Cool Molds

I have sculpted small clay items from scratch, I can do it if I'm highly motivated. Other times, I'm in a hurry, I need a bunch of pieces exactly the same, or I don't think I can do the subject justice. In those instances, it's good to have a mold to use.

The best molds I've found are from Sweetbrier Studio. These flexible art molds are made of silicone rubber, and are very easy to use. With proper use, molding materials are easily removed from the molds. Polymer clay, air-dry clays, silver metal clay, soap, plaster of paris, hot glue and UTEE may all be used in Sweetbrier Studios molds. (Release clays from molds promptly, do not allow to cure in molds. Release agents may be needed.)

The faces above were all shaped in Sweetbrier Studio molds, using various air-dry clays. Sweetbrier Studios has many other molds to choose from: birds, bears, flowers leaves, Christmas, dolphins, hearts, angels, with new ones created regularly. The standard size molds are 3 1/4" x 4", and the mini molds are3 1/4" x 2 1/4". Sweetbrier Studios website has ordering info., tips, techniques, projects and more.

Information Sites

The kind of websites and blogs I enjoy looking at the most are - you guessed it - arts and crafts related! This time, I have some information sites to share.



Craft Critique is website devoted to craft product reviews and product usage tips, provided by artists/crafters like you and me. The site is uncluttered, easy-to-read and find information.



Art and Craft Questions and Answers is a blog for Etsy shop owners, a place to discuss, ask questions and get answers, share ideas and techniques. You can sign up by join their Yahoo group, and you will receive an invitation to the blog.



Craftster is community where people share how they make things; they even have a "craftopedia", an encyclopedia of basic craft definitions and techniques.



CRAFT and MAKE magazines have a website which includes projects, a blog, a forum and preview of the current issue on the newsstands.

Whipup.net is written blogstyle, with the most recent entires at the top. For ease in finding topics, all the art and craft categories are listed along the right side.