4th of July Polymer Clay Embellished Patriotic Vase DIY Video - Makin's Clay® Design Studio

'

In this DIY episode from the Makin's Clay® Design Studio from our MakinsClayUSA YouTube channel, Cindi McGee shares how to do a simple technique to create blended clay for your projects.  She uses the Makin's Clay® blend, along with our Makin's® Star Clay Cutters and Stars Texture Sheet, to make decorative stars for a festive 4th of July upcycled centerpiece.

Statue of Liberty Bottle Cap

Design Team Member Patricia Krauchune recently shared this altered Patriotic bottle cap.  Patricia used the Makin's® star texture sheet to create her background.   Find out more about Patricia's bottle cap here on her blog.

Patriotic Star Earrings

Patriotic Star Earrings by Cindi McGee

Be ready for the 4th of July with these super easy, sparkling star earrings.  

Materials:

Makin's Clay®- 60g White, Red, Blue 

Makin's® 

• Clay Tools
• Clay Cutter Set - Mini Geo 

Makin's Professional®

• Cutting Mat
• Professional Clay Tools 

Krylon® Silver Leafing Pen 

Clearsnap® Smooch Glitz™

Silvertone jump rings, silvertone chain, earring wires

Jewelry pliers 

Instructions:

Roll small amount of red, blue and white clay to about 1/8" thick. 

Use star cutter from Mini Geo set to cut several stars. You will need 6 white, 2 blue and 2 red for these earrings.  I cut extra for future projects.

Use fine point tool from kit to create hole in the top of each star for jump rings.  Apply silver leafing pen to 4 white stars.  Apply Smooch Glitz to remaining red, white and blue stars.  Let dry.  Repeat on opposite side.  Let dry. 

Let stars dry 24 hours.  Add jump rings to each star.  Add chain to earring wire. Skipping the first link, and starting on the second, attach stars in desired pattern in descending links of silver chain (chain should have 6 links total.)

Patriotic Heart Pendant

Patriotic Heart Necklace by Lisa Haney

Supplies:

Makin’s Clay® - Red, White and Blue

Recommended Makin’s® Tools

Makin’s Professional® 

Ultimate Clay Machine®

Cutting Mat

Professional Clay Tools®

Makin's®

Roller and Cutter Set

Clay Cutter Set –  Heart (Large)

Other Materials:

Jewelry Findings (Eye Pin, Jump Ring and Necklace Wire)

Oil Paint – burnt umber

Paint Brush

Paper Towel

Pliers

Rubber Gloves

Sandwich Bag

Method

Create a sheet of red Makin’s Clay® by running it through the Makin’s Professional® Ultimate Clay Machine® on the largest setting - #1. 

Cut the red clay into three pieces with straight edges. 

Stack the three sheets of clay on top of each with the edges of one side lining up.

Repeat the last three steps with the blue clay.

Place the side of the red clay with the straight edges against the side of the blue clay with the straight edges.  Gently push them together. 

Cut open the sandwich bag.  Place one side of the bag on top of the clay and rub smooth.  When the heart is cut, the sandwich bag will press down on the edges of the heart making them rounded.

Use the large heart from the Heart Cutter Set to decide where to cut the heart.  The line between the two colors will be covered with a white ribbon of clay.  Press down on the cutter to cut out the heart.  Remove from under the sandwich bag.

Create a sheet of white clay by running it through the clay machine starting with the largest setting.  Move the setting of the clay machine down one setting at a time until the clay has been run through the #4 setting.  Use one of the wave cutters from the Professional Clay Tools® to cut out a ribbon long enough to go around the entire line of the heart between the red and blue clay. 

Wrap the ribbon of white clay around the heart.  

Use the different heads in the tool set to decorate the heart.

 

Use the pliers to bend the eye pin so when it is inserted into the clay it will not have to be pulled back out and glued.  The clay will cure around the bends keeping the eye pin from pulling out later.  Insert the eye pin into the heart using the pliers.  Press gently on the heart so the clay on the inside will wrap around the bends in the eye pin. 

Use the paint brush to apply the burnt umber oil paint to the heart.  Paint the entire heart.  Make sure to wear the rubber gloves so that the paint doesn’t get all over your hands!

Rub the oil paint off with a paper towel.  The pendant needs to be set aside for a day or two to allow the paint and the clay to dry.

 

Once the clay and paint have dried, add a jump ring to the heart pendant, and put it on a neck wire.  Now you have a beautiful Patriotic Heart Necklace!