Homemade Craft Compounds

Cooked Salt & Flour Clay
3/4 cup salt
3/4 cup non-self rising flour
2 tsp. powdered alum
3/4 cup water
2 tbls. vegetable oil
food colouring

1.Mix salt, 1/2 cup flour, and alum in a saucepan.
2. Add water slowly, stirring to break up lumps.
3. Place over low heat and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is rubbery and difficult to stir. It should not be sticky when touched.
4. Add vegetable oil. Stir until blended.
5. Turn out onto a plate or aluminum foil. Set aside until cool enough to handle.
6. If more than one colour is desired, divide mixture into portions and to each portion add a different colour. Knead until colour is blended.
7. Add up to 1/4 cup flour if clay is sticky.
Makes: 1 1/2 cups.
How to Use: Model as with any clay. Press clay into molds or use it to makes beads. (Pierce holes in beads before clay dries). This clay hardens in 1 or 2 days;do not bake. Store in an airtight container.

Dough Art
2 c All purpose flour
1 c Salt
1 c Water

1)Mix flour and salt well
2)slowly add the water, mixing with a spoon to form a ball. Dough will be too sticky if you add too much water! Knead 7-10 min until dough is smooth and firm. {keep dough in a plastic bag to keep moist}
3) Then roll out and shape as you would cookies.
Air dry. For a “puffy” look, preheat the oven at 325-350 (NEVER HIGHER) bake on foil covered cookie sheet for 30 min for each 1/4″ of dough thickness, or until light brown. If ornament puffs up too much, lower heat to 50-75 and use a toothpick to pop the bubble.

Sand & Cornstarch Dough
1 cup sand
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon powdered alum
3/4 cup hot water Food coloring (optional)

1.Mix sand, cornstarch, and alum in a bowl. 2) Add hot water, stirring vigorously until well mixed. 3) Add food coloring, if desired, and blend.
Cook over medium heat until thick, stirring constantly. Makes about 2 cups.
When sufficiently cooled, mold dough into objects. Dry pieces in the sunshine for several days.
This modeling dough is grainy and stonelike; it can be used to make interesting sculptures. It does not need shellac or varnish for protection. Store leftover dough in an airtight container.

Soapsuds Clay
3/4 cup soap powder (such as Ivory Snow)
1 tablespoon warm water
electric mixer

1.Mix soap powder in a large bowl.
2) Beat with an electric mixer to a claylike consistency.
Makes about 1 cup.
The recipe may be doubled or tripled for larger objects. Be sure to use the same proportions. Mold clay into figures and other objects. This clay dries to a hard finish.
To make simulated snow:
Beat 2 parts soap powder to 1 part water and spread like icing on a piece of heavy cardboard. This “icing” may also be used to decorate cardboard holiday ornaments. It dries to a smooth, rubbery surface overnight.

Sawdust Compound
This is one of my favorites! As always wear old clothing and cover your work area well.
1 cup fine sawdust
1 cup thin paste (see paste section or your choice)
Clear varnish or Polyurethen optional
newspaper
food coloring optional

1) If desired, dye sawdust with food coloring first. Drain and spread on newspaper until dry. If you want it natural, go on to step # 2.
2) Mix sawdust and paste to a thick consistency.
3) Knead until thoroughly mixed. It must be mixed really well
The amount of paste may vary according to type of sawdut used.
If the sawdust is course, more paste will be neede to get the proper consistency.
Try to get your sawdust as fine as possible!
Model as with clay Pieces of dough may be added to the basic piece by moistening and sticking it to the “mother” piece. This clay will harden within two or three days. To speed up hardening, bke in a 200 degree oven for 1-2 hours depending on size of object.
NOTE: This clay has a really nice wood-grain appearance when dry and objects can be sanded! When completely done, a permanent finish can be added with polyurethane.

GLUE & PASTE
Thin Paste
1/4 cup of sugar
1/4 cup of non-self-rising wheat flour
1/2 t. alum
1 3/4 cups of water
1/4 tsp. of oil of cinnamon OR oil of wintergreen

1.mix sugar, flour, and alum in the saucepan
2. add 1 cup of the water and stir until smooth
3. boil over medium heat until clear stir constantly
4. stir in remaining water and oil of cinnamon or wintergreen
Spread with a tongue depressor, popsickle stick or small art brush
Thin paste is great for scrapbooks, collages, and strip paper-mache.
NOTE: Can be stored in a jar without refrigeration for several months.
Makes 1 quart.

Library Paste # 1
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. alum
4 cups water
Oil of cloves

1) Mix all ingredients in saucepan and cook until clear and thick.
2) Add 30 drops of Oil of cloves.
3) Spread with a tongue depressor, popsickle stick or small art brush
store covered.

Transparent Library Paste (# 2)
3/4 cup rice flour (this can be found at health food stores)
2 tbs sugar
3/4 cup cold water
2 1/2 cups boiling water
1/2 tsp oil of wintergreen

1) Mix rice flour & sugar with cold water in a pan. Stir until smooth
2) Add boiling water.
3) Remove from heat & and add oil of wintergreen.
Spread with a tongue depressor, popsickle stick or small art brush

transparent Library Paste is is excellent for mending books. Cut a piece od white tissue paper the size of & shape of the tear, spread the paste, lay it over the tear, smooth it and let it dry.
This paste dries transparent & can also be used for paper collages and scrapbooks.
Store in a tightly sealed jar, it will last several months
Makes 1 1/2 pints
Bookbinding or leather glue
1 packet (1/4 oz.) unflavored gelatin
3 tbs boiling water
1 tbs vinegar
1 tsp glycerine

1) Add gelatin to boiling water & stir until completely disolved.
2) Add viegar & glycerine, stir until well mixed.

Excellent glue for binding leather to leather. It makes a good flexable glue for paper, cloth to cardboard, ect.
NOTE: Will keep for several month in tightly capped jar. It will gel in the bottle after a few days, just warm jar in hot water to reuse. This glue if waterproof when used on leather.