A place to encourage the creativity of artistic minds of all ages. Offering Ideas, Inspiration and Instruction and sharing the work of others who inspire me!
If you are using polymer clay then you may have already come across clay that was too hard to knead or condition. Eventually, you just give up and want to chuck it. Well, don't give up yet. I discovered through various tutorials and experiments that it is possible to soften clay and even make stiff clay, easier to use. Watch my short tutorial below!
So next time you need softer clay, you know what to do! Now if your clay was
sitting in the sun and is hard, then I don't think it can be re-softened because it was most likely slightly cured or baked already. Keep clay away from heat.
Avoiding hard clay...
Buy clay as fresh as possible and keep open clay in polymer clay safe storage containers, cling film and such. I do use foil and wax paper some times.
Hi guys! I just wanted to share A pair of faux knitted square stud earrings that I recently made for fun. After watching some photo knitting Techniques and polymer clay, I tried and tried and couldn't seem to get it to look like knitting.
After some more learning, I figured out what I was doing wrong.
So please learn from my mistake, I'm going to post a couple of video Tutorials So you can learn how to create the faux knitting look in clay.
My mistake? Make sure you twist the two strands of clay in one direction, twisting away from you and then the second set of strands, twist towards you, laying them down side by side, in alternating directions.
That way when you lay them side-by-side they will look like the knitted look you're going for. For the longest time I was stumped and didn't get it, I'm a slow learner. The key is to not give up. Once you get that part, it is a very Simple technique that looks real. We all know that knitted items are soft and squishy. So when you touch these, Of course they are not.
To Make The Pink Square Studs that I Did You Need...
💗 A set of earring studs with backs that have a flat disc to attach clay to
💗 2 complimentary colours of Polymer Clay of your own choosing
💗 Krazy Glue or a strong bonding glue OR, you can push the post base into the clay in it's unbaked state and bake it on
💗 Mica Powder for Sparkle
💗 Straight blade cutter
💗 Needle tool
What Next?
💗 Watch the video tutorials below to learn how to "knit" with clay. The smaller you roll out the strips of clay, the smaller your "knitting" stitches will be. In the videos below, are a few various sizes. MoClay's brooch stitches are about the closest to my stud square size.
Once you create a small sheet of "stitches," cut out matching squares. Mine are about 1cm x 1cm or 10mm x 10mm. I did not use a cookie cutter but if you have one, you can.
Then I laid each square onto a contrasting colour that I rolled out to the same thickness almost. Taking a straight blade, slice along all 4 side of your knitted square. Smooth it all out on the edges with your fingers.
💗Texturing: I took a needle tool and poked a texture into the back and sides of the coloured back.
💗Highlighting: Then I took a a hint of mica powder from the lid of my powder and highlighted wherever I thought best.
💗Bake face up, flat, on a piece of cardstock or paper on a ceramc tile, at the manufacturer's temperature for one hour. Yes, it says a shorter time on the package, but I have learned from other artists the clay is stronger when baked at least one hour even if it is thin. Or you can bake them on a crumpled up tissue if you want.
💗Once Cooled. I just squirted a bit of Krazy Glue on the center back and placedd the posts on. Let sit for a while.
Voila, all done!
FAUX KNITTING TUTORIAL VIDEOS
Be inspired and comment below letting me know if you have try this technique. I would love to know how it went for you.
Hi guys! Haven't shared the newest creative adventure I have been learning but, I will soon. For some of it, I do need a pair of eye balls. I always prefer to make my own. Decided I would share a pile of great useful You Tube tutorials where I get a lot of ideas from. I like to make mass quantities of things I can use in the future so I will post what I came up with once I am done making them!
The drawing is mine!
So if you want to know or actually want to make your own doll or animal eyes, take a watch below!
Today I am in the mood to share some of my favourite YouTube Polymer Clay tutorial/VLOG channels. This lady makes me smile every time I see that she has posted a new video. She also shares other videos that help us to get to feel like we are meeting her for real. I
Here, I am watching Valerie on our tv as I work on one of my clay pieces!
kind of feel like I know her. She has a great sense of humour and I
love her accent. She lives in the UK. So I highly suggest checking out and subscribing to the Unruly Housewife's Channel, if you want to hang out with a sincere, meaningful polymer clay artist and more! You just have to meet her yourself, my words do her no justice. I only discovered her months ago and happy that I did!
Here, I am watching Valerie on our tv as I work on one of my clay pieces!
Thank you Valerie for making me smile and making learning fun! And, thanks for sharing yourself with us as well, it means a lot. :o) Below are some of my favourite polymer clay related videos since this is a blog about creativity. BE INSPIRED! HeArtfully Creating! Anita
MoClay is one of the Polymer Clay YouTube channels that I have been watching for two years now! She is another polymer clay artist who has offered inspiration, ideas, how to information and is just plain fascinating to watch because of what she comes up with. As far as I can deduce, she is from somewhere across the ocean from us in Canada. I wanted to show you her video on how to make a moveable poly clay puppet. Hope you are inspired and her work inspires you to try something you haven't before.
Click the video below to watch. I have added a few of my favourite MoClay video tutorials down the page.
You met Howard last week. Click here to see. As with most of my polymer clay adventures, it takes weeks some times to complete anything. Believe it or not, this guy is about to get his fourth "face lift." What do I mean? Well, look at this face and then when I post the next article, you will see the change. It is so important to me, to make him as perfect as possible.
My husband just learned that turtles are reptiles. I got to say, "I told you so!" They can live under water, that is what makes them NOT amphibians, like he thought. Did I know that? The reptile part, yes. The reason why. Nope!
Since We Last Met...
Hope you are a wee inspired to create or at least something here makes you smile!I also have been carving pieces away with a sharp craft knife. Be very careful. Cooked clay carves easily. It is a tad addictive!
Here is how Howie is looking as of now.
Howard the Turtle in progress. Made using polymer clay, with black onyx eyes and liquid clay. By me, Anita Berglund
Decided to change him from a Sea Turtle to the authentic turtle from CBC's Razzle Dazzle kids show in the early 60s. There are his stubby legs.
I've only Just begun....
I layered multiple sheets of clay to create a mokume-gane cane stack to cover Howard's shells.
sliced and ready to be used....
Howard needs a shell!
Liquid clay, silicone shaper and sharp blades to slice the mokume-gane cane. Used cover the pre-baked shell.
Howard the Turtle in progress. Made using polymer clay, with black onyx eyes and liquid clay. By me, Anita Berglund
Howard the Turtle in progress. Made using polymer clay, with black onyx eyes and liquid clay. By me, Anita Berglund
Baking his shell...
Oven Temperature Matters!
I foolishly baked Howard's shell at 375 fahrenheit instead of the required 275F! Oops! All the dark brown parts below are scorched and crispy. I am surprised, I didn't smell the fumes or see smoke. Thankfully, it was on a 30 minute timer. Mental note, ALWAYS double check your temperature before baking polymer clay!
All scorched at 375 Fahrenheit!!
All scorched at 375 Fahrenheit!!
I also have been carving pieces away with a sharp craft knife. Be very careful. Cooked clay carves easily. It is a tad addictive!
Let Cool Completely!
I made the mistake of fiddling with Howard's toes while he was still hot from the oven and OOPS! I lost a toe :0(
