House-warming Box Card with Creative Paperclay® and Terri Sproul Mixers

By Sandra Strait (aka molossus)

Recently, I received a free sample of Seattle’s Best coffee.  
Besides getting a pot’s worth of good coffee, the sample came in this cool box.  I immediately saw how I could use Creative Paperclay® and Terri Sproul Mixers to transform this box into an unusual house-warming gift card.

Supplies: 

2 oz. Creative Paperclay®

Terri Sproul Mixers-Primary color set:

   Sakura 3D Crystal Lacquer

   Tanzanite Pearl Mixer

   Red Pearl Mixer

   Citrine Pearl Mixer

12x12sheet Paper House ‘Distressed Grass’ scrapbook paper

12x12sheet BoBunny ‘Welcome Home’ scrapbook paper

12x12sheet Kaisercraft ‘Hunt & Gather’[ scrapbook paper

Seattle’s Best Coffee Shadow box

2 sheets Miracle sheets adhesive

Scissors

Pointed Clay Tool

Sandpaper block

Reference photo of a sitting cat

Slip (leftover bits of clay soaked in water)

The Box

The inset portion of the Seattle’s Best box had loose flaps, so I glued them down. 

Then I measured and cut the papers to the necessary size:

Welcome Home Paper-Front & Inset

Hunt & Gather Paper-the ‘frame’ around the ‘window’.

Distressed Grass paper-Sides and back of box. 

I set the pieces for the window frame aside, to add after I created the window.

Miracle sheets are sheets of two-sided adhesive.  I cut the exact size I needed for the surfaces of the box, and glued on the papers.

With a sandpaper block, I lightly sanded the edges of the paper so they were flush with the edges of the box.

With a Sharpie marker, I wrote my sentiments on the front of the box—‘May your new home be a happy one’ and on the inside flap, ‘With rainbows in every window.’

The Window

Terri Sproul Mixers are mica powders that you mix with 3D Crystal Lacquer to create a thick paint of metallic, pearl or jewel colors.

I mixed a little Citrine Pearl- enough for one stroke of the rainbow, and then repeated this step with the Red Pearl and the Tanzanite Pearl.  (Note:  I had unpainted clay pieces on hand, so I could use up the left-over color.  You won’t want to waste any of this paint!)

At this point, the colors were almost metallic and not very rainbow-ish.  But after letting the lacquer set for about 10 minutes, I squirted out thick ribbons of the 3D Lacquer into the top of the window, tilting the box to let it coat the entire area.

My rainbow colors turned into brilliant jewels.  They ran a little, taking on the shimmery look of a rainbow. 

You really can get a whole range of effects with these mixers—the amount of powder to the amount of lacquer determines the finish you’ll get.

One of the clay pieces I was painting with leftovers was a small flower, and on impulse, I stuck it in the corner of the window.

I let the window dry overnight and started working on the cat.

The Cat

I rolled out about an ounce of the clay into a pear shape, checking to see how it fit, scale-wise, in the window (I’m not much of one for actual measuring, lol!).

Then I rolled a rounded triangle for the head, two cylinders for the front legs, and a thicker one for the tail.  My reference picture didn’t have rear legs showing, but I decided to add a foot.

I’d made up a generous amount of slip (leftover clay soaked in water) and I used it to attach the head and   body.  I built up more slip for the neck and shoulders.  Then I attached the legs and tail.

For the ears, I rolled small pieces of clay and flattened them.  I used the tool to trim them to triangles and folded them slightly, attaching them to the head.

I used the pointed clay tool to carve out the facial features.

Then I rolled very small pieces of clay into cylinders, and molded them to the body with slip. 

I left the back of the cat flat, because it was going to be glued to the window.

I took the tool and started digging into the clay.  In some places, I impressed lines, and in some places I pulled bits of clay out.  I added more small pieces around the face and ears, and then to the tail, poking and pulling with the tool, until I had a very ‘fluffy’ cat.   

I sat the cat aside to cure.

Finishing

I used the Citrine Pearl and Red Pearl mixers to paint the cat’s fur. I used dollops of the lacquer over the Tanzanite Pearl for the eyes.

Once dry, I glued the cat to the window seat.

This is my last post for this term’s Creative Paperclay® Design Team.  I’m not certain yet whether I’ll be trying out for the next term, but I’ve sure had fun!  


I want to thank the Creative Paperclay® and Terri Sproul, the team leader, for giving me the opportunity to play!  You will be seeing more clay projects from me, whether as part of the team, or simply a devotee of the product!

You can find more projects and purchase the clay at the Creative Paperclay® website.