Polymer Clay

Fimo and clay tips and tutorials

Clayers Who Blog

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Here’s a little mix up of what I often put out on Sundays about the clay-verse. This Sunday, instead, I’ll give a shout out to some of the clay related blogs I enjoy:

  • PolymerClayDaily goes without saying. Visit Cynthia Tinapple each day for some of the best in polymer clay art
  • Carol Simmons blogs about many clay related items but her grasp of colour is amazing!
  • Maggie Maggio is another colour expert and not to be missed.
  • Lindly Haunani rounds out the list
  • Lisa Pavelka is currently doing a “365 Days of Lip Service” project on her blog so each day is a neat, clay related treat
  • CraftyGoat is the work of Angela Mabray and is chock full of good projects, reviews and absolute tons of hints and tips
  • Alice Stroppel is one of those wonderfully creative and genuinely nice people who also blogs regularly! Magic, I tell you
  • Lisa Clarke is a fellow clayer but she also indulges in her share of photography, geekery and fibre arts

Some of the friends I’ve met during my adventures learning about my art business, clay related artwork and the insanity that goes with it:

  • Tonja Lederman makes beautiful art, sells sweet supplies and writes tutorials
  • Iris Mishly is an Israeli artist who seems almost impossibly prolific to me! Scads of tutorials, beautiful work and blogs all the time
  • Cindy Lietz is a fellow Canadian clayer who runs a commercial, educational blog for clayers. There are tons of tidbits available for gleaning even if you’re not ready to hop all the way in
  • Cat Therien makes fabulous… well, pretty much everything. Canes and nail art are the main focus but I haven’t really seen her go wrong!

Next Polymer Clay Idea:

Comments

  2. Thank you Elaine for considering me one of your friends, I feel the same way. 🙂 I have very much enjoyed all that you have contributed to the claying community over all these years. Cheers to many more wonderful years in this crazy clay business!

Have you read?

How To Make A Milk Mache Molding Compound

There are some craft projects that feel like they belong on a rainy afternoon kitchen table, and this Milk Mache Molding Compound is exactly one of them. It is part craft, part science experiment, and part “wait… did we just turn milk into something solid?”

This clever little project from CraftBits shows you how to make a simple homemade molding compound using just milk and vinegar. The idea is wonderfully old-school: when the vinegar reacts with the milk, it separates into curds and liquid, leaving you with a soft mixture that can be pressed, shaped, and dried into a hard, stone-like material.

It’s a lovely one to try with kids, especially if you enjoy hands-on STEM-style crafts that do not require a trolley full of supplies. You can use the finished compound to make small charms, beads, ornaments, rustic tags, or simple molded shapes. Just keep the pieces small and thin, as this is not really the sort of compound you would use for large sculptures or anything that needs to be perfectly smooth.

What I like most about this project is how accessible it is. Most of us already have milk, vinegar, a bowl, and paper towel in the kitchen, which makes it a brilliant last-minute craft activity. It also has that slightly magical quality children love — one minute it is liquid, the next it is turning into a moldable material.

A couple of tips before you try it: use whole milk if you can, as it tends to give a better result than skim or semi-skimmed milk. White vinegar is also the best choice, as darker vinegars may affect the colour and texture. And don’t rush the draining stage. If the mixture is too wet, it will be soggy and hard to shape; if it is too dry, it may crumble.

This would be a fun companion activity for our other kids craft ideas, especially if you are looking for something simple, inexpensive, and a little bit educational. It also fits nicely with home crafts and handmade gift embellishments if you want to turn your dried shapes into tags or decorations.

Would I call this a polished, professional clay substitute? No. Would I call it a wonderfully curious, messy, memorable craft experiment? Absolutely.

If you enjoy homemade craft supplies, kitchen-table experiments, or easy projects that make children ask “how did that happen?”, this Milk Mache Molding Compound is well worth a try.

You can find the full project instructions here: Milk Mache Molding Compound