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Thread: Ready to enter the world of silver clay

  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Posts
    8

    Default Ready to enter the world of silver clay

    It's my Mum's 60th birthday in a month and I have would love to give her a fingerprint charm bracelet but the amount of grandchildren she has would make the price of having someone make one for me prohibotive! I did a GCSE in jewellery many moons ago so have had a little training in classical silversmithing, and got married a year ago and made my tiara and jewellery, made my mini me cake toppers out of polymer clay so thought maybe I should have a go myself.

    I have read as much as I can about pmc, have bought the clay and fetched my tools down from the loft and I have come to the point where I have to actually do it! On one hand I am really excited by the thought of trying a new medium and on the other I am feeling a bit nervous about it. Something that looks homemade just isn't going to cut the mustard for such an important pressie and sadly I don't have the spare cash or time to play with the pmc in advance to get the feel of it. Eeeeekkkk!

    Anyway, just thought I would say hello and hopefully I might have something half decent to show you in a few weeks time.

    Lucy

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    Cornwall
    Posts
    3,172

    Default

    Good luck with it Lucy. Looking forward to seeing the finished article.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Brittany
    Posts
    776

    Default

    Somebody on here a while back suggested getting the little blighters to dab their fingers into polymer clay to get the impression and then moulding the PMC from that, this might be a way for you to minimise the risk of wasting PMC. :0)

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Bristol
    Posts
    92

    Default

    [QUOTE]
    Quote Originally Posted by loobyvee View Post
    Something that looks homemade just isn't going to cut the mustard for such an important pressie and sadly I don't have the spare cash or time to play with the pmc in advance to get the feel of it.
    I think something homemade is FAR more meaningful and special to a mum than something you've just bought in the shops, good luck with it! :-)

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Southampton
    Posts
    510

    Default

    Lucy and good luck. Lets see the results when you're done!

  6. #6
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Posts
    8

    Default

    Thank you for the welcome :-)

    [QUOTE=FVT;36372]

    I think something homemade is FAR more meaningful and special to a mum than something you've just bought in the shops, good luck with it! :-)
    I totally agree with homemade presents being much more meaningful than a shop bought one, I made just about all my Christmas pressies this year - well the adults presents anyway, not sure my son would have appreciated a sewn light sabre!!! However I am my toughest critic and I won't give anything unless I am 100% happy with it, I know how finishing a piece to a decent standard always takes much longer than you think and I am a bit time deficient at the moment as I have just got another genealogical commision.

    I am going the polymer clay root with my neice but I am going to have a bash at direct impressons for my children as I want them to really connect with making the charms.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    Felmersham, Near Bedford
    Posts
    942

    Default

    My grandson (aged 7 at the time) Christmas before last, made his dad a pair of silver clay cufflinks - did all the work himself, rolling out, cutting, finger prints, even putting the fittings on - he also made his mum a necklace of butterflies and flowers (using canape cutters) again, though, doing all the work himself, and although they weren't perfection I think that they meant an awful lot more to his mum and dad because he'd done them himself.
    Depends on your children's ages I guess though.
    Lorraine

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    Market Deeping
    Posts
    2,693

    Default

    Hope it goes well for you - to help get good results dont skimp on the clay
    roll at least 6 -8 playing cards thick (that way you'll not have the print go all the way through)
    How old are the children?
    nic x
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  9. #9
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Posts
    8

    Default

    Thanks for the tip on the thickness, I did read previously 4 cards thick, which I thought would be dreadfully thin to take imprints. My kids are 11, 9, 8 and 6 so should have decent enough prints. Actually I know they do as they are all up my stair walls ;-p

    How big do you make your charms? I don't want them to be too big but obviously they need to be big enough to take a print. Oh I wish I had thought of this ages ago and given myself a bit of time to make myself something first to practice.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Posts
    108

    Default

    Good luck - I'm sure you'll be fine.
    Not sure what I can add to the advice already given. You'll probably get a clearer impression with a direct fingerprint into the clay and I think your kids will love it.
    I remember my first time with metal clay I was surprised at how quickly it dried out. If you want to be careful make sure everything is set out and ready before hand, and if it doesn't go right first time, try again. After a couple of goes the clay will probably be starting to dry out (maybe after the first go depending on what you've bought) pop the clay on a piece of clingfilm and fold the cling over it. Roll it out thin and dip a fingertip in water to smear over the surface (not too much, you can always add more later if you need to). Use the clingfilm to help wrap it up (fold it back together) and squidge, squidge, squidge.

    Good luck - I'm sure you'll be fine.

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