Sculpey ~ Sculpey ~ Sculpey!!!

Submitted by Berkana on Sun, 01/11/2004 - 6:26am.

Yay!

I asked for, and recieved, Sculpey for Yule!!!

Woo hoo!

I made my first "things" the other day. I think it's cool!

:-D

(Hey, if I can't do lampworking (no place to set up a torch that won't catch on fire...), I will make my beads this way. I intend to derive great joy through my new medium!

( categories: Crafts )

Cool

Submitted by Air Angel on Sun, 01/18/2004 - 10:19pm.

Hi, You're going to think I'm stupid or something, but what is a Sculpey???????? :puzzled: :smile: I'm laughing at myself just for asking!!! :lol:
Well, nice talking
xoxo, AA

I don't think you're stupid...

Submitted by Berkana on Wed, 01/21/2004 - 3:04am.

...you just don't know the wonders of Sculpey!!!

I shall be happy to let you in on it!

Sculpey is a polymer clay. There are several brands out there; the other well-known one is Fimo. Sculpey comes in a couple of different types - Sculpey, which is white only, Sculpey 3, which comes in a myriad of colors, and Sculpey Primo which is also available in many colors and is formulated for the more serious Sculpey crafter (it is more pliable, needs less priming, etc.)

Polymer clays are plastic-based. Using a more natural clay would be ideal, but those either air-dry (sometimes while you're working with them), never harden (kids' clays) or must be baked in a kiln (which I have no access to currently, and don't have a thousand or so dollars to fork out for one, much less somewhere to put it...). These types of clays are great because they can be fired in a home oven at low temperatures. The only downside to this is that, over time, oils "sweat" off of the baking clay and coat the inside of your oven. There are 2 ways around this. The first is to bake in a dedicated (only for clay) baking pan and place another clay-only pan over the top - sort of like an oven-in-an-oven. This way, only the two pans will be coated with clay-oil, and you don't have to clean your oven all the time. The other is to get (or appropriate) a toaster oven and use it only for clay. This way, you never have to worry about what gets on the oven walls, since food will never be placed inside it. The only drawback to using a toaster oven is that they usually don't keep the proper temperature (what you set on the dial isn't the same as the temp inside). The solution is to get an oven thermometer and set it in the center of the oven. When it reads the right temp, you're ready to bake!

The *right temperature* is really important, because although Sculpey is non-toxic (but not usable to make items that will hold food or beverages, or anything that will have things burning in it like ashtrays), when any of these clays are cooked at the wrong temp and burned, they let off a toxic fume. Luckily, the smell is so awful that you can't possibly breathe in too much to cause harm. You just turn off the oven, open the windows, vent the house out and lament your poor, burned works of art that you must now re-create. :-( It's a lesson learned the hard way! However, at the proper temp, it's hard to burn polymer clays. You can even bake a piece, add to it, and throw the whole thing back in the oven. :-)

These clays can be used to make all sorts of stuff. Whenever you see those clay beads (usually strung on hemp cord), you're seeing something that's made from this kind of clay. People make figurines, wrap glass votive candleholders in it (heat is ok, direct heat is not), make pendants, cover other things like picture frames, pens and boxes, make sculptures & wall plaques (Gods & Goddesses?!?), cut it into squares and random pieces and use it to make a mosaic, and on, and on, and on. Anything you can think to make, you can do with this stuff.
You can stamp it, embed things in it before baking (if the item will survive the oven - some people put paper things in/on it!), paint things on it (especially with Liquid Sculpey mixed with some pigment), roll it, squish it with your paws, form it around an armiture (a shape made from wire, paper or other stuff that you put the clay around to keep the thickness of the clay layers fairly thin so that you use less clay on large pieces and spend less time baking the piece), make millefiori (those little images that are usually on the clay beads that you see - they are easy to make into "canes", or rolls of clay and then cut off in slices and applied to a bead or other item), and swirl together the colors, or even mix them to make your own shades.

You can't use standard glazes or spray-on stuff with it, because some of these products have chemicals that break down the clay and ruin the piece. However, they make special gloss and matte glazes just for these clays.

As you can see, Sculpey is just the *coolest*! Well, at least for someone who has to make their goodies at home and doesn't have a fortune to spend on supplies. If I could work with other stuff I would, but there's a lot that can be done with these clays and this should keep me busy for now! :-P

Blessings

~Berkana

Get a taste of religion.

Lick a Witch!

HAY!!! THAT IS COOL!!!

Submitted by Air Angel on Wed, 01/21/2004 - 1:21pm.

Hi ya and wow!!! :) That's really cool stuff!!! :cool: I have made a few things out of the kiln kind of clay. But that was in school. I've only had my own clay kilned once sence by this lady who owns a craft shop. Now I just paint the finished product of the kiln. I like it, but haved done much of it lately. :( Thanks for clearafy because REALLY COOL STUFF!!!! :) :cool:

Nice talking,
xoxo,
AA!!!

He Hee!

Submitted by Berkana on Thu, 01/22/2004 - 5:48am.

It is cool!

It's a lot of fun too!

:-)

Blessings

~Berkana

Get a taste of religion.

Lick a Witch!

I love Sculpey. Am learning t

Submitted by Solstice on Thu, 01/22/2004 - 9:51pm.

I love Sculpey. Am learning to work with it. I have worked in metal clay too. Have fun!!!

PMC!!!!!!

Submitted by Berkana on Fri, 01/23/2004 - 7:11am.

Did you say Precious Metal Clay? Oooh, I wish! **Grumble, covet, envy**

That is the coolest stuff!! If I had any access to a kiln, I'd be all over it!

Blessings

~Berkana

Get a taste of religion.

Lick a Witch!

Go to the PMC Guild website.

Submitted by Solstice on Sat, 01/24/2004 - 3:07pm.

Go to the PMC Guild website. Somewhere on there they had a ceramic type of kiln that you use with some kind of fuel. The cost was only about $150 I think. I am considering getting one myself. Also with the new types, you can torch fire them. That taks some practice, but I don't think there are too many problems.

I am taking some classes and the instructor will fire your work for $5 if you take it to her studio. Perhaps you can find someone in your area that will help you out.

It is sooooo fun!!!

That would be cool!!!

Submitted by Berkana on Sun, 01/25/2004 - 5:40am.

I have heard of torch firing. My only issue is that I live in an apartment, so I have nowhere to put a torch! (I think there's a clause in my lease somewhere about not setting the building on fire.... :-P )

If I was able to work with a torch, I would do some lampworking, as that is what really fascinates me! Imagine working handmade glass beads into a PMC piece - that could be cool!

$150.00 isn't bad for a small kiln. You wouldn't need a very large one for most designs. That could be something for me to look into later on!

I believe they have classes on PMC at our community college. I don't have class money though. *sigh* :-(

Blessings

~Berkana

Get a taste of religion.

Lick a Witch!

If I order the stuff I will t

Submitted by Solstice on Fri, 01/30/2004 - 1:32pm.

If I order the stuff I will tell you. Actually, the torch you need may be this little one. Like the one that is used by chefs. I am not sure. If you could use one of those, it may not be a problem for you. If you can have lit candles, than this certainly would not be a problem. I have a tiny one for dong jump rings, etc. I think it has an attachment that I can use for torch firing. I will look up my info on that and post next week. (This is my long weekend to work 12-hr shifts).

I know all about those weekends!

Submitted by Berkana on Thu, 02/05/2004 - 6:38am.

I just got through pulling some 11's for Super Bowl.

I'll have to look into the torch - I know the lampworking one is out of the question, but if a little one is ok for PMC....

:-D

Blessings

~Berkana

Get a taste of religion.

Lick a Witch!

CHEAP THRILL!!!!

Submitted by Solstice on Sun, 02/01/2004 - 7:57pm.

Check this out! You might like the price. I may get the tumbler they have too.

www.pmcsupply.com

me too!

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Spam!!

Submitted by Berkana on Tue, 11/02/2004 - 12:24pm.

Spam - don't click!!

:barf:

Blessings

~Berkana

Get a taste of religion.

Lick a Witch!

Lampworking

Submitted by Solstice on Sat, 01/24/2004 - 3:02pm.

8) I wanna do it. I took a short workshop on glass beadmaking. I am hooked and I drool when I hear people talk about it. I want to do more.

My son is in art school and has done some glasswork. We want to set up shop when he gets out. We are looking for someone who wants to get out of the business and wants to sell equipment. Right now it is tough because we have so much invested in metalwork, but if we can combine the two like so many other artists do, it will be exciting.

Do you have photos or a webpage for your work?

:-D

Oooooh, lampworking!

Submitted by Berkana on Sun, 01/25/2004 - 5:53am.

There's a class on that at the college too! I've been trying to figure out how I could *possibly* come up with some extra cash, but it's not meant to be right now. :-(

What kind of metalworking have you done?

No, I don't have any pictures of my stuff posted right now.

I am currently working on a website that was *supposed* to be up a couple of months ago. The server I am going through had a problem and I am now waiting for things to get settled so I can get set up. (I could go somewhere else, but you have to be sponsored into their sites (at least, for the free ones) and I've already gone through all of that. Besides, it's a Pagan-owned company ~ they won't freak out over the other stuff I'm going to post!) I am planning to put some of my crafty stuff on there, including Sculpey stuff, as soon as I get good at it! :-P

You might be able to find someone who's selling equipment if you look at a good trade mag - Lapidary Journal is one. They have listings in the back, and sometimes people do sell off equipment through them. (Of course, buying from a classified ad brings up lots of issues & questions. It's just a thought!)

Blessings

~Berkana

Get a taste of religion.

Lick a Witch!

I suscribe to LJ...and anxiou

Submitted by Solstice on Sun, 01/25/2004 - 12:04pm.

I suscribe to LJ...and anxiously watch the mailbox every month. There are trade mags for flameworking too, but I am not sure what they are. I will probably look on ebay, or advertize in one of the trade journals for used equipment.

I do know a few people locally who have glass founderies. They would probably know too. My son and I will start in June or July to put things together. I did find that there were classes close to me somewhere in Saratoga, NY, but I can't find anything listed anywhere.

There are also some suppliers who will teach the basics, so I will investigate that. In Corning, NY at CMOG there are classes (if you can get in), and you can get a few pieces of equipment through them.

I may buy a kiln in the near future which will do both glass and PMC from what I hear. I will be going to look at it this next week.

In the case of Skulpy, I just found out that you can get some equipment for it in the Dick Blick catalog.

Hugs

Dick Blick!!!!!

Submitted by Berkana on Fri, 01/30/2004 - 6:20am.

There's a Dick Blick here in town - and not too far away either!!!!!

I haven't been there in years! (We went tie-dye happy for a while and that's the best place to get *real* fabric dyes. That Rit crap just doesn't cut it! Hey, I should get my box-o-dyes & stuff back out one of these days....)

I bet they *do* have much to offer in the way of Sculpey supplies and such!

(I tried to get people to give me Dick Blick gift cards/certificates over the holidays, but I got Michaels cards instead. Oh well... I used them and got great stuff! I have no complaints! :-D)

Blessings

~Berkana

Get a taste of religion.

Lick a Witch!

Heck!! I am moving to your to

Submitted by Solstice on Fri, 01/30/2004 - 1:27pm.

Heck!! I am moving to your town!!!!!!!

I just sent for some stuff there.

The Latest:

Submitted by Berkana on Sun, 10/03/2004 - 5:47am.

Well,

I've made all kinds of Sculpey stuff. I recently picked up Liquid Sculpey which is the coolest stuff yet!! You can transfer images to it permanently like with Silly Putty but using heat; you can bake it 'till it goes clear; you can mix certain kinds of paint or pigments into it & use it like paint or just bake it with the color; you can use it like a glue to bond pieces of baked clay together; you can spread it on glass & bake it to make stained glass art for windows; you can use it like enamel to fill in carved areas in beads - the possibilites are almost endless!!

I have yet to test out the new Liquid Sculpey, but when I do, I'll be sure to let you know all about it!

The eeevil folks at Dick Blick saw fit to change the location of the store closest to me. Instead of being out to the south, they are now right down the street from me! If I feel adventurous, I could *walk* to the locak Dick Blick!! Horrors!!! :-O I was forced to spend some money there the other day, getting the aforementioned Liquid Sculpey (because it was cheeper than Michaels' price), a set of mica pigments to use with it, and pen & ink supplies. I also looked into scratchboard & watercolor stuff. How eeevil of them to move nearby!! I won't have a dollar left to my name by the time they're done! :-P

Also, I now have my stuff posted online in the Arts section of my happy little website. You can access it from the link below:

The Witches' Tree

http://www.thefluiddruid.net/members//Berkana///index.html

Yeah, the URL's 50 feet long, but that's what happens when the site is free, so I guess I can't complain! :-P