How to Condition Hard and Crumbly Clay

Have you ever sliced into a block of polymer clay only to have it crumble in your hands? This has happened to me many times already most likely because I’ve stumbled upon some very old clay. But I am not the sort of person to throw anything out, so I’ve had to come up with strategies on how to condition my hard and crumbly clay.

I’m sure other clay crafters will also have their own preferred way, but for today, I’m sharing my personal favorite ways of “reviving” my hard and crumbly clay.

The first is the classic way which is just to just condition your clay. I first use my own fingers’ warmth and then pass the clay through my pasta roller. I normally set my roller into the thinnest setting just to really press the crumbs together. My test to see if the clay is already conditioned enough is to roll it into a ball or into a log.  The pro of doing this method is you’re not actually adding anything to your clay. The con is that it will take a bit of time as well as some effort.

The second way that I like to do is to add a bit of soft translucent clay. This will make it easier for the dry, crumbly clay to stick together. Run it through the pasta machine again until the clay doesn’t come apart. Note that there will be a very slight color difference when we add translucent clay. The pro of using this method is that it takes less time to condition the clay. The con is if you are very specific in color, you might not like the subtle change in color. Another con may be that the clay may turn too soft. If this is the case, simply put it into the fridge for a bit so that the clay can be easier to handle.

The third way, and my current favorite method of softening clay is by hitting it with a hammer or a mallet. I have a small craft hammer, and I use this whenever I work with super hard clay. I cut my clay up, put it inside a plastic bag to keep all the crumbs together and then I just pound on my clay until they stick together. The pro of using this method is that again it takes less time to condition your clay, which is ideal for someone like me who has wrist problems. The con is that you have to get a small hammer, and you also have to have a surface that you can hit repeatedly.

And the last way is to hit the clay with the hammer, but also to add a little bit of liquid Sculpey. As I hit the clay with the hammer, I fold in the clay with the liquid sculpey. This just speeds up the process of softening the clay. The con is that some of you may not have liquid Sculpey, so it’s another material that you need to have on hand. Another con is similar to adding translucent clay, you may find that there is a slight deviation in color. The pro is the time that it takes to condition the clay is cut down.

I hope that this inspires you to keep even your oldest clay. Happy crafting!

Advertisement

Summer Clay Color Recipes

Since time flies by so fast, might as well get ready for summer. Sharing with you today 4 summer colors–pale pink, watermelon pink, mint chip and Niagra blue.

For pale pink, mix 3 parts white, 1 part Fimo flesh and a sliver of Premo Accents in peacock pink.

For watermelon pink, use the same pale pink recipe and add 1/8th part Premo Accents in peacock pink and 1/8th part Sculpey III in Red Hot Red.

For mint chip green, mix 7/8th white clay with 1/8th Fimo peppermint. Then add a sliver of Fimo Effects in glitter green. Finally, I add gray granite to give a textured look.

For Niagra blue, combine the white clay and Fimo peppermint clay in the same proportion as the mint chip green. Then, add about a fourth of Fimo Effects in sapphire blue.

Tip: Remember to condition the clay until the colors are fully blended before adding a new color. This has helped me make fewer errors in matching colors.

6 Basic Tools for Making Polymer Clay Earrings

It’s an exciting time for polymer clay. While many have just discovered this hobby, and are eager to splurge on what supplies they might need, I suggest checking out these 6 basic tools to start with when making clay earrings.

MAT

Being the owner of many craft-stained tables, I have come to realize the importance of using mats to protect my work surface.

While I myself now use a glass mat mounted on carboard, I began with just using a stiff plastic folder to roll my clay onto. Aside from glass mats, there are also silicon mats made specifically for clay. Whatever is available to you, know that the important thing is to prepare for a clean space where you can roll out your clay so that you don’t mix it with dirt, lint and other undesirables.

ROLLER

For a beginner, I wouldn’t necessarily suggest immediately buying a metal clay roller because good ones can cost a lot. When I started out, I used any plastic tube that I could find, and just made sure that I topped it with parchment paper. You can also use popsicle sticks to level the clay evenly.

BASIC CUTTERS

If you are jus starting, I recommend using basic metal cutters—they cut very cleanly and when combined, they can also make unique shapes.

DETAIL NEEDLE

Needles are a great way to add texture to your clay. I also use them to put holes on where my metal findings will go.

CLAY EXTRUDER

For this tool, I think there is no alternative, and you will need to buy one especially if you are still practicing making logs. While making snakes or logs can be done by hand evenly, it will take years of practice to actually master this.

PLIERS, CUTTERS, Etc.

And of course, if you are making earrings, you will need to attach your earring findings using pliers and cutters.

I hope that beginners will find something useful in this. Happy crafting!

Spring Clay Color Recipes!

Spring is upon us and as the flowers bloom, we get to experience the beauty of color.

Today, I’m sharing with you some of my own spring colors to use for your next polymer clay project. I am going to share with you how to make saffron, orange peel, denim blue and coral pink.

For saffron, you will need to mix: 1 part Sculpey white, 2 parts Fimo Sunflower and 1 part Fimo Soft Cognac.

For orange peel, you will need to mix: 1 part Sculpey white, 2 parts Fimo Sunflower, 1 part Fimo Soft Cognac and a sliver of Sculpey III Red Hot Red.

For denim blue, you will need to mix: 1 part Sculpey white, 2 parts Premo Turquoise and 1 part Sculpey III violet.

For coral pink, you will need to mix: 2 parts white, 2 parts Fimo Flesh and a sliver of Premo Effects Peacock Pearl.

I hope you have fun mixing your spring colors! For more polymer clay ideas, do check out my IG @crafttime.ph.

Happy crafting!

Craft Tutorial: Rainbow Polymer Clay Earrings

It’s been a while since I’ve shared a clay craft. But because of this quarantine, I’ve had more time to go back to clay-making. Here’s a simple tutorial on rainbow earrings that you can teach your kids how to make.

For materials, you will need:

• polymer clay in rainbow colors (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet)
• clay blade
• earring findings
• detail needle

What to Do:

1. Roll out your rainbow clay into thin snakes.
2. Starting from the violet clay, carefully bend the clay snake into a U-shape.
3. Bend the successive colors, following the violet one, until all the colors have been placed.
4. Use your clay blade to cut the excess clay.
5. Get your detail needle and poke a hole at the topmost color.
6. Bake the polymer clay following the instructions on the packaging.
7. Attach the earring findings.

There you have it, a simple craft to make with your kids! You can also switch the colors up, using bolder colors, or lighter colors, depending on your mood.

Wash your hands and stay safe!