Polymer Clay Charms


Using Brass bezel cups from your local craft store, fill them with polymer clay.  Texture, bake according to directions on package, immediatley out of oven quench in ice cold water, dry and paint. Ice water hardens the clay more than just air cooling. 

The texture was made with silicone stamps.

Use Jacquard Lumiere Acrylics and I found them again at a local craft store. These had a pearl pigment that is very pleasing!

If I can make it from paper, I can make it from metal.

The original project was a simple spiral turned flower. I found the original on Pinterest and I'm a Yarner. 

Here is what I came up with:

I made this small boquet for a friend. The red is a metal flower that was enamaled.

The 3rd grade students made these for their teacher that was out for the week.  She will love them upon her return!

They each were excited to make her a flower to show that they missed her very much.

NOW FOR THE METAL:

Draw the flower

Cut the spiral with a jewelers saw

Start rolling the metal with round nose pliers

Finish using your hands

These finished flowers have been drilled and enameled. They can be worn as charms or pendants.

"Sharpie" marker tie-dye(esque) shirts

These were very easy to make!

Items you will need:

• laundered T-Shirt
• assorted color Sharpies
• rubber bands
• plastic cups
• cardboard (as big as the shirt)
• rubbing Alcohol  (the 70% is fine, so blogs will tell you 90+% is a must, it is not!) 
• old medicine dropper

Insert cardboard rectangle into shirt.  This prevents the design from spreading of the back of the shirt. Wrap rubber band around the shirt, over the cup, and pull it tight.  We made ours slightly oval to make an egg shape.  This was an Easter craft. Then color with a marker color of choice. Complementary colors (ex. blue and orange)will make brown so do not mix them. Large solid areas bleed out and take over other colors, leave small spaces.  For a 3-4 inch circle, color in a space about the size of a quarter to a half dollar. Drop 8-10 drop of alcohol on to your design. We also over shot the mark with the amount of alcohol we used. Optional: Once it is completely dry, you can embellish with the markers. Last: heat set with an iron or in the dryer.  Wash separately or with like colors. This may bleed out.

She can not wait to wear this to Easter dinner!