Article: "Firing" refers to the process of heating clay until it sets permanently in the shape it is formed. This is usually done in a kiln, but your polymer clay can be baked in your oven. Check the temperature at which your clay should be baked as listed on the label or instructions your clay came with.  Pre-heat your oven first. Putting your clay in the oven before it is at the target heat can have a negative impact on the firing process. Watch the dragon while it is baking. The wings, legs, tail, and sometimes the head can burn. This is especially important if you're not going to paint the dragon, as the burning will be visible. The length of time you should bake your dragon at should also be indicated on the label or instructions that came with your clay. Set a timer so you don't forget to remove your dragon; baking it too long can cause it to crack!  While you are waiting for your dragon to bake, you might put away your remaining clay according to the storage directions on its packaging. Clean and put away your knitting needles. Prepare your primer, painting area, and painting supplies. White is a great priming color. It offers a solid base that is high contrast, making it easy for you to see where you have already painted and where you have yet to paint. Primer will also help preserve your acrylic paint; clay can be very porous and may absorb a lot of paint without primer. If this is your first dragon, you might want to choose a single, bold color. This will help you get a feel for how the paint and clay interact, how quickly it dries, where it collects, clumps, and trouble areas as well. After you have painted your solid base, allow your paint to dry fully. Look at your dragon from various angles. Where you notice naturally occurring shadows and contours, you can add a thin line in black to give sharper contrast. A little black on the downward-facing areas of your dragon will give the impression of shadow, making your model look more realistic. Depending on how much or little contour, contrast, or shading you have added, you may have to wait for the paint to dry before moving on. Make these as detailed or as abstract as you'd like. You can leave white primer visible for the whites of your dragon's eyes and add a dot of black complete the eye, but you could also glue googly eyes. Allow any wet paint to dry fully. Now that you've sculpted, fired, and painted your very own dragon, you should show it to your friends and get some pointers. Refine these basic methods and use them to make larger, more intricate models.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Fire your dragon. Set a timer and wait for baking to finish. Prime the body of your dragon. Paint the body of your dragon. Paint contour and contrast lines. Paint the eyes and face of your dragon. Display your dragon proudly.
Article: Let your boyfriend know you want to have a conversation about your relationship. Telling him ahead of time lets him get prepared for the conversation, so you're not blindsiding him out of the blue. It also gives you a chance to pick a good time to talk.  If you pick a time, it can keep you from blowing up in anger in the moment he flirts because you've had a chance to talk about it. When you do talk, make sure you have some time to do it, and you turn off the electronics so you don't get distracted. Start the conversation from what you're observing and how it makes you feel. That way, you start out by helping your boyfriend see where you're coming from. You don't want to blame him, as that will just put him on the defensive. Focus on what you're feeling. You could start by saying, "I notice girls flirt with you a lot. I like that you're attractive. It's one of the things that made me want to date you in the first place. However, it upsets me when you engage in the flirting instead of trying to shut it down." You may know why flirting is a trigger for you. For instance, maybe you've had flirtatious boyfriends in the past who ended up leaving you or another girl, and therefore, when your boyfriend flirts, you're afraid he's going to leave you for another girl.  You may need to spend some time thinking about the problem to figure out why the flirting bothers you so much. Often, it comes down to trust. You could tell him, "Flirting bothers me because my old boyfriend, Jake, used to flirt all the time, and you know he left me for another girl." Now that you've started the conversation and explained how you're feeling, you should give your boyfriend a chance to have his say, too. For instance, he may not even realize he's flirting or maybe he didn't realize how much it upset you. Maybe to him, it's just being nice to other people.  Pay attention to what he's saying, instead of trying to think of the next point you're going to bring up. Don't just focus on your hurt. Listen to his feelings and intentions. Nod and ask leading questions to get to the heart of what he's saying. For example, you could say, "I feel like what you're saying is that you don't see flirting as a big deal. Why do you feel that way?" Flirting is often connected to jealousy. Maybe he's intentionally flirting because he wants to make you jealous. Maybe you're overreacting because you have a tendency to be overly jealous and protective. Open the conversation to see if jealousy is a part of the problem.  For instance, you could say, "I know I've been acting overly jealous. I think I have a problem with you flirting because I feel like I'm not enough for you." You could also ask, "Do you sometimes flirt so that I will feel jealous? I only ask so I can figure out how we can fix what's wrong with our relationship that would make you want to do that." Let him talk about how he thinks jealousy is affecting his flirting to help continue the conversation. Once you've both discussed your feelings, talk about how you can make it better. You may need to compromise to figure out a solution that works for both of you, so that both of you have your needs met as much as possible.  One way you could compromise is to reevaluate what you consider flirting. For instance, maybe you could start to see him having a friendly conversation with a girl as not flirting, even if you considered it flirting before, while if he's touching her or leaning towards her, you could consider that flirting. Find ways to let him know when you think he's going to far. For instance, you could whisper in his ear when you think he's flirting too much to help get his attention. Talk about it as it comes up. You don't need to have a serious conversation in a restaurant. However, when you feel like he flirted too much, try to talk about it within a day, so he can realize you're feeling hurt and help to rectify that. Be more intimate. Sometimes flirting can come from a lack of flirting with you. Take time to hold his hand, kiss him, or dance with him on the porch. All the little things add up to make you both feel more loved and secure. One final option is leaving him. If you can't stand the flirting and it bothers you enough to make you upset on a regular basis, you do have the option of getting out of the relationship. Sometimes the only option is putting up with it or getting out.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Prepare your boyfriend ahead of time. Talk about your emotions. Explain your emotions. Let him have his say. Discuss jealousy. Find solutions. Leave him.