Why does my cold porcelain clay crack when dried?

I’ve gotten the question “why does my cold porcelain clay crack when dried?” “What am I doing wrong?” And it has been asked quite a number of times. Well I’m going to point out a few reasons why your cold porcelain clay is cracking and what you can do about it.

If you’re interested in making cold porcelain clay, All you have to do is Google the recipe and give it a try. I mean it sounds pretty simple right? Well not so much. There are so many different cold porcelain clay recipes out there. There’s even a no cook recipe (that i haven’t tried) that calls for the same ingredients but the method is one that doesn’t require cooking the dough.

Crack is Wack!

So you’ve tried the recipe, cooked your clay and you’re ready to use it but when you use your clay you noticed that there are multiple cracks everywhere! All your efforts are gone down the drain. What am I doing wrong you ask. Well, first you need to understand the formula and the process. If the recipe you chose doesn’t call for some kind of oil such as mineral oil or olive oil then it’s something you should consider adding. I like to add a big table spoon or 2 of mineral oil to every batch of clay I’m mixing up. The oil really helps with giving your clay a very smooth and polished porcelain look and feel. In addition to oil we like to add our very own Stacie Laurell Crafts conditioning lotion for some added plasticity.

“It’s the mixing for me”

Another important factor you should consider when wanting to avoid cracks is mixing the batch of clay thoroughly. All the ingredients you’ve put into this batch must be mixed out properly. Try to avoid having any lumps or dry pockets in your clay batter. You can do this by mixing your clay batter until it’s perfectly smooth.

Water is the enemy

You can drink as much water as you can tolerate but make sure no water is in your batter. Water is your enemy. So before you start your mixture, make sure your bowls, spoons and any other items you are using to make your clay batter is 100 percent dry. If you see a layer of water settle on top of your clay batter simply take a paper towel and dab at it to remove the water. Try to avoid getting any water in your batter. Period.

Weight it right!

Do you have the right proportions for the clay mixture? For our clay we use 1 cup of glue to every cup of cornstarch. Measuring out the appropriate amount makes a difference and you can always add a half of cup of extra glue if you’ve measured out too much cornstarch or a little over the amount. It’s also good to remember not to over cook your clay as that can dry it out and create cracks in your finished product when dried.

Knead your dough!

Sometimes clay creators overlook this simple but necessary step. Kneading your clay. When your clay is done cooking it’s important to remember to knead your dough thoroughly and make sure all air bubbles and lumps and bumps are smooth out of the batch. Also, try and let your clay sit for at least 24 hrs before using it.

Salvage your dry clay

Starting over and over again with a new batch can get expensive. Especially if you’re wasting ingredients. Believe it or not your burnt dried clay can be saved. On rare occasions we may slightly burn out clay in the process. It’s pretty rare because we have got a pretty good formula and process going on but when it does happen we always condition our clay with Stacie Laurell clay conditioning lotion. It smoothes out the clay, adds back ample moisture and prevents cracking!

I do hope these tips were helpful and please come back again to learn more about crafts and cold porcelain clay!

How to use a non flexible Polymer Clay Mold

Lately flexible silicone molds have been very popular and it seems that all everyone has been using lately are silicone molds. But what about polymer clay molds? Hard molds has been used for years by artisans and artist. In fact many artist still use it and feel that silicone molds are for newbies or new artist who don’t know how to use professional molds. Does it really matter though which mold you use? well, maybe.
Some feel that silicone mold distorts their piece when trying to remove it from the mold because it bends and twists and that’s why they rather use hard molds. But whether you prefer silicone molds or hard professional molds here are a few tips on how to use professional non flexible molds.

Non flexible molds, if made properly usually delivers great detailed results. Here are a few easy tips for using non flexible professional molds.
Always dust your mold with flour or cornstarch so to prevent sticking. You may also use baby oil as a release for your molds.
Make sure to always condition your clay before placing it in the mold so to prevent cracking and for optimal results.
You may want to use more clay than you would so you can have a pinch of clay to help remove the clay from the mold.
using the non flexible mold will give you great results because it won’t bend or distort your piece.
Clean your mold with cornstarch and a brush. It’s easier to remove excess clay left behind that way. you may also use a small bit of water on a brush and then wipe away with a soft cloth. If you are using cold porcelain molds that are not sealed be careful not to use too much water and you may melt away or smear your detailed mold. You really only need a really small amount of water on a brush to clean it.
You may store all of your molds in a bag or bin. Your molds can be used over and over again so long as you care for them and clean them properly.
Those are my tips for using non flexible professional molds! I sure hope this was helpful. If you would like to purchase some molds you can visit my ebay store at http://stores.ebay.com/Stacie-Laurell-Crafts?_rdc=1 or my Etsy store Stacielaurell.etsy.com or Stacielaurellcrafts.com

Stacie Laurell Crafts

How to make a pinch pot for small potted plants with cold porcelain clay

How To Make A Pot For Small Potted Plants With Cold Porcelain

      

Making your own pinch pot for plants flower and pottery needs can be fun. You can make your own unique bowls and pots to fit your style. You can even make this special pot waterproof! 

Here is what you’ll need: 
Stacie Laurell Stone Porcelain Air Dry Clay 
Sculpting tools (optional) 
Paint (optional) 
Flex Seal spray 
Waterproof sealer/varnish 

Use the amount of clay needed for the size you would like and start kneading it with your hands.  Make sure it’s nice and pliable. Next, Form your clay into a nice round ball. Make it as perfectly round as you can make it. Next take your thumb and start pushing a hole in the center of your round clay ball.  When you have pushed down half way, start rotating the ball in your hand and start pinching your clay as you rotated it around and around in the palm of your hand. The more you pinch the bigger your bowl should get. Once the bowl has reached your desired size, you can leave it as is or try to shape the bowl in to any unique shape you would like.  When done shaping, let the bowl sit on a dry hard surface to dry. Depending on the size of your bowl it may take anywhere from a few hrs to 2 to 3 days to full dry. Once your clay pot has fully dried, you can paint it or brush on waterproof varnish. You can find waterproof varnish at any arts and crafts store. Any varnish that is water based is usually waterproof.  Next to make your pot extremely water proof you can add a strong sealer called flex seal. Flex seal will seal anything with a durable and hard waterproof seal. This sealant is usually black so it’s best to spray the inside of the pot as well as the bottom. When dried your pot is ready to go and ready to use! you can paint it and decorate it however you would like! 

Hope this was helpful and visit our store for Stone Porcelain or any one of our clay products and accessories! 
http://stores.ebay.com/Stacie-Laurell-Crafts Stacielaurellcrafts.com 

Stacie Laurell Crafts 

 

How to make your own Pottery wheel Clay

 

            

Sometimes Pottery wheel sediment clay can cost quite a bit of money but you don’t have to let you or your child’s love for clay to break the bank! 
For this Pottery clay you don’t need a kiln because it air dries.   

What you will Need: 
Cornstarch 
baking soda 
Mineral oil 
sand (Fine Grade) 
Lemon Juice 

Steps:

1. Put 1 cup of Corn Starch and 1-1/4 cup of baking soda in a pot with 2 cups of water.
2. Add 1 teaspoon of mineral oil, or baby oil.
3. add 1 teaspoon of lemon Juice.
4. Turn on the stove and place on medium heat.
5. Continuously stir the pot mixing all the ingredients.
6. Continue stirring until the mixture starts to thicken.
7. keep stirring and wait for the mixture to start looking like mashed potatoes.
8. turn off the heat and keep stirring.
9. When the mixture is thick like mashed potatoes. Turn take the clay out of the pot and place it on a dry surface, (a table or plastic cutting board).
10. Place damn cloth over the pile of hot clay.
11. let it cool for about an hr.
12. When completely cooled Start kneading the dough and mix in the fine grade sand while kneading. 
13. Mix it the amount of sand you would like. More sand for a more dense clay less for a more lighter clay. ( the more dense it is the better). 
14. The clay should absorb the sand as you are mixing it in creating a more dense clay.
15. When finished wrap in plastic wrap and place in zip lock bag and keep in cool area.

If you would like to make the clay grey like real sediment clay you can add grey acrylic paint during the kneading and mixing process.  
And there you have it, you can make your own air drying pottery wheel clay! make it with your kids and give it to them to make projects on their pottery wheel! or make some for yourself!  
If you don’t want to make any and would like to purchase some visit  http://stores.ebay.com/Stacie-Laurell-Crafts  & Stacielaurellcrafts.com for all your crafting & clay needs. 

Thank You 
Stacie Laurell