Kerri Miller
Hot off the presses with Cool Tools, we are always looking for new ways to use our tools and crafting supplies. This past week during our Paper Crafts recess, we tried our hand at stamping clay.
Jennifer had recently found some fun projects online that got our imagination and juices flowing.
Armed with quick drying clay bought from the craft store along with homemade salt dough – the kind your mother used to make, we set out on our messy adventure. (For those of you who don’t know, Susan barely tolerates making messes when she crafts. So for her, this was an extra interesting adventure.)
It turned out to be pretty basic! Roll out the clay, cut out your shape using a metal cookie cutter. Stamp on the rolled clay with ink. Carefully peel off the table and allow several days to dry.
You’ll notice Susan opted to play with the button maker but eventually turned her hand at stamping clay. We just didn’t get a photo of the event – darn!
After a lot of playing in the clay, here is what we learned:
1) Homemade salt dough is sticky. Prior to rolling it out, you need to knead and work the dough until it has a little more stiffness to it.
2) To make the clay even, roll it out like you would bread or cookie dough. Start in the middle and work your way out.
3) We were crafting on a table as well as a craft sheet. The craft sheet seemed to work better because it was easier to peel up the finished product. Either way, have a spatula on hand to peel up the clay. We also found that flipping the clay during the rolling process made it a little easier to peel up after stamping.
4) Stamping on salt dough makes a deeper impression and gives you a shabby look. The salt dough can crack if you wait too long to stamp it. (It’s difficult to see the embossing in this picture.)
5) Stamping on the craft clay gives a crisper definition to your ink but not as much of an embossed look.
6) We tested both pigment and dye ink but the hybrid ink (dye and pigment) worked the best.
7) Allow the clay to dry flat. We used paper plates to transport them. I allowed mine to dry in my craft storage area. I would occasionally flip the ornaments over – especially the salt dough as it seemed to take several days to dry. Jennifer lost a couple of ornaments due to curling during the drying process.
8) Make your holes before the ornament starts to dry. Otherwise it will crack. Don’t forget to make the holes big enough for your ribbon.
Here are a few of my favorites finished ornaments.
The medallion was stamped on salt dough and the clock stamped on the craft clay.
All in all it was fun and messy – and a definite must-try. We figured these could make great tags for gifts, ornaments, or a fun, little gift. I would love to hear if anyone else has tried stamping on clay and what their experience has been.
Happy Stamping!
A few years ago I was playing with clay. Here is what I came up with: http://erinkcreations.blogspot.com/2008/06/mokume-gane-card.html
I loved it! I still do. I mostly stopped because it felt like a lot of mess and supplies all over. Also I went to a much more clean and simple style.
You guys looked like you were having a blast and your projects are super cute. Makes me want to reconsider breaking the clay back out.
Wow! This is a wonerfull idea!
awesome!
Oh this is a must try for sure!!! Thanks for all the tips!
Looks like fun! Messy stuff always is…
I can’t wait to try this! Thanks for sharing the technique.
I taught a class on it some years ago and found it a great substitute for anyone wanting to try clay art without the process of baking it. I love that it’s lightweight and that you can change the white clay by adding die ink to it,making it a solid color or even marbled! I may have to get my things out and have another go at it-it makes great buttons and pins too.
What stamps did you use? Because that is a beautiful script stamp.
I so now want to break out the clay and stamps. Thanks for the inspiration.
I used the salt dough recipe this past Christmas and my 12 y/o DD and I made a bunch of ornaments for our tree next yr. We used cookie cutters and such for different shapes and we embossed onto the shapes prior to baking in the low-temp oven. My youngest 2 boys had a blast helping make the ornaments too!. We will be painting them this year to display.
what a fun idea…they look amazing…thanks for sharing..
A great idea! We made salt-dough Christmas ornaments in the past but I never thought of that idea in connection with stamping.
@Robin Swanson: The script stamp is from Hero Arts, and here is the link!
http://www.heroarts.com/products/productInfo.cfm?ItemNo=K5344&subCat=D04
I’ve used little wood mounted rubber stamps to stamp on Sculpey and they turn out great after baking. I used Staz-on ink. I used them as embellies for a scrapbook lo. Yours are much bigger and turned out great!!
The owls and the boo are on orange Sculpey. http://clubcreatingkeepsakes.com/media/p/49551.aspx
I haven’t tried this but your results make me think I should.
Super fun ideas! Never tried this, but think I shoud
This looks like a fun craft for girls night out. I haven’t tried this but thanks for all the info. I think when I do I’ll start with the air dry clay first. All of the projects are amazing.
I have a lot of Sculpey left over from teaching days. You all looked like you were having fun – your projects make me want to get them out of storage! Thanks for sharing some great tips and techniques.
This looks like so much fun! I’ve never tried stamping on clay or dough. The closest I’ve gotten is stamping on fondant icing to decorate cakes! I might have to give this a try
I like this twist on going pottery painting – that always gets so expensive (but totally worth it sometimes), but this seems like something I’m going to have to try. Thanks!!
I just bought a mag about stamping on clay and some sculpey.
I can’t wait to try it this weekend.
I love this technique and will hunt up the recipe and play! Thanks for reminding us that you can stamp on items other than paper!!!
Hi, I let you this information, I created a clay named Pasta Cerámica sin horno Titina’s, that don’t need the hoven to cocked. It product presented in powder, and only need hot water to be prepared.
This clay is really easy to use, and it not curve or twist during dry. Important: do not make smaller like others dough. It’s really grate!!!!
You can model it, mold it, make a sculpture, and much more.
You can see in my web page some objects made with this dry clay.
I’am in Argentina.
Thanks.
I sure wish I worked at your office! Writing, creating, and testing craft things as part of your job? Wow!
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wow – i’m so glad that my post inspired you all to try your hand at making these salt dough ornaments – yours look awesome!!! thank you so much for linking up to my blog for this project!
annalea
Wonderful idea! I can’t wait to give this a try. Thanks for showing the comparison between the clay and the salt dough. So different…but both look great!