Creative Paperclay® air dry modeling material

 

Clay Tree Luminaries

These are perfect for Christmas and also wintertime decorating.  Place a tea light candle underneath for some gorgeous mood lighting on the upcoming frosty nights.  I recommend battery operated lights.

All you need is:

Creative Paperclay or Delight

Acrylic paint - green (Or whatever color you want your trees to be!)

Knife

Rolling pin

String

Pencil sheet of paper

Drinking straw or other circular hole cutter

Wrap the string around the pencil and hold it tightly then hold the other end of the string in you other hand at one corner of the paper.  Draw a half circle on the paper to create a tree template (The longer the string the larger the tree).

Take about 1/2 of a package of Delight and using your rolling pin (You can substitute a drinking glass if you don’t have a craft rolling pin) flatten out the clay.  

Once the clay is flattened as thick as you would like your tree to be use your tree template and knife to cut it out.  (note if you use Delight it does seem to really like sticking to paper so don’t press down hard on your template when cutting it out or else you will get clay stuck on your paper).  

After cutting the tree out use a straw or other cutter to cut out holes in the tree for the light to shine through.  I created more holes lower and less higher.  Be careful how close to the sides you put holes since you will need to blend the sides to create the final 3D freestanding tree shape.

Now lets make our molds into cones by rolling and taping them (and putting wax or other nonstick paper on them if you are using Delight).  Next using the cones as a base create a cone with the clay and press down to seal the trees in their 3D shape.  Now is also a great time to make any needed adjustments so that the trees will sit flat on their bases.

Let them dry out for a day or two!  

Now grab your paint and paint them!  Don’t forget to get in the holes so you don’t see the white shining through.

Once the paint is dry it is time to try lighting them up and enjoying the magic!

I would love to see all your trees!  Comment your photos below.

Cheers until next time!

Kelly Martin

www.Instagram.com/PaperHibiscus

www.PaperHibiscus.etsy.com