General Crafts – Page 3 – Mary's Musings

Making Single-Use Soap

Three years ago, at the beginning of the Covid lockdowns, I was focused on making single-use soap that I could carry in my purse in case I needed it. I came up with several options…and then many public places closed and I wasn’t going anywhere anyway. Oh well!

Those first attempts were made by melting Melt & Pour Soap, pouring it onto wax paper, letting it cool and then cutting out hearts with a cookie cutter.

This was a test of patience and I ended up with a few tins of single-use soap that I tucked away just in case.

Recently, I was reading an article about Cheryl Hines. Cheryl is an actress and is married to Robert Kennedy, Jr. She and her daughter, Catherine (Cat) have started a beauty products line that focuses on using less plastic waste. Apparently, plastic waste in the beauty industry is one of the highest contributors to plastic pollution in the world! The company, Hines+Young (see www.shophinesyoung.com) makes high-end products with less plastic waste. Products are packaged in recyclable glass and aluminum tins.

I was interested to read about this company and found one of their products was a tin of single-use soap! How about that!

I can’t seem to post one of their pictures here, but the pieces of soap look like they were poured into a round mold and then cut like a pizza. That made sense! It would be quicker and easier to pour with less waste.

Of course, the website included the ingredients in the soap! They listed:

Oat protein, vitamin-rich sustainable palm oil, hydrating coconut oil and an invigorating blend of clove, sweet orange, and tea tree essential oils.

OK. I could do something similar…

Colloidal Oatmeal and Shea Butter Melt & Pour Soap Bases, Sweet Orange and Manuka Essential Oils, Vitamin E oil, soap tint. (I prefer Manuka Oil to Tea Tree Oil).

I started with a brand I frequently buy:

I chopped up 1 pound of Oatmeal Soap Base and 1/2 pound of Shea Butter Soap Base.

I put the chunks in my 4-cup heat-safe glass measuring cup.

Then the cup is placed in a saucepan with water. Water is brought to a simmer and the soap melts without getting too hot.

Of course, I usually make two at a time:

It made a lumpy mixture because of the oatmeal.

When melted, I added 1/2 tsp. of Vitamin E oil, Sweet Orange and Manuka Essential Oils. One drop of soap tint made the soap a very light orange color.

Pouring into the mold was the hardest part. I wanted a thin circle, however, the oatmeal soap got thicker as it cooled and by the time I was done pouring it made circles about 1/4″ thick.

I made a total of 32 round disks of oatmeal soap, each about 1/4″ thick.

The rest I poured into regular molds and my travel size heart shapes.

Next, I took my soap cutter and cut each circle into 6 pieces:

Each piece seemed about the right size to wash my hands. About 8 pieces fit into one of my 2 oz. tins:

I made 20 tins with about 8 pieces each. Perfect to share with my high school friends at our next luncheon to see if the size of each piece is right to wash hands. I’ll also see if the Oatmeal/Shea Butter is popular. I suspect a thinner piece would work better…I used one piece all day in the kitchen before I wanted to throw away what was left! Enjoy!

Crochet a Double Thick Hot Pad

I haven’t thought about hot pads for many years. A dear friend made me crochet hot pads several times over the years and I love them! I really wanted to learn how to make more, but they always looked so complicated. I’m a single crochet kind of gal! She reassured me they were simple to make.

I finally looked up the instructions online. I found this link:

https://www.mielkesfiberarts.com/diagonal-hotpad/ that let me download a PDF of the instructions.

I stopped at JoAnn’s to pick up some yarn. The best yarn for these hot pads was 100% cotton…I didn’t want them to melt in a hot oven! The back of the skein says I should use a size H crochet hook. That worked for me but you could go smaller with the G or larger with the I hook.

The instructions say to make a chain of 26 stitches. That made a pretty small hot pad! I tried 32 stitches and 36 stitches. I now have three sizes of pot holders!

These hot pads look complicated but that first row of stitches is basically across the diagonal of the hot pad. The hardest part of the instructions was to crochet in the back of the stitch…so I took some pictures as I went along.

At first, it looks flat as you crochet around and around. Eventually, the ends curl toward the middle.

Here’s a close up of using the back of the stitch:

Finally, I couldn’t figure out when to stop! My friend explained I should have half as many rows as the number of stitches I started with. Very helpful information! So, by starting with 36 stitches, I should have 18 rows from my starting row:

Almost done!

Ready to sew the diagonal seam together:

After making three different sizes, I think the most useful size for me starts with 36 stitches. Try it yourself! Enjoy!

Gardener’s Hand Soap

Wouldn’t it be great to wash your hands, go out to the garden and not worry about bug bites as you reach down into the lettuce and spinach plants. It’s all about the scents that bugs don’t like! After a search online about these scents, I found a few that are supposed to work…and I happen to have some of them on hand.

Here are a few of the essential oils that may work to deter bugs:

Catnip, Cedarwood, Citronella, Eucalyptus, Geranium, Lavender, Lemon, Lemongrass, Manuka, Peppermint, Rosemary, Sage, Vanilla and Tea Tree.

I’ve also been trying to find a substitute for Goat’s Milk Melt & Pour soap. After I use it, the skin on my hands itch terribly (may have to do with my milk allergy). I thought I’d try Coconut Milk soap in two recipes. The first recipe used only Coconut Milk Melt & Pour Soap. The second used Coconut Milk Soap with Shea Butter Melt & Pour Soap.

Recipe 1: Plain Coconut Milk Melt & Pour Soap

This first recipe was to test if I could actually use the soap. I started with 1 lb. of Coconut Milk Melt & Pour Soap.

When melted, I added 20 drops of Orange essential oil and 1 drop of soap tint.

This soap worked great for me! No itchy hands! However, I was unhappy that it didn’t make much lather!

Recipe 2: Gardener’s Hand Soap

Here is the second recipe:

I started with 2 lbs. of the Coconut Milk Soap Base and added 1 lb. of Shea Butter Soap Base (hoping to get a better lather).

The chunks of soap were divided into two 4-cup glass measuring cups and set into pans of water.

When melted, I added Vitamin E oil and essential oils of Lemongrass, Eucalyptus and Rose Geranium.

Then I stirred in a single drop of soap tint and 1/4 tsp. of biodegradable mica powder. I thought the mica powder might add a little grit to clean dirty hands.

This soap was great…made a nice lather…BUT it didn’t leave much of a smell. I was so disappointed! Next time I’ll add more of each scent, or add citronella, which has a stronger scent. Oh well, at least I know I can use the soap! Enjoy!

LEGO-Shaped Soaps for Fun

Recently, I was sorting out all the silicon soap molds I have accumulated over the last several years. I have quite a few with tiny animals, tiny dog bones and tiny flowers. Cute, but hard to pour hot, melted soap into.

However, the molds of LEGO bricks and people are always fun. Even if the people shapes end up a little messy, the bricks work well to wash y our hands with. (The one large “people” soap in these molds is always a hit!)

Today, I wanted to use up some melt & pour soap. I had 2 pounds of Glycerin soap and a pound of Goat’s Milk soap cubes.

I don’t usually buy the soap already cut into cubes…but it’s convenient to just weigh them out without having to cut a larger chunk up. I had these on hand for when I made soap with my grandchildren.

In each 4-cup heat-safe glass measuring cup I put 16 oz. of glycerin soap cubes and 8 oz. of goat’s milk soap cubes.

Each measuring cup is set into a pan of water. As the water heats up, the soap melts. When melted, remove the cup from the water. Stir in the essential oil and soap tint. I made one cup blue with Lavender scent and the other cup yellow with Lemon scent.

I used Lavender essential oil and Sky Blue soap tint to make the blue bricks.

I used Lemon Essential Oil and Lemon-Yellow soap tint to make the yellow bricks.

This is the soap tint I use, found on Amazon. There are many choices…just make sure it says for “soap, bath bombs, etc”.

I used only 3 drops of soap tint.

I forgot to get my spray bottle of alcohol out in time…spraying the hot soap will disperse the bubbles before they harden.

You can see what happens if the soap overflows the mold. When it cools, the extra soap can be cut away…not perfect, but OK for a tiny soap.

When the LEGO molds were full, I used the extra to make a few larger soaps.

Each tiny soap is wrapped in plastic wrap. The tiny people fit in a small snack-size Zip bag. This keeps the soap from absorbing moisture from the surrounding air.

Enjoy!

Making Bruise Balm to Share

Last year I made a salve with arnica-infused olive oil. Arnica is an ingredient that is added to salves to help relieve aches and pains, bumps and bruises! Look for it in your over-the-counter salves. You can read about making the oil here: https://marykisner.com/making-arnica-infused-oil-for-tropical-salves/.

I shared the salve with just a few people because I didn’t know how effective it was; I wanted to give it a try first. I’ve used it for the last 6 months with some success in reducing small bruises, if used right after they appear.

About Arnica

Arnica is not as well-known as lavender and calendula and is sometimes included in over-the-counter ointments and creams sold to soothe occasional aching knees, joints and muscles. It is often used in homeopathic remedies, which means the products contain very small amounts of the active ingredients. Making infused oil with dried arnica plant material is a great way to incorporate these ingredients into body care products. I purchased a bag of the dried flowers on Amazon.

The dried flowers aren’t as pretty as the fresh ones!

Arnica comes from the perennial herb Arnica Montana. It is a yellow-orangish flower that grows in the mountains of Europe and Siberia and the mountains of northwestern North America. It is sometimes called the “mountain daisy,” because its color and petals look like the familiar flower. It yields an essential oil that is appreciated for its ability to reduce pain in osteoarthritis joints and reduce bruise discoloration.

NOTE: This plant does have some drawbacks or cautions for people that are allergic to certain plants of the Asteraceae family…like ragweed, marigolds, chrysanthemums and daisies, or are using blood thinning medications.

Please do your own research about any plant material you might work with, but this process of infusing oil with any plant material would be the same.

I still had some infused oil left from my first project; it kept well in the back of the refrigerator.

I scooped out 1 cup of infused oil and weighed out 32 gm of beeswax into my 4-cup heat-safe measuring cup. The cup is placed in a saucepan of water. I brought the water just to a boil and turned the burner down so the water stayed simmering.

When melted and removed from the stove, I stirred in 1/4 tsp of Vitamin E Oil and 20 drops each of Vanilla and Manuka Essential Oil.

Using a disposable pipette, I filled 36 small tubes and 6 larger ones.

I decided to just hand write the label…nothing fancy. I don’t want folks to get them mixed up with lip balm!

I try to label everything I make so the ingredients are clear.

I hope to share these with my high school friends at our monthly luncheon… built in guinea pigs! Try it yourself! Enjoy!

A Winter Star Quilt Block on Wood

A few weeks ago I was ready for a new quilt block on my front door, but I had to wait until after cataract surgery so I could actually see well enough to paint! The quilt blocks on wood are similar to the door quilt blocks I’ve made from fabric. You can check out those at https://marykisner.com/time-to-bring-out-the-spring-door-quilt.

These blocks lie flat against the front door and do not get squashed between the door and the screen door the way a wreathe might.

Then I started painting a quilt block onto a 12″ x 12″ square of thin plywood. They attach to the front door with magnets (obviously the door under the paint is metal!) Here are the three I’ve already done:

https://marykisner.com/new-patriotic-door-quilt-on-wood/

https://marykisner.com/summer-door-quilt-on-wood/

https://marykisner.com/autumn-door-quilt-on-wood/

Painting a quilt block is certainly a different experience from sewing. I’m working with solid colors in paint. With fabric I can vary the print to make the block more interesting.

This time I wanted to recreate my favorite quilt block. It is called a Double Star in one book and Rising Star in another. I used it in a full-size quilt that I made for my son and his wife a few years back. I’ve called it my Southern Cross Quilt because I chose 5 blocks to represent the stars in the constellation, the Southern Cross. He had recently finished graduate research in Antarctica and I was missing him. Can you see the blocks that represent the stars?

The four major stars in the constellation have white double stars; the smaller star close to the white one on the right has a print center.

Here’s how another quilter represented the Southern Cross in her quilt.

Making the Winter Star Block

I start each painted block by first choosing a pattern. This star block is called Double Star in one book and Rising Star in another. It’s based on a 4 x 4 pattern so it was pretty easy to sketch out.

I use a tiny 3″ x 3″ canvas to practice. It has a little easel so I can look at it while I work on the 12″ x 12″ plywood.

First, I paint the back of the wood to seal it from the weather.

Then I pencil out the pattern I will paint.

I’ve learned to work from the center out and rotate the wood so I don’t smear my hand through the wet paint.

The finished block is ready for a final spray of satin finish acrylic spray. Bert will then glue magnets on the back so it will stick to my front door.

I’ll enjoy this door quilt for a month or more this winter. It won’t get squished and it won’t fade like the fabric blocks do…and the quilt pattern makes me smile! Enjoy!

Please comment or email me directly at marykisner@comcast.net.

Thoughts About Soap

Have you ever wondered how the process of making soap was discovered? It is a complex chemical process that I don’t even need to learn about while I make things with my melt and pour soap. I start with a product that has been commercially produced that takes all the complexity out of it for me.

But I’m frequently asked, how is melt and pour soap different from “regular” soap? Who even figured out how to make it? In an article about the origin and history of soap I found these paragraphs:

“According to Roman legend, soap was named after Mount Sapo, an ancient site of animal sacrifices. After an animal sacrifice, rain would wash animal fat and ash, that collected under the ceremonial altars, down to the banks of the Tiber River. Women washing clothes in the river noticed that if they washed their clothes in certain parts of the river after a heavy rainfall their clothes were much cleaner. Thus, the emergence of the first soap…or at least the first use of soap.

The earliest known written soap recipe was written on clay tablets and is credited to the ancient Babylonians. A soap-like material found in clay cylinders during the excavation of Babylon…is evidence that soapmaking was known as early as 2800 B.C. Inscriptions on the cylinders indicate that fats (rendered from a slaughtered cow, sheep or goat) were boiled with wood ashes and water.”

So how about that! Up until about the 1600’s soap making rose and declined with the popularity of bathing and personal hygiene in a culture. The availability of other animal fats and vegetable oils encouraged each culture to develop their own signature soaps. like olive oil soap in Italy.

Discoveries in the early 1800’s in the process for transforming common salt (sodium chloride) into an alkali called soda ash and the chemistry behind the relationship of glycerin to fatty acids were instrumental in setting the stage for mass soap production.

Additives to basic soap recipes helped to make the final product appropriate to be melted down and poured into shapes. This final product…a melt and pour soap base…is what I use to customize with fragrance, color and plant material to make my soaps.

If you look at the labels of the melt and pour bases I use, you’ll see the chemical components that have been combined to make that soap.

As you can see, both of the soap bases shown above have a combination of oils, water and lye (sodium hydroxide) along with various additives (emulsifiers) that help the extra ingredients (like Aloe Vera gel and goats milk) stay mixed. The actual chemistry of working with caustic lye has been done for me.

Now when I melt the Aloe Vera soap base down, I can add additional ingredients like fragrance, color and even plant material, like Aloe Vera Gel to the soap.

Things I will add to the Aloe Vera soap base.

Bars of soap ready to be wrapped in plastic wrap so they don’t absorb moisture from the air around them.

I’m also learning which soap bases I like best! Apparently, soap will act differently depending on whether the water in my house is hard or soft. With our hard water, some soaps will make a nice lather, others will not. I’ve also found that I’m not happy using goats milk soap…my hands will itch after a few days. Not sure if that has anything to do with my allergy to dairy products, but I now know to avoid goats milk soap.

I’m grateful I don’t have to deal with the caustic chemical process of making soap. I also don’t have to wait 6 to 8 weeks for the soap to “cure,” which allows the crystalline structure of the soap to solidify. If you see a display of bars of soap at a craft fair with each one wrapped with just a paper sleeve and exposed to the air, you know that they were made using the hot chemical process with lye…which will continue to cure over time.

By using the melt and pour soap base, the curing time is already done. After I melt the soap down and pour it into molds, within an hour or two it is firm and ready to use.

Because melt and pour soap contains glycerin it will continue to absorb moisture from the air and could leave a white residue on the soap. That’s why I wrap each bar of soap in plastic wrap when they are done.

These Aloe Vera guest soaps, individually wrapped in plastic wrap, will stay clean and dry until needed by a guest.

So, while I’m constantly trying new things with melt and pour soaps know that I’m working with real soap…it’s just the caustic chemistry I’m avoiding. Using melt and pour soap is safe for even young folks to make cute and useful gifts for themselves and others. Enjoy!

Please comment or email me directly at marykisner@comcast.net.

Quiet Birthday Fun for Grandma

I had a wonder birthday surprise this weekend! My daughter and my grandkids decided to come for a short visit to help me celebrate my birthday! Their school activities have kept them close to home this fall, but luckily, many of those activities were finishing up and they had time to come visit us!

I had not had an actual birthday cake for the last several years, since I had to restrict eggs and dairy. But I could have coconut milk ice cream and thanks to frozen cakes from Sara Lee I was able to pick up an assortment to satisfy everyone.

This was my compromise to putting 76 candles on the cake. Best I could do!

My 15 yr old grandson texted me before they came asking if I would help him make some lip balm…apparently he uses a lot of it because he plays trumpet in the high school marching band he really needs it between performances.

In addition, would Grandma help him and is sister make some soap too! Now this was starting to sound like a fun birthday activity!

So last night we had cake and ice cream.

This morning after breakfast we got busy. Ben chose the recipe for lip balm that had cocoa butter in it. With the addition of Peppermint essential oil, he felt like he was having a peppermint patty candy bar!

Here is the recipe:

When finished, he had 11 tubes of lip balm. He’ll be able to put one in every pocket! I was ready to help him label them and he said to not bother…he usually just peels off labels! So, I guess one good whiff will remind him these are the peppermint lip balms.

The we started in on the soap. Ben wanted clear glycerin soap and swirled in purple soap tint with a stick. Not my cup of tea…but he loved them!

Kind of looked like a science experiment in the making!

My granddaughter wanted a different mold with orange scent and light orange color.

I think I’ll use this mold another time. They turned out very nice.

While they were waiting for the soap to set up. Ben had to play the pump organ and Anna took a break after shopping at Trader Joe’s with her mother.

This pump organ was built in 1900. Bert’s mother got it around 1960 and Bert rebuilt the inside (he was 14). My grandson (age 15) really enjoys playing it.

Anna just got braces (age 10) so her smile was nice and shiny!

They had to be on the road by 3 p.m. today, so I was glad we were able to get all these projects done today. It was a great birthday for Grandma! Quiet, low key and fun! The hugs were the best! Enjoy!

Please comment or email me directly at marykisner@comcast.net.

Experimenting With a New Manuka Honey Soap Base

Melt and pour soap bases have made it fun to create lovely soaps for many occasions. These soap bases take the stress out of making soap the old fashioned way…with lye! I’m sure somebody somewhere had to do it, but I appreciate not having to deal with caustic chemical processes here at home. I seem to have selected a few of my favorites…like Aloe Vera and Shea Butter soap bases. I like the clear glycerin soap because it’s simple and can show off hidden objects embedded inside. It’s also great when I need to make an unscented soap for folks that prefer no scent.

My favorite aloe vera soap begins with a glycerin soap that has been enhanced with aloe vera gel. Then I combine it with a shea butter soap base, more aloe vera gel, essential oils and soap tint. The shea butter helps the finished make a better lather.

I have tried to incorporate Manuka Honey into melt and pour soap and was unsuccessful…the honey would no disperse into the melted soap and when I poured the mixture into molds, the glob of honey just ended up in one big pile at the end of the pour. Very disappointing!

When I last did a search on Amazon for melt and pour soap bases, this new Manuka Honey Soap base had recently been listed:

I had never seen this offered before. I quickly ordered a 2 lb. block to try. It cost $15, which was similar to other soap bases I had used before.

Here are the ingredients for this soap base:

The process to make bars of soap from a 2 lb. block is pretty much the same each time.

First, I cut the base up into smaller cubes and put half (1 lb. each) in a 4-cup heat-proof glass measuring cup. I set these into saucepans, added water to the pan and set them on the stove. Heating the water just to boiling and then turning down to simmer, the cubes of soap will slowly melt.

This soap was very firm and took a long time to melt.

When melted, I added Lavender essential oil, Manuka essential oil, Citrus Bliss blend essential oil and a few drops of yellow soap tint.

Then I poured it into molds.

When firm, I popped the bars out of the molds and gave one a try to wash my hands. I was very disappointed! The soap was so firm hat I couldn’t make any suds at all.

So…back to the kitchen!

I pulled out a pound of Goat’s Milk Soap base, chopped it into cubes and split it between the two measuring cups. Goat’s Milk soap should enhance the suds-making-ability of the Manuka Honey soap.

Then I cut up the original bars I had made and split them into the two measuring sups.

When melted I used different molds…figured I could use the small heart shaped soaps for Christmas gifts if they actually made a good lather!

So, now the test…could I actually wash my hands with the soap and get some suds?

Yes…adding a small portion of goat’s milk soap base enhanced it’s lather-making abilities!

Now, I just need to package the soaps…maybe 3 or 4 to a gift bag…and I’ve got my gifts ready for those “gift exchanges” that seem to come up each year! Enjoy!

Please comment or email me directly at marykisner@comcast.net.

Tis the Season Part 2: Clay

This post is a continuation of Part 1 (See https://marykisner.com/tis-the-season-part-1-paper-soap-and-fabric/) Keep in mind that making gifts or decorations for the holidays is a great way to involve the whole family. Using clay (polymer or air-dry) is familiar to most folks. The youngest have used some kind of play dough since preschool. Older folks may not have worked with clay, but the physical manipulation of soft moldable stuff is similar to working with bread dough in the kitchen or even putty in the workshop.

The two kids of clay I’d like to share are Polymer Oven-Bake Clay and Air-Dry Modeling Clay.

Polymer Oven-Bake Clay

This clay comes in small, 2 oz. packages. There are several brands available and many colors. The Sculpey brand shown above is my preference because it’s a little softer to work with. The best thing about oven-bake clay is that it can be molded and remolded as desired until you like the finished product. Unused pieces of clay can be stored in a zip lock plastic bag and easily used another day. Once you have determined you are done making something, then it is baked in the oven (or toaster oven). When completely cooled, it is firm and unbreakable. At that point it can be painted or shined with mica powder as desired.

Young children can enjoy working with this clay and the final process of baking can be handled by an adult.

Basic Tools to Work with Polymer Clay

This clay will need to be worked on a firm surface. I have a piece of thick 3/8″ class that Bert got from the local glass business. I can use it right on top of my tablecloth. It gives me a firm surface that is easy to clean after working with the clay.

These are the basic tools you will need:

–a rolling pin or something easily washable

–a long blade to slide under pieces of clay to remove them from the work surface

–assorted hand tools to mark, poke or cut pieces of clay

–a plastic straw to make a hole just the right size to hang your project, if desired

–an oven or toaster oven to bake the finished project. (I have an old toaster oven that is dedicated to baking this clay)

Note: If you will be using your regular oven, consider making a smaller “oven” space with disposable foil roasting pans. The clay will emit fumes that you might not want on the next meal you bake. Just take two large roasting pans, make one the lid and clip them together with binder clips. Objects will need to bake for about 30 minutes at 265 degrees F.)

Making Flat Objects with Polymer Clay

To make flat objects with this clay, you will need to flatten it out with a roller of some kind. Then you may want to press a design into the clay. Almost any item with an interesting texture can be used to make a design. Here are just a few ideas:

Interesting designs on rollers that are used in working with fondant are available in the cake decorating section of a craft store. Many stamps that are also used with ink can press a design into the clay. Acrylic shapes often come in craft magazines. They can be peeled off the plastic and placed into an acrylic block. This is then used to press the design into the clay.

Cutting Out Shapes in Polymer Clay

Once you have a design pressed into the clay, choose a shape to cut out the final piece. (If you cut out the shape first, pressing the dough may change the shape…so press designs first.)

Now is a good time to pull out any cookie cutters you have. The metal ones are sharper and will give you a clean edge. The tiny cutters above can be used to make decorative holes…or cut clay pieces in a different color to glue on to the finished product after baking.

Samples of Flat Objects

Here are some examples of things I’ve made over the years. Most seem to end up as ornaments for Christmas.

I used several colors of clay and rolled and folded them together before rolling the clay out to cut out the circles.

These were basically flat pieces when I pressed designs and cut holes. Then I stood them up and anchored them to a flat round base of clay. They couldn’t be any taller because of the size limits of the toaster oven. The little LED lights were just perfect!

Free Hand Clay Objects

When I first started working with polymer clay, I found many ideas on Pinterest. I started with miniature plants. It looked so easy…not! My first few plants were probably all I’ll ever make, but they’ll last forever!

Then I thought I’d try a tiny trumpet and drums for my grandkids.

Making objects in the shape of an animal is definitely not my strength. However, if you can follow directions, you will find many great ideas on Pinterest. These step-by-step instructions will appeal to a generation of folks that were raised on LEGO instructions! Check out how to make a Turtle!

The best surprise was my Christmas present from my grandkids the year I was working with all this clay. I had given them an assortment of clay and tools and we had fun playing with them When Christmas rolled around, they gifted me my own crate of clay vegetables…perfect for a gardening grandma!

I think my grandson, age 12 or 13, had fun making the garden produce!

And my very own rainbow heart from the youngest granddaughter!

Air-Dry Modeling Clay

After working with Polymer Oven-bake Clay, I found working with Air-Dry clay difficult. It was not as forgiving and started to dry very quickly. It tended to crack easily, so pieces had to be thick enough. Solid objects took forever to dry completely.

So, my work with this clay focused on smaller circles of clay that could be quickly pressed with a design and left to dry. I did find that pieces had to be at least 1/4″ thick or more or they would not dry flat. I spent the day carefully turning each piece over as they dried.

The best advantage of using air-dry clay, was its ability to absorb essential oils. Now I had a way to capture my favorite oil scent to make my drawers and closets smell good. I also made a bunch of Christmas ornaments that could be soaked with the scent of the holidays to add to the Christmas tree. So, this clay has its uses.

Making clay objects or holiday decorations with kids and grandkids can be a fun way to get everyone involved. Skill levels can vary and everyone can participate. Enjoy!

Please comment or email me directly at marykisner@comcast.net.