Creative Paperclay® Charms

I am really excited to be a part of this amazing Creative Paperclay® design team.  With the holidays approaching it is time for celebrations, parties and gift giving.  I thought I would share a few of my tricks while making holiday charms that could be used at your own party drink charms, given as a gift, decorate a gift bottle or gift.  Be sure to give yourself plenty of time to make these to allow for drying times. 

CUTTING CHARMS

To start gather supplies: See list at the end of this post. Note: Once you use items from the kitchen with clay the tools should be used exclusive for clay or other craft projects in the future!

Work on a flat surface, a glass surface seems to work the best. Tip: I place a transparency on the glass surface to allow easy moving.  Sorry you can't see the transparency, believe me it is there! Work with small amounts of Creative Paperclay®, first roll it into a smooth ball, then between the spacers roll out the clay.   For spacers I used 3 pieces of chip board taped together with Miracle Tape, making them about a 1/4 of an inch thick. The spacers help keep my clay a consistent thickness.  While working with Creative Paperclay® be sure to keep the unused portion of the clay sealed or covered in plastic so it doesn’t dry out!

  

Cut your charms, press hard so that you feel the glass surface below the cutters.  Tip: Gently pull the extra clay from around the cutters while the cutter is still in the clay.

Repeat the cutting process.  

  

Add dimension to your charms with really small cutters.  For the Christmas tree add ornaments and star topper. 

Using an inexpensive paint brush add water to the surface of the charm and to the back of the piece being added to the charm.  This creates an area that the clay will adhere to itself.  You can use glue if you prefer. 

If it is difficult to remove the small pieces from your surface, use a tool to remove them.  Tip: Leave the cutter imbedded in the clay while lifting from the surface.  This helps the clay keep its form.

Using the end of the paint brush put a hole in each charm.

Set aside to dry, this could take from 24 to 48 hours depending on the humidity and temperature. Mine took 48 hours as we do not turn up the heat in our house.  I like to let it dry naturally.  If you're in a hurry, you may put your unpainted pieces in a 200 degree oven for 20 minutes or until dry.  Watch CLOSELY!

Halfway through the drying time turn your charms over.  

PREPARE CHARMS FOR PAINTING

Sand the rough edges gently with an emery board.  For a sealed surface paint charms with a matte medium or gesso and set aside to dry.

PAINTING

Paint your charms with acrylic paints.  Gold was used here. The  acrylic paints can be  any that you may have around.  Set aside to dry.

For a little sparkle, add glitter using Ice Stickles and a bit of red Stickles for a splash of color.  Seal the paint and glitter with 3D Crystal Lacquer set aside to dry overnight.

WIRE WRAP

Prepare the wire wrap for the charm using jewelry wire and beads for added bling. 

Check out the TIPS FOR CREATING WITH CREATIVE PAPERCLAY® 

by clicking HERE! 

Have fun working with Creative Paperclay®

The sky is the limit 

with what you can create using this amazing product.  


Visit my blog HERE 
to see what other projects I am up to!
Until next time.... Lyneen

Supplies:

Creative Paperclay®, 

Small cookie cutters, 

Cutting surface-Glass cutting board 

Transparencies

Roller 

Spacers

Thin tool to lift 

Paint brush

Water

Emery-board

Gesso or Matt medium

Acrylic Paints

Stickles - Ice and Red
Sealer - 3D Crystal Lacquer

Wire

Wire tools

Beads