WCK Wine Tasting Party Part 2 - How-To Video Featuring Makin's Clay®

In this week's episode of the WCK All-Star Designers' Summer Series, Part 2 of the Wine Tasting Party, Marisa Pawelko, Ana Araujo and Judi Watanabe share projects and some great ideas for Makin's Clay®!  View the episode here.

Mermaid Birthday Party How-To Video Part 2

Today we are sharing Part 2 of a When Creativity Knock All-Star Designers' Summer Series how-to video!  Designers Elena Lai Etcheverry, Judi Watanabe, and Cindi Bisson share projects for a Mermaid Birthday Party - many of which include Makin's Clay® and Makin's Brand®
tools!

Mixed-Media Flower Topiary Arrangement Craft Video

Cindi Bisson incorporated Makin's Clay® products into her mixed-media topiary design in this week's episode of the WCK All-Star Designers Spring Series which Makin's Clay® is proud to be a sponsor of - View the episode here http://youtu.be/cDPI4f2BQLU

Makin's Clay® Mixed-Media Topiary Class

Makin's Clay® attended the recent Craft and Hobby Association show in Anaheim, CA.  Along with sharing our products with attendees in our booth via product displays, project samples, and make & takes, we hosted a Mixed-Media Topiary Class.

Ann Butler & Cindi Bisson shared the broad range of applications of Makin's Clay® and Makin's Brand® products with attendees, while teaching them a new Graffiti Clay technique to decorate their topiary pots.

Our thanks to Smoothfoam, Darice, May Arts Ribbon, Beacon Adhesives, Earth Safe Finishes, Westcott, FM Brush, and KellyCraft Innovations for their support of our workshop by donating product.   Special thanks to Lisa Rojas for her assistance in setting up and cleaning up after the workshop.

Makin’s Clay® Mixed-Media “Graffiti” Topiary 

Sponsored by Makin’s Clay®

Designed by Ann Butler & Cindi Bisson 

Materials: 

Makin’s Clay® (www.makinsclay.com) 

Makin’s Brand® Clay Cutters, Clay Roller, Wavy Cutter 

Makin’s Professional® Ultimate Clay Extruder

Makin’s Professional® Ultimate Clay Machine® (optional) 

Smoothfoam™ Cubes, Balls (www.smoothfoam.com)

Darice® paper mache pot, Spanish moss (www.darice.com) 

EarthSafe Finishes Iridescents™ by Ann Butler Designs™ (www.earthsafefinishes.com) 

Ann Butler Designs™ EZ-De’s™ stamps & alphabet by KellyCraft™ (www.kellycraftinnovations.com) 

Beacon Adhesives® Tacky Glue (www.beaconadhesives.com) 

Westcott® Scissors (www.westcottbrand.com) 

May Arts® Ribbon (www.mayarts.com) 

FM paintbrush (www.fmbrush.com)

Wooden skewer, craft knife 

Instructions: 

Paint cube with Iridescents™ and let dry. 

Remove Makin’s Clay®  from packaging.  Place excess clay in zip-lock baggy with damp paper towel.  Roll clay to approximately 1/8” thick.

Stamp monogram 4 times onto rolled clay, allowing space around each letter to cut a square approximately 2 1/2” x 2 1/2”. 

Use wavy cutter to cut square around monograms.  

Paint letter indentation with Iridescents™.  

Mount monogram letters to four sides of cube using Beacon Adhesives glue. 

To create graffiti clay, roll clay to approximately 1/8” thick.  

Extrude thin strands of clay in 2-3 colors of choice using Makin’s Professional® Ultimate Clay Extruder.  Create a freeform design on the rolled clay with extruded pieces (flowers, swirls, letters, zig-zag, stripes, etc...) allowing some strands to overlap.  Press strands just enough to adhere to base clay.  Roll clay again (if using Ultimate Clay Machine®, begin by rolling on a 1, then on a 3, then on a 5) to embed the extruded strands into the base clay, creating a effect similar to graffiti on a wall. 

Cut piece of clay to cover sides of Darice paper mache pot, with about 1/2” folded to cover inside top rim of pot, and overlap on base of pot.  Mount, pressing base to flatten clay.  

Cut Smoothfoam™ ball in half, mount inside bottom of pot. 

Using a dab of glue at beginning and end, wrap skewer with May Arts® ribbon.  

Place skewer into ball, place cube onto top of skewer.

Add Spanish moss to cover base. 

Chunky Makin's Clay® Necklace

While this project was originally created as a lanyard for CHA - it would also make a unique accent necklace.  It’s chunky, rich toned colors and bit of fiber fringe would be great layered over a cozy sweater.    Create it in pastel or bright tones, use a bit of cheerful ribbon instead of fiber, and it would be a funky accent over a spring or summer t-shirt.   The best part is it could not be easier to create.  All you need is a multi-color package of Makin’s Clay®, good sharp heavy scissors like Westcott Titanium Non-Stick scissors, and fiber or ribbon.   I used Vineyard Tones clay that was actually old, outdated and had been accidentally left in storage in my attic.  I could have reconstituted it with water (another great thing about Makin’s Clay®), but instead I used it in the brick form it was already dried in and sliced it into beads with the heavy scissors.  The fiber was strung onto an upholstery needle and then pushed through the center of the square beads.  To re-create this technique if you don’t happen to have old, outdated, dried clay bricks (gee, who wouldn’t have those around in their creative stash?) first open the box of clay, and remove the individual colors from the outside packaging.  Carefully remove packaging from individual colors (if clay sticks to packaging during removal, you can hand form your bricks again - I liked the random effect on the sides of the dried clay so don’t create perfectly smooth bricks unless you desire that effect.   Let dry at least overnight.   Carefully slice into chunks using heavy scissors.  String onto ribbon or fiber in desired pattern, allowing space between each cluster of beads so ribbon/fiber shows.  Add closure mechanism and your finished.   - Cindi Bisson