#112 – FOUNDATIONS IN POLYMER CLAY

I’ve tried really hard to have something tangeable for every day of this 365, but if I am going to make jewelry with this polymer clay, then I have to allow myself to count a day for conditioning it!

You see, polymer clay is not ready to work with right out of the package. It needs to be kneaded repeatedly. Because I work with mass quantities, I use a pasta machine to knead and condition the clay.

Ideally, you want the clay nice and soft so that as you run it through the machine it stays together in one long sheet. I run each block of clay through the pasta machine around 20-30 times.

What you don’t want is this – crumbling clay.

I will not mention a certain online source where I just recently bought 20 blocks of polymer clay. I was on my 8th bar and all of them thus far had exploded into dust as they entered the pasta machine. I couldn’t put those blocks together if I spent a year trying to do so. I swept the polymer clay dust into Ziplocs, returned them promptly to the site and tried to find some clay locally. I didn’t even realize my local art store had a full assortment of polymer clays. How did I miss that? Anyway, I went in, inspected the blocks closely, gave them a gentle squeeze and could tell instantly they were soft, new and hopefully going to work well. Good Stuff. THANK YOU SOUTH COUNTY ART SUPPLY!!!

Back in business and ready to get started!

So the good blocks take about 7-10 minutes each and the drier crumbly blocks take god knows how long….but today I tackled the one tough block in 20 minutes. So let’s just say it took me 3 1/2 hours…and let me tell you, it is absolutely brutal on my hands and wrists. I can barely type as we speak! So that’s it, I am out of commission for today and will start fresh Wednesday morning (pottery class tomorrow).

I have an extra hour, so I will sketch and plan out some of the ideas in my head. I created & sold jewelry for almost ten years. I think I’ve recently burnt out, I am on Day #112 and have not wanted anything to do with my past jewelry designing. But slowly, I am feeling the creative juices returning. Plus I am really craving some new pieces for myself!

Whenever I create something new for myself, I feel like it is a hit. Whenever I get tangled up in others expectations the designs are lacking…or maybe it’s just my passion lacking. Regardless, I am hoping for good things. Not worrying about selling or the potential customers preferences can be very freeing and good for creativity… Oooo wait a minute. I sound a little bit disgruntled and negative. I better look at that closely, figure out what that is all about and release it. Yuck! You see what I mean? I think I did the jewelry thing too long.

I will go inward, clear out my negativity and get ready for some new creations!

Stay Tuned!

Here is some past work…