Start my blog today ^^

I will be starting my blog today ^^ Below-mentioned are what I have done over the past four days (11-14 July 2012).

11 July 2012

Lemon Cane

For the past one month, I am busy doing research on clay and start gathering for the items that I needed. I have been wondering what should I start first? Fruit cane, bread, cake, ice-cream or crepe? 

On 11 July 2012, I am very excited as this is my first clay making. I decided to start on lemon cane. I slowly unwrapped my clay and cut the desire size that I needed. My mood went down when I cut it, the clay I purchased online is not fresh and very dry plus I forgot to wipe the blade, it is dirty. I accidently cut my index finger when I try to wipe the blade clean. Sigh... it was not my day. I spend some time kneading and adding oil to soften my clay. After done, both my thumb and index fingers were cramp and painful. 

After conditioned my clay, I followed closely to the tutorial I found online. It didn’t turn out well, all the colour start merging together after I rolled out the clay. I did not take a photo of it so unable to show how badly I have done.

12 July 2012

Cha Shu Ramen

Due to the insufficient white, translucent and yellow clay, I can’t make another lemon cane. I decided to make ramen today. This is not my idea, I followed the tutorial from Toni Ellison. Mine did not turn out as perfect as hers. The shape of the bowl is lopsided and I accidentally touched it without knowing that my hands were dirty. The ramen I made was too thick, it looked like udon. 

I spend about 3 hours making it and I accidently cut myself again. 

Attached is the end product.

13 July 2012

Cinnamon Roll

Due to the all the kneading for the past two days, both my fingers were very cramp now. I am not sure is it because I am not use to the kneading or it is due to the stale clay. Think I should invest on a pasta machine. 

I will be making cinnamon roll today. It is a lot more simple than making ramen. The plate is purchased online.

14 July 2012

Baking and varnishing my clay

I finally got an oven for clay today. My plan for today is baking and varnishing. 

I had hard time figuring the temperature to bake because I did not buy an oven thermometer. And it is very confusing because some website baked their clay at lower temperature with longer time, while others were higher temperature with shorter time. I did not know which to follow. 

Initially, I followed the clay instruction but my clay did not harden when they were out from the oven so I decided to turn up the temperature. This time, they turned out hard. Finally I got the result I wanted. I left them cool for about an hour before varnishing. ^^