Monday, December 6, 2010

Clay Necklace - Teacher Gift

It's already day 7 of our Christmas Count Down, I'm so excited at how quickly Christmas is on it's way. Today we made a gift for each of Bubble's teachers, I wasn't sure how they would turn out but Bubble did such an amazing job that we ended up making five necklace pendants, a few extras for the Grandmas in the family :-)

WE USED:

* air drying clay
* jewellery findings
* beads/buttons etc...
* small circular cutter (we used a mini flower pot)
* water (small bowl)
* placemat, craft mat or chopping board
* spatula/flat knife or similar (we used a playdough spatula tool)
* wax paper
*
clear varnish

Working on craft mats I rolled some clay out and Bubble cut round shapes using the top of a mini flower pot. After wetting my fingertips with water I then smoothed and rounded them and laid them on wax paper.

You could use any kind of finding attachment you like but we were using these ones pictured above (no idea what the proper term is, sorry!). I slid the findings into the pendants careful not to pierce either side, leaving the ring exposed so it can be hung on the necklace later.

We set up our workplace with mats for working the clay and wax paper sheets to lay them on while Bubble decorated them. We kept a small cup of water near the mats so we could keep our fingers and the clay wet.


Bubble's clay pendant creations - I love them! We will leave them to dry for at least 12 hours on each side before coating them a few times in clear varnish to finish them properly. They will then be hung on necklace strands using jewellery loops.
I will post an update when they are all finished and ready to go.







5 comments:

  1. I was looking forward to this post as I wanted to see what pressies you are going to make :)

    These necklaces are adorable! I´m sure the teachers will love them as well and wear them often.

    We have planned to make necklace for our Grandma as well.. but not sure yet what we will use.. clay or fimo..

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  2. I love it. I'm trying it. I'm now following you.

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  3. What a neat idea! What a cute necklace!
    Thanks for sharing yet another awesome idea:) Colleen

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  4. Mermaid - oh I love Fimo, I havent used that since I was a kid! I think that would work even better for jewellery, a lot lighter.

    Thanks Patricia!

    Thankyou Colleen, would love to see photos if your boys make some!

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