Currently I am in between doing assignments, and to break the monotony and stress of it, I decided to do a little 'how to' to start up, to make polymer clay charms :D
I do a bit with Sculpey sometimes, although I'm not that good at it. I've only just gotten into charms instead of small decorative things (set of masks for a friend in theatre, shallow decorative bowls for Christmas presents).
Where did you find the clay working tools? I use toothpicks, Q-tips with the cotton removed, those craft sticks that look like popsicle sticks, and a piece of thin cardboard with waxed paper taped over it to keep it from sticking to the clay. It works, but I am intrigued by the idea of tools designed for this.
Oh cool! I would love to see the things you have made :)
Oh, you should be able to get the clay tools at any craft shop, particularly if they sell clay. Funnily enough, I got mine at a book shop that also sold clay, paint, canvas, paint brushes and clay tools.
They're pretty good to use, and durable, but your home made tools sounds interesting. :D I like having a wide range of tools to use, so even though I use the clay tools, I also use toothpicks, metal wire, pop sticks and whatever I can get my hands on to do what I need XD
Okay, but I'll have to wait until I do another set, because I've not taken pictures of anything. But I'll try to remember to take pictures next time. :)
They actually work really well; but they're not very durable, so I have to re-make them kind of frequently.
Ah! I see! You would be right - I use toothpicks quite a bit, and I always need to replace them, since the tips break easily, or get covered in paint or glue. Sometimes, less durable things are more appropriate to use than the clay modelling tools ^_^
Yes. Or I drop them on the floor, and by the time I've cleaned whatever was on the toothpick off the floor the dust and cat fur that got on the toothpick has set into the paint.
Ugh, I hate it when that happens too! The other worse thing is dropping something very small, and then having to look around on the floor for half an hour trying to find it XD
I have a cat too, but I don't let her near where I work so at least there is no fur, but there is still the dust and carpet.
I actually have craft magnets for that, because most of the small things I work with are either metal or beads. So I keep a magnet round just for picking up dropped needles or whatever -- I hold it in two fingers and move it back and forth across the floor. It's strong enough to snatch things right up.
Beads, on the other hand, I have to chase down myself. ;)
Our cat doesn't actually acknowledge the word "no", and seems to find closed doors an affront to her royal catness. Since the house is fairly old, most of the doors don't close tightly, and she can open them by leaning against them. So there's really no way to enforce keeping her out of anywhere; she just comes right back in.
Oh, good idea with the magnet! Unfortunately most of the things I work with aren't metal >_< ah well.
Lol! Her royal fatness, she sounds cute. Thank goodness the doors in my house works, else I'll be paranoid about her swallowing something she shouldn't have from my work table XD
It was my mom's -- she gave it to me for needles when I got my first sewing kit. :)
She's adorable. And, fortunately, she doesn't tend to swallow things; she'll sniff around, but mostly the only "things" I'm working with that interest her are my hands. She'll stand on her hind legs, balance a paw on my knee, and use the other paw to grab my hand and drag it to her, where she rubs her head and ears against it. It's my cue to pet her. ;)
But doors that stayed closed would still be nice, lol! :)
Aw how cute! She knows what she wants XD and that's a really good thing she doesn't eat anything she's not supposed to. my cat headbutts my hand, leg - whatever she can reach until I pat her, and when I do, she flops over in bliss. And she tends to think that whatever I have in my hand is food - even when it's not!
Lol, how cute, she likes to eat properly ^_^ and carisha is such a nice name for a cat! Lol! The confidence cats have in us for the ability to do anything for them XD
Leila would jump on my lap if I ignore her for too long, and look at my face and get so close so that her nose touches my face to make sure my attention is on her!
They ate adorable distractions aren't they? Not sure what I will do if she wasn't there to distract me from the stress of some things :)
Lol, I think she just thinks she's too special to eat off a *floor*, of all places.
Thanks! My roommate got it off a random name generator. :)
I know; I had that discussion with my allergist this morning. ("I really think my quality of life is better with the cat and severe allergies than without any cat and without any allergies." Which it wouldn't be, as I'm allergic to everything else too, but he got the point.)
I do a bit with Sculpey sometimes, although I'm not that good at it. I've only just gotten into charms instead of small decorative things (set of masks for a friend in theatre, shallow decorative bowls for Christmas presents).
Where did you find the clay working tools? I use toothpicks, Q-tips with the cotton removed, those craft sticks that look like popsicle sticks, and a piece of thin cardboard with waxed paper taped over it to keep it from sticking to the clay. It works, but I am intrigued by the idea of tools designed for this.
Reply
Oh, you should be able to get the clay tools at any craft shop, particularly if they sell clay. Funnily enough, I got mine at a book shop that also sold clay, paint, canvas, paint brushes and clay tools.
They're pretty good to use, and durable, but your home made tools sounds interesting. :D I like having a wide range of tools to use, so even though I use the clay tools, I also use toothpicks, metal wire, pop sticks and whatever I can get my hands on to do what I need XD
Reply
They actually work really well; but they're not very durable, so I have to re-make them kind of frequently.
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
I have a cat too, but I don't let her near where I work so at least there is no fur, but there is still the dust and carpet.
Reply
Beads, on the other hand, I have to chase down myself. ;)
Our cat doesn't actually acknowledge the word "no", and seems to find closed doors an affront to her royal catness. Since the house is fairly old, most of the doors don't close tightly, and she can open them by leaning against them. So there's really no way to enforce keeping her out of anywhere; she just comes right back in.
Reply
Lol! Her royal fatness, she sounds cute. Thank goodness the doors in my house works, else I'll be paranoid about her swallowing something she shouldn't have from my work table XD
Reply
She's adorable. And, fortunately, she doesn't tend to swallow things; she'll sniff around, but mostly the only "things" I'm working with that interest her are my hands. She'll stand on her hind legs, balance a paw on my knee, and use the other paw to grab my hand and drag it to her, where she rubs her head and ears against it. It's my cue to pet her. ;)
But doors that stayed closed would still be nice, lol! :)
Reply
Reply
That's adorable! Carisha usually stays standing or walks off and then looks confused when you can't pet her way over there.
Reply
Leila would jump on my lap if I ignore her for too long, and look at my face and get so close so that her nose touches my face to make sure my attention is on her!
They ate adorable distractions aren't they? Not sure what I will do if she wasn't there to distract me from the stress of some things :)
Reply
Thanks! My roommate got it off a random name generator. :)
I know; I had that discussion with my allergist this morning. ("I really think my quality of life is better with the cat and severe allergies than without any cat and without any allergies." Which it wouldn't be, as I'm allergic to everything else too, but he got the point.)
Reply
aw, but I know the feeling. I'm glad i'm not allergic to pets, but if I was, I still will have my cat and dogs, and a whole lot of medication! :D
Reply
Leave a comment