Tutorial: Using silicone molds for a teaparty set

Dear Readers,

I recently started to make plates, cups and teapots for my Sylvanians. But I fastly had to discover, that it isn't easy... For me it was really hard! That's why I tried out a new method: using a silicone mold.

If you want to make a tea party set for your Sylvanians - using a silicone mold - enjoy this tutorial.

You need:
- a silicone mold (you can either buy it -I've seen them for 2-3$ online - or make it your own - about which I can make a tutorial if you want)
- FIMO or another polymer clay
- acrylic paints
- glace for the finished plates (if you want)
- a sharp knife and maybe some round edged tools

For the tutorial itself, there will be more pictures than text, cause I think it's more the less self explaining.

For the plates

1. Roll out a thin sheet of clay
2. Cut out a more the less fitting piece and place it into the mold (it hasn't to be round^^)

3. Press it into the mold - here you can use your fingers or some tools (like the one I'm showing in the picture)

4. Remove overlaying clay and slowly form it into a plate - orientate yourself on the mold

5. Carefully remove the plate, turn it to the other side and press it again into the mold (so you get a nicer plate-looking design... But of course you can also skip this step)

6. Carefully shape the plate into its round form and remove it from the mold

Repeat this steps for all plates and in all sizes which you want to have. I'm having 3 different sizes: saucer, cake plates and normal plates.

For the cups:

1. Place a ball of clay into the mold

2. Now take a tool, stick into the clay and carefully turn it around

3. Using this method the cup while become cupped
4. Remove the overlaying clay with a knife

5. Carefully remove it from the mold, bake it and than add a handle.

For the teapot (Just follow the pictures - if you have questions feel free to ask me :))

Bake all pieces, then it's time to take some colour! 

I just add simple spots on my set, but you can also draw flowers or other nice patterns :). After drying you can seal them with glace.

The plates all have the same size by the way, I just used the wrong angle to photograph^^.

This is my finished set. I know it's still not perfect, but practice makes perfect ;). 

The cups can be hold easily by a figure...

...and can be stored very nice. The Snow-Warrens will own this nice set :)

Hope you enjoyed the tutorial, please ask, if you have questions :).
I can also make a tutorial about how to make silicone molds.

Have a nice week,
yours Kyra

A day off

Dear Readers,

it was time for a new story, enjoy!

.................................................................................................

Pleased Flora Löffel opened her eyes and stretched herself. Today was her free day. 

This day was organized by her husband who convinced her, that she need some rest too. With the help of his parents, grandma Elfriede and grandpa Karl, he wanted to unburden her on this day.

So when Flora slowly got out of the bed, the house was quiete. She could hear the birds sing, everything was peaceful.
On normal days she hadn't much time for dressing up, so today she sat down infront of her dressing table and started to comb her fur. 

After it was shining nice and healthy, she added some lavendel powder. 

Flora looked in the mirror and started to smile. She looked good, although she wasn't a young woman anymore. Okay, she wasn't old too, but she had left her twenties a while ago. And her oldest son was already 8 years old! How time has flown...

Thinking about that Flora entered the kitchen, where everything was clean. 
 She was welcomed by the smell of a fresh baked cake and peppermint tea.

The soft chocolate cake must have been Elfriedes work. That fantastic smell was unmistakable. She poured herself some tea in a cup and took a seat at the breakfast table, where she cut down a piece of cake.

Flora took her time this morning. No tired children, who don't want to left the bed, no hyperactive husband, who feared to be to late and no parents-in-law, who were sometimes stressful when they tried to help.

After breakfast Flora stood up and...

...didn't know what to do.
She looked at the childrens room. Everything was clean and tidy. 

The bath was even more clean and smelled fresh.

When Flora took a look at the bath tub, an idea came to her mind: Why shouldn't she take a good, long bath? With some herbes and lots of foam!

No sooner than said, she laid in the warm and cozy water and read in her favourite book, which she had finished soon.

After bathing Flora was unsure what she could do. She looked at the clock: 10 am. So still many hours until her familie would return. 
Maybe she should water the flowers? Flora left the house and discovered that they were already watered. 

Then what about the weed? - she thought. But again she detected that somebody had already done this task. 
Flora felt a teeny tiny bit of frustration. Wasn't that her task? Also she really liked working in the garden.

Thinking she walked back into the kitchen. 
I could prepare the lunch! 

But when she opened the fridge she recognized that a finished pastry stood in there. 
Flora grumbled. The cooking was always one of her favourite tasks!

The letters! - she thought happily in this moment - I can bring the letters to the postoffice! 
The rabbit woman walked into the sleeping room, where she stored her finished letters in a box. But how shocked she was, when she couldn't find one of the letters!

Oh no - Hans must have taken the letters already to the post office!
Frustrated Flora sat on the floor. Was there anything she could do at all?

For about 5 minutes she just stared on the bottom. She felt a bit useless.
Silly me! I should be happy to have some free time! - Flora blustered at herself - Now, lets get up and do something fun!

Full of beans she jumped up and looked through the house, what she could do.
In the childrens room she found some crayons. 

Suddenly a thought appeared in her mind: Should I draw something?
Flora was unsure- she remembered that she loved drawing as a child, but was she able to do this as an adult too?
I should try! - she thought and just a few minutes later, Flora was lost in her drawing. 

She was even so lost in her work, that she didn't notice, that her family returned a few hours later.

"It looks awesome!", Anton said fascinated, when he looked over the shoulder of his mother, "Mum, why did you never told us, that you are so talented?"
Shocked Flora turned her head, "Anton? What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in school?"

The boy laughed, "But mum, it's 2 o' clock. School is finished!"
"It's what?", surprised the woman looked at her oldest child.
"It's already early afternoon!", Anton giggled, but then pointed again at her pictures, "Mum, they are beautiful! Can we hang it up here?"

Flora blushed all over her face and hugged her son tightly, "Thank you, my little carrot!" 
"You should show them to everyone! They're all down in the kitchen!"
"Are you sure?"

"Yes, of course!", Anton took her hand and pulled his mum with him.

The Löffel family was hooked by Floras talent and Elfriede declared that Flora should draw more often (You could sell them!).

When Hans returned from work, he agreed in his mothers idea.
"You could take more days off and draw!", Hans said excited.
"NO!", Flora yelled in this moment.

The shocked glance in the eyes of her families told her, that she must have reacted wrong.

"Oh... I'm so sorry.", she said, "It's just... I like drawing and it made fun, but I missed my work ."
"But you should relax!", Karl said softly, "That's why we made all the work for you!"

"I know...", Flora felt totally thankless, "It was so kind of you! It's just that I felt a bit useless with nothing to do."
The family laughed.
"Ok, but can we agree that you will sometimes take a day off?", Hans asked.

Flora sighed, "Okay."

And while Flora reheated Elfriede's delicious pastry (all by her own of course)....

.... her family admired her pictures and hang them up in the childrens room. 

Maybe Flora would draw more in the future, she wasn't sure. But she was happy that her family liked her picture.

.................................................................................................

I know that was a short one - but I'm so busy at the moment, that it's hard to find some free time. I hope you enjoyed the story anyway.

Have a nice weekend,

yours Kyra