouble. Lucky for me Cast also provide DIY kits for smaller bits like hands and feet. Or maybe I’ll just stick to a canteen of cutlery until we have children in the family – they don’t mind getting mucky.
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