Pretty Spring Floral Pendant by Kim Hale

Pretty Spring Floral Pendant

 Designed by Kim Hale

I had a finding from a local craft store that I used for the outer (metal) component of the project.  I also used a flower mold to form the little flowers and leaves, and Makin’s Clay® in various spring colors which were custom mixed.

Materials:

Makin's Clay® - Olive, Plum Wine, Red, Blue 

Makin's® Cutting Mat
Makin's® Clay Tools 

Makin's® Ultimate Clay Machine™

Flower mold "Best Flexible Molds by Penni Jo Couch 

Metal jewelry bezel
Beacon 527 Adhesive
Small faux gemstones/large glitter chunks

Instructions:

Roll Olive Makin's Clay® in Ultimate Clay Machine™ on setting #1.  Place bezel onto rolled clay, use clay tool cut around bezel to make base.  Glue bezel to clay with Beacon 527, or similar adhesive.

Mix White clay with Plum Wine, Blue and Red clay to make pale/pastel shades.

Use push mold to make assorted flowers with pastel clay.  Make leaves with Olive clay.  Arrange as desired on the clay center of the bezel.  Fresh clay will stick to fresh clay without additional adhesive, if needed add a tiny dab of water to the backs of the flowers/leaves to help refresh before layering and arranging.

Use adhesive and add tiny faux gemstones or large glitter chunks to the centers of some flowers.  Let dry 24 hours.

Flowers of Gratitude Magnet by Kim Hale

Design Team Member Kim Hale recently shared this floral, stamped magnet made with Makin's Clay® here on her blog.   Rubber stamping on Makin's Clay® is easy when fresh or dry - just use a permanent ink pad.

Quilling/Soutache with Makin's Clay® by Kim Hale

Quilling/Soutache with Makin's Clay®

Designed by Kim Hale 

This month, the Design Team was challenged to choose a technique from our Tutorials & Techniques Pinterest Board and try it with Makin's Clay®.  This project was inspired by this pin.  I must say this was a bit fun making all the curls and finding ways to use them! Once my brain started with the curl theme it kept saying “now try this”. You may find yourself making lots of designs.  The process reminded me very much of Soutache.

Materials:

Makin's Clay® in assorted colors  - projects shown feature Red, White and Plum Wine 

Makin's® Ultimate Clay Extruder™- Disc #11 

Makin's® Ultimate Clay Machine™

Makin's® Hearts Clay Cutter Set 

Makin's® Cutting Mat 

Viva Decor Inka Gold 

Instructions:

Place Red clay into Ultimate Clay Extruder™ and extrude several strands using Disc #11.   Repeat with Plum Wine clay.   If strips begin to curl, realign to straighten.  Tip:  Place a damp paper towel over extruded clay strips to keep them fresh and slow drying while working.

For the heart shaped pendant, I used the largest heart clay cutter as a template and curved the red clay around the outside.  While drying, I created smaller curls for inside the hear, and the bail. I moistened the curled pieces a bit and mounted them inside the heart. I used small curls for earrings. 

For the freeform pendants, I created my designs by gathering strips of extruded clay and attaching them at one end, then created my coils.  I rolled white clay with the Ultimate Clay Machine™ to a setting #2, placed the coiled pendants onto the rolled clay and cut around them to create a contrasting base and add strength to the finished pieces.  I also added some rolled white clay pieces to give the effect of pearls to the design.  

On two of the designs I used Viva Décor “Inka Gold” on to add a little bling. 

I hope you are inspired to get out your extruder and start making swirls. 

   

Kim Hale
Counselor, Artist, Teacher

Change your thoughts, change your life!

Valentine Hearts Earrings & Frame by Kim Hale

Design Team Member Kim Hale recently shared these pretty Valentine heart earrings and frame here on her blog.  She used Makin's Clay® and our Hearts Push Mold to create her projects.  

The Heart to Believe Bottle of Hope by Kim Hale

The Heart to Believe Bottle of Hope 

Designed by Kim Hale 

Our guild works with a local treatment center and gets used saline bottles to make bottles of hope for the cancer patients they treat. This is a great way to give a little encouragement to those going through this difficult time. Taking the bottles and turning them into something inspirational is a way of “kicking cancer’s butt”. 

For this project I used a medium size bottle, some red and white Makin’s® Clay, some rubber stamps and “the paper studio” embossing folder.  For finishing I used gold acrylic paint and brown oil paint.

Note - Here is a bit more information about what Bottles of Hope are - Makin's Clay® is proud to have our designers supporting this worthy effort through the creation of Bottles of Hope featuring Makin's Clay®.  

Bottles of Hope are small glass bottles covered with polymer clay and given to cancer patients. They symbolize a wish and a hope for health.  This project was started in 1999 by a Rhode Island cancer survivor and has spread internationally. Bottles are made by artists, students, survivors, seniors and many more who volunteer their time and love.   Learn more about this worthwhile project, see a gallery of many creative bottles and more here on their website. 

Materials: 

Small bottle 

Makin's Clay® - Red, White 

Makin's® Ultimate Clay Machine 

Makin's® Cutting Mat 

Makin's® Heart Clay Cutter Set 

Rubber stamps 

"The Paper Studio" Hearts embossing folder

Instructions:

Sheet out the white and red clay to a medium thickness. I use the Makin’s® Ultimate Clay Machine™and rolled the clay to the number 4 setting.  

Use the embossing folder to stamp the clay with the pattern (I wanted the hearts to indent in so I used the raised pattern side). Carefully wrap the bottle with the textured clay.  You do not want to handle the bottle much and ruin your pattern.  Wrap a piece of the clay around the top rim of the bottle. 

I used a few stamps and rolled red clay to create the words and two heart shaped clay cutters to cut hearts.  Attach the cut out and stamped items to the bottle, using a little water to moisten the back of the stamped and cut out pieces if needed, or a clear drying adhesive such as Beacon™ Tacky Glue.  Set aside to dry 24 hours.

I created the stopper for the bottle with hand rolled red clay, formed into a stopper with a round flat top.  I then cut a small heart from a piece of clay hand rolled to about 1/4" thickness, and mounted it to the drop of the round stopper top.  

When clay had finished drying, I added gold acrylic paint and wiped away the excess. Not satisfied with the look just yet (it was a bit to bright) I antiqued it with brown oil paint by applying the paint and then removing it while still wet, just to create the antiqued effect.  I just love the way the oil paints leave the finished project with a nice sheen!

Kim Hale
Counselor, Artist, Teacher

Change your thoughts, change your life!

Poinsettia Earrings by Kim Hale

Design Team Member Kim Hale recently shared these pretty poinsettia ornaments (and some seashells too!) here on her blog. 

She shares her technique for getting a great patina on her clay projects too. 

Our Little Mermaid Memory Frame by Kim Hale

OUR LITTLE MERMAID MEMORY FRAME

Designed by Kim Hale 

I decided I did not want just a foot print for my frame. Before the baby was born, my son said he was not raising a princess and did not want everything all pink and frilly.  My daughter- in–law decided since her dad is a boat captain she would be our little mermaid.T his is background behind the project.  Makin’s® Memory Frame Kits include white Makin's Clay® and I added a some peach and some blue to assemble my project. 

Materials:

Makin's® Memory Frame Kit - Single Turning 

Makin's Clay® - Blue, Peach

Makin's® Seashell Push Mold 

Makin's® Texture Sheet Set D

Makin's® Cutting Mat 

Makin's® Ultimate Clay Extruder™ and Disc 12 

Makin's® Ultimate Clay Machine™

Rubber stamps 

Seahorse mold 

Blue oil paint

Viva Décor metallic rub in gold and silver

Beacon™ Tacky Glue

Instructions:

Roll blue clay in Ultimate Clay Machine™ to setting #3.  Apply text with Makin's texture sheet.   Cut to approximately 13cm x 11cm (Makin's® Cutting Mat is premeasured for easy sizing).  Set aside and let dry 24 hours. 

Roll white clay to setting #3.  Use stamps to impress desired lettering.  Freeform out around stamped lettering.  Set aside and let dry 24 hours. 

Use Seashell push mold to create seashells from peace clay, set aside and let dry 24 hours.

Mix blue and white clay to create light blue, then use Makin's® Seashell push mold to create fish.  Make seahorses with light blue clay in seahorse mold.  Set aside to dry 24 hours. 

Place light blue clay in Ultimate Clay Extruder™ and extrude 4 strands with Disc 12.  Twist extruded clay and set aside to dry 24 hours.  

After the clay dried, I used oil paints to pop the wording and highlight the various pieces.    Apply then paint so it is in the stamped areas and recessed areas of push molded fish and then wipe off while still wet, leaving in those areas.  The oil paint takes a while to dry and I live in Florida so I set the project aside for a week. 

Then I applied Viva Décor metallic rub in gold and silver to add some sparkle.  

I printed the photos and started laying everything out. The rolled sheet was used as a photo mat. When I got to a pleasing look, I started gluing the items in place with Beacon® Tacky Glue.  My frame is two sided and turns (one side needed to be thin so it is just the picture with a few items glued on the front) and very deep on the one side to make it look “under the sea”.  I did have trim a little to make it fit inside the box nicely.  

Christmas Tree Earrings by Kim Hale

Design Team Member Kim Hale recently shared these fun Christmas Tree earrings made with Makin's Clay® here on her blog.   It's the perfect time to make a pair of these festive and fun earrings to wear with your holiday outfits!

Holiday Frames by Kim Hale

Design Team Member Kim Hale recently shared these fun seasonal frames here on her blog.  Kim
used Makin's Clay® and Makin's® Push Molds & Clay Cutters to create her frames.

 

 

Personalized Holiday Ornaments by Kim Hale

Personalized Holiday Ornaments

Designed by Kim Hale 

Materials:

Christmas ball ornaments 

Makin's Clay® - Grape Leaf, White, Green

                         - Ultimate Clay Machine™

                         - Professional® Tool Kit 

                         - Christmas Cutter Set 

                         - Cutting Mat 

Beacon® Tacky Glue 

Red oil or acrylic paint

Instructions:

Use Ultimate Clay Machine™ to roll Grape Leaf clay to a #5 setting.  Cover entire ball with clay.  You can apply a small amount of Beacon® Tacky Glue to ball before adding clay to assure good adhesion of clay.  Let dry 24 hours. 

Roll white clay in Ultimate Clay Machine™ to setting #5.  

Use stamps to stamp out text onto wet clay.  Use wavy cutter from Professional® Tool Kit to cut around text.  

Add clay with text to clay covered ornaments.  If needed, moisten the back of the clay slightly for easier adherence, or use Tacky Glue. 

To tint the clay and make the lettering pop, apply red paint and wipe off excess, allowing paint to remain in stamped areas.  I used oil paint, and let this dry for two days before proceeding. 

Roll green clay in Ultimate Clay Machine™ to setting #5.  Cut out the leaves using the holly cutter set from the Christmas cutter set, add veins in leaves with tools from Tool Kit.  Mount to ornament around lettering pieces.   If needed, moisten the back of the clay slightly for easier adherence, or use Tacky Glue. 

  

Makin’s Clay® requires no baking, and is so light it makes the perfect medium for covering ornaments.  I hope you will give this project a try!

Autumn Vase by Kim Hale

Autumn Vase

Designed by Kim Hale

Materials:

Glass Vase

Makin's Clay® - Green, Earth Tones 

                         - Cutting Mat 

                         - Ultimate Clay Machine™

                         - Leaves Push Mold 

Inca Gold 

Burnt Umber oil paint 

Instructions:

   

This was a pretty simple project, but takes a few days because of the drying time.

Roll a sheet of  green Makin’s Clay® through the Ultimate Clay Machine™ a few times until it is the desired thickness.  Be sure to start at setting #1 and move progressively upwards 1 setting at time until you reach the desired thickness.  Cover the entire vase with the sheet of clay.  You can see in the photo I had to piece some clay in spots, but it will cover with leaves so it was not a big deal.

Next make the leaves.  I knew I wanted a variety of colors so I  made green to start and placed them on the vase.  I left this aside to dry and made more leaves in other colors I used the “Earth Tones” package of clay colors for this
project. When working in the round like this you need to let one layer dry before adding the next or you will ruin the details on the leaves.  I did have to go back with a needle tool and put lines back in the leaves. 

After the first set of leaves were dry added the other colors and let those dry. 

To make it more rustic looking I used oil paint in “burnt umber” and covered the whole piece. Wipe away the excess, leaving just the veins to pop. I prefer the look of the oil paint over the acrylic paint, it is a little more messy, but the results are worth it.  This leaves your project with a suede look.  I decided it needed a little sheen. So I used “inca gold” guilders paste on the edges of the leaves and around the top of the vase.  

The project is now complete, however the oil paint will take a few days to dry so let it sit for a few days before using it. I also made a small bowl with leaves to go with the vase. It is not food safe, but will be nice as a table decoration.

Halloween Earrings by Kim Hale

Design Team Member Kim Hale is getting into the Halloween spirit with these cute earrings made
with Makin's Clay®.  She really likes the way Makin's Clay® plays so well with other mediums - and we agree!   Kim shared this project recently
here on her blog.