Peek a Boo Polymer Clay Earrings

Peek a Boo Earrings by Bea Grob

Recently, I was playing again with Makin's Clay®. These layered earrings, with a sort of a peek a boo effect with the shiny foil underneath.

Tools and Materials:

Makin's Clay® - White

Makin's Professional® Ultimate Clay Machine®

Makin's Professional® Cutting mat (small)

Kemper tool smallest round cutter

Sculpey® hollow bead maker and graduated cutters

Transfer foil in the pattern and color you like

20 Gauge wire dead soft and wire tools for the earring hooks.

Instructions:

I started with some white clay, which I have run through the Makin's Professional® Ultimate Clay Machine® setting Nr. 2. My next step was to add the foil and burnish it down with the help of an old gift card.

Next, I picked it up at a corner (the foil is bigger then the clay) and ripped it off like a band aid.

Not all foils work equal, but this one I was lucky and it did work right from the beginning. If not, just reapply the foil after lightly moistening the clay and burnishing again.

Depending on the size of the earrings you want pick the right size of cutter to go with the hollow bead maker and cut out two circles.

Place them accordingly onto the bead maker and form them a little around the bend.

 

Now, press the next size cutter into the clay, but leave it there until you have cut out tiny holes. I used the Kemper tools, straws may work too.

Remove the cutter and lift the clay carefully with the help of a thin blade, try not to distort the round shape.

Place it over the foiled piece and again shape it accordingly.

I grabbed the cutter again to help shaping.

 

Make two discs the same size and let them dry completely. I let mine dry for about 36 hours.

 

I cut two pieces of 20 gauge wire about 5 inch long. I filed the end that goes through the ear.

Then I shaped it the way I wanted it to be and made some spirals at the end, which I then bended perpendicular.

To make them more stable and also give some structure, I hammered them flat.

Next, I filled the dry domes with some clay in the backside, filling the indentation completely. I pushed the earring wire into the clay. 

Of course, I want to have a nice back side to the earrings, so I cut circles of clay and placed on them on top.

So we have the back, but I wanted to add a little texture too. I also smoothed out the edges afterwards a seen on the right earring.

Funky Bird Mixed-Media Sculpture

Funky Bird Mixed-Media Sculpture by Bea Grob

Today, I show how I made a funky bird with some driftwood, foil, wire and Makin's Clay®.

Materials:

Makin's Clay® - Red 60g, plus approximately 20g scrap clay from other projects

Makin's Professional® 

• Ultimate Clay Machine®
• Cutting Mat

Makin's® Clay Roller

Decorative foils 

Wire

Driftwood

Seed beads 

Black rond head pins

Tacky glue 

Ruler

Cutter 

Dowel 

Instructions:

I started by forming a head with red clay. I inserted some wire for the neck to connect to the driftwood and 3 pieces at the top for later embellishment.

 I let it air dry on these flower foams. Anything you can stick in the wire will work.

Next, I mixed the leftovers with the remaining red and ran it through the Makin's Professional® Ultimate Clay Machine® beginning on setting #1 and ending on setting #5. But you can also roll them out with the clay roller to about 3 mm thickness.

I sprayed the surface of the clay sheet lightly with water and then placed my foil on top. With an old gift card or keycard I rubbed the surface and made sure that it is well adhered.

While the clay was still fresh,  I cut triangular shapes, like you would to make rolled paper beads.  I used the same technique to create the clay beads.

I simply rolled them onto a sort of a dowel. I recommend either plastic (like mine) or metal. If you use wood it may permanently adhere. I let them dry overnight together with the bird head.

 

The next day I started assembling the pieces clay pieces and used seed beads for embellishing. I drilled holes into the wood to attach the head and the tail wires. For the eyes, I used some black pins from the sewing department. I clipped them in length and then simply stuck them in the right spot. 

To glue everything together I used tacky glue. I have also mounted the bird on a piece of stone from the garden. I used a two part quick dry epoxy glue for that.