Remember my post about wanting to put a movie on for my daughter so I could get one last thing done? Writing it awoke a picture of what I want our relationship to look like. I don’t want to be too busy each time she approaches. I want to make memories together, to splash colour across the canvas of her childhood. 

I’ve often invited her to draw with me, but at she gets older, she’s developing her own interests. I knew that to give to her, I had to stretch beyond myself. Did that mean entering into her world, doing the things she wants to do? Yes. But I was convinced that wasn’t the only way.

I started dreaming of a place where our interests intersect.

I started searching for a creative project we could enjoy together. I found it – cold porcelain clay.

And I’m pretty sure we’re not the only ones who will love it. If your looking for something new to create, or have a friend or special child you want to bond with, why not whip up some cold porcelain? It’s easy and inexpensive to make.

Cold Porcelain Clay:

2 cups of baking soda

1 cup of pea starch*

1 1/2 cups of water

*Pea starch is easy to find in China. Can’t find it where you live? Try another kind of starch and let me know how it goes. There are several recipes online that use cornstarch. 

Stir over medium-high heat to dissolve and keep stirring as the mixture bubbles and thickens. When it looks like this, it’s done. (I left some on the edge of the pot so you could get a good idea of the consistency.)

Cold porcelain is a gorgeous shimmering white!

We quickly learned that we need to keep this clay wrapped in a damp cloth while it cools, and while we’re working with it, or it will dry out. If it starts to dry just work a bit of water into the dried out portion. 

Once I shaped the heart, pictured above, I let it air-dry for a few days, flipping it over once the top was dry. Then I painted it with acrylic paint, adding the Chinese character for love.

I love the feeling of working clay in my hands and the creativity it kindles.

The acrylic paint will help protect it from water and moisture, but you may also want to seal it with varnish. To make sure the unused portion of your clay doesn’t dry out, wrap it in a damp cloth and put it in a zip-lock, or air-tight container.

If you try this project, or have already worked with cold porcelain, I’d love to hear from you. 

And come back next week for our gallery of hearts!

Interested in drawing? Try my At Home Art Class – Winter Bird