Month: November 2016

Fumes from baking polymer clay

Just posting this for several reasons:

  1. I am a big fan of working with polymer clay.
  2. I dislike the smell of polymer clays when they are being cured, even at the lowest possible temperature
  3. I get a heavy chest when I breath the fumes which escape from my conventional oven when I bake polymer clay even at recommended temperatures.
  4. I have been a scientist in environmental health for 38 years.
  5. I know that technology outpaces research on new chemicals, devices, techniques and meds.
  6. Linked below is a reasonably put article which is a little on the “dont ever” side, but gives some facts that everyone who handles or cures polymer clay should at least read.
  7. I googled this issue because I know there are those with “multiple chemical sensitivity” where I might tend to include myself and so post this as an FYI.
  8. I use gloves when working with polymer clay, yes its not great, and sometimes I take them off, but always wash my hands thoroughly.
  9. I will search for a small oven to put OUTSIDE my house for curing polymer clay. THE ARTICLE PDF IS HERE

One of my kids made this ostrich egg pysanky. It was certainly a craft that they all enjoyed. I highly recommend it, almost everything comes out wonderfully. I have eggs that kids have done when it they required help holding the kistka. LOL.

The bigger eggs like this ostrich egg required several trips to the craft table, and a little planning. I wish I had figured out a way for them each to sign their ostrich eggs, as I cannot remember which of my boys (I don’t think this is my daughter’s) made this.

pysanky_ostrich_egg_1

Watercolor and ink quick egg

I think this was a combined egg, with my grandaughter Corin, who visited this August. We worked on some things together. So this had some paint that didn’t dry (pink) I am not sure why, I don’t think it was oil paint, that is my addition, plus some shading.  And then after 4 months it wasn’t tacky any more so I added some black sharpie, and a little Varathane. LOL, not terrific, but something to remind me of great family projects.

mixed_watercolor_ink

Mouse, snake and egg polymer clay sculpture

This was a little tongue in cheek (or mouse in snake) egg and polymer clay creation. There is a cute little grey mouse which is poking out of the side of a snake.  The lump in the snake is created with a cockatiel egg covered with polymer clay, then hole drilled, and the body of the snake before and after was created with a rolled length of polymer clay then egg and body mweek_27_snake_egg_mouse1olded together. The snake diamond cane was applied to the outside after the parts were cured together, and the little mouse, created and cured separately was wiggled through the hole.  Positioning the mouse so that eyes and nose pointed outward was a little bit of a task (LOL). All in all, not my best egg sculpture, but it has a design potential to be fun to expand on.