Witch's Hat

Hi everyone, Steph here today with a witch hat that can double as the top of a candle holder.  While  Halloween is just around the corner, there is still time to create some fun Halloween projects!
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​Supplies

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​Makin's ClayⓇ- Black 

​Makin's ProfessionalⓇ 

• Cutting Mat
• Ultimate Clay MachineⓇ

​Black Gesso

​Prima Marketing Metallique Paints

​Rinea Foiled Papers

Paper mache hat

​Candle Holder

Instructions
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Starting on setting #1, roll black clay through the clay machine, increasing the settings one a time,​ until I had the thickness I desired.  For this project, I ended on setting #5.
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​I found a paper mache witch hat that I thought would be fun to alter.

Damp clay will seal together without glue, so starting from the tip, I wrapped the clay around the point.  I cut off  the excess clay as I covered the hat.   I snipped the clay along the bottom edge so it would sit evenly on the brim.  ​
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​I took the cut off remnants and wrapped them around the brim, sealing them to the hat.  Again, I trimmed the clay so it would sit evenly on the brim.

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I cut off the overhanging clay then painted the hat with black gesso.  Once the clay had been allowed to dry for 24 hours, I decided to paint the hat a lovely metallic purple.

​I wanted to add some "hair" to the hat so I die cut Rinea Glossy Copper Foiled Paper and adhered the

hair under the hat.

​I then curled each piece individually by wrapping each around a craft tool.  Next, I adhered some white mesh around the hat.

​ To finish, I adhered some lovely purple jeweled spiders to the mesh.

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​I created the witch wand by wrapping black clay around a stick.  For the top of the wand, I die cut  Rinea Ebony Starstruck  Foiled Paper and added it to the top, curling each piece.

Thanks for stopping by.
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​ Steph
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Foiled Tea Light Candle Holder

Foiled Tea Light Candle Holder by Bea Grob

What can you do with some Makin's Clay®, a small empty jelly jar, some metal leaf and a decofoil?

Create a lovely Tea Light Candle Holder! A quick and easy home-decor project.

Materials:

Makin's Clay® - Approximately 20 grams, I used Merlot - but use the color of your choice

Makin's® Clay Roller and 

Makin's Professional® Ultimate Clay Machine®

Metal Leaf, I used a copper color

Decofoil, I used a rainbow colored one

A tiny round cutter (about 7 mm) or you could try a sturdy straw

Any empty glass jar you want to cover 

(LED) Tea Light candle

Instructions:

First, I rolled out the Makin's Clay® right from the package throught the thickest setting (#1) of the Makin's Professional® Ultimate Clay Machine® to make a sheet of clay. The size (and therefore the amount of clay) for your sheet depends on the size of your glass, so make sure and check the height and circumference of your glass. Mine is about 3 inch in height and 9 inch in circumference.

I placed the rolled clay on a non-stick surface, sprayed it lightly with water, and wiped it with a damp wipe.  It has to be a little shiny/damp for the next step.

Take out the metal leaf and place it carefully onto the clay.

Next, roll over the leafing with the clay ruler to completely adhere to the clay.  Don't worry about the gaps too much. I do fill the bigger gaps with the leafing pieces at the border of the clay, but the tiny crackles I just leave.

The next step is running it  through the clay machine on the setting #2, then again on the setting #3, and so on, until you end up on the setting #5. I wouldn't go thinner.  Setting #5 gives you enough cracks that way in the metal leaf but you still can easily handle.

Now, take your decofoil and press it again onto the clay sheet. It is always a good idea to make sure that the clay is still a bit damp. When the decofoil is on the clay use an old gift or credit card and burnish the foil really well. Then rip it on one quick motion from the clay. If you have parts that didn't work, just reapply and try again.

A little sidenote here in case  you are new to these kind of foils, always pretty side up, I know it is conterintuitive, but it is the way it works.

Now, you are ready to wrap the whole sheet around your glass. I don't press hard at first, but I overlap it and then cut through both layers. That way I can remove the excess and the two cuts fit perfectly.

Next, I make sure that the sheet is securly attached and that there are no air pockets. If you find them just take a needle tool and make a little hole and smooth out the bubble. To cut back to overhang at the top and the bottom I simply use a scissor.

So far so good, but now we need to make little holes so the light of the candle lights comes through.

I use a tiny little cutter and press it into the clay and also give it a little twist. I do that all over the glass in a random pattern.

To remove the little circles I use a needle tool. And voila here is your tea light candle just let it dry for 24 hours and then have fun.

Jack "II" Lantern

Design Team Member Patricia Krauchune recently shared a second fun jack-o-lantern luminary she created using Makin's Professional® tools - Jack II was created for a friend to help brighten their day.   We think both of her smiling jack-o-lanterns, the original "Pumpkin Jack",  and "Jack II" are spooky fun!

Memorial Poppy Votive by Cindi McGee

Memorial Poppy Votive

Designed by Cindi McGee

Remember all those who have served our country with this memorial poppy votive.  The candle that was originally in this glass votive was burned away, but the glass is given new life thanks to etchall® and transformed into a perfect holder for a tea light.  A realistic poppy hand-made with Makin's Clay®  is a beautiful dimensional accent and adds to the "memorial" feel of the finished votive.

Materials: 

Makin's Clay® - Red, Green, Black 
                         - Ultimate Clay Extruder™
                         - Ultimate Clay Machine™
                         - Professionnal® Clay Tool Kit
                         - Circle Cutters - 4 Piece Set 
                         - Cutting Mat 
Glass votive 
Etchall® -  Etching Cream 
               - Resist Gel 
DecoArt® Americana® Stick On Stencil & Mask - Knock Out Alpha 
Palette Inkpad - Moss Green 

Instructions:

Roll ball of black clay about 1.5cm and a ball of green clay about 1cm.   Blend two shades together to create a slightly variated back ball (some green with show for a very subtle shading).  

Use point tool to draw lines from outside edges to almost center of ball (leave small area in very center unlined). 

Use Ultimate Clay Extruder™ and multi-hole disc #7 to extrude black clay.  Cut into pieces about 1/2” long and mount in clusters around outside of detailed ball.  
Always clean your extruder and remove all clay after use. 

Roll red Makin’s Clay® in Ultimate Clay Machine™ to setting #8 (begin at setting #1 and increase one setting at a time until desired thinness is achieved). 

Place onto cutting mat.  Use 60mm (smallest) circle cutter in 4 piece cutter set to cut 4 circles from red clay.

Press large sphere tip around entire outside edge of each circle to create petal effect.  

Use lined shading tip to create very light lines in each petal. 

Use cutting wheel tip to cut each petal into shape shown in diagram (cut to a point on one side of circle).

Lay two petals point to point and use Beacon® 3-in-1 Adhesive to mount black center of flower in middle.  

Mount remaining two petals beneath first two, on opposite sides.  

Place flower into a small bowl, cup or muffin tin to dry.  This will help form the flower into the desire shape.   Let dry 24 hours. 

Roll green clay in Ultimate Clay Machine™ to setting #6.   Use fine tip tool to cut out 4 leaf shapes (I referred to a photo of a poppy leaf to create my shapes).   

Use shading tip on all edges of leaves, and to create lines in leaves.  Place over clay tools, or a pencil, etc. to dry (this will give some dimension and shape).  Let dry 24 hours.  

Use fingertip to add a bit of dark green ink over surface of each leaf to highlight the texture. 

Clean glass votive.  Spell out REMEMBER on glass votive with DecoArt® stencils.

Use etchall® resist gel to fill in each letter.  Important:  Remove each stencil while gel is still wet or gel will come off when you remove the stencils to etch.   

Let resist gel dry until clear.  

Apply etchall® cream to entire surface of votive.  Let set 15 minutes.  Return cream to bottle.  Rinse to remove remaining cream.  Let dry. 

Use 3-in-1 Adhesive to mount leaves and poppy to bottom of votive beneath REMEMBER. 

Add a tea light to illuminate your votive to honor and remember those who have served this Veterans Day, on Memorial Day, or any day of the year. 

Feeling Frosty on When Creativity Knocks with Makin's Clay® - How-To Video

Makin's Clay® is a sponsor of the When Creativity Knocks All-Star Designers' Holiday Series and our products are featured in many of the videos, as well as being shared with viewers each week in great prize boxes!  In this week's video I show you how you to create two unique home-decor pieces with a frosty feel - each featuring Makin's Clay®! - Cindi 

http://anacraftyone.whencreativityknocks.com/?p=3078

Thanksgiving Votive Candle Holder How-To Video

Makin's® newest Halloween cutter set includes a cute little turkey which was perfect for creating the embellishments for this Thanksgiving votive holder.  Find the full instructions in this edition of Creatively Crafty with Cindi Bisson. 

Candle Luminaries

The Makin's Clay® website is a great resource for projects featuring Makin's Clay® and Makin's Brand® Tools.  I love these candle luminaries which are shown with instructions on the Makin's Clay® Netherlands website - Even if you don't speak the language - the step-out photos guide you through her creative process - Cindi

http://www.makinsclay.com/Netherlands/dutch/pg/tech_detail/tech_detail_a11.html