An amusing surprise

The other day I was looking on the Poly Clay Play website and went to the Sculpey Premo page to check out some information. I had a little giggle when the first thing I saw was my "Hold on to your Dreams" sculpture. See here 

 

http://www.polyclayplay.com/Cart/categories/Polymer-Clay/Premo%21/

 

I had forgotten that Trish had asked me if she could use the photo.

Creations from clearing my cupboards

I have not posted for a while because I have been busy making and gaining more experience. As the Mission Bay Art and Craft Market it coming up towards the end of this month, I thought I would clear my cupboards of all the things I have bought and never got round to trying - hopefully I can then sell them off at the market and other events leading up to Christmas.

Here is a selection of things I have been doing:

Kiwi picture - polymer clay baked on canvas

Glow-in-the-dark bangles

Glow-in-the-dark brooch

Red Indian inspired mask

I have experimented with Sculpey 'Bake and Bend' clay, as I thought it would be good for making rubbery flowers and other decorations for flip flop clips. I know it is really a childrens clay but I was disappointed that it was so sticky as well as soft. Will not be using it again! Have not photographed these yet, as I am waiting for my supply of shoe clips to arrive, to complete them.

After reading posts on the Clay Polymer Yahoo Group about creating faux rocks and pebbles, I had a little dabble at that. Here is a piece of rolled clay with black pepper inclusions, a couple of pebbles (I think they look more like birds eggs) and a granite effect 'boulder'. I have used them in my 'artifical garden', which is featured in my next post.

Faux rocks and pebbles

I have also made eight more HANGAs that I started a long time ago and never finished. They were trial pieces, heart and diamond/square shaped. I will add photos of these to my HANGA website www.hanga.co.nz

While I may have got a little distracted, trying all these different things, I have really enjoyed myself playing and experimenting - but now I need to get focused on my next 'big idea'.

Polymer Clay vs Friendly Plastic for brooch designs

Top row: Friendly Plastic, bottom row: polymer clay

For a comparison exercise, I have tried to replicate my two ‘yacht’ brooch designs with polymer clay, (originally made from Friendly Plastic - Art-Brooch Designs CF034 and CF035). I have to say that I prefer the Friendly Plastic ones for the more rounded, fluid shapes and the metallic colour.

The materials are completely different to use. The polymer clay ones are an early attempt – still so much to accomplish. I may repeat this exercise when I have acquired more skill. I definitely need an extruder gun to get really consistently thin, rounded strips (used for the water ripples) and some more Pearlex powders or coloured foils.

Note: The sails on the polymer clay brooches were quite white after the first two bakings but then I coated the brooch with satin and gloss glazes and baked again for half an hour (as per the instructions). The sails have browned considerably. I could have just put the glaze on without baking again. I wonder if baking the glaze makes it more durable?

Later note: I contacted Polyform and asked if baking their Sculpey Glazes makes them more durable. After consultation with their Chemist, they confirmed that “you would not get more durability by baking the glaze vs. air drying. If anything, the air drying would be better than baking”.