Barbara's Creative Paperclay® Tips for May

Hello everyone, and welcome back.  I hope everyone had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend.

Barbara here, and I have a few tips to share with you that I learned along the way while making my project earlier this month.  This is a picture of what I made in my earlier post this month.  If you missed it, you can click here to see how I made it.

The basket of flowers is all made using Creative Paperclay®.  As you can see, there were lots of tiny bits and pieces to mold and air dry.  So, my first tip is this:

1)  Get a ridged plate, like a microwave bacon cooker, from the dollar store, and place a scrap piece of screen wire on top to dry your clay on.  It works fabulously because this allows air to circulate beneath the clay, as well as on the top.

I also found that these Stampin' Up trays, used to hold alphabet stamps, have ridges that will hold the screen wire up off the bottom, as well.  The lid closes and will keep the dust off. 

 

2)  When you want to work on a piece of Paperclay® that you now need to trim with your craft knife, lay it on a piece of white cardstock.  This will allow you to easily rotate the piece while you work on it without handling it, which could possibly cause it to stretch out of shape.  You can also leave it to dry on the paper and then you can easily move it from your workspace.  This was invaluable to me when I was cutting out the basket I had made.

3)  I also found that, while painting my Paperclay® pieces, if I want to dilute my acrylic paints with water, the water would re-wet the Paperclay®, causing it to lose some of its definition.  However, using an acrylic glazing medium (instead of water) allowed me more time to color my flowers without wetting the Paperclay®.  The glazing medium also made the acrylic paint more translucent and allowed me more time to play with mixing my colors,  again without re-wetting the Paperclay®.

I hope you enjoyed my tips this month, and that you will be able to utilize them in your own projects, perhaps making it easier and more fun to create something using this fabulous product.  I hope you will also take a minute to visit the Creative Paperclay® online store, as well as come back to the blog for more inspiration, tips and techniques from the wonderful Creative Paperclay® designers.

Have a wonderful, creative week!

Barbara

Diana's May Tip

Hi there, I'm Diana Gonzalez, and here's my tip for using Creative Paperclay!
First, my project:

This is a set of rubber stamped pendants that I made.
When working with rubber stamps, paint and clay, at times you'll find that the finish is a bit dull. I did give my clay a nice coating of acrylic paint, but  I wanted to achieve a sort of "faux ceramic" look, which can be achieved by using spray acrylic coating. Be generous. Spray a generous amount, let it dry, then spray it again.
If you're worried about fumes, do this on your porch outside, or if you are an urban dweller such as I, then just open the bathroom window, and do it in there.
After the sealer is dry, you can rub some ink on it. I used a bit of Pigment ink by Clearsnap. Use whatever shade you want. And voila! You've got yourself a cool "faux ceramic" stamped pendant!

Diana

Dawnmercedes' May Tip

I learned this tip the "hard way."  

When I was creating these organic balloons earlier in the month, I didn't make any extras.  

One of my balloons deflated before the Creative Paperclay © was dried...

and the shape lost its form.

TIP:

If you are creating a project that involves repeated forms or shapes,

make a few extras.  Planning ahead for "just in case" will keep your artistic endeavors running smoothly!

Thanks for stopping by today!!

Dawn Mercedes, of Sunnyside Up

Today is my day for a Creative Paperclay tip.  I decided to experiment with alcohol inks and the clay to see how the clay #1 reacts to the ink being applied and #2 how it differs from applying the alcohol ink to polymer clay.

I molded multiple pieces for experimenting and let them dry thoroughly (side note: LOVE how the Creative Paperclay picks up the details of any mold!).

I gathered all of my materials: Pinata inks, isopropyl alcohol (I used 70%), cotton swabs, small plastic mixing cups, sponge brushes, and plastic wrap and then set to work. 

First thing...cover the work space with plastic wrap just in case you have any spills (no sense ruining the table for arts sake)!  Mixing small amounts of ink and alcohol will also help ward off any possible catastrophes.   Green is my first color of choice as I wanted to paint a gecko.  a sponge brush would be a bit of overkill as far as the amount of ink applied, so I chose to use a cotton swab instead.  The paperclay gecko soaked up the ink instantly as I applied it...quickly enough that when I turned the gecko and held the just painted tail, I didn't get any ink on my fingers!  VERY COOL!  Progressive applications took the gecko from a pale green to a deeper green. 

Each time the gecko was dry to the touch shortly after applying the alcohol/ink :-)

What happens if the ink is applied straight from the bottle?  The color is very dark and soaks in quickly in the spot where it was applied.  It is difficult to get the colors to soften when applied in this manner (notice the gecko tail is much darker than the rest of him).  I have already decided this is NOT my favorite way to apply the inks!

One of my favorite things to do with the alcohol inks on polymer clay is a tie dye effect.  Is this possible on the paperclay??  I had to find out.  Instead of using a cotton swab I want to really saturate the clay surface to see if I can get additional colors to spread.  I figured I would need to work quickly so with a sponge brush in one hand and a ink bottle in the other I proceeded to paint.  One sweep of the sponge brush dipped into the ink/alcohol mixture was enough to cover each face.  Before the yellow ink had a chance to dry I dripped red ink straight from the bottle onto it.  To my delight (hmmmm, maybe I should rethink NOT liking this application) the color began to spread in fingers, but the fingers soon bled together and a patch formed. 

The quick dry achieved with the gecko did not occur...instead the piece sat in a puddle of yellow ink until I moved it to a paper towel to dry.

If you buy a set of Pinata inks, it comes with white/blanco.  I was surprised to find this particular color in the set does not seem to spread and/or soak in like the others!  Instead it seems to stay where ever it is put.  I colored a mask with yellow and then dripped white into the mouth and eyes where it pooled. 

I dripped a bit of the green on top and was surprised when it spread to the sides and highlighted the white underneath.

 Well that is it for today.  Maybe next time I will experiment on flat sheets of clay to see if the effects are any different.  or textured clay...or smooth cabochons...only time will tell.  Have a beautiful, crafty, clayful day!

Lynda's Flower Cards

Hello everyone,
My name is Lynda Jeffs, and I am one of the newbies here!!! I am so excited to bring you my very first project for you guys - I hope to bring you a lot of different inspiration for your scrapbooks and cards!  I love to alter things - using clay as a great 3 dimensional embellishment versus purchasing my own!  With this clay - I love how I can paint on it, and with my Radiant Pearls paint (no longer on the market) I can emboss on it as well!  
With the cards I create, I use scraps left over from other paper crafting projects that I have done, making them way more cost effective than purchasing them at the store.  I used left over papers from this project to complete the red card using the other side of the papers!   I rounded the corners on the top mat - and embossed the saying on the front of the paper!  For the flower I started with the Creative Paperclay product and a mold I had for the flower.  I used Radiant Pearls paint to create the look I wanted, and though the scan does not show it as well, it has a bit of a gold shimmer to it that matches the flowers in the paper.  I added a simple red bow and I was done!  

For this next card, I wanted to use the clay flowers in the middle of the card but also wanted more dimension for my flowers.  For the clay flowers, they were painted again with Radiant Pearls paint and added to the middle of the flowers and then I turned up the edges of each of the petals to create that dimension I was talking about!!!   For embellishments on cards, layouts - or altered projects...Creative Paperclay is the best! 

Lynda Jeffs

Creative Paperclay Design Team 

Jess B's - Cherry Blossom Ombre Fan

Hello Everyone

Hope you are enjoying spring in

all its splendor

The state of Washington D.C.

just celebrated 

National Cherry Blossom Festival 

last month

The first "Cherry Blossom Festival" was held in 1935 under joint sponsorship by numerous civic groups, becoming an annual event. The cherry trees had by this point become an established part of the nation's capitol. In 1938, plans to cut down trees to clear ground for the Jefferson Memorial prompted a group of women to chain themselves together at the site in protest. A compromise was reached where more trees would be planted along the south side of the Basin to frame the Memorial. A Cherry Blossom Pageant was begun in 1940.

Click HERE for more information

Cherry Blossom Ombre Fan

I used Delight-Air-Dry-Modeling-Compound

 

Mixed acrylic paints from my stash

you can use three colors within the same family Dark, Medium, and Light

 

Colors used Magenta, Dust Rose and Baby Soft Pink

 I rolled it out and used oval shaped cutter

I used Provo Craft - Pagoda cartridge

for my base

I used Wilton's - Nature Fondant Mold

 I finished it off with 

embellishments I received as a gift

which happened to have pink elements in them

INGREDIENTS

 

Thanks for stopping by

see you soon!

May Tip by Rachel Whetzel

Hello!! Rachel Whetzel here. I have a tip for you! That guy above is my newest art doll I created using Creative Paperclay® modeling material. My tip today is about painting. When you paint things with a lot of texture, like Mad Hatter's hair, you can achieve the best dimension by painting in more than one color to add shading and highlight areas. 
For the Mad Hatter here, I used a light blue paint as my base coat, and then added a darker blue. Before the darker blue was dry, I wiped it off to expose the lighter shades underneath, and left the darker blue in the crevices of the hair. For the last layer, I used antiquing stain and then rubbed it off as well, leaving it in the deepest parts of the hair. Using the technique allows you to let your sculpting to the work for you! 

Garden Basket of Flowers Shadowbox

Hello everyone, and welcome to the blog.  I am Barbara Rankin.  This is my first post as a new design team member for Creative Paperclay® and I could not be more excited to be here.  My first project that I want to share with you is a fun little garden basket full of flowers.  I had so much fun making this, and I love how it turned out.

Supplies used:

Creative Paperclay® air dry clay
Silicone Molds (Martha Stewart)
Garden Basket rubber stamp (Impression Obsession)
Secret Garden 8x8 print paper pad (Graphic45)
5-1/2" x 8-1/2" wooden shadow box (Dollar Tree)
Glue n' Seal (Ranger)
Acrylic Paints (Ceramcoat Purple, Tahiti Blue, Spice Tan, Lt Ivory) (Folk Art Spring Rose, Pure Orange, Sunflower, Basil Green, Leaf Green, Glazing Medium)
Peeled Paint Distress ink (Ranger)
Glue gun
Moss embossing powder

I like to first work the clay into a ball and push it into the mold  Allow it to dry a bit, maybe 30 minutes, before removing it from the mold.

In some instances, I prefer to work the Paperclay® into an oval shape, as I did for this leaf mold.  It seems to make it easier to push the clay into the mold and get better coverage.

Next, I inked up the basket stamp with archival black ink.  It is not necessary to ink your stamp first, but if you do, I recommend using a waterproof ink so it will not run.  I rolled out a piece of the Creative Paperclay® to approximately a 1/8" thickness.

I then stamped into the clay.

Using a craft knife, I cut the excess Paperclay® away and returned it to the package.

Here is what it looked like after trimming.  I used my fingers to smooth the edges and my fingernails to make tiny indentations along the bottom.

I wanted my basket to look more realistic, so I allowed it to dry over a piece of sponge.

Paint basket with tan acrylic paint.  Allow to dry.

Make a charcoal acrylic paint wash and cover basket.  Allow to dry.  Dry brush tan acrylic paint over basket, just hitting the high spots.

I continued molding flowers, leaves, birds and butterflies, and here is a picture of my desktop filled with  Creative Paperclay® goodness.  It is so easy and so much fun to play with Paperclay® that I could do this for hours.

I painted each piece of Creative Paperclay® with a mixture of acrylic paints and glazing medium.  This helped blend my colors, as well as making the paint more translucent.  

The reason I wanted my paint more translucent is so that my second layer of paint would not completely cover up the previous color.  It would, instead, go into the crevices and darken the nooks and crannies perfectly. Then, after that dried, I could come back and hit the high spots with a dry brush technique.  

With all of my pieces painted and drying, I found a small wooden shadow box I had purchased from the dollar store.  I sanded it a bit, then painted the sides of box, inside and out, with my acrylic paint mixture of Basil Green, Light Avocado, and Glazing Medium.  When the paint was dry, I sprinkled Moss embossing powder here and there on the sides of the box and heat embossed it.   Then I sponged a bit of Peeled Paint distress ink on top of that to bring out the color variations.

I found just the right paper to use for the background, i.e., the Graphic 45 Secret Garden from the 8"x8" paper pad.  It fit perfectly inside the box with just a bit of trimming off the top and bottom. 
I then adhered printed Secret Garden paper to the inside bottom of box with glue n' seal.

Now that all of my Paperclay® embellishments are ready, I simply arranged them inside the box and glued them using a hot glue gun.  Oh my goodness, this was such a fun project.  Here are a few closeup  photos of the Paperclay® and the dimension I easily achieved with this product.

Thanks so much for joining me for my first project post for the Creative Paperclay® design team.  I hope you have been inspired to try out this fabulous and fun product.  There are so many ways to use it, and you will be amazed at how much fun you will have "playing" with this product.  So, I encourage you to visit the Creative Paperclay® blog often, because the other designers have so many wonderful creations to share with you.

Until my next post, I hope you will find some time to visit my blog to see how I continue to use this product.

Have a wonderful week, and happy crafting!

Barbara

Conversation Talisman Heart Pendants

I absolutely love incorporating jewelry with superstitions, don't you?
I'm Diana and I'm going to show you how I made these beautiful conversation talisman hearts pendants:

You will need:

Creative Paperclay
Acrylic Paint (I used Burnished Copper by Dick Blick)
Shimmer markers
Dictionary or text book pages (or even type and print your own on your computer)
Spray acrylic sealer
glue stick

The process is simple.
You're going to roll a quarter sized bit of clay into a ball, then pinch the bottom, and shape it into a triangle. Once you've done that, you can go ahead and get a toothpick, to shape the top (that will be the shape of the heart).
Make a few if you want, like I did:

Remember to poke a hole in them, for easy jewelry making (you can do this using the aforementioned toothpick).
Let them dry for a bit, then paint them up:

Be generous with your paint, and give them a few coats of paint.
After that, apply some words to resonate your superstitious intentions. You can use some words such as "Dream", "love", "hope".
Once you have applied the words, you can go over the edge of the text with a shimmery marker. I would give you the brand name, but the marker is so old and used that the name has rubbed off, and I my memory fails me. But use whichever you prefer.
Once you've done that, go over them with a generous spraying of Acrylic Sealer. This can be found at the art supply store.
And Voila, you end up with this:

Sometimes clay cracks a bit, and in this case, that is perfectly okay. In fact, it's better that these hearts do not look too "perfect" since I did intend them to be primitive looking.

Thanks for reading my tutorial! Happy Crafting!


Diana

Organic balloons

I thought I'd make an organic art piece, with repetitive shapes,

using Creative Paperclay © as my medium.

Supplies:

Creative Paperclay ©

waterballons

mat, rolling pin

plastic wrap

Finishing supplies:

Matte and Gloss Mod Podge

brushes/sponges

acrylic paint 

Helmar 450 Quick Dry Adhesive

1.  First, roll out your Creative Paperclay © into a thin slab.

2.  Wrap your balloon as pictured.

If you want a larger piece, try using larger balloons.

3.  Wrap with plastic wrap and smooth and shape your paperclay to the balloons.  

4.  Unwrap...set out.

Patiently wait for it to dry.

**Note, my every trusty frisbee!!**

5.  When the paperclay is dry, cut the balloons with a pair of scissors.

Then...it's up to you to arrange and decorate them!

I wanted mine to have a contrast of rough and smooth.

This inside of each form was painted with gold acrylic paint...two coats.

The outside was painted in blues and creams.

After the paint had dried, I coated the inside with Gloss Mod Podge...two coats.

Then the outside was coated in Matt Mod Podge...again two coats!

I then stacked my forms in a tripod shape with the 4th, and smallest, on top.

I found that Helmar's 450 Quick Dry Adhesive worked best in securing my sculpture.

I found a large glass platter...lined it with Spanish Moss.

I am planning on burning tea lights in side...or getting the battery operated tea lights!

Thanks so much for coming and commenting on my Organic Art piece.

I thought that it would look sea-like. But with the grasses, it's more egg like.

What do you think?

Dawn Mercedes, of Sunnyside Up!