2.  Keepsake  Puppy prints  Memorial

3.  The following presentation demonstrates how the paw prints are created. This process takes approximately 18 days from start to finish.

4. Rolling out the clay to the desired thickness. The most important aspect is keeping the clay moist and workable.

5. Cutting the clay into the heart shape template. We also have a round template available.

6. Obtaining the paw prints is one of the most difficult steps. First we shave the hair off the bottom of the paw, then trim the nails so we can obtain a nice clean impression.

7. After the print has dried under a weighted board for at least 7 days, the dreaded sanding begins. The sanding removes the imperfections around the print and creates a smooth surface for the painting

8. The molds are placed in a kiln to be fired. It takes approximately 8 hours to complete the firing cycle at 1600 degrees.

9. A rubber substance is placed in the actual paw print and then needs to dry for at least 3 days. Rubberizing protects the paw print during the painting process.

10. The paw print is then painted using colors chosen by the client. Then has to dry for at least 2 days.

11. After the paw print is painted and dried, the rubber we inserted in step 6 is carefully removed.

12. A special tool is used to remove all imperfections from the paw print before its final firing. This helps to prevent the paint from bleeding into the actual paw print

13. Paw prints are once again place in the kiln for the second and final firing. This takes another 8 hours. We need to ensure that we have a full kiln to be energy efficient.

14. This step is where we personalize the paw print to the owners desire and then a protective glaze is added to the name and paw print.