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Hi girls,
Has anyone ever tried polymer clay projects? Although stamping is my #1 thing, I have tried stamping on the clay and it came out so cool. I thought I'd try some polymer clay on glass votives for the hoildays. I bought some holiday molds for sculpey, like the snowman and santa and am going to give it a shot. If anyone has ever tried it maybe you can give me some tips, I'd sooo appreciate it!! Thanks, Mea
we rolled out sculpy and cut out with pampered chef cheese cutters [shapes like a maple leaf] and stamped every day flexible phrases on them. they turned out great!
__________________ Dawn
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if you don't talk to your cat about catnip who will?
I have worked with polymer clay, although I'm fairly new. The 2 things I will tell you are: # 1 condition, condition and condition some more, if you have a pasta machine it makes the process much easier. The 2nd thing is whatever kitchen supplies you use (such as the pasta machine and or cookie sheet that you bake them on) with your polymer clay can no longer be used for food purposes! I really love working with pc, but I don't take the time to play often enough. The last thing my daughter and I made was a mosaic cane and then we covered a heart shaped pendant with it. It turned out very nice we were pleased! We learned a lot from that project, and hopefully the next will be even better! Have fun playing!
There is a really great website that could probably answer any questions that you could possibly have on Polymer Clay the site is www.glassattic.com. I got it off of another board I go to occassionally. Diane has set up a great website for Polymer Clay enthusiasts. Good luck...I want to start working more with the clay myself. Debby
Polymer clay is a great medium! You can mix it to achieve any color. You can put it on almost anything. I could go on and on.
Premo is my favorite brand. It is stong when cured (baked), it is easy to work with, and a good price - not to expensive.
I agree - a pasta machine is a must!
Look what I did! (Card couches that hold business cards)
Location: I live in the beautiful state of South Carolina.
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found this thread!
I found this thread in a search ... I would love more info too!
Specifically, I want to stamp on the clay. Any special tips -- do bold or details stamps work better??
I LOVE, LOVE the examples here of things you have made! Too cute :grin:
It would be great to see some examples of stamped clay too.
Also -- if I stamp on the clay -- how can I color it or jazz it up a bit??
TIA<
Susan
__________________ Copic Certified Designer/Instructor Fiskars Certified Demonstrator View my SCS gallery here
I really like playing with polymer clay, too, but I cannot do near the things that I see Mary has here. Gorgeous and creative! Please share your how to's.
Altoid (or other) tins. Covered each half with black PC, then stamped, then Pearl Ex applied to the entire thing. Bake as required. THEN, lightly sand. The raised surfaces become contrasted with the depressed surfaces. I have a beautiful little box I bought last year done this way. I have everything to try a few... except haven't yet found the time.
-Mary
If you do paper tole, you can apply a layer of liquid polymer clay to the project, then bake it for added strength.
I printed several copies of a rose, cut the individual petals apart from all but one of the photos, curled the paper to form the shape of the petals and reattached them to the base photo with glue. After the glue dried, I applied a layer of the liquid poly and baked it. After it cooled and I applied to my project, I used a clear medium to make dew drops on the rose.
Looks really cool.
Oh, and you can also use the liquid poly to make transfers from prints made using toner.
Rainsong
__________________ Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities. Voltaire
If you want to use polymer clay on glass votives, be sure to clean the glass well with alcohol to remove any residual oils. This will help the PC stick to the glass for baking. You can lay the votive on it's side cushioned with some polyfill or crumpled foil to keep it from rolling. This way the PC won't fall off the votive during baking. If it falls off after baking, reapply it in the same place with a good gel-consistency super-glue (make sure it has cyanoacrylate in it...most of them do). if the votive will be completely encircles with the PC then you don't have to worry about this.
DO visit the glassattic site...soooo much information.
I found this thread in a search ... I would love more info too!
Specifically, I want to stamp on the clay. Any special tips -- do bold or details stamps work better??
I LOVE, LOVE the examples here of things you have made! Too cute :grin:
It would be great to see some examples of stamped clay too.
Also -- if I stamp on the clay -- how can I color it or jazz it up a bit??
TIA<
Susan
I've made stamped coasters using polymer clay. Roll it out to about 1/8" thick, cut with a circle cookie cutter. Stamp images on the clay. I did find that bolder images show up better. I used Pearl Ex to highlight the image. Bake (watch carefully so it doesn't overbake), let cool, and spray with a clear sealer. Glue a thin piece of cork to the back. They look pretty!
BTW, this idea came from a back issue of either Papercrafts or the Stamper's Sampler, can't remember which.
"If you do paper tole, you can apply a layer of liquid polymer clay to the project, then bake it for added strength."
Rainsong, I was looking for a product that would do that! Does it look glazed or does it have a matte finish?
__________________ "Life is much too important to be taken seriously." Oscar Wilde Proud to be a member of Mo's Digital Pencil Challenge DT! My BlogMy Gallery
Stamping on clay can be done using Pearl Ex as your "ink".
Brush the PE right on the rubber and stamp.
When you stamp on clay, you need a release agent so the clay doesn't stick to the stamp, Pearl Ex works great!
The black ornament was stamped with gold PE (soft swirl).
The blue/white one was stamped with micro pearl PE (retired snowflake).
i just saw your pc couches oh my goodness... that is amazing very creative.i have never sen anything like it... i must know how you cam up with this and if you would be ok if maybe i tried it... i need something fun to hold my business cards... let me know thanks. nina
Last edited by mommietess; 10-12-2005 at 07:39 AM..
Reason: forgot to add who it was to
Wow! So many great ideas. I can't get over the couch that Mary made or the lovely ornaments that someone else made (sorry senior moment).
I just use mine to make embellishments for cards and making pins. tTake a piece of clay and work it with your hands, stamp on the clay with dye ink, pearl X, etc. and add color with markers then bake. (note: you can color before baking and a pasta machine is not needed for these items.)
When I am in a hurry, I stamp with black dye ink or stazon, bake or use my hot embossing tool. Then when firm, just color with "metallic rub-ons" or color from a stamp pad. Sprinkle embossing powder on object, emboss and use as an embellishment or pin for a card, etc. I do not use the very detailed stamps...little hard to work with.
Location: Mostly near Cincinnati but Gulf Shores, AL in the wintertime 😎
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Mary in MN
Gasp...... OMG, girl! Your polymer clay creations are gorgeous! You are one very talented chickie. I'm in total awe of your work.
BTW, do you use Sculpey Premo or another brand? I just bought some Premo and a pasta machine and haven't had the chance to play yet. Any tips or advice you could give would be most appreciated.
Thanks!
__________________ "God is good, all the time. All the time, God is good!"
I prefer Premo.
It cures stronger than the regular Sculpy, but is easier to work with than some of the higher priced polymers like Fimo. I really love the Fimo glow-in-the -dark though. This is the time of year I do cute little ghosties that glow.
The card couch was created using a pattern on the web.
I will see if I can find it...
GRR! I can't find the pattern right now. I will keep looking, but I need to be in a meeting in less than an hour and I look frightening!
Just went to the site you gave us and have one big question......under materials it says "finished canes" what does that mean. Must be slow because I can't figure out where you make the patterned "fabric" for the couch. All of your items are just beautiful.
The couch "fabric" is from slicing canes.
Making clay canes is easier than it looks. The stripes and checks are simple.
Pick 2 colors, mine were purple and pearl (I mixed pearl into the purple to give it a shimmer).
I put each color in to the pasta machine so I have 2 flat sheets.
Trim them so they are even, stack one on top of the other.
Cut them in half and stack again (and again and again) until you have a stack of stripes.
You need a thin long blade to slice off a sheet of stripes.
I lay them out on wax or parchment paper as I slice.
Once you have cut as many peices off as you can, gather up all the clay scraps.
You have left over peices from trimming you original sheets, and bits from the striped cane...
Smoosh the scraps together and flatten them through the pasta machine.
That sheet gives you a base to create your fabric.
Lay your little sheets of stripes onto that.
Again you put it through the pasta machine - at the widest setting.
Keep running it through in the same direction, on lower settings, until you have a smooth, blended sheet. (only takes 3 or 4 passes through the pasta machine).
To make checked canes, you start just like the stripes.
Instead of slicing off sheets of stripes, you cut the pieces as thick as the stripes are wide.
Stack them alternately so they look like... checks!
Once you have a stack of checks, you slice them and lay them on a base sheet, just like the stripes.
Location: Mostly near Cincinnati but Gulf Shores, AL in the wintertime 😎
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Mary, you sure make this sound so easy, but I'm not convinced it's that simple. I think you're just being modest about your polyclay expertise, LOL! I went to the link you cited above and I was overwhelmed by some of the gorgeous creations posted there. While it's awesome to look at, it kind of overwhelms me about trying to use my new clay and machine. I just know that there's no way, not ever, that I'll be able to do anything nearly as nice as the stuff I saw there. I guess I got overloaded on all that cool stuff. ;)
__________________ "God is good, all the time. All the time, God is good!"
Those projects overwhelm me too.
Here is another that really is easy:
Chrisanthamum cane.
Pick 3 colors
I chose to mix 2 to create a 3rd.
Condition each in the pasta machine until you have 3 even, flat sheets.
Stack them on top of each other.
Trim sides (with your long thin blade) to get even rectangles.
With your long blade, trim one short edge at an angle /
Curl that angle up until it forms an even roll and roll the clay sheets up "jelly roll" style.
At the end, you can angle cut again to get the clay to lay smooth.
At this point, you have a jelly roll cane.
To give it the Mum look, you will need that long blade.
Turn the blade upside down, holding the edges, and press into the clay the long way. (dull side down)
Turn your cane over and press the blade in again.
Keep pressing the blade evenly (as even as you can) around the cane.
Now roll the cane on a flat surface, with the palms of your hands until it is thin and even/smooth again.
With your thin blade, cut very thin slices off the end of the cane.
Again you need a base sheet, scraps of the same color works well.
Place your slices on your base sheet and put it through the pasta machine. (highest setting)
Turn the sheet one quarter turn,set the pasta machine down one setting, and put it through again.
Another quarter turn, lower setting, pass through...
One more turn, lower setting, pass through.
Now you have a sheet of flowers!
Use it cover an Altiod's tin:
Actually, I think the liquid poly must come in different finishes because mine dried with a low sheen rather than high gloss.
I do know some polymer clay manufacturers make a gloss finish that can be applied over the baked clay.
Rainsong
Rainsong,
When my liquid projects come out of the oven, I put them right in cold water.
It makes them "clearer" - removes the foggines, and makes them glossy.
Polymer clay-anyone tried it?
