| This stamped clay technique makes a great project if | | | | border into a ball and then begin to roll it out into a very |
| you have been looking for some easy to make | | | | long and thin piece. Long and thin like a clay snake. |
| Christmas ornaments. It also makes an excellent | | | | Then wrap this piece around the edge of your |
| project if you need some easy crafts for kids. Since | | | | stamped piece of clay. It is important to firmly press |
| this simple technique can be used with any stamp, | | | | this border piece on. |
| there is no limit to how creative you could be. So have | | | | 4. Now insert an eye pin into the top of your ornament. |
| some fun and see what great looking ornaments you | | | | If you think the eye pin is too long, you could always |
| can come up with! | | | | cut some of it off with a pair of wire cutters. Make |
| To see photos of this ornament idea, see the link at | | | | sure that the eye of the pin is facing sideways. If you |
| the bottom of this article. | | | | turn the ornament sideways, you should be able to |
| Supply List | | | | look through the eye. By placing the pin sideways like |
| - Polymer clay | | | | this, the ornament will hang straight on the tree when it |
| - Rubber stamps | | | | is tied on with the gold thread. |
| - Eye pins | | | | 5. It is now time to bake your ornament. Carefully |
| - Acrylic paint | | | | transfer it onto a foil lined baking sheet. Bake the |
| - Paintbrush | | | | ornament according to the instructions on the package |
| - Mod Podge (regular or glitter) | | | | of clay. Let your ornament cool completely, and then |
| - Ribbon | | | | you will begin to paint it. |
| - Gold thread | | | | 6. To make the stamped image stand out, you will |
| Instructions | | | | want to paint it. To do this, thin your acrylic paint with a |
| 1. Select the color of clay you want to use and roll it | | | | little water. You will want your paint thin enough so that |
| into a ball. Then flatten it out until it is about 1/4" thick. | | | | when you paint over the stamped image, it will easily |
| You can achieve an even thickness by pressing your | | | | run into the grooves of the image. Once there is |
| ball of clay flat between two hard flat surfaces. For | | | | enough paint filling the grooves, take a damp paper |
| example, between a book and your table. You will | | | | towel and carefully wipe the excess paint off the |
| want your flattened clay to be large enough so that | | | | surface of the clay, leaving behind only the paint in the |
| your stamped image fits on it. So the shape and size | | | | grooves of the image. |
| of your clay will vary depending on the stamp you | | | | 7. Let the paint in the grooves dry completely. Then, to |
| choose. | | | | give it a shiny finish, paint over the entire ornament with |
| 2. Now firmly press your stamp into the clay. If you are | | | | Mod Podge sealer. After the sealer has dried, use your |
| unhappy with how your stamped image turned out, | | | | ribbon to tie a bow through the eye pin at the top of |
| you can always roll up the clay and flatten it again. | | | | your ornament. Then tie a piece of gold thread through |
| 3. Next, you can make a clay border to wrap around | | | | the eye pin to hang it by. |
| the edge of your stamped clay ornament. Decide if | | | | That is all there is to it, your stamped clay ornament is |
| you want your border clay to match or contrast with | | | | now finished! We hope you enjoyed this project. |
| the color of the stamped clay. Roll the clay for the | | | | |