Polymer Clay Tree Ornaments
Crafts Projects - Polymer Clay Tree Ornaments
© Mary Wilson 2008 All Rights Reserved
This creative Polymer Clay, craft project was kindly submitted by designer Mary Wilson with Content provided by Partselect.com. Please contact Mary Wilson with any questions regarding this project.
Polymer Clay Tree Ornaments
Polymer clay is a versatile medium that can be used by everyone. You can make very simple or very complex designs. The easiest way to make ornaments is to use silicone push molds or polymer clay canes. These can be bought at craft stores and come in a wide variety of themes. (Make your own canes by following the Holiday Themed Polymer Clay Canes directions.)
You will need:
Polymer Clay in the colors of your choice (one 2 oz. bar for each ornament plus assorted colors for push molds); Holiday themed push molds (if you are using canes, you will need the cane and a sharp blade); Liquid polymer clay; Rolling pin ; Undecorated glass ornaments (NOT PLASTIC. These will be baked in the oven).
Try buying some holiday themed molds and clay in holiday colors. If you are in a creative mood this holiday season, you can use these molds for a wide variety of decorations.
Condition your clay by working it with your hands. Clay can be very crumbly and hard to work with if it hasn't been softened. Knead the clay like dough, roll it between you hands and press it with your fingers. Cover undecorated glass ornaments with a sheet of polymer clay that has been conditioned and rolled to © inch thickness using a rolling pin. Make sure that there are no air bubbles under the clay, check for cracks or gaps. Poke any bubbles you see with a pin and gently press out the air. Close cracks and gaps by gently pressing the clay together. If the clay becomes too thin in some spots, add more and smooth it with your fingers. Condition clay in the color of your choice, and press it into your push mold. Allow the mold to sit for a minute before removing the clay. Gently press the molded clay onto the sheet of clay. If you don©t think you can make the clay stick without damaging the glass, use liquid polymer clay to attach it. Liquid polymer clay bakes just like traditional polymer clay.
If you don't like the three-dimensional look of the push molds you can use polymer clay canes. These can be made or purchased. Try overlapping the pieces of the cane to make a fun pattern.
Holiday Themed Polymer Clay Canes
Polymer clay canes are tubes of polymer clay that can be cut into thin slices, exposing a beautiful design or pattern in the center. These thin pieces can be used to decorate beads or other flat surfaces. It is difficult to make detailed canes if you don©t have a lot of experience working with polymer clay. Simple geometric patterns are the easiest for beginners. Here is how to make a simple 5-point star.
You will need: One-2 oz. package of yellow or gold polymer clay; One-2 oz. package of dark blue polymer clay; A sharp knife (utility works best); Rolling Pin
Condition the yellow clay by working it with your hands. Clay can be very crumbly and hard to work with if it hasn't been softened. Knead the clay like dough, roll it between you hands, press it with your fingers and separate it into 6 equal sized pieces. Roll each piece into a log with a diameter of © an inch. Pinch five of the logs into long triangles. Try to keep them the same diameter. One side of each triangle should be shorter than the others. This is the side that will be in the center of the star. Place one triangle on each side of the 6th log that is still round, with the shorter sides attaching the points to the center.>
Condition the blue clay and separate it into another 6 equal sized pieces. You will want to make another 5 triangles, as you did with the yellow. Keep the diameter of the blue triangles the same as the yellow triangles. These will be used to make the cane round. Place each of the blue triangles upside down between the points of the star. Roll the remaining piece of blue clay with the rolling pin into a rectangle shaped sheet that will be big enough to wrap around the star. Make sure you keep the thickness of the rectangle even. Wrap the sheet around the star, making sure the edges do not overlap. This will cover up any yellow left, and make it easier to reduce the diameter of the cane. Gently roll the cane to press everything together. Let it rest for a minute, since the clay has been worked so much it will be very soft. When the clay is soft, it will not cut well. The blade may leave streaks in the cane, or the cane will squish and change shape.
After the cane has rested, use your sharp knife to slice the cane. Each slice should be 1/8 of an inch thick. If the diameter is too big, you can reduce the cane by gently rolling it with steady pressure. Create a pattern by reducing the cane, cutting it into equal lengths and rolling those canes together, giving you a repeated star pattern.
Content provided by Partselect.com. . Please contact Mary Wilson with any questions regarding this project. Content provided by Partselect.com. . Please contact Mary Wilson with any questions regarding this project.
