Clay art masterpieces

The table was filled with miniature cookie cutters and molds ready for residents to use.

On Friday, residents at The Mission at Castle Rock Rehabilitation Center and The Villa were busy picking out which molds or cutters they would like to use for their air-dry clay project.

Craft class leader Kathy Elliott said the participants had the opportunity to make a necklace, bracelet or magnet out of their clay. Elliott told the group they were using glue and cornstarch clay. Elliott knew the class would need the whole class period to make their art, so she mixed the clay up at home.

"This doesn't require cooking, which is why I picked it," Elliott said.

Elliott instructed the group on how to roll the clay out and put cornstarch in the mold or cookie cutter to prevent the clay from sticking to the form.

Even though they followed the instructions, some still had trouble with the clay sticking, but this was usually due to a failure to put enough cornstarch in the mold prior to pressing the clay in it. Elliott said the good thing with clay is even if it sticks it's easy to remove from the mold and start over.

After the residents took their clay out of the molds and scraped the sides off, Elliott told them to poke two holes in them if they wanted to make a necklace. She said it's important to make sure two holes are poked through the piece of clay or the necklace they make won't lay flat when they put it on. This is something learned through trial and error on a previous necklace project the group did.

CRRC resident Tony Keister said she was going to make a magnet or a pin out of her clay pieces. She said she has time to think about it since they must wait for the clay to dry and they will paint them next week.

Even though Keister had an idea of what she was going to do with her art, CRRC resident Janet Kennaday said she wasn't sure what she was going to do with hers.

"Maybe I'll put them in a flower pot," Kennaday said. "It's hard to decide,"

She said she may even finish her shells, stick them in her drawer and forget about them, but she still had fun making them.