Find out
first what is new on the site plus extra tips.
Chadis Crafts' Fun Pages Also called Eileen's Camp Crafts POLYMER AND
HOME MADE CLAY PAGE Now introducing Silver Clay and
Precious Metal Clay Links and Lessons
Levels: Preschool to Adult (Including
Seniors!)
For many years our favorite camp crafts have been made from clay. First Salt Clay for home made
clay we could make into large objects. Then we discovered Sculpey Clay! And the
world of adult looking camp crafts began.
Sculpey is a
polymer clay that softens easy for little hands and can be cooked in a regular
kitchen oven. They love feeding it into a pasta machine
to make flat sheets. We have made: covered pens, Mezuzzahs, Havdalah spice
boxes, jewelry, covered baby food jars and covers, light switch plates,
tooth fairy jars and more!
All ages find making the clay canes of 3d designs
magical. I have often had 10 to 12 year olds working almost 1 hour making
1 huge face cane and loving it!
I have included pictures of some of my children clay projects on my picture
page. I have also started including some of the
directions to
these projects that you have been asking for:
Eileen's
Clay Stamp Projects And Ideas. Using rubber stamps to make
clay jewelry and more. Many more pictures and techniques
inluding Jewish Jewelry, Senior Citizen Crafts and Preschool Projects.
Before we go any further lets not
forget regular clay, salt clay, homemade play dough etc. Fun for little hands
and reasonable for preschools and schools to use for play and projects.
Please remember that polymer clay is not play dough and needs adult
supervision.
Many people caution the use of utensils and surfaces to be
used for clay only.
(See the hints and safety suggestions of Maria Nerius
below.)
For example, I give every child a sheet of wax paper to work on.
In addition, since the clay needs to be baked in your home oven, ADULTS
only should bake it on an oven safe glass dish that will be used only for
clay. (I have a collection of everyone's safe/chipped dishes just for
this purpose.)
I also highly recommend buying a pasta machine for your own use
but especially if you work in large groups. It rolls out sheets better, it conditions the
clay faster and the kids love using it!
Antiquing Clay
Transparent
Sculpey with Brown Antiquing (Zum Gali Gali Stamp Company Stamp)
White and Black Clay on Glass Bottle with
Wooden Cover.
By Ronin age 12
I love to antique polymer clay. It makes the clay
look more interesting and can hide many mistakes. Antiquing can be done with
Faster Plaster Brand Brown Antiquing paint or Fimo & Friendly Plastic Powders.
(Metallic or Pearlized etc)
All Antiquing is done AFTER you bake the
Sculpey!
To Antique to a wooden or ivory look finish, use
the Faster Plaster Anituqing. Just paint leave on a second or two and wipe off.
If you let it sit too long and it becomes too dark than you like you can wipe
off more with a wet paper towel.
I like to finish the piece with a sealer.
Future Floor Wax is a cheap acryllic seal.
Or one of the many gloss or matte
finishes by Sculpey, Fimo etc.
To antique using a metallic or other powder,
use a sealant to make a drop of powder into a liquid form and paint lightly only
on areas you want the paint.
Let dry and paint with gloss etc.
See my Rubber Stamp on Clay pages for more pictures and
instructions including Jewish and Other Designs.
POLYMER CLAY BEGINNER/REFRESHER LINKS:
I have been getting lots of email about how to start
using sculpey/polymer clay.
I am always trying to find pointers to beginner
tips/techniques and label them for you.
Many are the techniques I use on my clay
projects pictured on my site.
As you might be able to tell from
my lessons
Sculpey is my personal favorite polymer clay to work with children.
Product
list
List for the many kinds of Polymer clay they make: Sculpey, Eraser Clay,
Premo,
Granitex, Sculpey 111, SuperFlex, Super Elasticlay and more!
Their site also
includes over 260 projects,* Kids
Stuff.
They have tutorials at all levels:
Sculpey
101 Definitions of different Sculpey Clays and the basics for using
polymer clay.
Technical Tips that include problem solving issues and lots more
techniques. Includes how to cover pens with Sculpey. ( A favorite project of
my classes.) What inks work best on Sculpey and more!
Polymerclayprojects.com by Boston
Clayworks. Quality parts/kits for Clay covering projects. Level professional
crafter to student. Also has a gallery of pictures for inspirations and links.
The Polymer Clayspot. Site shows
some interesting techniques and links to many clay sites. I recommended her
basic lessons on the top of this page.
Judy Maddigan's
Push Molds for Polymer Clay. Even the little ones can use these
molds with a little help. We like to use them with Sculpey and Friendly
Plastic. Although we never have time to use multiple colors of clay
in one mold! Great ideas on this page.
Plus lessons based
on this research on PBS teacher guides for SCIGIRLS!
Dough Creatures!Light up your room with electrifing play
dough creatures!
Precious Metal Clay, Art Clay and
more!
Working with Clay that turns to real silver
or gold
Level: Adult
My New Year's resolution was to learn about the different clays that
fire into real silver or gold.
For now I am listing links and supply sources
as I learn about this advance clay on my clay pages.
My goal is to find out
enough to make a page for only these metal clays.
These clay can be fired in
various ways to harden into silver or gold.
Some can be fired using a butane
torch, a "hot Pot", top of a gas stove or a kiln.
The clay is worked similiar to using a single
color of polymer clay to make jewelry or and object.
The clay is a binder to
the silver that disolves leaving behind a silver object.
Some metal clays
shrink more than others.
There is liquid metal clay in syringes to add depth
or to repair cracks.
There are many books explaining the art of metal
clay.
Because of the expense, this is
probably best as an adult project.
Teens may be able to work in a class or
with a parent with these clay but because of the dangers in using a butane torch etc best left
to the teacher or adult to fire.
Links to metal clay
lessons Many of these sites also sell supplies.
Clay, Clay Tools Including Pasta Machines, Art
Supplies and Craft Supplies. They carry the Sculpey 24 pound boxes in white
and Terra cotta. Number 332190-1024
Dick Blick also sells:
Art Clay Silver Slow Dry Clay
Art Clay Silver Standard
Clay
Art Clay Silver Standard Clay
Silver Clay Paper
type
Art Clay Starter Kits
Art Clay Tool Kits
and
more!
Plus PMC Clay! STUDIO by SCULPEY CLAY, TOOLS and
ACCESSORIES
They also have frequent sales so check them out!
Coupon Code CCRQ now until May 12, 2011
15% off orders of $99 or more
PLUS on orders of $150 or more
get FREE ground shipping in the 48 contiguous states
click on picture They carry 1 1/2, 8 and 24 pound classroom packs Dick Blick sells Sculpey's new Shape and Bake Activity
Sets I just got the Game Maker Set. I love the set and the paper game boards! Click on picture for full description More sets available in this new activity series:
Eraser Maker Set,Clay Bears Set,Clay Babies Set,Butterflies Set and Wizards,
Knights, and Dragons SetDick Blick Free 624-page Art Supply Catalog! Also has catalogs for teachers and crafts.
Clay from Joann.com
They sell Sculpey,
Premo, Molds and more! Sculpey and Premo sold by individual bars and
some multi bar sets.
Back in stock and on sale
too!
Click on these pictures but you will have to enter
Amaco clay oven in their search box.
Amaco Polymer Clay
Oven The Amaco Polymer Clay & Craft oven is designed specifically
for baking polymer clays and other projects. It has a maximum
temperature of 300 degrees, and a 30 minute timer that prevents over
baking. I just ordered mine can't wait to get it. My new house oven
seems to over bake some items even when using a Sculpey oven
thermometer as a guide. So I will try this oven out next. They also
sell the Amaco bead baking rack for beads.
Plus you can use the special coupons for my website
visitors
Makin's Ultimate Clay Machine and Motor Now available at
Joann.com Just put Makin's into the search engine
Made for their clay but I
use it with polymer clay. I bought my motor at Joann.com for the machine I
already bought at Michael's. My machine came with lots of goodies: Texture
plates, metal cutters, metal pointy tool (to put holes in the clay for a bead
etc) But this was for a limited time for Michael's only.
I have a couple of the
pasta machines below and will now use these for my preschool class and use my
motor one for home. My preschool kids wait excitedly in line to use the crank
on the pasta
machine. Joann.com has more clay and molds!
Future
Craft Lesson Pictures
