Metal Clay Storage

Short-term storage (during your work session)
Take out just the amount of clay you will need for the project you're working during the current work session, and store the remaining clay (see the section on Long-term Metal Clay Storage Options, below). Then roll your "working clay" quickly into a smooth, compact ball between the heels of your hands (not your palms) and use one of the following methods to keep it moist and fresh during your work session:

• Place the ball of clay inside a small, airtight, plastic craft paint storage cup with a snap lid (such as a Buddy Cup) and snap the lid shut. When you need more of the clay, it's quick and easy to flip open the lid, take out what you need, quickly roll the remaining clay into a ball, pop it back into the cup, and snap the lid shut. Tip: Before you open the cup to take out more metal clay, have a piece of plastic wrap handy to quickly cover the clay you remove before you roll the remainder into a ball and put it back into the cup.


• Set your ball of "working clay" on your work surface and cover it with a humidifying dome.

• The LiL BeLLA clay humidifier invented by Donna Lewis of Metal Clay Arts is the best of its type. Soak it briefly in a bowl of water (or run it under water) and place it over your ball of clay (on a piece of non-stick sheet, plastic wrap, or a small, flat plate) in a corner of your work table, out of the way but within easy reach. When you need to remove some clay, just lift the edge of the humidifier, pinch off and remove a piece of clay, and replace the the LiL BeLLA. See my detailed review of the LiL BeLLA on my Metal Clay Product Reviews lens.


• Alternatively, you can create a makeshift clay humidifier, although it won't keep the clay fresh and moist as long as the LiL BeLLA will. Here's how:
• Glue the "hook" side of a short strip of Velcro® (or another brand of hook-and-loop fastener) inside the bottom of a short, inexpensive drinking glass ("old fashioned" size works well).
• Glue the corresponding "loop" side of the Velcro strip to a small piece of kitchen sponge, using a flexible, waterproof adhesive (such as GOOP brand). Let the glue dry thoroughly.
• Wet the sponge, squeeze out the excess water (making sure the sponge won't drip), and attach it to the Velcro inside the glass.
• Invert the glass over your ball of clay.
• Keep your clay in a humidified storage container (see Long-term Metal Clay Storage Options, below).


• Wrap your ball of "working clay" in heavy plastic wrap (I strongly recommend Freeze-tite® brand). Place your ball of clay on a piece of the wrap, smooth it around the clay, pressing out as much air as possible, twist the excess plastic wrap tightly, and clip the twist as close as possible with the clay with a clothespin.


• Wrap your "working clay" in plastic wrap and tuck it into a short-term clay storage pouch
  (such as the ClaySafe™ from Metal Clay Supply), which you can flex open with one hand when you need more clay.

Between work sessions, store your clay in one of the following types of long-term storage containers:

• A humidified storage container (or "hydrating environment." I learned this storage method from Celie Fago. It's essentially a homemade metal clay humidifier designed for long-term storage. Because the clay is surrounded by humid air, it doesn't dry out, and as long as you leave it exposed to the moisture in the environment it tends to absorb as much moisture from the air as it needs to maintain the right balance of hydration.
  
  
  1. Dampen a piece of sponge or crumpled ball of paper toweling and place it to one side inside a small food storage container with an airtight lid.
  2. Put your smooth ball of clay on top of a piece of plastic wrap and place it in on the other side of the container. Allow the plastic wrap to come up over the sides of the clay to keep it from touching the damp sponge, paper towel, or any condensation on the walls of the container, but leave as much of the surface of the clay as possible exposed to the (soon-to-be-humid) air inside the container.
  3. Close the container with the air-tight lid.
  
  Note: If I don't plan to use the clay again for a long period of time, I'll either store the container in the refrigerator or else mix a small amount of vinegar into the water before dampening the sponge or paper towel to deter mold.
• A clay storage pouch (such as a ClayVault™) that contains a "water crystal" of the type that often is mixed into potting soil to keep it moist. The crystal is soaked in water until it swells up and then is placed inside the pouch along with the clay, which has been wrapped in plastic.







• A jar with a screw-on lid and a perforated sifter insert (for mineral makeup powder).
  • Wet a piece of sponge cut to fit, squeeze out the excess water so that the sponge is wet but not dripping, and place it in the bottom of the jar. Place the sifter insert inside the jar, on top of the sponge. Flatten your ball of clay into a patty, place it on top of the sifter insert and screw on the lid tightly. Art Clay™ World sells two sizes of Clay Keepers that come with cotton pads that can substitute for the sponge.
    
    
    • Important: The sponge needs to be thin enough so that it doesn't touch the bottom of the insert. Try to get as deep a sifter insert as you can; the clay should not touch the jar lid.
• A small, airtight container (such as an airtight film canister).Wrap your clay in plastic wrap, and then seal it inside the airtight container.
  
  Note: Patrik Kusek recommends using canisters from 35mm film by Fujifilm, because their lids have the most airtight seals. He also uses these canisters for storing fresh clay.




• A small, airtight, plastic craft paint storage cup with attached snap-on lid (such as a Buddy Cup). You don't need to wrap the clay first - just pop it in and snap the lid shut.
  • I've stored fresh clay this way for months, so it works equally well as a short-term and a long-term storage solution.