Eleanore has been playing with silly putty and air dry clay like crazy the past few months. In reflecting on it, the ingredients don’t exactly please me. They’re anything but all natural, and the colors are worrisome, as well, because we’ve seen her react negatively to food dyes in her food, and handling colors constantly can’t be good either. So, the Stockmar beeswax modeling clays have been on my art supplies wishlist for a while. We’re a little drive from the nearest Steiner school, though, and they’re rather pricey, so the other day I decided to give making our own beeswax modeling clay a try.
It was easy! I used the following recipe that I found online *somewhere.* I’ve had it printed and in my binder for ages, so I’m not sure where I found it.
Beeswax Modeling Clay
1 c. melted beeswax (I use an old pot on the stove to melt mine ~ one I use only for beeswax– you can also use a microwave)
2 TB olive oil
2 tsp lanolin oil (you can use lansinoh lanolin for breastfeeding if you don’t have the liquid!)
Mix all together until blended well and pour into a foil lined pan until it cools. Tear or cut it into pieces and give it a try shaping something. It should be a bit firm when it’s cool, but should warm in your hand and become moldable. Ours was pretty much perfect, but if yours is too soft, remelt and add more beeswax, and if it’s too firm, remelt and add a bit more olive oil.
I gave a few natural colors a try, but we still need to work on them. I did a greenish color and an orangish red but putting spirulina and alkanet in a teabag (separately of course) and letting it cook with the beeswax as it melted. Not the brightest colors, but Eleanore has loved playing with the modeling clay every chance she gets! She often carries around a little piece and enjoys squeezing and shaping it.
