Polymer Clay Jewelry

 

 

I wanted to share my process in making some jewelry for myself. I have lost several of my favorite pairs of earrings these last few years. So, I decided why not make a some of my own.

 

A little over twenty years ago I was first introduced to polymer clay at my local art store. I decided to give this medium a try. I loved the fact that you could bake the clay in your oven. I had not worked much in clay before really since grade school. I never thought I would be any good at three dimensional work.

 

Many years had passed since I used the clay again. I started using Sculpey again about five years ago.

 

 

 

 

Both of my necklaces were made with a mold.

 

 

 

 

 

I usually work with white Sculpey, but I decided to use terra cotta for a nice effect.

 

 

 

 

First I condition the clay with my hands to soften it up.

 

 

 

 

 

Then I use my pasta machine to get the clay nice and smooth.

 

 

 

 

Then I press the stamp into the clay, then cute out my shape.

 

 

 

 

 

For my flower, I used an x-acto blade to cut out the shape.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The necklace and earrings were cut out with the circular cut outs. Then I inserted the jewelry findings into the clay. I baked the clay according to the instructions on the box.

 

 

After the clay had dried I applied acrylic paint. I used a lighter purple, then a darker purple for the flower. For the earring set, I just brushed some gold paint over some areas of the pendant and earrings. The final touch was to seal the jewelry with an acrylic varnish.