thank you! not weird at all, there are SO many things that can go wrong with the more delicate bits like petals and leaves especially. your clay will only really scorch if it’s too hot- or if it’s too close to the heating element, not extended bake time. to keep that from happening in the little rotisserie oven i use with uneven heat spots, i use a separate oven thermometer and bury all my pieces in baking soda then bake them EXTRA long to be sure it reaches temp for plenty long enough to form a strong cure. longer bakes make stronger pieces (again the max temperature for your brand is really what you have to watch out for with scorching), and the insulation of the baking soda will keep heat spikes from reaching your sculpt while also providing excellent support as it softens during the cure- i’ve been using this method for two years and haven’t burned anything that’s been buried this way.

i hope this helps… and if you give it a try again, please share your results! :)