Tag Archives: clay crafts

May 9, 2012 · 9:48 am

Stamped Clay Keychain

I think it would be safe to say I have a thing for bees.  Ever since people I know and love found out that my name literally translates to “sweet like honey from the bee”, I was swarmed with bee-themed gifts, cards, clothes, supplies, and more.  After a while, the bee thing grew on me, and now I can say that I’m slightly obsessed with them.

I decided to make this key chain after I wrote a guest post on clay charms for a craft blog.  I guess I never really realized how fun and easy this is…and it’s a great way to create personalized charms for wedding favors, baby shower favors, and even gift tags.

Stamped Clay Bumble Bee Key Chain

Materials:

  • 1 block Studio by Sculpy Clay, in Butterscotch (#6437)
  • Stamp of your choice
  • 1 block Studio by Sculpy Clay, in Cappuccino (#6785)
  • 1 sewing pin
  • Ribbons of your choice
  • Two similar buttons
  • Hot glue gun

Instructions:

  1. Condition the butterscotch clay until it’s easily workable and roll it into a ball.  Using a marker, pen, or clay rolling pin, roll out the ball until it forms a circle about 2 inches in diameter.

    gg

    gg
  2. Take your stamp and carefully press it into the clay.

    gg
  3. With the sewing pin, create a hole large enough for your ribbon to go through.
    gg
  4. If you have clay tools, you can add texture to the clay however you’d like.  I just used the round head of the pin to make tiny grooves in the clay charm.  I like the vintage look of it!

    gg
  5. Once your charm is the way you want it, set it aside.
    gg
  6. Condition your Cappuccino clay until it’s easily workable and roll it into a ball.  To create a bead, shape it to be the size you want (I did a cone shape to mirror a bee hive) and carefully pull the pin through the bead to create a hole.

    gg
  7. Once your charm and bead are ready, bake them according to the package directions.  If you’re using Sculpey clay, bake at 275 degrees for about 25-30 minutes.  After baking, remove from oven and let cool completely.

    gg
  8. Depending on how workable your ribbon is, you can weave it through your charm.  I had to use a tapestry needle to help get my ribbons through the holes on the charm and the bead.  Once the ribbon is through both clay pieces, tie a knot to secure it.

    gg
    g
    gff
  9. If you’d like, you can attach a separate ribbon like I did to the secure knot.  Then I secured that ribbon by gluing 2 like buttons together.  I think it looks kind of cute!

    gff

This is an easy project to make for any occasion.  You can easily attach these clay charms to gift packages, wedding favors, necklaces, and more!

Celebrate creativity every Wednesday with a “Creativi-bee” post, where I share easy craft tutorials, project ideas, and craft collections.

Leave a comment

Filed under clay craft tutorials

Tagged as ,

January 18, 2012 · 1:21 pm

Clay Trinket Bowl Tutorial

The thing that I love most about clay is that you can turn it into anything!  Jewelry, decor, art, even cute little bowls to store your ridiculous collection of buttons!

This clay bowl is super easy to make…the hardest part is actually just rolling out the clay.  You can make this bowl any size you’d like, but the smaller the better.  Use it to store jewelry, buttons, or nick nacks.

Clay Bowls:

Materials:

  • 1 package of Studio by Sculpey clay (I used Peapod, #6452)
  • 1 clay roller
  • 1 plastic bowl from a deli
  • Wax paper
  • Aluminum foil

Instructions:

1.  Condition your clay by working all the little squares in your hand piece by piece.  Once the clay is warmed up and workable, roll it out into a disk shape, as big as you can make it!

2.  Cover your plastic bowl with wax paper and carefully lay the clay disk over the bowl, open side down.  Work the clay around the bowl until you have it in the shape you want.

3.  Carefully wrap aluminum foil around the clay bowl and press gently to secure.  Remove the wax wrapped bowl from the clay (the aluminum foil will help the clay bowl keep its shape as it bakes).  Bake according to package directions, removing the aluminum foil during the last 5 minutes of baking.

4.  Let the bowl cool completely after baking.

5.  Decorate the lid however you’d like.  I used a colorful ribbon and wrapped it around the lid several times.

Celebrate creativity every Wednesday with a “Creativi-bee” post, where I share easy craft tutorials, project ideas, and craft collections.

Leave a comment

Filed under clay craft tutorials

Tagged as , ,

September 29, 2010 · 2:39 pm

The Big Lebowski Clay Ornament

My boyfriend’s favorite movie of all time is The Big Lebowski, and who can blame him?  That movie rocks.  So one day a couple weeks ago when I was sick with all that weather change stuff, I messed around with some extra clay I had and created this super cute Lebowski ornament…

What You Need:

Sculpey Studio Clay in the following colors:

Black–3 squares

White–2 squares

Green-Light–1 square

Green-Dark–1 square

Pink or Red–1 square

Blue–1 square

Peach clay–2 squares

OR mix white, orange, and pink

Brown–2 squares

*These clay squares are just estimates.  You may need more/less depending on the size of your ornament.

For the bowling ball, mix two black squares with 1 white square and kneed it until it looks marbled like a bowling ball.  Use a pencil (the eraser side) to create the three finger holes.

For the money pinch off tiny pieces of green and square them off into rectangles.  Take the lighter green and create tiny balls and press them into the center of the money.  Attach the money to the bowling ball by pressing it on there lightly with the rolling ball tool.

For the rug, use half a square of pink or red or whichever color you choose and roll it into a triangle.  Attach details with little pieces of other colors.  For the fringe, attach a piece of clay the same width as the rug to each side.  Press the end of the rug into the other piece of clay to create the “seam”…this can be done with your tools or with a sharpened pencil.  To create the fringe use a needle or knife and create indentations in the clay attached to the rug.  Be careful not to go all the way through the clay or else it will fall apart.  Attach the rug the same way you did the money.

For the bowling pins, use one square of white and cut it in half.  Each half will be a bowling pin.  Warm the clay up in your hands and shape it into the bowling pin.  I made my pins touch at the top to create a place for a ribbon to go and let the ornament hang.

For The Dude’s face…this was the hardest part…only because I’ve never made a face out of clay.  I can’t even draw a face on paper.  You can use peach clay or combine white with orange and pink, which is what I did, to create a skin tone.  I found it easiest to shape the nose first.  I made indentations in the clay ball to create the sides of the nose and then pulled the nose out until it looked real-ish ;).  Then I made a temporary mouth with a pencil so I could figure out how to place the beard.  For the beard, attach brown clay and use the same technique as the rug fringe to create little hairs.  Once you’re actually doing it, it will make more sense than me trying to explain it here.  To form the hair, roll out pieces of brown clay into logs about 1” long.  Flatten them thin and attach one end to the top of the head and twist it once as you bring the other end down.  This creates waves in the hair.  Repeat as necessary.  Attach the head to the front of the bowling ball and tah-dah, man…you’ve got yourself one sweet Lebowski ornament.

Bake according to package directions.

The Dude Abides.

Celebrate creativity every Wednesday with a “Creativi-bee” post, where I share easy craft tutorials, project ideas, and craft collections.

Leave a comment

Filed under clay craft tutorials

Tagged as , , ,

August 18, 2010 · 1:48 pm

Clay Peas in a Pod Figurine

So we’ve already established that I LOVE those Peas in a Pod from Toy Story 3.  When my boyfriend saw them, he told me how much he wanted a set for himself…but alas, they are completely sold out everywhere (except EBAY, where they were selling for $65.00 each.  Um, wrong).

So I put my creative skills to work and made him a set of Peas in a Pod out of Sculpey clay.  I had no idea what I was doing, but by the time I was done, I considered keeping them for myself and giving him my plush peas.

I finally made my “pea”ce (sorry!) with letting these little guys go and my boyfriend LOVED them.  They’re sitting on his dresser as we speak 🙂  Wanna make your own?

PEAS IN A POD

What You’ll Need:

1 package STUDIO by SCULPEY “Clover”, #6461

1 package STUDIO by SCULPEY “Avocado”, #6446

1 package STUDIO by SCULPEY “Peapod”, #6452

1 package STUDIO by SCULPEY “After Midnight”, #6900

1 package STUDIO by SCULPEY “Blush”, #6316

TOOLS:

1 package STUDIO STYLE and DETAILS TOOLS by SCULPEY (three dual purpose tools each with 1 ball end, stylus, and 1 flexible tip shaper)

1 package CLAY TOOL VARIETY SET by SCULPEY (three double-ended tools to shape, texture and detail)

1 STUDIO by SCULPEY ACRILIC CLAY ROLLER

**SEE BELOW FOR IMAGES OF CLAY PRODUCTS AND SUPPLIES**

  1. Break apart “Clover” into the little squares and start working the clay in your hand.  Start with two or three pieces and keep adding squares until the entire block is workable in your hand.  Shape it into a peapod shape by rolling it on a flat surface and flattening the two edges of the roll.  Once the pod is shaped to your liking, place it on a hard surface and press the middle down softly to create a flat surface on the bottom of the pod.
  2. Using your knife from your variety set, cut your peapod down the middle, but be careful not to cut it in half…a ½ inch slit will do you just fine.  Carefully pry the pod open with your fingers and reshape to your liking.  Set aside.
  3. Break off half of your “Avocado” log and do the same as you did with the “Clover” clay.  For best results, wash your hands between clay mixing to prevent colors from spreading.  Once your Avocado clay has warmed up, use the rolling pin and roll it until it’s about ½ inch thick and long enough to comfortably cover your pod.  Place the Avocado sheet over the opening on your pod and press it into the hole you’ve created in the pod.  Using your knife, remove the excess Avocado clay and use your fingers or the large ball roller to tuck the edge of the Avocado sheet into the peapod edge.
  4. With the excess Avocado clay, roll a log about ¼ inch thin and long enough to go around the edge of the Avocado sheet.  Wind the clay snake around the edge and gently push it down with the large ball roller or your finger.
  5. Place the peapod in the palm of your hand and use the large ball roller to rub the fingerprints out of the clay.  You can also give the pod as much texture as you’d like with this tool.  Once the fingerprints have been removed and the pod is to your liking, set it aside.
  6. Break off six squares of “Peapod” and separate them.  Work each square individually to create three peas (two squares will give you one pea).  Roll peas in the palm of your hand and place inside the peapod when you’re done.  Don’t press them into the pod, they will stick to the pod and to each other while baking.
  7. Once your peas are cozy in the pod, use the pointed needle tool to mark where you’d like the eyes of the peas to be by literally poking eye holes in each pea.  Break off one square of “After Midnight” and create eyes by ripping off small pieces at a time and rolling them between your fingers to make small circles.  Wash your hands after this step.
  8. Finally, break off a square of “Blush” and roll it into a thin log.  Cut the log into three ½ inch strips and, using a small ball roller, softly press the strips onto the peas to create a mouth.
  9. Bake your peas according to the package directions and be careful not to go over 30 minutes or else your clay will burn.

As always, I’m happy to answer any questions you may have about the crafts I post here.  And please know that this project can be done with any brand of clay…I’m just partial to Sculpey clay.

I also understand that buying clay tools may sound like a waste of money…since you may not make clay crafts very often.  No need to worry.  Here’s a budget friendly solution:

Instead of using the ball rollers, use the back of a spoon to smooth surfaces of your clay.  You can also use a clean pencil eraser to achieve the same effect.

Instead of a knife, use your fingers, a butter knife, scissors, or a kabob stick to slice the clay.  If you use utensils for clay projects, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, make sure you take extra care to wash them well after use.

Instead of the acrylic roller, place your clay between two sheets of wax paper and use your kitchen roller or refrigerated biscuits to roll out your clay.  Covering your clay with wax paper will help prevent clay from sneaking into your wooden roller.

Celebrate creativity every Wednesday with a “Creativi-bee” post, where I share easy craft tutorials, project ideas, and craft collections.

6 Comments

Filed under clay craft tutorials

Tagged as , ,