I am making new beads for some new cold porcelain necklaces and trying some statement pieces as well. I also made another village like these ones.
Right now they are drying and I really can’t wait to assemble my cold porcelain jewellery and showing you the final pieces!
But, as I wait, I really can’t just…you know… wait so I’m finishing the pink necklaces for my Etsy Shop. Right now I have three pink cold porcelain necklaces, and I’m not planning on doing this color combination again, so you better grab one as soon as they’re out. The one you see here is MY pink necklace. I always create a prototype and I usually like wearing them when I go out!
Cold porcelain is such an easy dough to make and gives marvelous results. My recipe is quite simple and gives you a no cook cold porcelain you can start using immediately.
You only need flour, PVA glue and some body oil (I use an Argan body oil lotion). Oh, and a pair of gloves: cold porcelain is sticky at the beginning and using latex gloves help you work on it. Start by pouring 1 cup of flour on the working table, on a piece of the paper you use to bake food in the oven. You’re using flour and there’s nothing better than this paper to deal with flour!
Now start pouring some glue on top, just a lump, to get you started. I would love to tell you you need X amount of glue but the truth is it all depends on the weather. Have you ever tied making the same cake when outside is raining and when it is hot and dry outside? Same applies here so add glue in small lumps and keep working with your hand.
Once you start seeing the dough is thickening start adding the oil, again start with just some drops. Achieving a good dough is essentially a work of patience: keep on working and keep on adding glue and oil.
Your cold porcelain will be ready when it doesn’t stick to your fingers anymore and it feels just like a pizza dough in your hands, only slightly harder. Now you can take off your gloves and start playing!
I like the final, uneven appearance of my beads: they look like old artisan beads. If you want a smoother dough and no cracks just keep on kneading.
DOS AND DON’TS
Here’s a small list of things I learned and read and that are really useful:
– put the dough you’re not using in a plastic bag or wrap it with cling film. If you avoid contact with air, the dough can last for a long, long time. Mine lasted 3 months and, when I used it, it was as soft as when I had made it.
– don’t add water. Even if PVA glue is usually thinned with water, water dries in a different way and, unless you want an unpredictable cracky results, don’t add it.
– if you’re making beads or charms put something in the holes, I use big toothpicks: cold porcelain shrinks naturally as it dries and you may end up with useless beads with too little holes.
– cold porcelain usually takes up to a week to dry completely, so, again, be patient. Drying time depends on the weather and how thick the object is.
– I paint my cold porcelain with acrylic paint once it is dried and usually give a second coat then add a transparent coat to help sealing color. You can color your dough before modeling it as well, using food colors or paint.
– cold porcelain, unless you coat it accordingly and sometimes not even after multiple coat sessions, is not water proof and absolutely not suitable for food so always put some material, a cloth for example, if you’re planning on making something to display food. It is, however, sturdy and can stand many accidents (dog’s teeth included).
– flour gives you a white dough. Corn starch and wheat starch give you a semitransparent dough. Never tried mixing the two.
If you make your cold porcelain as well, please, feel free to leave a comment!
Valeria Poropat 