Bellycasting on a Summer Day......

I spent the morning with a sweet couple just around the corner casting her belly so it would be ready for her baby shower.   I am always so honored to share the experience of creating a casting with families.  The healing touch, the blessings and prayers for Mama and Baby, the creation of a piece of art that holds a sacred moment in time.
It really IS one of those experiences you only have a once in a life time opportunity to take.  How often do we say..dang I wish I had.....
We prepared the space...laying out the drop clothes to catch drips, cover chairs to prevent the plaster from sticking, then her belly was rubbed with scented oils to help the cast let go.  It is a metaphor for birth...preparing the space and yourself for baby!
I cut the strips of plaster and he poured the warm water into the bowls.  Then we both began - dipping the strip slowly through the warm water and placing it on her belly.  Gently, with loving touch, we blended the plaster through the strips of tapes, smoothing it across her belly and sending blessings into baby.  These meditative efforts of cover belly to hold this moment in time often bring tears to my eyes.
Focusing on the breath, the beauty of her body, the new life growing within - so magical.

Eventually the cast is done.  We check for soft spots....is it strong enough?  We check for bumps....can we smooth it out?  At some point it is dry and we support Mama in 'taking it off'.  She has already mentioned she can feel it separating from her skin so she stands up and wiggles a little.  She smiles.
We all place our hands on the cast and it gently falls forward into the welcoming support of all three of us.

Wow... look at my bellybutton!  Now we can look from the inside out - from baby's point of view.

We set it up for a 24hr drying period.  After that they can paint it, cover it with pictures of when she was pregnant, really your creative process is the only limit.

A sacred moment held in time.