The "Heart" of Kindness

Design Team Member Patricia Krauchune's kind heart strikes again - this time she creates this unique anatomical steampunk heart for a friend who recently underwent heart surgery.   Pat used the Makin's Professional® Ultimate Clay Extruder® and ClayCore® Adaptors to create the arteries for the heart.  We are sure Howard is going to be pleased with it!

Chevron Necklace

Chevron Necklace by Carole Monahan 

So have you ALWAYS wondered what to do with the

MAKIN'S PROFESSIONAL® CLAYCORE® EXTRUDER ADAPTERS?????

Well here is a cute fast idea.

Materials 

Makin’s Clay® 2 oz Black 

2 - 2 inch flat head pins - gold 

8 gold beads 

16 gauge wire 10-12 inches

Gold chain and findings

Viva Inka Gold 

Tools

Makin's Professional® 

• ClayCore® Extruder Adaptors - 2mm
• Ultimate Clay Extruder™ - Disc #20 - Square

Needle nose pliers

Round nose pliers

Wire cutter preferably flush cut

Craft blade

Instructions:

Roll the black clay into a tube and insert into the extruder. Place the clay core adapter on top of the clay in the barrel, prong facing up.

Then add the disc of your choice. I used disc #20 Square.

Extrude the clay make sure you keep is nice and straight while it is coming out.

I extruded about six 4 inch lengths at a time. Tip:  Place a really straight piece of wire into each piece to help ensure you don't lose the hole while drying. 

Leave some straight twist others gently. Take each end and twist in opposite directions. Let the pieces dry completely about 24 hours.

After the pieces have dried now trim the ends note the 1 end is cut at an angle and the outside edge is flat.

Insert the 16 gauge wire into the cut pieces as shown in second picture.

Make cure the cuts line up .

After they have lined up, you can cut the wire to leave just enough to put an eye loop in the outside ends (there are many videos online that show you how to make an eye loop.)  I like to recess the loop into the clay, this way nothing can snag a sweater. 

After each chevron has been trimmed and set with the 16 gauge wire it is time to highlight the shape.

Less is more here……. Use a small amount of Inka gold to wipe along the edges of the twisted piece then the flat sides of the square.

Now take the long flat head pins and gold beads to join everything together.

Bend and close the flat head pins with eye loops to add the chain.

Finish with findings of your choice.

You can see what other curious creations I have made here.

ETSY

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Blended & Rolled Bead Bracelet with Makin's Clay®

Blended & Rolled Bead Bracelet 
Designed by Lisa Haney

Rolled paper beads are a popular way of creating unique beads for jewelry, or even home decor pieces like baskets.  Often seen made with magazine pages, or printed scrapbook papers, Lisa's version takes it to the next level with multi-toned, layered beads made with Makin's Clay®.

Supplies:

Makin’s Clay®

• White
• Black

Recommended Makin’s® Tools

•  Roller & Cutters Set

Makin’s Professional® 

• Ultimate Clay Machine®
• Cutting Mat
• Ultimate Clay Extruder®
• ClayCore® Extruder Adapters – 2mm

Other Materials:

Corn Starch

Oil Paints

Paint Brush

Paper

Ruler

Scissors

Stretch Elastic – 1mm

Method

Create a sheet of white clay by running it through the  Ultimate Clay Machine® on the largest setting (#1).    

Cut the sheet into two 1 ½” x 3” pieces using the roller cutter from the Roller & Cutters Set.

Roll white clay

Cut rectangles 

Paint one color of oil paint making a triangle shape across the top of one of the pieces and another color across the bottom.

Place the other piece over the top of the painted piece.  Run the whole thing through the clay machine on the largest setting. The longest edge should go into the clay machine first.

Add the paint

Place second rectangle over first 

Fold the bottom of the piece up to the top always lining up the sides and run through the clay machine.  Repeat until the sheet is completely blended.  Be careful to never turn the sheet so that only one color is touching the rollers (usually it is the longest edge that goes into the clay machine first.)  There should always be two colors touching the rollers like in the picture, red on one side and yellow on the other.  This is similar to the Skinner Blend.

If the clay gets sticky, rub it with a little corn starch.  (This is corn starch is a small sock.)

Roll through clay machine

Corn starch helps with stickiness

Once the sheet is blended, move the setting of the clay machine up one setting at a time until the clay has been run through the #5 setting.  

The blended clay

Roll black clay

Create a sheet of black clay by running it through the clay machine starting with the largest setting (#1).  Move the setting of the clay machine up one setting at a time until the clay has been run through the #5 setting. 

Cut out a long triangle template to use so all of the beads will be the same size.  This template is about ¾” by 2 ½”.

Cut around the template using the roller cutter from the Roller & Cutters Set.  Cut out as many pieces as needed from the shaded sheet.

Use template to cut triangles

Lay the pieces on the black sheet and cut out.

Place blended triangles over black clay

Cut black triangles slightly larger 

If the back of the strip seems dry, gently rub a slightly moist paper towel on it.  Starting with the wider end of the strip, roll the bead up on the stylus from the  Clay Mixing Ruler™.  Slide the bead off and let dry 24 hours.  Repeat with the rest of the beads.

Roll on stylus

Finished beads 

Extrude a tube of black clay using the #3 extruder disc, the Ultimate Clay Extruder® and the 2mm ClayCore® Extruder Adapter.  Let the tube dry 24 hours.

After the tube of black clay has dried, cut a length large enough to go around your wrist.  String on however many beads you want.

Insert the 1mm stretchy elastic all the way through the black rope and tie it in a knot.  Cut the tails of the elastic.

The ClayCore adaptor makes a hole in your tube

String your beads

Tie stretch cord closed 

Now you have a nice bracelet to enjoy! 

Finished bracelet ready to wear!