Play with Clay: Polymer Clay
Do you like molding shapes, beads, figures, and other items out of clay? Try polymer clay for a great substitution for commercial clay. Because polymer clay requires very low temperatures to bake, you don’t need to invest in a kiln to use it, making this a more practical kind of clay for most crafters. Polymer clay is also great because it has vivid, bright colors, can be readily found at most craft stores, and is very pliable.
You can use many tools to help you shape polymer clay when you’re making crafts. Many people find that their fingers alone are the best tools, but if you want to be more precise, simple open a few of the drawers in your office and kitchen to find the tools you need. Toothpicks and paper clips are great to start, and you can also check out some other supplies for interesting patterns that can easily be impressed into the clay. In the kitchen, consider using a rolling pin to smooth out the clay. Once you’ve used an item for clay, don’t use it again for food, but it you don’t want to damage you rolling pin, try using an empty hairspray bottle or other such cylindrical shape.
Another common kitchen item to use with polymer clay is a pasta machine. This is great for rolling slabs and making long snakes out of the clay. If you learn special techniques, you can create clay slabs that have pretty colored designs. This is not usually possible with a rolling pin, because you do not have as much control of the amount of pressure used every time you roll out the clay.
Once you have the polymer clay shapes you want, simple bake in the over for the time as specified on your brand’s packaging. Most polymer clay needs only to bake for twenty minutes, and when removed from the oven, the result is very hard clay. Polymer clay can be used indoors and outdoors, and for almost every craft project you can imagine. Be careful when using it with candle projects, however, since some polymer clay can give off toxic fumes when burnt.
Polymer clay is easy to store, because without baking it in an over, it does not get hard. Of course, over the course of many years, your clay may dry out, but for the most part, you can store unbaked polymer clay for a long time. To work with clay, first knead it in your hands to warm it up for ten minutes, and you’ll find that it is as soft and flexible as when you first bought it. Polymer clay is a great craft supply to keep on hand because it has so many uses.
