Meet a New Clay - Crea-stone

Crea-stone by AMACO is an air-dry sculpting compound that is mixed with water to form a paste, then cast in a shape that would be close in form and dimensions to the finished sculpture you want to create. (The closer you are to the finished idea the less carving you would have to do.)

Crea-stone is available in 25 lb boxes.  The 'Meditation' sculpture shown here uses approximately 5 lbs of dry material.   Complete tutorial for creating 'Meditation' is available at AMACO.

AMACO Crea-stone is a lightweight casting/sculpting material that has a granite look and texture when it is hard. Crea-stone mixes with water to achieve a thick paste like cement mix. Pour this paste into cardboard boxes, molds, & available objects to shape and mold. Once the paste starts to set up you can take it out of the cardboard box/mold and start doing any needed carving to enhance the cast shape. Usually this can be done after letting it harden for about 18 hours of pouring. At that point, although hard, the piece can easily be carved with a knife.

As you are carving, Crea-stone is going through a chemical reaction and becoming harder all the time. Therefore, try to keep it wet with water, but also work fast. As you progress you will have to change your carving tools accordingly from a knife to a hammer and chisel.


Try not to mix more material than you need for each mold or part of mold. While mixing, wear a NIOSH approved mask for dust and mist and make sure to wear vinyl gloves. Crea-stone is an alkaline material and may irritate your hands.


Objects made with Crea-stone modeling material have a granite-like texture that is lighter than stone, permanent, and weather-proof when dry.   Large objects can be made with Crea-stone.  The Japanese Garden Lantern shown here is well over a foot tall.   Tutorial for creating Lantern is available at AMACO.

Miniature violets

Make these miniature violets from cold porcelain following this tutorial by Ernesto Baldini of  Punto Sur

Of course, other air dry clays could be used.  Instead of miniature, you could even try make these flowers actual size using these same techniques.

Cold Porcelain Posies; how to make & how to paint!

Sorry there haven't been any posts lately, I've been sick and not on computer.  But all is well now, so let's make some clay flowers!

In the first video, Tryny's Design shows us how to make some small flowers with homemade cold porcelain paste.  In the second video she demonstrates her delicate flower painting techniques.

Happy St Patrick's Day

A man was on a walking holiday in Ireland. He became thirsty so decided to ask at a home for something to drink. The lady of the house invited him in and served him a bowl of soup by the fire.

There was a wee pig running around the kitchen, running up to the visitor and giving him a great deal of attention. The visitor commented that he had never seen a pig this friendly. The housewife replied: "Ah, he's not that friendly. That's his bowl you're using."

The Monsignor greeted Paddy and said "Congratulations on your 50th wedding anniversary! Have you any plans made on how to celebrate?"
"Well," said Paddy, "on our 25th Anniversary I took Mary to Ireland."
"And what are you going to do on your 50th?" asked the Msgr.
"Well," said Paddy "I think I'll bring her back."
 

Visit PaddysDay.us for more Irish Jokes, Blessings & Legends  

How to make a clay carnation

Did you know that you can make clay flowers with cold porcelain and other air-dry clays following tutorials written for sugar paste flowers?    The process is exactly the same except where they might use egg whites as an adhesive, you can use glue!    Clay flowers can be made into an arrangement or made to decorate a cake.  Many brides are having clay flowers made into a permanent bouquet for their wedding keepsake!

Click here for a tutorial to make the carnation shown above.   Remember, this may be a sugarcraft tutorial, but you will be using air-dry clay!  Cutters and veiners are tools used to create the carnation in this tutorial.  Making clay flowers with air-dry clay is not as common in USA as other countries, so molds & cutters for leaves and petals can  sometimes be quite expensive.  Most are designed for, and  used by,  commercial bakeries.   However, lower-cost petal molds are starting to become available (such as those shown here) or you can make your own cutters.  See this post for making cutters.  

Hope you enjoy making carnations!