Polymer Clay

Fimo and clay tips and tutorials

Muse Blues

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Well, taking the weekend off to clay didn’t do anything to bring my muse back. It was pitiful, nothing came out right and I just couldn’t get into it. So, what did I do? I surfed around Flickr again looking for something to cheer me up.

My favorite color is blue, so when I found this great blue and crystal bracelet by Stormy Designs it really brightened up my day. I just love the way she put this together. The AB crystals really pick up on the blue shades in the polymer clay beads and twinkle of the silver findings.  She also made a necklace, cuff bracelet, and a pair of earrrings to match the bracelet. Any of these would make a wonderful Christmas presents. I love the blues bracelet

Next, I found Sally’s “I love the blues” bracelet, and I thought it was fitting to include it in today’s Muse Blues post. It fits perfectly, right? She used silver findings in this piece, along with some pretty little baby blue pearls, white pearls, and two different colors of blue crystals. The white polymer clay disk beads are hollow and a specialty of Sally’s. You can see more of them in her Etsy shop, Silvergate Studio. I received a set of them in a PCAGOE swap, so I can tell you they are very well made and you can see she takes pride in making them.

Thanks ladies, for making my day a little brighter 🙂

[tags]polymer clay, Etsy, Flickr, Stormy Designs, SilvergateStudio[/tags]

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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