Copper Autumn Mums Earrings

Copper Autumn Mums Earrings by Cindi McGee

Materials:

Makin’s Clay® - White (or any scrap colors) 

Makin’s Professional® Professional Clay Tools - Sphere tool 

Makin’s® Clay Tool Set 

Makin’s® Clay Roller 

Makin’® Circle Clay Cutter Set 

Beacon Mixed-Media Glue®

DecoArt® Dazzling Metallics® - Copper 

Fine paintbrush 

Bronze/Copper French earring wires, jump rings, eye pins

Copper toned crystal beads 

Jewelry pliers 

Instructions:

I save “extra” Makin’s Clay® from my projects for use in future projects. As long as you store it in an airtight container, such as a zipper bag, with a damp paper towel or moist towelette, the clay will remain fresh for later use. For this project, I actually used some of that scrap clay - I have one bag that is small bits of assorted colors - so please disregard the fact that the clay I used appears “dirty.” The finished earrings are painted so it does not really matter what color your base clay is.  The flexible and lightweight nature of Makin’s Clay® when it is dry makes it ideal for delicate projects like this, as the petals will bend a bit rather than be fragile and break off easily. 

Roll clay into two balls about 3/4”, flatten the balls. It is okay if they are irregular. 

Roll a strand of clay about 1/8” in diameter (Optional: Use the Makin’s Professional® Ultimate Clay Extruder®  and single hole disc #2 or #3 to extrude a strand for this step.) 

Use tool to cut pieces about 1/4” from the strand. Take your fingertip and gently roll the pieces to a point on one end to create petals.

Place the flat edge of the tool onto the petals to create an indentation from the point to the end. 

Place the first row of petals onto the disc, using the sphere tool to gently push the ends against the disc.  

Repeat with a second layer, alterating placement of the petals. Then, repeat with additional layers as desired, using less petals each time, bringing them in closer and closer toward the center as you go until your mum is fully formed. 

Let dry 24 hours. 

Roll clay to about 1/8”.  Use circle cutter large enough to cover the base area of each mum. 

Assemble French earring wires, adding a crystal on an eye pin, and then a small jump ring to each. Trim 2 more eye pins to about 1/2”.  Attach the earring wires. Place the pins against the back of each earring. Add a touch of Mixed-Media Glue and place the cut circles over the pins, pressing into place to adhere and secure the pins. 

Let dry 24 hours. 

Paint each mum with Dazzling Metallics copper paint. 

Sunflower Bottle Cap

Some fellow clay enthusiasts who run an online polymer clay workshop site are opening a new workshop classroom in Florida. They reached out to members of their Facebook Group to create polymer clay enhanced bottle caps to be used for a special project in the new classroom.   I created this miniature sunflower as my submission.  Create several featuring different flowers and attach magnets to the back for your refrigerator and brighten up your kitchen for summer. 

Materials:

Makin's Clay® - Earth Tones Multi Pack
Makin's Professional® Tool Kit
Bottle cap
Beacon 3-in-1 Adhesive™
DecoArt® Americana® Acrylic - Lamp Black (Ebony)
DecoArt® Americana® Multi-Surface Satin™ - School Bus
Fine paint brush
Optional:  magnet

Instructions:

Use the Persimmon clay to create small rolled "beads" with one end at a point, then gently flatten each to create numerous petals for the flower.

Add 3-in-1 Adhesive to the bottom of the bottle cap.  Begin adding the petals around the outer edge.  Then mount another row in front of the first.

Use a fine paint brush to add a touch of yellow paint to each petal - the goal is not to coat entirely, but to let the color beneath still show in some areas. 

Roll a ball of brown clay, flatten slightly and glue to center of flower.  While clay is still fresh, use fine point on clay tool to add indentations to mimic seeds.  

Add a light touch of black paint to the center of the flower, allowing the brown to show through in some areas.  

Let dry 24 hours.   If desired, glue a magnet to the back of the bottle cap.  

A Summer Rose

Design Team Member Patricia Roberts-Thompson recently shared this lovely rose she created with Makin's Clay®.  She colored her delicate flower with Pan Pastels.  We think the result is beautiful!