Polymer Clay

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Recombining Old Clay Pieces

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kate-tracton-earrings

As I’m working on my new stock for 2016 I’m trying to use some of my old canes and, yes, even my scraps. I’ve been busily looking around the internet to see what other people do with old, boring, tired canes and clay mixes. Kate Tracton (Shiborigirl) has a post from a few years ago where she turned old and unappealing canes into edges, borders and new feature spots for her work by mixing it up a little: adding a little crackled clay, a crystal or combining and reducing existing cane pieces.

While I’m a firm believer in giving yourself permission to not have to keep every mess and mistake you clay up… I do mostly keep mine. I’m not bad at using my ugly purple brown mud as the insides of things. It’s the stuff that still has some life that gives me trouble. I make swirlies but fewer than I used to. I have made a lot of Natasha beads over the years. And I’ve had my share of fun making Stroppel canes. Today I played around more and turned some cane ends into kaleidoscope canes. The first few are promising so I’ll keep poking at the pile of scrap.

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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