New Year Earrings

Instructions

Tools & Other Supplies Needed
Clay Roller
Polymer Clay Shape Cutters
Wax Paper
Parchment Paper or Aluminum Foil
Metallic Gold Acrylic Paint
Small Tip Paint Brush
Scotch Tape
Needle Nose Pliers
*Popsicle Sticks (*optional but helpful)
*Baby Oil (*optional but helpful)

Techniques to Know
Rolling Polymer Clay
Basic Painting

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Choose clay color(s) and preheat oven to 268 degrees. (We used black clay.)

2. Knead the clay in between your hands and fingers to condition and loosen it up a bit.

3. Glass or marble rolling surface is preferable. If you don’t have those, cover your work surface with a smooth piece of wax paper. Tape sides and top of wax paper in place. Place clay on wax paper. (*Tip: If you have popsicle sticks, lay one on each side of the clay. They are a good guide for rolling the clay out to approximately 2mm thickness.) Cover the clay with another smooth piece of wax paper. Use a clay roller to roll the clay out to approximately 2mm thick.

4. Remove the top piece of wax paper. Use clay cutter shapes to cut out the desired pieces for both earrings. (*Tip: Using your finger to rub a very small amount of baby oil onto the outer and inner edges of the bottom of the clay cutter before cutting can help cut the clay more smoothly.)

5. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Remove surrounding clay from the pieces you cut out. Carefully lift the clay pieces and place them onto the lined cookie sheet. Press the pointed tool included in kit (or a toothpick) down through the clay to form the holes where jump rings will connect your clay earring pieces together.

6. If needed, use tools from the clay kit to straighten edges and smooth the tops of the clay pieces as needed. (*Tip: A dab of baby oil on your fingers can be used to smooth out the tops and sides of your clay cut outs.)

7. Following the oven baking instructions from the clay kit manual, bake the clay pieces. Allow pieces to cool. (*Tip: You may find the clay needs to bake a bit longer. Keep a close eye on it so you don’t overbake it.)

8. Lay a strip of scotch tape around the top half of both bottom clay earring pieces so the top and bottom of the piece is evenly divided in half. Squirt out a dab of metallic gold paint. Use the paint brush to paint the bottom half of the baked clay piece. Allow the paint to dry. Repeat coats of paint, as needed, until the bottom half is evenly covered with gold paint. Allow paint to dry thoroughly. Carefully peel away the scotch tape.

9. Use 4mm, 6mm, and 8mm jump rings to connect your baked earring pieces and ear wires together, for both earrings, so your earring faces forward on the ear.