Frequently Asked Questions

We work on fulfilling orders Monday through Friday each week during normal business hours. Each morning we print order slips from the prior day and beging fulfillment immediately. Most orders (examples: clay cutter and transfer paper orders) ship within 1-3 business days. Extended processing times are required for certain items that require use of our laser machine and are indicated below:

• EDGE Tools: As of June 15th, 2024, the processing time has been reduced to 1-2 weeks. Please remember, all parts are made and assembled in-house.
• Ultimate Polymer Clay Starter Bundles: require a 1-2 week processing time.
• Texture mats, acrylic tiles, earring card drill guides and displays: require up to 5 days to process.

We do process orders in the order in which they are received and are continuously 3D printing and running the laser machine to shorten processing times as much as possible. 

Because we begin processing orders immediately, we do not accept order cancellations. 

We apologize for the mix up on our end! We want to get this corrected quickly for you. Please contact us and let us know the issue and we will work to get it corrected as soon as possible.

Yes, we ship worldwide. International shipping fees vary by country based on current rates. Please begin the checkout process to see the shipping cost for your country. 

We ship via USPS and are given an estimate of 7-21 days transit time. To keep shipping costs as low as possible the method chosen is uninsured. We cannot guarantee the transit time and are not responsible for delays in transit.

International orders may be subject to duties and/or taxes, they are the responsibility of the customer upon delivery as we do not collect them at the time of checkout. Please use a customs calculate to estimate these charges for your country.

We are not responsible for lost packages. The best option is for you to contact your local post office. In many cases, your postal worker can locate the package as it may have been delivered to a neighbor or marked as delivered early and will arrive within a few days.  If the post office is unable to locate your package after a week, please contact us and we will do our best to work to a solution with you.

We are not responsible for lost packages. Shipping charges are non-refundable. Please contact us and we will work towards coming to a solution that may include a discount on a replacement order.

You will receive an email once your order is being prepared for shipment. The typical process is an order is packed, a shipping label is printed, and the package is included in our scheduled USPS pickup the following day. Please allow a day or two for tracking to update.

Shipping times can vary. We use USPS for all shipments. The standard shipping method is USPS Ground Advantage which quotes us 2-5 business days in most cases. Occasionally, USPS faces delays during transit and final delivery. We cannot guarantee the delivery timeline as once packages are shipped, this is out of our control. If you need faster shipping times, please select USPS Priority or Express at checkout. Note: this only affects the transit time, not the processing time of the order itself.

We do our best to keep up with requests to update shipping addresses. However, we cannot guarantee we will see your message in time to make the change so please triple check your information at checkout to ensure you have the correct information listed. we are not responsible for incorrect addresses or changes requested to orders after they are placed. If your package is returned to us, you will be responsible for additional shipping charges to send the package to the correct address. Please contact us for details.

If a package is returned to us, a new shipping label must be purchased before it can be resent. Please contact us for more information.

Orders are fulfilled and ship from our home work studio in Massachusetts, USA.

All orders are final sale. We do not accept returns or exchanges. Please double check your cart before ordering.

If any of your items arrived damaged, please contact us via email (with pictures of the damaged item) within one week for a replacement or refund of that item.

We hold several sales and surprise specials throughout the year. Follow us on Instagram @bloom_mercantile_ and sign up for our emails to be the first to know when the next sale will be!

Discount codes and sale prices are only available during the designated sale window. Be sure to subscribe to our emails to be in the know for future sales and promotions.

Work with your clay on a glass, ceramic, or marble tile surface to prevent sticking. Use an acrylic roller to ensure the clay firmly adhered to the tile. 

Additional tips, especially for fine-detailed cutters:

• Dip the cutter in cornstarch then proceed as normal. Note: you must brush off the cornstarch with a clean, soft brush prior to baking or it will bake into the clay.
• Dip the clay in water to prevent sticking and proceed as normal.
• Try the partial-cut method: insert the cutter halfway then fully remove it, then insert fully, and remove. (You can even do this in two partial cuts and then a full cut if you continue to have issues).
• Sometimes the clay becomes warm and sticky when handled continuously. You may need to roll the clay onto the tile surface and then place in the refridgerator for a short bit for it to cool down. Once the clay is cooler, try the above steps again. 

Use a toothpick or needlepoint tool to gently push the clay out. You can also use a small brush, straw cleaner brush, or pipe cleaner to help get the smaller areas.

Use alcohol on a q-tip or small close to remove any debris. Polymer clay can stain the PLA filament that the cutters are made from over time. This is normal.

Always store your transfer papers flat and in a dry area. I recommend using sheet protectors in a binder or in a ziploc plastic bag to avoid any contact with water. Storing them flat is important to avoid creases in the papers which can cause improper adhesion and for the image to wash away when used.

Getting Started:

• To achieve the most vibrant coloring, transfer papers should be use with white clay. Translucent or colored clays will affect the way the printed colors show up. Black and white transfer papers do show up well on any color clay (except black).
• Condition your clay very well until it is almost warm and somewhat sticky---this will ensure that the paper adheres to the clay properly. If your clay is not well-conditioned, the transfer image will not adhere and will wash away.
• Roll your clay onto a tile surface.
• Place the transfer paper bright color side down on the clay.
• Firmly smooth into place with your figners and an acrylic roller to ensure full adhesion. Any air bubbles here will cause the image to wash away.

Recommended method to dissolve paper backing:

• Hold entire slab (still on the tile surface) under low-pressure running water.
• The paper backing will begin to dissolve and wash away. Use your finger to gently rub away any residue.
•  Pat dry with a paper towel.
• Cut your slab right away and bake as normal. If you let the slab sit too long before cutting, the image will become sticky and many distort when using your cutters.

Sealing the image: 

• While I have not had any issues opting to not seal the transferred images, I would suggest considering sealing it with resin, polyurethane, or sculpey matte/gloss finish to ensure longevity of the image transfer.

We do not offer refunds on transfer sheets. If you have any questions about the process, please contact us and we would be happy to help.

I recommend using Liquitex Heavy Body acrylic paints.

Place the silkscreen in a shallow dish of water or rinse off immediately so that the paint does not dry and clog the openings in the silkscreen. Gently wash (do not scrub) the silkscreen off and let it dry flat before using it again. 

We are not responsible for clogged silkscreens from improper cleaning. Unfortunately, you would need to purchase a new one.

Welcome to the EDGE Tool family! Thank you for your purchase and for supporting our small business dream. Patent Pending.

Demo Videos:

Part One - Basic Use

Part Two - Additional Features

The backplates are designed to fit fairly snug. To remove, unscrew the knobs holding the drill guide bar in place and remove the drill guide bar. Pull up on the backplate to remove. You may need to use pliers to assist in removing. Squeeze the pliers firmly enough to get a good grip, but do not squeeze to hard as you may break the backplate. 

The EDGE tool is designed for drill bits 2mm or less in thickness with at least 3/4" exposed. We do have suggested drills linked in our Amazon Storefront page.

We offer custom transfer papers in that you can provide us with the image you would like printed. JPG or PNG files that are 300dpi or higher are preferred and will result in the best quality.

We are accepting requests for cutters, textures, transfer papers, and tools that you would like to see created. Click here to make a request.