First Steps Kit FAQ

 

What is First Steps™?

First Steps is the fun, do-it yourself activity for making a stunning glass keepsake of your small one’s hand/foot! Say goodbye to inky hands and clay that cracks over time and hello to a 3D copy where you can feel all those precious details!

How did you come up with First Steps?

At Hot Sand we’ve been doing our signature Walk-In Glassblowing Activity, the QuickCast for countless animals over the last 10 years. We wanted to make the opportunity for a lasting glass impression available to people from all over the USA and so we developed First Steps. Now you can have the experience of having a glass print made for you right in the comfort of your own home!

Where can I get First Steps?

I don’t want hot glass in my house! How do I do First Steps?

No Problem! At First Steps we want you to get all the fun of a having a Hot Shop right in your home, without the 2100° furnace! All you have to do is make a snowball with our included modeling material, squish the snowball, get a print, let it dry and send it back to us in the pre-labeled, postage paid envelope we include with your order! It’s SO easy peasy, even a child can do it!

How do I get First Steps back to you?

It could not be any easier! Included in your kit is a pre-labeled envelope. Just put your impression in the tin along with your information card and seal the envelope by peeling the sticker from the adhesive. Close it securely and drop if off at your nearest USPS branch or give it to your USPS mail person. That’s it! Hot Paws will make its way back to us in 1-3 days and as soon as we get it back, we can get to making the mold that we fill with molten glass. Then, it’s ready to be sent back to you!

I messed up my print! What do I do?

That’s ok! You can retake the impression many times as you want! All you need to do is make another snowball with the material and make another impression. Keep doing it until you are happy with the image you made, because just like magic, we’re going to get you a perfect copy of the print you send back to us.

I lost the instruction sheet in the kit! Is there somewhere on your website I can view the instructions?

My print does not fit back in the tin, what do I do? 

No problem. All you need to do is make a snowball again and take another impression. Make sure you use the disk size guide on the bottom of the tin so your disk will fit back inside the tin. If you’re maxing out the size of the disk with your big animal, just pack the sides in a bit without disturbing the impression. Let it dry and send it back to us in the tin.

My print has cracks around the edges now that it’s dry. Is that normal?

Cracks around the edges of your print are totally normal. The material has water in it and as it dries, small cracks can appear around the edges of the impression. This is normal and in no way will affect your casting. In fact, it’s expected.

What’s the deal with the information card? What do I do with that?

Good question! Your information card is super important. When we get your print back in the studio, that information card is going to let us know just where to send the print. If you made the for you, just put the address you want us to send the print. If you are making it for a gift, place on the information card the address you would like us to send the final piece.

I forgot to include my information card when I shipped Hot Paws back to you!

We can fix that. Email us at this address studio@HotSandAP.com and let us know the issue and the address from which you need it sent. We’ll have one of our Hot Paws team members receive the package when it arrives and create a new card from the information you provide to us in the email.

I have a gluten allergy. Does the kit contain gluten?

Fear not. Hot Paws contains no gluten and is a vegan product. 

Can my kid eat the modeling material?

We would not recommend it. Although it is a totally non-toxic material and possesses no acute safety risks, we suggest sticking to the usual kibble that your companion knows and loves.

I want to send my print as a gift. Can I do that? 

You sure can! We suggest letting us send it to the recipient if possible. The price of includes all 3 shipping transits and you’ll have to add a fourth transit yourself if we ship it to you. If you want to take on the extra shipping route, that’s fine by us. The one thing we need from you in that case, is a note upon purchase, letting us know from where will the recipient be shipping. With that info, we’ll generate the appropriate shipping label to get it here safe and sound from your friend. We’ll send it to you and you can send it to your loved one who can have all the fun of Hot Paws right in their home!

I see few bubbles in my Print. Why is that?

In the process of casting glass, small air bubbles are part of the process. These inclusions are totally expected and a facet of hand made glass objects that makes them unique!

I want 2 copies. How do I do that?

To receive 2 copies of your print, just select the option for 2 prints when you are placing your order on the product page.

Can I have my foam impression back? I’d really like to keep it.

No, as they are consumed in the manufacturing process. However, we recommend  you take a picture of it for memories before packing it in to send it to us. 

Unfortunately we are not typically offering shipping outside of the United states, at the moment.

I’d like to offer this kit in my shop.

Please contact us at matt@HotSandAP.com for information regarding resale.

Is this the best do-it yourself kit for making a lasting glass impression and will it make my life immeasurably better?

Undoubtedly.