"Cute Scary" Little Pumpkins

Do you like Halloween?  Me too, but not too scary, rather cute scary. I think these little pumpkins are perfect.

Supplies

About 30 gr (1 ounce) of white Makin's Clay® for each little pumpkin

Makin's Professional® Clay Texture Set

Ball point tool with a rather small ball

Makin's Professional® Cutting Mat

Acrylic paint

Materials

I started with creating a rolled ball approx 4 cm or 2 ¾ “ diameter. Then I squished it somewhat flat.

For the arm, I made a log, which I made somewhat flat and then cut some fingers. Some have 3 fingers, some have 5 fingers.

Slightly dampen your fingers and  shape the pumpkin's fingers further.

 

I used the clay texture set tool to make a hole where I can insert the little arms.

I also have made the typical pumpkin ridges. For the eyes, I used the professional clay texture set, but this time the tip you can see in the picture below.

I simply twisted it above the mouth and then with the pointy tool I added some nostrils.

I made a long slit for the mouth with the pointy tool and then added either teeth or a tongue.

As some last steps I added a twisted piece to the top and textured the whole pumpkin with the small ballpoint tool.

In the end I had 3 little pumpkins which now had to dry for about 2 days. 

 

 

I used different acrylic paint mainly orange, some yellow a tiny bit of a bronze color, for the body. 

I added patina to the ridges with a flat brush with the some brown as I have used for the little stem at the top.

With some fluorescent color I added some dots to the eyes.

 

BOO! Halloween Wall Panel

BOO! Halloween Wall Panel by Steph Ackerman

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​Hi everyone, Steph Ackerman here today and I've got a new Spooky project to share for Makin's Clay®.

​Supplies:

​ Makin's Clay® - Black, Brown, White, Earth Tones
​ Makin's ProfessionalⓇ Ultimate Clay MachineⓇ
​ Makin's ProfessionalⓇ Cutting Mat
​ Makin'sⓇ Clay Cutters - Rectangles, Halloween Set
​ Beacon Adhesives - 3-in-1
​ Mod Podge clay mold
​ Memento Fireworks Shimmery Craft Sprays
​ Sizzix dies
​ Burlap Panel
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Instructions:


​Start by spritzing the panel with assorted colors of Fireworks Inks.  I started with lighter colors then realized I wanted a darker effect so I added a darker blue and gray.
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Begin by conditioning the white, black and brown clays.  Then place each individually in the clay machine at the highest setting.  Reduce the setting on each pass until you have the thickness you need for your project.
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As I was creating a Halloween scene, I die cut a haunted house from the black clay.  To be sure the clay did not stick to my die, I place the clay between wax paper and then ran it through my die cut machine.  Although still damp, it die cut beautifully. 

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Picking up the left over black clay, I mixed it with some white clay and again ran it through the clay machine until I had a mottled effect.  I then die cut the roof of the house and placed it atop the main image. 
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As the clay was still damp/fresh, no glue was needed to adhere the pieces.​

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​Next, I die cut 2 trees using another Sizzix die.  Again, I placed the clay between wax paper so it would not stick to the die.                           

Once all my elements were ready, I started creating a spooky scene.  I began by adhering some torn strips of paper across the panel then put the trees in place.  Realizing I wanted fence posts, I used the left over black and white clay and die cut the fences.  I also had left over brown clay so I free hand cut a sign.  Using the small pumpkin cutter, I created several pumpkins, used a craft stick to create texture, then spritzed each with Fireworks Craft Sprays.  They were placed around the sign onto which I added letters spelling BOO.

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​Using the ghost clay cutter, I created a number of ghosts that I adhered to the panel.  In the upper corner I created a moon and placed a ghost on top. 

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The black cats are standing on the fence and the witch's hat is in the tree.  Yellow clay was added behind the house to simulate light in the windows then the house was adhered to the panel.  Using the remaining black and white clay panel, I used a rectangle cutter to create bricks for a walkway.

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​Hoping you have a Happy Halloween!

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​Thanks for stopping by.

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​Steph

Boo! Spooky Altered Paper Clips

Design Team Member Naomi Scarparo recently shared these spooky Halloween themed altered paper clips made with Maki's Clay®!  

These are for an altered paper clip swap which we think is a fun idea! 

Blessings Canvas Panel

Blessings Canvas Panel by Steph Ackerman

Supplies:

Makin'sⓇ Clay - Persimmon, White, Green
Makin's ProfessionalⓇ 

• Ultimate Clay MachineⓇ
• Cutting Mat

Makin'sⓇ 

• Clay Push Mold - Leaves
• Clay Cutters - Ovals
• Clay Roller and Cutters Set

Beacon Adhesives - 3-in-1
Joy Clair stamps - Fall Leaves
Tattered Angels spray inks, paints
Memento Inks
Spellbinders dies
Raffia
Doily
Canvas Panel

Instructions:

Roll white clay in the clay machine on setting #1.  Reduce the setting on each pass until you have the
thickness you need for your project.

I wanted to add texture to a canvas panel, so I placed the clay on the canvas panel.  Then I used the roller to roll out the clay so it fit the panel.

Next, I scrunched the clay to give it some texture.

I carefully unfolded the clay and glued it to the canvas panel.  Once it dry, I cut off the excess which I put aside for another project.

Using assorted Tattered Angels spray inks, I added color to the background.   Once it dried, I inked over the textured background.

Using left over white and green clays, I created assorted sized leaves using the Leaves push mold.  To simulate the colors of all, I inked the leaves with a variety of colors.  Next, I poured on embossing powder and heat set quickly for a shiny effect.

Roll out light adobe clay and use oval clay cutters to cut 6 large ovals and 3 small ovals.  Adhere 3 pieces together to create each pumpkin.  While still wet, clay will adhere to clay.  But if you need to you can add adhesive. 

Add the larger pumpkins to the canvas then paint the bottom edges.  Add the small pumpkin on top of the larger ones.  Place die cut swirls behind the pumpkins and scatter the clay leaves.  Roll up some little scraps of clay to create the pumpkin stems then paint them brown.  Glue the stem behind the pumpkins.  

Stamp the phrase on white cardstock using green ink.  Die cut and add to pattern paper then place on top of a doily.  Adhere to the canvas.  

Glue raffia to the lower left corner surrounding the pumpkin.

Glue raffia to the top of the panel pulling the doily forward creating a 3 dimensional effect.

Are you ready for fall?

Thanks for stopping by.

Colors of Fall Shadow Box

Design Team Member Steph Ackerman recently shared this seasonal mixed-media shadow box celebrating the colors and textures of autumn.   She used Makin's Clay® and our Alphabet clay cutters set to create her lettering.

Clay Autumn Pumpkins

Clay Autumn Pumpkins by Erin Reed

I just love the softball sized pumpkins as a decoration around my house for all of October and November for fall decor, but the ones you buy at the grocery store get moldy and yucky after awhile, and I have yet to find cute fake ones that are not extremely expensive.  So the solution to my problem, make them!! 

Materials: 

Makin's Clay® 

•  White 500g, Peach 60g, Green 60g 
•  Clay Tools 

Makin's Professional® 

• Cutting Mat
• Clay Tools 

Beacon™ Mixed-Media Glue™

Aluminum foil, paper lunch bags, plastic wrap

Orange acrylic paint

Tattered Angels Glitter Mists 

Tattered Angels Glitter Glam

Spray Sealant

Close up of clay pumpkin

Instructions:

1) Start out with lunch sized paper bags, 1-2 per pumpkin, and ball them up.  Then cover those paper balls in tin foil to help keep shape and form them into pumpkins.

Create the shapes

2) Use an entire 17.6 oz (500g) box of White Makin's Clay® and add in orange paint to tint the clay to 3 shades different shades of orange.  

Mix paint with clay to create shades of orange

3) Roll out the clay into a sheet and then mold it to the tin foil ball and form it into a pumpkin shape.  Cover all sections of the foil so none shows.

Roll the colored clay thin

4) Use the Professional tools to add in the grooves and ridges of the pumpkins.  Tip: place plastic wrap over the clay while using the tool so the clay does not peel and pull when making the lines.

Add details

5) Use a small section of peach and green clay and roll into long tubes.  Cut out 6-7, one inch strips to form the stem, using a little of both colors.  Twist it and flatten out the bottom to allow it to be glued to the top of the pumpkin later.

Create stems

6) Let both the stems and pumpkins dry over night.

7) Apply various colors of orange, brown, and yellow Tattered Angels Glimmer Mists to the pumpkins to give them even more dimension.  Let dry.

Spritz with Glimmer Mists

8) Apply a brown Tattered Angels Glimmer Glam in Rustic to the stems and let dry.

9) Glue stems to the pumpkins with Beacon™ Mixed Media Glue™.  Apply a spray sealant to protect your pumpkins.

Glue stems in place 

A closer look at the finished clay pumpkin

Here is a full video tutorial on how to make cute rustic home decor clay pumpkins.  https://youtu.be/Ig6xcNXZKcY

Now you have some fun pumpkins ready for your fall decor that will last year after year!!

Erin Reed - Designer & Artist

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