New experiments - updates

Remember my previous post about my air-dry clay and candy mold experiments? This pic?

I spent a Sunday afternoon painting the little critters, rubbing on some gilders paste and sealing them. Basically seeing what would work and what wouldn't. Only 3 turned out passably well. I was aiming for 'stunning' but they came out more 'weatherbeaten' than anything else. 

One turned out frankly hideous and will not be photographed - ever. Another is pretty dodgy - I added a layer of Diamond Glaze on top thinking it might improve matters. It didn't. You're not getting a pic of that either. And the last one I quite liked, but then I dropped it and its little paisley tip broke off.....

I'm going to keep on experimenting with the clay and molds. Hopefully, I'll have nicer stuff to show the next time.

New experiments

Paisley-shaped pendants made from air-dry clay using a candy mold. And one little hand-shaped polka-dotted heart. I had to pry the pendants out of the mold so they're all a little wonky at the top near the hole. I have to figure out a way to get them out of the mold without denting/tearing up the clay. If I let them dry in the mold, would they pop out easier? I know they shrink a little when they cure but I have nightmares of them being bonded to the mold. That happened to the resin I poured into a few of the molds. I didn't think I'd need to use mold release and happily poured resin into 5 of the little paisley molds only to find out a day later that the resin was now part of the mold. Sigh...

Letting go and having fun

I have - at various times in my life - been called anal-retentive, uptight and a perfectionist. And yes, when it comes to some things, I admit I can be all 3. I brought this 'I need to make things perfect' mindset to my jewellery making too. Especially when I first started out. But slowly, I've been learning to let go, to embrace the imperfections that come with making things by hand and to just have fun. 

Last week, I had fun experimenting with some not-very-expensive materials. Air-dry clay + paint + ICE resin =

This is a pic I would not have posted a year or even 6 months ago since every item you see in it has several flaws and isn't 'finished'. I wasn't guided by any particular design or vision; I just sat down with some clay and made what my hands felt like making. I also tried not to overthink the colours when it came time to paint the lil critters. Looking back, the one area where I should have put in more thought was the 'dunking them in resin' stage. The resin basically pooled at the bottom of each charm/pendant and pulled away from the clay so I'm having to snip away excess hardened resin and file the edges. 

What I learned from this spur-of-the-moment project was:

a) not knowing how something will turn out when you start making it can be both enjoyable and therapeutic.

b) resin reacts weirdly with air-dry clay. It makes the beads look like they've been shrink wrapped in plastic. I don't know if this is due to some strange chemical reaction or if it's because my resin is (shh! don't tell anyone) well past its 'best before' date or possibly a result of my amateurish technique. 

c) flawed objects have their own innate charm.

Now you've seen my perfectly imperfect charms/pendants, what do you think I should do with them? I'm leaning towards the idea of key chains or phone charms myself. Or maybe use them to pretty up presents and gifts. 

Trying new things

My tins of gilder's paste arrived earlier this week and I managed to find some time to experiment with them a little. I dug out some cameo settings from my stash and rubbed on the paste to see how they would turn out. The results?

I coloured the settings in Violet, Patina, German Silver (bottom right), Copper (middle of pic) and Antique Gold (top left). I think the metallic colours work better - I had some trouble getting the Violet to stay on. Maybe I need to rough up the surface first to help the colour stick. 


I have to say that adding colour to the settings makes them a lot more interesting. And attractive. I sealed the settings with Mod-Podge (the only thing  I had on hand) btw, since I was afraid the colours might rub off. 


I also used gilder's paste on a clay heart I made. I found some air-dry clay in a local book cum stationery store and decided to get it since I couldn't wait for my Apoxie Sculpt to arrive. I'm impatient that way. I've never tried air-dry clay before but since a 500g pack only cost S$4, I figured I had nothing to lose. 


I very inexpertly shaped a heart and let it dry over 3 days. I then rubbed gilder's paste in Pinotage and Antique Gold over it. Finally I brushed on a couple of layers of Mod-Podge. 

The heart is cracked, and mis-shapened, and very amateur-ish to be honest. But there is a beauty in it I never thought I'd see. I guess it's like the hearts some of us bear - worn and torn but still beating.