Mama Chickpea
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Every polymer clay item at Mama Chickpea is unique! Learn more about my one-of-a-kind personalization and sculpting process in this FAQ.
General PROCESS QUESTIONS
My personalizing stamp font changed in 2022. Ornaments made 2022 and newer usually show the current font available for personalizing. Some photos may show the older, serif font, rather than the newer modern font. This is because sometimes an ornament is ordered and dated for a previous year.
All sculpts are custom clay art. If the item is listed as “OOAK (one of a kind),” it is the only one available and pre-made. If the ornament states it is “PERSONALIZABLE,” it is made to order upon payment and can have variations according to the description.
Personalizing details are stamped and baked into the clay during the initial sculpting phase. There is no ink used with these special stamps. The less letters stamped, the less it changes the finish of the clay, as each letter causes indents in the item. The description and pictures of each item suggest guidelines for the best stamping. The patina in the grooves cannot be a different color other than the blackish-brown special patina shown in examples.
In general, all items start out with brainstorming an initial concept. With my background in illustration, I often create a visual in my head (or on paper) as I sculpt. The item is then sculpted per my initial concepts, and baked, before the finishing steps are applied. For more on this process, click HERE.
The clay I use for my sculpts is a polymer clay, which becomes plasticized when baking. It is fairly durable, but not indestructible. Wipe with a lightly soapy cloth if something should get on them and dry immediately.
ALL ORNAMENTS ARE FLAT-BACKED. I do my best to keep them plain and flat for you to write a personal note on, if you so desire. This can be done in a permanent marker.
THE BACKS OF ORNAMENTS CANNOT BE STAMPED. They are not decorative like the fronts. Although, they are patinaed and sealed, for durability. Ornaments are sculpted on a tray and therefore the back is plain.
I CAN NOT GUARANTEE all colors, ribbons, wires, or bells will be exact, but I will try as close as possible. (Many of these items are not reorder-able and thereby may not be available anymore.) I want you to love my art, so I promise I will try my best! Custom requests may vary with finishes, and I try to pick what finishes go best with the item. REMEMBER, EACH PIECE IS UNIQUE.
Black clay does not finish nicely with the special finishing steps for the Mama Chickpea process. Lighter colors show the details of the clay, better, too. Medium gray is often suggested because it can be finished with prettier depth in the finishing stages and personalizing and any drawn in details can be seen better. Black clay can be used for small details or as an additional accent color, but even the black clay you see in my items has white clay mixed into it to lighten its finish some.
Shipping, TERMS, & Returns
Items typically take 5-7 days to be made before they ship. During busier times of the year, usually mid-November till January, items may take as long as 7-10 days before shipping. Failure to complete all necessary information needed to make your order may result in longer creation time and delay shipping as well.
Mama Chickpea uses USPS First Class Ground to ship most items. You will receive tracking information for your order. If you purchase $90 or more, your order will ship via USPS Priority Mail.
While neither method is guaranteed, shipping turnaround estimates are generally close. I will provide a tracking number for your order, once it has been generated (usually as the item is shipping.)
- USPS First Class: Typically takes 5-7 business days.
- USPS Priority Mail Class: Typically takes 3-5 business days.
With the price of postage, the USPS includes:
- $100 insurance for First Class / Ground postage.
- $150 insurance for the Small Flat Rate Priority box.
Once your order has been placed, it will be made per the original order instructions. When the item is ready to ship, I will email you a photo of your order. Shortly after this photo message, I will also provide tracking for your package, as it is shipped.
Since all of my items are made custom or one-of-a-kind, I do not accept returns unless the error is my fault. Please ensure you answer all needed information, per the item’s description, and double-check that your personalizing is correct before you submit your order.
To view my Terms & Conditions page, click HERE.
A LITTLE MORE ON My Process
In this beginning step, a concept is sketched out and colors are imagined. Each new clay design starts this way, from a one-of-a-kind figurine, to a made-to-order custom ornament.
In the early 3D design phase, the rough sketches become simple clay sculpts. Each new clay design in 3D starts with estimating the main parts of the concept and attempting a “pattern” to be able to recreate the ratios, in case this trial becomes the finished prototype sculpt (sometimes to replicate.)
Continuing the base, more features are sized through trial-and-error, gauging their size to the original sketches. Notes are periodically taken, in attempt to remember the sculpt in case more will be made in its likeness.
After having sculpted the main features, the fun begins through adding in smaller details. This is one of my favorite parts of the process, as these details really start giving the piece its unique character.
At this stage, the clay sculpt is essentially finished and it is time to start custom finishing steps. If more than one finished clay piece is needed for an order, where the items need to match or coordinate with each other, it is this stage where the process can be replicated best. All of my clay colors are custom recipes and science affected many of the steps in my process, so the finishing steps are the way science plays a unique hand in allowing each item to truly be one-of-a-kind.
Adding dimensional shadings gives every clay sculpt a feeling of being a three dimensional illustration. Rarely do I used shadings that are “store bought,’ rather I combine combinations of many different shadings to my pieces. Some of these shadings are very unique to my items, made from processes that are unconventional. Some shadings are applied before baking, as their chemistry needs heat to occur, whereas some shadings are applied after baking.
After baking and all dimensional shadings are achieved, custom water-based patina washes are added in different ways. Every polymer clay sculpt I make features a range of these finishes, as they settle into the baked clay grooves, adding more details to the dimensional sketch.
The finished piece is truly a keepsake. Every sculpt is highly unique and one-of-a-kind. As you can see, one of the talents I enjoy most is my ability to illustrate in two and three dimension. This little garden fairy was photographed with my DSLR camera. She measured 3 1/2″ H x 3″ W x 3″ D.
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