Monday, 8 June 2009

Bugger, bugger, bugger !!!


I use a product called Makins Air Dry clay a lot. Basically I push a lump of this into the planter and push the plants into it then cover with 'soil'

A while back I purchased a huge lot of it from eBay thinking it'd be cheaper that way.

Well...I just went to open a fresh box and it had dried out...and another box...and another. You get the picture.

Every flippin' block of it is a lump of rubbery useless....some bargain huh.

I don't blame the eBay seller at all...none of it had been tampered with and it is all still in the manufacturers packaging.

I've had boxes of this stored for years and it has been fine so I've no idea what happened this time.

I've emailed Makins to ask them...hopefully they'll reply.

So now I am stuck and can't finish my bonsai :-(

Posted by Tallulah Belle at 21:03

10 comments:

  1. nikkinikkinikki728 June 2009 at 21:54

    Oh thats really sad Jayne and sounds like a lot of wastage.
    For the time being can you not make some salt dough?
    Maybe even fimo. Press you bonsai into the clay, then take it out and bake just the clay, then pop back in and secure in place.
    Hope you find a way to sort this until you can get some more.

    Nikki x

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  2. Tabitha Corsica8 June 2009 at 22:10

    Just because it was still nicely in it's packaging doesn't mean it was handled properly. I once bought a box of Fimo at a garage sale...one of those multi-color assortments. The box was still sealed and when I opened it, all the little packages were tightly wrapped in cellophane. Lady said her granddaughter bought it but never used it. So I bought it cheap only to discover that it was basically all "baked". Apparently leaving it in the garage all summer (for several summers) in Florida is the wrong way to store it. Live and learn...at least it was cheap.

    Bummer...

    Tabby

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  3. Tallulah Belle8 June 2009 at 22:30

    Salt dough ? Is that flour and water stuff.

    I never thought of Fimo...stupid me...I use a blob of Fimo as I am building it because I don't want it to set.

    i opened some paperclay so have used that now.

    Tabby...what a bummer. Mine was definitely sealed. It is vacuum sealed in 2 bags,, then boxed and because I bought bulk they were still sealed in the warehouse box.

    And I stored it in a cool dark place just as I have before.

    I think it must be a bad batch...what a waste of money.

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  4. Linda Carswell8 June 2009 at 22:56

    Jayne,

    I use a product call "blue tack" to secure my plants....it has so many uses....I don't know what I would do with-out it!! Do you know of it?? I use it to hold big or small pieces in place, it will hold walls in place while I decide if that is where it will stay, or a tiny tiny piece will hold a pretty glass vase in place on a table. It leaves no greasy marks and best of all is RE-USABLE!!! For plants I get a piece to fit the pot, just make it into a ball and put flowers etc, in place and you can ofcourse re-arrange....it holds firm but doesn't set rock hard.(I then cover it with soil etc...)A wonderful product!!

    Hope this could be of some help to you, let me know I would be more than happy to send you some.

    Regards, Linda

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  5. Crafts From The Stash8 June 2009 at 23:30

    Oh no Jayne, I hate it when that happens. You just never know how long it was in the packet. ((((hugs)).
    Debie xxx

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  6. Tallulah Belle8 June 2009 at 23:36

    Linda we have white tac here and it is nowhere near as good as Blu Tac which we have in England. The white stuff gets very greasy and doesn't hold too well.

    I wonder if it would hold up for shipping though...that would worry me.


    Thanks Debie...I have the batch number on the warehouse boxes so if nothing else Makins might tell me it was years old or something.

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  7. MiniKat9 June 2009 at 00:24

    Bugger is right! I hate when things like that happen.

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  8. Sans!9 June 2009 at 03:13

    Jayne, I swear by Blu-tack for many many things and in Singapore, they come in green/blue/white. In fact, I use them for all my photoshoots and when I affix the mini in my interiors. After a while, they do fall off. I will not use it for more permanent fixing like maybe soil for a bonsai plant? Thanks for sharing your experience. I can use a little reminder that bulk sometimes is not always the cheapest. Take all the time you need with the bonsai :). That is one feat I am unlikely to accomplish, despite your optimism.

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  9. julie campbell9 June 2009 at 06:54

    How annoying Jayne. Maybe the manufacturers can shed some light on it. I know you can perk up aperclay when it has dried out by whizzing it in the food mixer then readding the water but dont suppose it would work on this ?
    I just hate it when anything stops me mid project,
    julie xxx

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  10. Tallulah Belle9 June 2009 at 17:11

    Well I had an email reply from Hong King telling me they'll pass it onto Makins America so we'll see.

    Thanks Sans...I just wanted it done before we left.

    Julie...this is like tough rubber...it'd wreck my blender. I have done it with paperclay though.

    Ah well...we live and learn.

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