Preserve Your Memories II on Polymer Clay Beads and Copper Findings
“Is it possible to coat the wires with some ‘non-tarnish’ stuff?” ~Debi-S
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The main focus for today’s article is really about a fun testing project I am doing, using the PYM II (Preserve Your Memories) fixative and sealant product, as an anti-tarnish spray for copper findings.
But first, I’d like to remind you that coming up later this month in Video 016-3 in the PcT Store, I will be teaching you guys how to make Beaded Copper S-Hooks like the ones pictured in the photo above.
The nice thing about these copper wire findings is they can be made with custom accent beads that compliment the main beads you use in your necklace or bracelet projects. This combination really gives your jewelry pieces a one-of-kind artisan look that your customers will love.
Next week I’ll post a preview video for the Volume 016-3 tutorial, as usual. But for today, I wanted to talk about a spray fixative product that I have been using with these copper metal findings. It’s called Preserve Your Memories II (PYM-II), manufactured by Precision Blue, a US based company in Woodstock, GA.
It was back in April of this year (2009) that I first learned about the Preserve Your Memories Craft Fixative Spray, from Valerie Aharoni. She had already been successfully using this unique product as a protective coating over ink applied to polymer clay from metallic leafing pens. She had also tested it as a sealant for polymer clay image transfers.
Unfortunately at the time, the PYM-2 product had not yet been approved for shipping into Canada, so I could not try it out for myself. But thanks to Shades of Clay in Toronto, as well as to Donna Shepherd from Precision Blue, that Canadian shipping problem has now been solved…
I am in the process of doing some testing on a variety of different applications, and will share the results when I have something more conclusive to say.
The can says it can be applied to Newspapers, Inkjet and Laser prints, inkjet digital pictures, metals, pencil art, plastics, chalk, children’s marker art, over head transparencies and more.
I recently sprayed the beaded wire s-hooks in the photo above, with PYMII. They ended up with a beautiful sheen, and my hope is that the finish will also prevent the copper wire from tarnishing. So far so good!
Has anyone else tried PYM II yet? Please do share your thoughts below. Or if there is something specific you would like me to test it on, let me know that too.
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FYI: PYM II demo video just posted… Waterproofing Hemp Cord Using PYM II
WOW ! So much valuable information here, even after over a year. I went to the precision-blue.com site for information and there was a link to our Cindy’s blog and MY QUESTION ANSWERED. I read this back in Sept./09 as I faithfully follow her blog but my memory fails me sometimes with so much info overflow. Age has nothing to do with it of course ;-)
I’ve been using Pym ll for a couple of years?? and have never had a problem on polymer clay.
BTW my question was going to be “has anyone re cured clay after spraying your project three times with Pym ll(my usual) ? I have to make adjustments to a clay project. done a month ago. ”
We are so lucky to have this site as a reference. Yay Cindy….
Thank you so much for saying that Lawrence! You really are so sweet. It has been fantastic having you here and getting to know you over the years!
I am glad you are finding this site such a valuable resource. It is funny, I even use it for information now. (Got the same kind of memory as you I think. ;-) I often say to myself, ‘How did I put that together? Oh yeah, it is in the so and so video or the so and so post. Then I have to hunt it down for a reminder. lol ) There has been so much added by the members and readers too, that even I could get lost for days, reading everything again!
I checked out your gorgeous kumihimo bracelets on the guild site. You did a great job. Did you teach yourself or take a course? I am so sorry I haven’t been participating with the guild at all lately. I just am having a difficult enough time as it is with all that needs to be done here with the business and my family. I wish I could keep up with everything. Hopefully one day I will be more balanced and I can actually start coming to meetings and having fun with you guys.
Thanks again for your comment. It means a lot coming from someone who has been here pretty much since the beginning!
Probably us we are having a sale until the end of July, 12 oz. can $9.95 + $7.95 shipping for up to 6 cans.
Anyone know, offhand, who has the best price on PYMII in the US right now? I need to buy very soon…
This thread is cracking me up. I keep referring to the stuff as PMS spray, lol. Now, wouldn’t that be wonderful?
I wondered what is the difference between PM and PMII? A friend told me about PMII, and I mistakenly bought the can labelled PM.
@Diana Ramsey: Diana, I don’t know what PM or PMII are.
What is being discussed her is PYMII, which stands for Preserve Your Memories II.
@Diana Ramsey:
Hi Diane,
I don’t know of a product PM? Our product is Preserve Your Memories II (PYMII). If you scroll to the top of this page to the beginning Cindy talks about using PYM II on wire. Also, our website is pymii.com. Sorry I can’t answer your question. The first version we sold on QVC in 2005 was just PYM and when we added the write/erasable capability we added II for second version but I don’t think you could buy any of the original anywhere?
If I can help in any other way let me know.
I am looking to buy this for my movie tickets. Recently the cinema near my house has switched from regular tickets to the cheap, heat sensitive paper that many big box stores use for receipts. The problem is, after a short period of time the ink fades. I like to keep all my movie tickets in my journal, but in a short amount of time it looks like I just taped in blank scraps of paper! Will this product keep the ink from fading?
@Kate N: That is a great question Kate! I don’t know if it will work, since it is heat that effects the paper, and the spray can’t protect against heat. But it would be a fun thing to test. I have been looking around the house to find one of those thermal printed receipts to try it on. When I find one and get the chance to try it, I will let you know.
You could try Doug and Donna Sheppard at pymii.com who are the creators of the product and ask them if it will work. Do come back and let us know if you get an answer from them. Now you got me curious!
Hi again Kate and everyone else interested in this topic… I just received the following information via email, from the “makers of PYM II” (Douglas and Donna Shepherd)… in regards to your question about using PYMII on those thermal print movie tickets. Sounds like you will have to photograph or scan them if you want to be able to save them long term.
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Hi Kate,
Doug Shepherd from PYM II,
I don’t known of a product that would protect the thermal print receipts.
The chemicals in the thermal paper disperses/disappears when another liquids comes in contact with it.
Douglas Shepherd
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Hi,
In answer to the post about PYM II becoming available in Europe, we talked with Rayher Hobby (Germany) at the CHA in 2006 they had considered bringing PYM II to Europe then. Since that time sales and uses have greatly expanded.
We are asking them to reconsider bringing PYM II to Europe because we have so many inquiries from Europe. It wouldn’t hurt to let them know of your interest in the product and ask for them to bring it to Europe.
Hi Cindy and all,
It would be great if the PYM II becomes available in main land europe too. Finnish art and craft supplies are quite limited and expensive on the whole.. so I tend to buy online and get things posted to me instead. It seems that most crafts supplies come from either Germany or Sweden.
Should this product come to Europe.. I would seriously like to know.
In the meantime is there anything else that could be bought from the hardware store type place, that could be used as a sealant on the metals and is safe for skin contact?
Thanks for any replies… x
Sounds neat… I’ll have to try it!
I’ve recently tried PYM2 for faux antiquing. (Antiqueing? Bah. Computer people can’t spell anyway!)
I was following a polymer clay necklace project that includes roughly coiled wire beads and hammered wire components, supposedly in oxidised sterling silver, but it was the middle of the night, I didn’t have the right gauge of sterling wire on hand, and totally didn’t have the patience to wait for the next day to buy some!
Liver of sulfur and my other standard oxidising/antiquing products didn’t do anything to my silver-coloured copper craft wire, so I mixed some black and brown alcohol ink together and used that to coat my wire pieces. Once it was dry I took a piece of kitchen paper towelling, sprayed it very lightly with isopropyl alcohol, and used that to remove some of the alcohol ink (a bit like sanding lightly with normal antiquing). When I was happy with the appearance I used 3 coats of PYM2 to seal it.
It looked good, and so far it’s stood up to wear including where the two hammered clasps hold on to each other (I put one at each end so that I could add a long extension piece that still looked like it belonged, and to give me a bit more flexibility with length when wearing it without the extension).
@Sue F: Thank you Sue for sharing the results of your experiments with us. The antiquing idea is really neat. Very clever! Donna from PYMII appreciated this info as well and liked it so much that she posted about it on her Facebook page.
It is this kind of sharing and creative thinking outside the box that advances techniques in our industry. I am grateful that you are willing to share your ideas. You are making the mixed media world a more innovative place to be!
PS: You haven’t mentioned it, so I am assuming you were not harmed by the recent cyclones that ripped through part of Australia over this last week. Even if it is miles away from where you are, it must be devastating to your country. I am thinking of you and the others there and hope that you are OK and are able to bounce back quickly from all the destruction.
Here’s a an email question that Donna Shepherd from PYM sent over, to see if I could provide an answer to. The details may be helpful for others as well, so I am posting a copy of the information here at my blog, to add to this PYM resource page.
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Hi Donna,
Hoping you can help me. I’m working on a polymer clay project that Ive been commisioned to do in a short amount of time. I recently heard that your spray was great to use on polymer clay projects and Im delighted to hear that. I have not ever used it before so I’m a little nervous. What I do is that I add Pearl Ex metallic powders to clay AFTER its baked. I need a
product that I can use to make the powders adhere to the clay. and seal them in. Can you tell me this:
1) Do you know if I could spray your PYMII to the clay and then sprinkle on the powders to make them stick. Then come back with a second coat of the spray to seal them in? In the past, Ive actually used Aqua Net Hair Spray..sprayed a light coat…then sprinkled on the powders, let it dry, brushed off the excess powders, then sealed it again with Aqua Net Spray. It worked so, so. I think with time the metallic powders were coming off. Dont think the hair spray suggestion was the best advice. LOL
2) Even if I cant use your spray before adding the metallic powders, will your spray keep the powders from coming off? Give them a permanent coating so to speak?
3)Lastly, option I above wont work (spraying the PYMII first to create a sticky foundation for powders to adhere to), could I possibly use the Aqua Net Hair Spray as a foundation, then put on my Pearl Ex Powders, THEN coat all that with your PYMII to seal everything in? Not knowing about the chemical makeup of your product, just wondering if you think there would be
any kind of reaction between the two.
Ok, so sorry for the rambling email, just lots of questions going thru my mind. Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated. Thanks a million for your help!!
Jon Williams
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Hi Jon, I sent your question to Cindy Lietz and this is her answer. Hope this answers your concerns. Donna
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Jon,
I just tested it myself on a baked piece and it works great. The Pearl Ex will stick to the wet PYMII no problem and seals in after being sprayed again. You do have to work quickly though before it dries. I would give it a couple coats after that to protect it even more. I found the surface to be more textured than if the Pearl Ex was rubbed onto raw clay because it was sprinkled on rather then rubbed, but the effect is lovely.
I wouldn’t spray with hairspray first. I don’t like it’s long term effects on polymer clay plus I would worry about a contamination issue with the PYMII. But since the PYMII worked fine on it’s own, this step would not be needed anyways.
I would love to see photos of the project when it is done. Sounds interesting!
Hope that helps,
~Cindy
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Hi Donna,
I cannot begin to thank you enough for your help. You do NOT know what a huge relief this is to me given that Im in the middle of doing a commisioned piece for a man thats due to him next week. I was thrilled to have discovered your product and just wanted to make sure it would work like I had envisioned. Not only do I thank YOU for replying but for taking the time to contact Cindy to get an answer. PLEASE PLEASE convey my gratitude to Cindy Leitz as well and tell her how much I appreciate her testing this for me. You both have been a tremendous help to me during a somewhat stressful time and I am very grateful to both of you. God bless you and thanks again.
Warm regards,
Jon
Hi Elvie,
Did you happen to click on the product test tab on our website? One of the test shows the fade, UV protection that PYM II provides. I am glad you are happy with PYM II. Also, thanks Cindy for providing links.
Cindy – Thanks for the link you emailed to me! After reading all the postings, I’m going to try PYMII on aluminum:)
This is all great info. I just purchased my first can of PYM II and you have answered all of my questions. Can’t wait to get it and try it out!
Hi Cindy! Just read your review of Preserve Your Memories II on their website – I have been experimenting with it for a couple months and love it – just wondering if you have any idea how long it lasts? Thanks! :)
Thanks for the update, Sue.
I’ve gone ahead and fixed the link further up on this page, that Charlotte was referring to.
Oops. The first address above, for the Inkjet Coatings page, should be:
imageproducts.com.au/inkjet-coatings
@Charlotte & Cindy: PYM II is listed on the Inkjet Coatings page:
imageproducts.com.au/inkjet-coatings/pym-ii
The product’s individual page is as follows:
imageproducts.com.au/inkjet-coatings/pym-ii
I bought a can from them back in May. Service was good and delivery was quick, but relatively expensive at $16.72.
Hi Charlotte,
If you go to our website and hit distributors and then click on the picture of Image products in Queensland Australia it opens then click on their tab inkjet coatings. Their they have PYM II.
Hope this helps.
Hi Donna: Thanks for chiming in. I did some checking, and your distributor in Australia (Image Arts) has a reference on their home page to what they call, “Hahnemuhle Protective Spray” (it looks to be a re-packaged version of your PYM product). But their link for more info goes to a 404 error page. Perhaps you could find out if they have an updated page for me to reference here at my blog, for all of our Australian readers. Unfortunately, the “Image Arts” web site does not have a search function so I was not able to find the missing PYM info on my own.
Thanks, Carrie – This gives me a starting point for the roller. The little cup thingie is not very efficient.
On the big job I roll by hand, but I do use my tri-bead roller sometimes. The oval cutter in the new mini cutter set works pretty well (thickest setting). Sometimes I still need to take off just a tiny pinch. I don’t remember what brand my pasta machine is but the thickest setting on it is a 9. Hope this helps ya!