DIY baptism favours in plaster: ideas, step-by-step tutorial and quantities for your guests

TL;DR: The most beautiful DIY baptism favours are cast in plaster: with Aqua Resin and a few silicone moulds you can make porcelain-effect angels, teddy bears and scented plaster charms for all your guests. All it takes is to work in batches and start 3-4 weeks before the celebration.

Introduction

DIY baptism favours are a way to give your guests something that truly carries your family's signature, but the worry is always the same: will I manage to make enough, all identical and in time? Between choosing the idea, the number of guests, the sugared almonds and the tags, there is a risk of ending up wrapping favours the night before the ceremony. Plaster solves most of the problem: with the same moulds you can produce smooth white pieces in series that look like porcelain, colour them in pastel shades and decorate them at your own pace. In this guide you will find the best christening favour ideas, the step-by-step tutorial, how to work out quantities and how long it all takes. If you are looking for inspiration for other occasions, start from our original ideas for DIY favours.

Contents

• Key points
• DIY baptism favour ideas
• Step-by-step tutorial
• How many favours you need and how long it takes
• Common mistakes
• Recommended products
• FAQ
• Make your christening favours

Key points

• Ratio and timings: 100 g of Aqua Resin to 30 g of cold water, demould after 30 minutes, fully dry within 24 hours.
• Material: Aqua Resin is not an epoxy resin: it is a premium alpha plaster, non-toxic and water-based.
• Planning: each mould gives one piece every 30 minutes, so the number of moulds decides how many casting sessions you need.
• Scented favours: scented plaster charms must never be sealed with Aqua Shield, which blocks the absorption of the fragrance.

DIY baptism favour ideas

A christening favour should be sweet, soft in colour and connected to the baby. These are the ideas our team most often suggests to mums, dads and godparents who want handmade favours without compromising on a polished result.

3D angel, the classic favour

The 3D Angel mould makes a small three-dimensional porcelain-effect figurine measuring 9 × 11.7 cm, 7.4 cm thick, designed specifically as a favour for christenings and births. In plain white it is already perfect; if you like, add a touch of gold to the wings with Aqua Metal brushed onto the dry piece, never into the mix. It is the most traditional idea and appeals to guests of every generation.

Pastel teddy bear for a boy or girl

The teddy bear is the ultimate symbol of childhood. With the Teddy Bear mould and a few drops of Aqua Pigment in the mix you get baby blue favours for a boy, pink favours for a girl or, for a gender-neutral celebration, sage or sand teddy bears. Always test the colour on a small batch before casting the whole lot.

Cloud trinket tray, the useful favour

The Cloud Trinket Tray mould creates a cloud measuring 13.8 × 17.8 cm, 1.8 cm thick, to use in the hallway for keys and rings. It is the right choice if you want a favour that stays in use after the celebration. As it is larger, you can keep it for grandparents, godparents and close relatives and choose a smaller idea for the other guests.

Scented flower or heart charms

Scented plaster charms for a christening are a discreet favour to tuck into wardrobes and drawers. The Domed Flower Keyring mould gives a flower measuring 5.1 × 5.2 cm with the hole already in place for the ribbon; alternatively, you can use the heart-shaped trinket dish mould. Add a few drops of fragrance to the mix, tie on a tag with the baby's initial and leave the piece completely unsealed, so it keeps releasing its scent.

The baby's initial with the Alphabet mould

The Alphabet mould holds every letter in a single mould. For a christening you can cast the baby's initial and attach it to the packaging, or use it on its own as a small favour to hang with a baby blue or pink ribbon.

Favour and place card in one

A plaster piece placed next to the plate, with the guest's name on the tag, marks the seat at the table and then becomes their favour. This way you make one object instead of two. You will find shapes, names and table-setting tips in our guide to DIY christening place cards.

Pro tip: choose no more than two pastel colours plus white. With a small palette the favours look coordinated and you have fewer different batches to prepare.

Step-by-step tutorial

The method is the same for every idea. This is how we work in our workshop when we make christening favours.

1. Prepare a batch

Weigh out 100 g of Aqua Resin and 30 g of cold water. If you want colour, add Aqua Pigment to the water; for scented charms, add a few drops of fragrance. Pour the powder into the water, not the other way round, and stir slowly until you get a smooth cream.

2. Pour into the moulds

Fill the silicone moulds and tap them on the work surface to bring the air bubbles to the top. Silicone moulds need no release agent.

3. Demould after 30 minutes

After 30 minutes, gently demould, rinse the mould with plain water and prepare the next batch. There are no solvents or odours, so you can work comfortably even in the kitchen.

4. Leave to dry for 24 hours

Lay the pieces out on a clean surface and leave them to dry completely within 24 hours before decorating or packaging them.

5. Decorate and protect

Add the gold details with Aqua Metal using a brush. On dry, unscented pieces you can apply Aqua Shield with a brush or by dipping to protect them: it is transparent, but it leaves a glossy finish and may slightly alter the colour, so test it on a spare piece first.

6. Package with sugared almonds and a tag

Put the sugared almonds in a tulle or organza bag, traditionally in an odd number, and tie the bag to the favour with a ribbon in the colours of the celebration. On the tag, write the baby's name and the date of the christening.

How many favours you need and how long it takes

To work out quantities, start from the guest list. Many families make one favour per household rather than per person: in that case, count the families, then add a few spare pieces for last-minute guests and for any breakages in transit.

The time depends on the number of moulds. Each mould gives one piece every 30 minutes: with a single mould you make two pieces an hour, with three identical moulds six pieces an hour. For example, 36 favours with three moulds take about six hours of casting, which you can split into three two-hour sessions. The Alphabet mould, on the other hand, gives you every letter at each casting: to repeat the same initial you need several rounds.

We recommend starting 3-4 weeks before the christening and splitting the work into three phases:

• First week: colour tests and casting the first batch.
• Second and third weeks: casting the remaining batches, split by colour, and drying.
• Final week: decorations, tags, sugared almonds and packaging.

More than the cost, what counts is the work: two or three casting sessions and an evening of packaging, perhaps with help from siblings and cousins aged 5 and over, always under adult supervision.

Common mistakes

• Starting too late. Each piece needs 24 hours to dry: if you start the week before, you have no margin to remake the pieces that did not turn out well.
• Pouring the water onto the powder. Lumps form: always pour the powder into the cold water.
• Sealing scented charms with Aqua Shield. The fragrance is no longer absorbed and the favour loses its scent.
• Putting Aqua Metal in the mix. Aqua Metal is only brushed onto the dry piece; to colour the mix itself, use Aqua Pigment.
• Too many different colours. Four or five shades make the favours look uneven: two pastels plus white are enough.
• Forgetting spares. Without extra pieces, one more guest or a breakage in transit becomes a problem.

Recommended products

As well as Aqua Resin, these are the moulds and colours we use for christening favours:

• 3D Angel mould — the classic porcelain-effect favour
• Teddy Bear mould — pastel teddy bears for a boy or girl
• Domed Flower Keyring mould — the base for scented charms
• Cloud Trinket Tray mould — the useful favour for close relatives
• Aqua Pigment — for baby blue, pink and sage shades

FAQ

How do you make DIY baptism favours?

Prepare a batch of 100 g of Aqua Resin and 30 g of cold water, pouring the powder into the water, and cast it in themed silicone moulds such as an angel, a teddy bear or a flower. Demould after 30 minutes, leave to dry for 24 hours, then decorate and package with sugared almonds and a tag.

How many favours do you need for a christening?

It depends on how you hand them out: many families make one per household rather than per person. Count the invited families and add a few spare pieces for last-minute guests and any breakages.

How far in advance should you start?

It is best to start 3-4 weeks before the christening. Each mould gives one piece every 30 minutes and each piece needs 24 hours to dry: that gives you time to work in batches, remake any pieces that did not turn out well and package everything calmly.

How do you make scented plaster charms for a christening?

Add a few drops of fragrance to the mix, pour it into a flower or heart mould and leave to dry for 24 hours. Never seal scented charms with Aqua Shield, because it blocks the absorption of the fragrance.

Can children help make the favours?

Yes: Aqua Resin is non-toxic, water-based and free from solvents and odours, so siblings and cousins aged 5 and over can cast and decorate under adult supervision. The tools clean up with plain water.

Make your christening favours

Choose your idea, prepare the first test batch and in just a few sessions you will have handmade favours for all your guests, ready to become a keepsake of the christening. The same ideas also work for communion and confirmation, simply by changing the colours and decorations. You will find every shape in the Aqua Resin moulds and accessories collection.
→ Discover Aqua Resin