Bunny with a Bunch of Carrots
By Debbie Garrity

Materials:

• Sculpey III in the following colors:
  • White (001)
  • Hot Pink (503)
  • Mint (523)
  • Green (022)
  • Sweet Potato (033)
• Fishing line
• 2 black seed beads
• Clay dedicated pasta machine (may use roller or brayer)
  

Directions:

Step One: Body

Roll a 1” ball of white into a pear shape.

Step Two: Legs

Roll two ¾ inch balls of white clay into tubes. Press the tubes on each side of the body, making a left and right leg. Using your index finger and thumb, push the front of the leg upwards, to form a foot. Do this to both legs. Mix a 1/2 inch ball of white with a 1/4 inch of hot pink. Mix thoroughly until soft pink. Roll two balls of soft pink, 1/16 inch. Place each ball at the bottom of the foot and press into place. These are the “pads”. Roll 6 tiny 1/32 inch wide pink balls, and place three on each foot, above the larger pink “pad”.

Step Three: Dress

Roll a 1 ½ inch ball of mint clay through the pasta machine at #1, then #2, and finally, #3. If you don’t have a pasta machine, roll out with a brayer or flatten in the palm of your hand. The diameter should be approx. 3 inches. Drape over the body, making sure that the back of the body is completely covered, and the front of the dress should cover most of the legs. Adhere all of the dress to the body by gently pressing it.

Step four: Ruffled Apron

Flatten a piece of white clay ½ inch by ¼ inch and place on dress as a “bodice”.

Form a tube of white clay approx. 1 inch by ½ inch. Roll through the pasta machine at #1, then #2 and finally, #3. Place the long piece of clay in your right hand, with the rest of the clay sitting against the table. Pleat the clay in your right hand, using your left hand to position the clay into the pleat.

When the piece is completely pleated, use your thumb and forefinger to press or “crimp” the top of the pleat. With a razor or even a pair of scissors, trim the uneven clay that was just “crimped”. Place the pleated apron on the dress, draping it along the front and sides. Press it gently to adhere to the dress.

Step Five: Arms

Roll two ½ inch balls of mint clay into tubes. Attach to the top of the body on each side. Make sure to press hard enough to adhere. Roll two 1/8 inch balls of white clay and press at the ends of the arms. These are the little hands.

Step Six: Carrots

Roll five balls of orange clay, approx. ¼ inch. Taper into carrot shapes. Make the carrot that will be in the center just a little bigger than the rest.
Place the bigger carrot right in the center of the apron and press gently. Then add two carrots on each side. They should meet at the little hands. Take a tooth pick and score little lines in the carrots.

Make 5 1/16 balls of green clay and place one on each carrot. Press down with the toothpick and pull the green up and down, these are the carrot tops

Step seven: Head

Roll a 2/3 inch ball of white. Push a half toothpick down through the top of the dress, leaving about ¼ of it visible. Place the head on top of the toothpick and push down gently. The toothpick will secure the head.
roll two 1/8 inch balls of white and place side by side near the bottom of the head. Press gently into place. These are the “cheeks”. Roll a smaller pink ball (approx. 1/16th inch) and place between the white balls at the middle and top. This is the bunny’s nose. Roll another ball 1/16 inch and place at the bottom of the cheeks. This is the mouth. Use a toothpick and make a small imprint in the pink “mouth”.

Cut 6 pieces of fishing line, approx. ¼ inch long. Push three into each “cheek”. These are the whiskers.

Step Eight: Eyes

With a toothpick, pick out two seed beads of the approx. same size and push into the head, just above the nose. With the toothpick, make two little “smile” lines on each side of the eyes.

Step Nine: Ears

Roll two tear drop shapes of white clay 1 inch each. Flatten between your fingers.

Place the narrow part of the flat ear near the top of the head. (on the left, one on the right). Press gently to adhere to head.

Roll two 1/8 inch balls of mint into two tear drops. Place the narrow ends of the tear drops together at the top of the head. With thumb and forefinger press gently and flatten. Make sure you don’t flatten to the head, you are just flattening it between your fingers. Push the clay up so that the bow is facing out. Using a toothpick, make small creases near the center. Roll one 1/16th inch ball of mint and place it at the center of the bow and press gently.

Bake at 275 degrees F for 25 minutes. Let cool completely!