I'm struggling to believe it's almost two-and-a-half years since I posted the original version of this project on the Banana Frog blog, but the dates don't lie. May 2009 pretty much counts as 'way back', don't you think? Here you go with pics and a quick tutorial.
TO MAKE A STAMPED CLAY PENDANT
You will need:
Polymer clay (e.g. Fimo or Sculpey)
Rolling pin
Woodgrain stamp (I used this one) and acrylic block
Water-based ink pad
Cookie cutters or a small knife
Baking sheet and foil
Clear varnish or adhesive (optional)
Cord, ribbon or thong for stringing
Beads/jewellery findings (optional)
What you do:
1. Knead a medium-sized piece of clay between the palms of your hands until it’s soft and pliable. Roll it out on a smooth, flat surface to a thickness of around 5-7mm. Apply ink to your chosen stamp.
2. Carefully press the stamp down on top of the clay, pressing firmly all over. Lift it back up again to reveal your impression.
NB. If, at this point, you aren’t happy with how your stamped clay looks, clean away the ink with a baby wipe, then gather the clay back into a ball and re-do the first three steps.
3. Cut out your pendant shape, using a cookie cutter or small knife. For the woodgrain pendant, I used an oval-shaped cutter, with a smaller ‘0’ in the centre to add interest.
4. Cover a baking sheet with foil and place your pendant on top. Bake the clay according to instructions on the packaging (usually around 130ºC for 20-30 minutes). Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
5. To protect, seal and add a sleek finish to your pendant, spray with clear varnish, or apply a coat of shiny adhesive (e.g. Glossy Accents). String on to a length of ribbon, cord or thong and add any extra details, as desired.
:: If you haven’t worked with polymer clay before, there are plenty of tips, info and video tutorials online – try a quick search to get you started.
:: Mix your own custom-coloured clay by kneading two or more shades together.
:: Although most polymer clays are non-toxic, it’s best not to roll or cut it with utensils you’ll later use for preparing food. If you don’t have an old rolling pin, try wrapping your usual one in a thin, smooth layer of cling film which can be removed once you’ve finished rolling the clay.
:: For a more subtle effect, stamp with a clear or watermark inkpad. (You can make an impression without using ink at all, but the clay might stick in places and you’ll also find it’s harder to lift your stamp away.)
:: Experiment with pieces of spare clay to see which stamps create the best impressions. You can see a couple of my alternative versions below.
x
