Jewelry made from polymer clay, how to make it yourself?

How is polymer clay different from plasticine?

At first glance at polymer clay, it may seem that we are looking at ordinary plasticine. Polymer clay is a soft, pliable material.

But it remains this way until exposed to high temperatures (a regular oven is suitable for household use). After elevated temperatures, the mass hardens and the product can be painted and used for its intended purpose.

To these qualities of polymer clay you can add a pleasant smell, which is of great importance for decorating dishes with polymer clay.

Polymer clay earrings

Now let's learn how to turn our roses into earrings. There are two ways. One of which is simpler, the second is more difficult, but the result is simply gorgeous

Simple earrings made of polymer clay (rose blanks)

Remove the rose blanks from the oven. They already have a hole for mounting
To turn them into earrings we will need: a pin with a double-sided eye, rings for fastening, earrings
We string the rose onto a pin and fasten it so that there is an eyelet at the top and bottom for attaching it to the part.
Attach a hook to the top using a ring
On the lower part - a bead in the color of a rose (or as your imagination dictates). The bead will make the earrings a little heavier and they will hang down without twisting.

Polymer clay earrings

Earrings in the shape of a bouquet of roses

We need rose blanks again. But now they are raw and very small in size. They can come in a variety of contrasting colors, such as red and white
We make a ball base. We attach roses to it using a toothpick. Make sure that they are in good contact with the base ball and do not fall off after baking
Gaps can be filled with small green plastic leaves
Carefully make a hole in the ball where the pin will be attached
We bake our flower bouquet. The baking time will be slightly longer due to the greater density of the clay.
After cooling, we attach our ball to the wire. Spectacular earrings are ready!

Earrings bouquets

What things are made from polymer clay?

You can make anything from this material, you just need imagination and skillful hands. But especially this clay is widely used in decorating kitchen utensils.

If you are tired of plain plates, cups, mugs, etc. – polymer clay will be your discovery.

If you can’t come up with your own version of the decor, you can turn to countless photos of polymer clay decor that are published on the Internet, magazines and books.

Finishing surface treatment

Before coating the polymerized product with a special varnish, the surface is cleaned of irregularities with sandpaper and, if necessary, polished with suede.

Varnishing gives the final look to hand-made masterpieces, as can be seen in the photo of polymer clay stucco. Matte and glossy varnishes are chosen according to the design of the craft. Manufacturers of polymer clay also make their own varnishes that are most suitable in terms of chemical composition.

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The varnish is applied in layers in two ways:

Using a brush, covering the product in the usual way.
Dipping the entire product into varnish at once. To do this, you need to secure it, for example, on a toothpick, dip it in the solution and turn it in it. Then take it out, stick a toothpick into the foam, let the excess varnish drip off.

Ideas and instructions for modeling with clay will bring the joy of creativity, only if you follow safety rules. It should be remembered that under normal conditions polymer clay is not toxic. But the polymerization process is accompanied by the release of harmful volatile compounds due to heating.

Important: When firing products, ensure that the room in which the polymer clay is baked is ventilated.

Step-by-step guide to decorating a mug with polymer clay

If you still decide to use polymer clay, then you can start by decorating mugs and cups with polymer clay.

The first step is to check the availability of the necessary materials:

The most important material is polymer clay (it’s better to choose high-quality one, so the decor will delight you for a long time).
Ceramic or glass mug (to make the decoration visible, you should choose a solid color).
Acetone or nail polish remover.
A kind of roller that will help roll out polymer clay.
A cutting object (the most suitable choice is a stationery knife).
Devices that will help you give the material the shape you need.
Waterproof and high quality glue.

How to work with polymer clay

Before you start creating jewelry from polymer clay with your own hands, you need to carefully study all the nuances of working with this material.

First of all, you need to decide on the clay manufacturer. It comes in different price categories, textures and colors, and can be sold as a set or in individual bars.
It is not recommended to buy large quantities of material at once. It is better to purchase 1-2 blocks of standard colors and test them at home: what is their texture, how well they mix with each other, and whether they crack during firing. If there are no complaints, you can safely buy clay as much as you need.
In addition to clay, you should purchase the necessary tools for work: a stationery knife, rolling pin, squeezing press, etc. You also need to stock up on accessories for future decorations.
Before work, you should carefully study the instructions that come with the polymer clay. In particular, it will indicate at what temperature and for how long the product should be baked.
Working with polymer clay requires care and patience. It is recommended to sculpt with medical gloves and on a smooth surface to maintain color purity and not leave marks.

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Work steps

Now that we have all the materials, we can begin manufacturing.

First you need to draw on paper what you want to put on the mug. Animals, symbols, ornaments - here you are limited only by your imagination.

For ease of modeling, place the drawing in a glass or mug. This way the work will be accurate, without flaws. Also, it is worth duplicating and cutting out the drawing for further work.

Now, take clay of any color. Roll out the material with a roller and use a knife to transfer the shape of the design onto a clay “pancake”.

Press the resulting silhouette tightly onto the dish. And now, half the work is done! Now all that remains is to apply additional elements of your design, which are also made from polymer clay.

Each package of polymer clay contains the temperature and time required for hardening in the oven.

Be sure to follow these instructions. After “baking”, remove the decor from the mug, wipe the surface with a liquid containing acetone and glue the figures in the same place.

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The dishes should be left untouched for one day, and then safely used for various drinks. But do not handle the product carelessly: it is not recommended to wash it in the dishwasher or expose it to hard cleaning sponges.

Advantages of polymer clay

Polymer clay is a cross between plasticine and natural clay. Thanks to its softness and plasticity, it is quite easy to work with.
Unlike plasticine, this material hardens during heat treatment and retains its shape forever. At the same time, polymer clay hardens at lower temperatures than ordinary clay, so it is not at all necessary to purchase a special oven for firing; you can use a simple electric oven.
Polymer clay has a wide variety of colors and textures that mix well and create very beautiful combinations.
This material is non-toxic, so even a child can work with it.
You can make absolutely any jewelry from polymer clay: earrings, beads, bracelets, rings.
With the proper skill and imagination, you can make a variety of decorative elements from this material: geometric shapes, flowers, fruits and much more.

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Decor of various polymer clay products

Polymer clay can be used to decorate not only mugs. Decorating jars with polymer clay will be successful. We use jars most often to preserve summer gifts, and it's so nice to take a jar of goodies in the cold winter. What if it is decorated with polymer clay! This will cheer up the whole family.

Flowers made of polymer clay: master class

The most common and any flower is roses. At first glance it seems very difficult to do, but it’s not.
Pay attention to the structure of this flower - many petals held together, which are larger at the outer base and smaller at the inner one
Let's prepare the materials: we need plastic in the color of the future rose (red, pink, yellow or white), a modeling stack with a ball at the end
Let's make preparations for future petals: pinch off a piece of clay, knead it and roll it into a ball. Large balls are for outer petals, smaller ones are for inner petals.
Now we're missing a bud made from a thin layer of plastic
We make each petal from a ball, using a stack we give it a curved shape (this can be done with your hands)
We attach the petals to the bud one by one, adjusting the splendor of our flower
The finished rose can be used for decoration. To do this, you need to cut the base and make a hole for fastening.
Carefully place the flowers in the oven and bake until done. Then they can be opened with varnish if desired.

Roses made of polymer clay

Photo of polymer clay decor

Polymer clay bracelet

First, let's figure out what elements the bracelet consists of: the base (chain, rope, wire or fishing line), clasp and decorative elements
We purchase the base and clasp from a hardware store, but we make the decorative elements ourselves
Let's make a bright berry bracelet from raspberries and blackberries. It will complement any summer look and looks very original.
To make raspberries, we need pink clay and green clay for the leaves. Making berries is very simple. The base is a dense plastic ball. Small balls of a similar color are attached to it. The balls are smaller at the bottom and larger at the top. We attach leaves to the base of the berry and attach a wire. Bake the berries according to the instructions for working with clay
We make blackberries in the same way, but from black or dark purple plastic
To make our bracelet brighter, in addition to the berries, we will attach beads to the base
For the base of such a bracelet, it is better to use a chain with a decorative clasp

Bright bracelet made of polymer clay

Polymer clay pendants

Making an original abstract pendant is easier than it seems
To do this, we will need plastic of several colors and a special machine for rolling out plastic.
This machine allows you to roll out polymer clay evenly and, what is important, create a smooth color transition
This result can be achieved without a machine, but it is painstaking work.
We lay the plastic in the desired color scheme and roll it into a thin layer
Then we cut off even thin strips and roll them into circles
It looks original if the edges of the strips are rough
Bake the resulting element. It can be used as a pendant or part of a necklace

Plastic pendant

Hair decorations made of polymer clay

Polymer clay can be used to decorate hair clips, headbands and garters.
You can attach the elements to the base using special glue or invisible fishing line
For any products consisting of several elements, you need to make a sketch, because imagination does not always correspond to the result

Delicate flowers for decorating hairpins and headbands

We will need: polymer clay and stacks (you can use a toothpick)
Knead a piece of clay of the desired color and roll it into an oval
We make cuts, the same number as the number of petals planned
Now we make each petal, bending it using a stack
We give the flower the desired shape, trim off the excess plastic
The middle can be decorated with yellow plastic stamens or simply filled with paint
These flowers can be used for all types of decorations. They are very reminiscent of apple or apricot flowers

Flowers for polymer clay jewelry

Polymer clay beads

To learn how to make beads from polymer clay, first learn how to make smooth, neat beads
Even ordinary beads are not so easy to make so that they are the same size and correct shape. Practice making even balls of the same size and making holes in them for fastenings
Once the basics are mastered, you can begin making decorative beads

Polymer clay beads with metal effect

Such beads are difficult to distinguish from metal ones. But thanks to your imagination they will be unique
We will need gray or metallic plastic, an embossing element (for example, a button) and tools
First, roll out a smooth ball of plastic
Now we roll out the plastic into a dense layer and use a button to emboss it. To prevent the button from sticking to the polymer clay, moisten it with water.
Then carefully cut out the embossed elements with a blade and attach them to the ball
We decorate the joint with a decorative plastic cord
Make a hole in the bead for fastening
These beads can be used for beads, bracelets, earrings and much more.

Polymer clay beads

Brooch made of polymer clay

Let's make a simple but cute cat brooch from polymer clay
We choose a cat template that we like. We print it on the printer in the required size and cut it out
Now we prepare the plastic, rolling it into a thin layer
Place the template on the plastic and carefully cut out the desired shape with a blade.
Then we decorate our brooch at our discretion. This can be done using small elements, sparkles, strands and much more. Don't limit your imagination
We bake our brooch and use glue to attach it to the base.

Brooch idea

Cat template

Cats template

Hairpins made of polymer clay

The basis of the hairpin can be an old plastic hairpin, a regular automatic hairpin or bobby pins
To ensure that the hairpin lasts a long time, do not choose elements that are too massive for small bases.

Hairpin ideas:

Hairpins made of polymer clay

Polymer clay necklace

Making a massive summer necklace from polymer clay is more difficult and requires some skill.
For it we need: plastic, decorative beads, chain and fastening
First, draw a sketch and decide where which elements will be placed
Then we will prepare individual flowers, leaves and beads
For the base, we need a piece of thinly rolled plastic of the desired shape. Choose only high-quality plastic for such work, otherwise a poor base simply will not withstand the abundance of elements and will break
After preparation, we attach all the elements to the base according to the sketch. Don't forget to make holes for attaching to the chain

Polymer clay necklace

Polymer clay ring

A polymer clay ring can be made in two ways: solid plastic or based on
A solid ring is made using a mold. A mold is a heat-resistant silicone mold that is filled with plastic and baked with it. The hard plastic is then simply removed from the mold, sanded and varnished
For the second version of the ring you need a base. There are many such bases in hardware stores, where there is a niche for attaching plastic
You can imagine endless ways to decorate a ring. There are a lot of options, but the simplest and most versatile option is flowers.
A ring paired with earrings or a necklace looks especially original.

Solid rings

Ring based