"Mad About Molds is the preferred place for Clay Push Molds and Flexible Molds!" - "Even a beginner can become an expert with these molds!" - "We have the BEST assortment of clay push molds to choose from!" - "Molds are so fun, with an INCREDIBLE amount of projects that can be created!" - "With the purchase of our molds, you have permission to make one-of-a-kind pieces in any quantity to sell at fairs, bazaars and craft shows." - "We offer one-of-a-kind molds that can’t be found anywhere else!"

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Glossary of Molding & Clay Terms.

Place your curser over the words to see the definitions.

Smart Solutions for Clay

u Brushing a baked clay casting with alcohol will help acrylic paint adhere to it.

u Any utensils used when working with polymer clays (such as knives, forks, cookie sheets, pasta machines, rolling pins, etc...) should not ever be used for food preparation, even if you thoroughly clean them. Be sure to wash your hands and clean your work surfaces well after working with polymer clays.

u Never work directly on a wooden surface, such as a kitchen table; polymer clays will damage the finish.

u Raw clay can be stored in anything that is not absorbent (paper, fabric, etc.), or next to any plastic that will not be dissolved by the plasticizer in raw clay. Waxed paper is generally okay, but it will allow some plasticizer to leach through it over time IF there is an absorbent surface underneath contacting it. Plastic recycling numbers # 1, # 2, # 4 and #5 seem to be okay. Avoid # 6 (polystyrene) like the plague for storing clay!

You can test containers with a drop of mineral oil, to see if the container is usable for clay. Just let it sit for a few days. Polystyrene will start to get a roughened appearance pretty quickly. The melting and deforming takes at least a few hours or overnight though. Glass and metal are fine for storage.

u Keep hands and surfaces clean. Wash your hands between colors, because some pigments may stay on your hands and transfer to the next color you pick up. Be especially careful when working with white or light colors.

u Tools for working with clay: You can create your own tools. Imbed a sturdy needle in a handle that is made from polymer clay. Decorate handle, form it and bake. Imbed a drill bit in clay for holes after baking. Let cool. Remove needle/bit and secure with glue in handle before use.

u Storing clay: I have found that the best way to store this clay is in a Ziploc bag (one for each color) or wrapped in wax paper, because the polymers in the clay will react to certain plastics and actually melt them. It is best to wrap pieces before storing them in a larger container. Also, store them away from direct sunlight and heat sources, as this will cause the clay to cure or harden. I am still using some clays I bought over 4 years ago and it is quite usable and will last a long time if stored properly.

u Don't ever bake polymers at more than 300 degrees F. They will produce toxic fumes.

u Polymer clay should be stored in a cool, dry place. Clay begins curing at approximately 90 degrees and, once cured, clay will not return to its original state.

u If you use a pasta machine with lighter colored clays you will know about dark streaks. This is caused by a chemical reaction between the steel rollers and the plasticizers in the clay. You will also know how frustrating it can be when working with clay. Taking your machine apart to clean it can be time consuming, intimidating and even more frustrating. If you have this problem, we have your solution. Baby Oil. Yes, I said Baby Oil. It's cheap, easy to find and it works. Just soak a cotton ball in baby oil, and wipe down the rollers while rotating the handle. Dry with a soft cloth in the same way. It is important to get the rollers completely dry before using.

u Clay Baking Tip: The temperature at which paper catches fire is 451 degrees Fahrenheit. Glass has an even higher burn point.

u Objects with many parts can be assembled after curing using Liquid Sculpey, which gives a very strong bond.

u You can smooth out fingerprints on clay surfaces by putting a thin dusting of cornstarch or baby powder on your finger and gently smooth out any marks in a circular motion.

u When using cutters to cut shapes from polymer clay, layer a sheet of plastic wrap over your clay sheet and press down through that with your cutter. Peel off the plastic and you’ll have a perfect beveled edge.

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General Crafting Tips

u Cleaning Brushes: "Here is a little tip for cleaning paint and glue brushes... How often when you go to use brushes and their stiff and horrible?
After washing brushes with water rub the brushes with hand (personal) soap and rinse well. The brushes stay soft and in good condition.
I used this method daily and people often remark how soft the brushes are so I tell them my little tip I discovered by accident."

u Painting Small Items: If you have small items to paint that are hard to hold onto, try this... Make a loop using a piece of masking or duct tape and stick it to the back of your project. Now, tape the item to the eraser end of a pencil. Hold onto the pencil to paint the item - to dry, simply place the pencil in a cup!

u Both aluminum foil and sandpaper can sharpen scissors if you cut through a sheet of either. If you use sandpaper, make sure it's a fine sheet.

u To prevent the string that comes off the hot glue gun, simply keep your glue sticks in the freezer until ready to use. Works like a champ!

u Cleaning Hands: Apply a little baby oil to your hands before a painting session to make the removal of paint from your skin afterwards much easier.

u Always use warm water to rinse brushes in. Hot and Cold water makes the paint stick to the bristles.

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Best way to atttach a bar pin to the back of your casting.

This technique makes a perfect clean back to any pin.

1. Roll out a thin sheet of clay.

2. Place your pin on top of the sheet of clay. Using the pin as your template, cut around it to make your sheet of clay the same size and shape as your pin back. Remover the pin from the sheet of clay and set aside for now.

3. Holding the pinback by the bar, press it gently into your prepared sheet to make some slight indentions.

4. Use a small round Kemper Cutter or a drinking straw to cut out the holes where the indentions were left by the pinback.

5. Insert the pin and the pin clisp through the holes in the sheet of clay.

6. Apply a very thin coat of liquid clay to the back of your pin. Now take the sheet of clay prepared with the pinkback and place it on top of the pin, with the bar of the pinback sandwiched in between the two pieces of clay.

7. You can texture the backing sheet of clay to hide the figerprints, or you can leave it plain. Now your pin is ready to be baked.

How do I clean my hands after working with Polymer clay?

Use strong soap and a brush. Also, try isopropyl alcohol, baby oil, Handi-Wipes, or a Windex soaked paper towel. Follow-up with soap and water.

Hey all you clayers! Now you have another great use for clay. The Discovery of CLAY Therapy.

Play therapists communicate with children through the medium of toys. Blocks, dolls, puppets, vehicles, and of course, modeling clay. Children are naturally attracted to clay. Most have grown up with modeling clay at home and school. Children like clay. If children don't have clay they will play with pie dough, mud pudding, ice cream or mashed potatoes. They like feeling, molding, squishing, rolling and pounding clay. Counselors use clay because it helps children explore developmental milestones and express fundamental emotions.

· In spite of their artistic skills, age or experience.

· In spite of their lifelong denial of artistic ability.

· In spite of their defenses that keep them from even wanting to try.

Sculpey and Children with Special Needs:

Many children can have great benefits from Clay Therapy. We are offering a free report on the key features and benefits for children with disabilities. Since not everyone needs this information you can download it here.

Sanding Clay
Use Wet/Dry sandpapers which can be used with water. Sanding sponges and sanding films with plastic backing are also available. Some brands of emery boards are similar to sandpaper. When wet sanding baked polymer clay, add a little dish detergent to the water. Choose a scent you really like. It will make the water more slippery to ease your sanding.

Sandpaper comes in numbered grits, with lower numbers being coarser than high numbers. The numbers correspond with number and size of grit per square inch.

· 150 grit - very coarse, cuts through and removes a lot of clay very quickly

· 220 grit - removes lots of clay

· 320 grit - removes clay

· 400 grit - approximately the same grit as polymer clay - removes some clay

· 600 grit - polishes clay surface

· 1000-2000 grit - found in auto supply stores, polishes clay to a very smooth surface

Hint - The surface of ordinary brown grocery bags is similar to 400 grit sandpaper.

Start with as coarse a grit as you need and water, then use progressively finer sandpapers until you achieve the desired surface. Each grit of sandpaper removes scratches from the previous coarser grit. Most of the time 600 grit is high enough unless you want an absolutely silky finish.

Keep your piece and your sandpaper wet and rinse frequently with clean water. Sand in a circular motion - do not always sand in the same direction. Remove sanding sludge from any crevices before re-baking or it will bake into the clay permanently. Faster sanding is possible by partially baking your piece at 210-220 degrees for 15 minutes, then sanding. Support your piece very carefully since partially baked clay is soft and fragile. 400 grit sandpaper cuts partially baked clay like 320 grit cuts fully cured clay. Sand up to 600 grit, make sure all sludge is removed, and rebake for the normal time and temperature. Baking will remove sanding marks. A light sanding can be done after baking.

BUFFING:

!! Warning !! - Buffing can be dangerous. Follow safety instructions carefully.

Bolt your bench grinder to a stable surface. Put an open box behind the wheel to catch buffing residue. Wear a mask - buffing produces lots of fine dust.

Tie your hair back and remove any loose dangling jewelry. Tuck in your clothes. Wear protective eye gear - the buffing wheel is capable of snatching things out of your hands and flinging them away at a high speed.

If you drop something, turn the machine off and wait till the wheel stops before bending over to pick it up. Do this even if two people are buffing at the same time. It’s better to inconvenience your partner than get something caught in the wheel.

If you follow safety rules, buffing should go smoothly. Use either unstitched muslin or a cotton flannel wheel. Use bare wheels, no buffing compound.

Set your wheel at about medium speed. Grip your piece firmly and place it lightly against the lower front quadrant of the wheel. Use a gentle circular motion, keeping the piece moving and making sure all of the surface is buffed evenly. If you press too hard into the wheel, it can cut grooves into your clay and friction heat can begin to melt the surface.

Hint - Some people buff clay work on their jeans instead of using a buffing wheel.

How do I make a clay piece into a pendant?

There are several ways to hang a clay piece as a pendant for a necklace or earring:

Pierce a hole from front to back at the top of the piece and insert a jump ring. This technique is most suitable for light, thin pieces made of strong clay; brittle clay may crack at the top after a while, causing the pendant to fall off.

Embed an eye pin into the top of the piece before firing, leaving just the eye at the top visible. Bend the end of the eye pin a little before inserting it, to make the join stronger.

Attach the jewelry finding called a "bail mount" to the top of the piece. (A bail looks like a tiny tweezers with a loop at the top.)

Pierce the pendant from top to bottom, fire it, then insert a head pin from the bottom and twist the top end into a loop. You can also make the piercing bigger and thread a ribbon or cord through it, knotted at the bottom.

If you have a piece that's already been fired, you can insert a head pin as described above if it's a pierced bead. If it's an unpierced flat piece, you can embed it in a clay frame or glue it to a metal filigree.

How do I attach my clay pieces to metal findings?

A glued bond between a clay piece and a flat metal finding (such as a pin or earring back) holds best when the two pieces fit each other. Before firing, you can press the finding lightly into the back of the clay piece to create a small indentation. After firing, the two pieces will fit well together.

Another way of increasing the strength of a glued bond is to slightly roughen the finding and the back of the clay with coarse sandpaper before gluing. This lets the adhesive get a better "bite" on the material. Some findings have a slightly oily coating that may interfere with the glue, so wipe them off first

Some findings can be fired right into the clay. For example, you can embed the end of an eye pin into the top of a pendant with the round eye showing, then fire the pendant. If you embed wire into the clay, you can get a stronger bond by twisting or bending the wire a bit first, so it can't be pulled straight out.

Advanced Instructions