Even though I haven't been blogging, I've been doing a lot of making. And I've gotten into a new craft! I'm polymer clay obsessed. Expect to see some new tutorials and craft posts on it in the future!
St. Patrick's Day is this week and I don't wear a lot of green... so I decided to make myself some green! (I'm not getting pinched...) I know four-leaf clovers aren't the same as shamrocks, but I couldn't resist making these hair clips with four leaves anyway. I'm an American heathen.
Materials needed:
- Polymer clay (Sculpey III's String Bean and Fimo's Translucent White)
- Heart cutter
- Dotting tools
- Needle tool
- Mica powder (Green and gold Perfect Pearls)
- Paintbrush
- Bobby pins
Not pictured:
- E6000 adhesive
- Glaze
- Pasta roller (optional)
The first step is to condition your clay. I conditioned my green Sculpey III clay and mixed in a little translucent Fimo. Sculpey III always gets too soft for my liking, so adding the translucent clay makes it workable.
Next, roll your clay out flat. I actually used a pasta roller (on a #2 setting) instead of using the clay roller pictured because I can never roll my clay out evenly.
Use your heart cutter to cut out four hearts. If you're more talented than me, you can free hand them with an Exacto knife.
Place the four hearts with the tips together at a point.
Use a dotting tool to blend the clay together. If you don't have a dotting tool, you can use your fingers.
You could smooth your clover out at this point, but I used a dotting tool to add more texture and mold the outside of the clover.
Use the needle tool to add the separate leaf details back into the clover. A toothpick is also a good alternative to a needle tool.
Next is my favorite part! Using a paintbrush, dust the outside of the clover with green Perfect Pearls and dust the inside with gold. Then blend the powders together and into the clay. Pro tip: A little bit of Perfect Pearls goes a long way! Mica powders are pricey, but they last forever.
Bake your clay according to the directions on your package. Disclaimer: I never do that. I baked mine for 40 minutes at 240 degrees.
Let your clay cool, then glaze. I used Varathane. I only glazed the back once, but I glazed the front several times so it would be extra shiny.
Finally, glue your clover to your bobby pin. Let it dry and it's ready to wear!
Prefer shamrocks to clovers? Leave out a leaf!
Happy St. Patrick's Day and happy making!
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