You know those imprinting and casting services that are advertised on maternity wards and cost a bajillion dollars for either a piece of clay that will soon crack or a hunk of plaster that you end up using as a mud-covered stepping stones because there’s nowhere else to put it?

The UK company Cast In Time has developed a large variety of home imprint kits and casting kits that are super easy to use, are relatively inexpensive and come with beautiful handmade frames to keep those memories contained and out of the garden.

I’m partial to imprints over castings (personal choice – I know lots of people who love the disembodied hands on their piano) and I can highly recommend the sibling kit (pictured). Whether you have one, two or three children it’s the perfect kit in my not so humble opinion. For one child, you can do three prints, two prints and a photo or one print and two photos. Two kids? An imprint of each and an adorable pic of the kids together. Three? There’s room to print them all! There are full colour instructions included and it’s completely dummy proof. (Trust me – if anyone would screw it up, it’d be me.) The dough is non-toxic and air drying; no messing with the oven and as far as I’ve seen no sign of impending cracks.

They offer free delivery of all kits within the UK. I’m anxious to try one of their newest collection – animal kits! (Shut up – they’re kids too. They’re just hairy, and occasionally smelly.)

Want to win one of these fab kits of your very own? Enter to win YOUR CHOICE of any kit from Cast In Time. Two winners will be chosen randomly. To be entered, email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com with CAST IN TIME in the subject line and tell us the name of one of the other imprint kits that’s available. Contest closes at midnight MST on 7/2/07. Happy Canada Day long weekend! Congratulations Nickola & Joel!