Maria LaMalfa Date 1/2/2012 10:42:40 AM

haha, who doesn't want free ACS to play with! Just looking over my stash, deciding what NEW things I want to make for 2012. Need to step it up a notch :-)

Corina Date 1/2/2012 12:20:56 PM

I'd love some free clay to play! It means I can make more gifts & be more daring with creations! Thanks Val :D

Audrey McDonald Date 1/2/2012 12:50:05 PM

I found some beautiful Ammonite Fossils from Madagascar. I think they will look beautiful in some Acs silver jewelry. ! am Wondering if anyone has done this with fossils? I am sure where there is a litle unevenness by adding l little more clay in certain places it will be possible to make them sit even! Any suggestions out there? Audrey

Val Date 1/2/2012 1:03:10 PM

Look forward to seing your new pretties, Maria - and to see how "daring" you will get Corina! :) Audrey - I seem to recall reading about this - as they will be set after firing, you can use some polymer clay (you can bake it right onto your fired piece). So you can fill in all the gaps and unevenness with the polymer clay, then "cold connect" your new fossils.

Annie Date 1/10/2012 2:21:47 PM

Oooh, j'aime ce jeu! I bought the contents of a lampworker's studio (torch, kiln, glass, etc...). It turns out the kiln can fire ACS...! The woman had some art clay paste that she threw in - but I think that I need some clay to make the paste useful... Looking forward to finding out more about ACS! Merci beaucoup, Val!

Audrey McDonald Date 1/10/2012 5:31:00 PM

Heres a little tip which I think will work. I had a syringe clay dry on me and I thought it would be lost half full. I took and filled the glass with water that I had the syringe standing in and left it for days thinking the water would enter from the top of the syringe as it is not water tight and this seems to have worked and my syringe is working again . Wondering if anyone else has tried this.. I have not fired any clay from this syringe again yet. Cheers, Audrey

Val Date 1/10/2012 9:16:09 PM

Sounds like you've got lots of great stuff going on Annie - please don't hesitate if ever I can be of any help or service to you. Paste type can be used on it's own in a variety of ways, such as using it to apply several coats to a real leaf or twig with it, thereby exactly replicating the piece from nature into pure silver. SOmething I enjoy doing - I enjoy the Zen of the process....but having some Clay is always a good thing too! Interesting tip Audrey - thanks for sharing. Can you updat

Val Date 1/10/2012 9:21:53 PM

Interesting tip Audrey - thanks for sharing. Can you update us? Is the syringe clay working well for you now that you've rehydrated it?

Val Date 1/10/2012 9:22:24 PM

When working with a syringe, it's always a good idea to place your tip down in a small container of water. It'll keep the syringe from drying out. If you'll not be using the syringe for a few days (or longer), just be sure to top-up the water so it doesn't evaporate, and your syringe will always be fresh and ready to use.

Audrey McDonald Date 1/11/2012 5:09:17 PM

Greetings Val. I further experimented with my rehydrated syringe clay and extruded a few snakes and let them dry and all seems quite normal. I see no reason why they would not fire normally . So I would say if your syringe dries out stand it up covered in water so that water may enter from top of syringe and leave for a few days. The syringe should rehydrate and be usable again. I am wondering if anyone else has tried this.. Cheers Audrey.

Val Date 1/11/2012 7:36:00 PM

How wonderful ~ Thanks for your update Audrey. Cheers!

Carla Date 1/12/2012 9:16:03 AM

Hi Val. I would love some free clay. I like to do squeegles on top of dicro cabochons with the clay syringe adding to the design of the dicro. And here goes a tip, I always use wax paper (those used to bake cookies) on my work surface when working with clay, especially if I am painting leaves or paper. When the drips left over by the paste is dried, I scrape it all and it goes into the paste clay pot. If you have dried bits of clay that were not fired yet, it goes into the paste pot too. That'

Val Date 1/12/2012 1:46:36 PM

Thanks for your great tip Carla.

Margaret Date 1/12/2012 4:30:02 PM

Hi Val, Those silicone sheets meant for working with hot glue, etc., are great metal clay work surfaces, too, especially when you are covering burnable cores with slip or paste. When you're done, just let any slip or paste dry on the silicone sheet, then flex it and the dried clay will pop right off, leaving absolutely no residue... which means every tiny scrap of clay can be reclaimed! Cheers, Margaret

Jascha Sonis Date 1/13/2012 7:56:04 AM

yes, i would also like some free clay. great blog!!

Val Date 1/13/2012 8:07:34 AM

Thanks for sharing your tip, Margaret. Margaret has some fabulous Metal Clay lenses on Squidoo, stocked full with super info: http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/MSchindel ~ Thanks for stopping by my blog!

Val Date 1/13/2012 8:08:54 AM

Thanks Jascha - your name is in two of my hats! ;) Thanks for your kind comment, and for liking my FaceBook page.

Dianne Grant Date 1/13/2012 10:47:31 AM

I love artclay and I'm so happy to have found a Canadian distributor.

Margaret Date 1/13/2012 1:54:21 PM

Val, thanks so much for recommending my metal clay lenses on Squidoo. I really appreciate it! Margaret

Glynnis Graham Date 1/13/2012 5:09:55 PM

This is a really helpful site that make you want to know more ACS .I want to add to my lampwork so this may be the anwser to a thought

Glenda Edwards Date 1/17/2012 9:19:12 AM

I've tried silver clay once, and was disappointed with the results. I think with a little more research and planning I could get better results...I would love to try thinning down the clay and "painting" it onto leaves

Val Date 1/17/2012 9:24:56 AM

Thank you all for your wonderful comments. Glynnis and Glenda - and to whomever else is reading my words, please feel free to contact me with any questions you might have...it's my pleasure to help whenever/however I can.

Marija Batraks Date 1/22/2012 1:49:09 PM

Great customer service - Thanks Val

anna abril Date 1/31/2012 9:00:02 AM

I can get silver clay in a lot of places but the kindness and love came through in my last purchase from you. I will always search your site first. Thank you.

Val Date 1/31/2012 4:32:55 PM

Thank you Marija and Anna - I appreciate your kind words.

ali Date 2/2/2012 1:44:32 PM

Thanks for the info and the opportunity to win clay!

ali Date 2/2/2012 1:50:33 PM

Thanks for the info and the opportunity to win clay!