FYI usually means “for your information”, but in this instance it is the brand name of “For Your Inspiration” Silver Metal Fine Clay. Because I’ve made a new batch of silicone molds using pods and other objects provided by Mother Nature for my polymer clay work, I decided to create some fine silver elements as well. All metal clays have a propensity to shrink and the shrinkage factor of FYI fine silver metal clay is about the highest of all metal clays on the market at this time. I took advantage of this fact by creating smaller silicone molds from the finished FYI patinaed fine silver pieces (shown above).

In this photo the large purple molds were made from the actual pod and twig (shown at upper and lower left). Polymer clay components were made and because polymer clay does not shrink, they are the same size as the actual pod and twig. FYI Fine Silver Metal Clay was then pressed into the molds and in the raw state were the same size as the polymer clay pieces, but once fired, they shrank to about half the size of the polymer clay. I took advantage of the shrinkage factor by making a mold from the fired FYI fine silver pod (fourth in from the left in the upper row), which now allows me to make even smaller polymer and metal clay beads. The silicone molds are flexible and with proper care they can be used again and again!