I've gotten bitten by the jewelry making bug and I've been finding all new ways to use my stamps. It's quite addictive once you get started. Working with clay seems to be my favorite technique right now. It's so therapeutic for my hands. I sometimes feel like my fingers get stiff from typing so much so being able to work the clay around loosens up my hand joints and just feels so good!
With the Warm Winter Wishes blog hop coming up, I thought it would be fun to try out some snowflake earrings made with Sculpey Clay. Of course, I couldn't JUST do clay....my snowflakes needed glitter and some extra bling.
I started out with white clay and worked it in my hands till it became soft and pliable. This doesn't take much if you're working with a small piece. It softens and warms up in your hands pretty quick. I rolled it out on a piece of aluminum foil with a rolling pin and then stamped my design into it with a little bit more pressure than if I were stamping on cardstock. I then cut around the snowflake very carefully with an X-acto knife (using a new blade is very handy when it comes to cutting clay with intricate designs). I had thought about doing a circle and stamping into it, but I wanted to try my hand at precision cutting in clay. I think it turned out pretty good.
I baked the clay according to the directions on the package and then let it cool. I painted the snowflakes with a quick wash of light blue acrylic paint, hit it with the heat gun to dry it and then coated them with a bit of Crystal Effects lacquer mixed with some glitter. I hit them again with the heat gun and then added the jump rings, beads and earring loops. To finish them off, I used some Mono-Multi glue to add some rhinestones to the middle. Ta-da! All done! Now I just need to create a cute stamped gift box (complete with matching snowflakes) to put them in for gift giving!
For even more inspiration visit Carolyn King - the Illustrator of Warm Winter Wishes and the Idea Center gallery HERE.
Oh how awesome are these!!! Love this idea Erika!
Posted by: cathy tidwell | October 21, 2009 at 11:22 PM
holy smokes, these are amazing!!!! Great job!
Posted by: Maria Levine | October 21, 2009 at 11:22 PM
ok...is there anything you can't do?????????? Geeze....fabulous Erika! wow!
Posted by: Carolyn King | October 21, 2009 at 11:23 PM
OMGosh... how adorable!!! Ha... NOW I wanna see the snowman necklace??? LOL Great job, Erika!!
Posted by: Tina Gilliland | October 21, 2009 at 11:38 PM
Adorable!! Nothing wrong getting bit by the jewelry making bug!! ;) great job!
Posted by: Deborah Anton | October 21, 2009 at 11:41 PM
Amazing Erika, love this idea!!!!
Posted by: Lori M | October 21, 2009 at 11:42 PM
Cool! Love the color you used!
Posted by: Christina Bower | October 22, 2009 at 01:31 AM
Oh shut up!!! These turned out great - what adorable earrings!!!
Posted by: Carolina Buchting | October 22, 2009 at 01:51 AM
Love your earrings! Beautiful colour, how genius to take a stamp and make earrings!
Posted by: bluemoon | October 22, 2009 at 05:09 AM
What an awesome use of the new stamp set! So beautiful!
Posted by: Allison Cope | October 22, 2009 at 06:54 AM
I'll take a pair, please! :-) These are so creative and pretty, Erika!
Posted by: Charlene Merrick | October 22, 2009 at 07:05 AM
Wow! These totally rock, Erika!!!
Posted by: Theresa | October 22, 2009 at 08:19 AM
What a totally neat idea! I love jewelry too and these and wonderful!
Posted by: joy | October 22, 2009 at 09:34 AM
how cool!! that sparkle and color is fantastic, what a great shape too!
Posted by: Melanie Muenchinger | October 22, 2009 at 09:56 AM
Wow! These are amazing!
Posted by: Anita | October 22, 2009 at 11:41 AM
Wow, jewelry from stamping always amazes me. These are so cute.
Posted by: JessicaK | October 22, 2009 at 12:32 PM
Wow Erika! These earrings are gorgeous! You are such a multi talented woman. Will we be seeing a stamp design line from you in the future? :)
Mary
Posted by: Mary C. Anderson | October 22, 2009 at 12:51 PM
Ohhhh these earrings are just gorgeous!!!!!!!
Posted by: LuvLee | October 24, 2009 at 05:55 AM
First time I see stamped clay earrings. They are very beautiful. I feel you are very talented person. I would like to have some items in my home collection made from the clay. What about the temperature, how do they behave on cold winter or hot summer? I don't want them damaged.
Posted by: vintage pendants | November 29, 2009 at 07:27 PM