Materials:

• Premo! Sculpey in the following colors:
  • Cadmium Red 5382
  • Black 5042
  • Green 5323
  • Raw Sienna 5392
• Card stock
• Patterned papers (in this instance, apple motif papers)

Directions:

• Card and memory art are rewarding and enjoyable activities. If you use rubber stamps and decorative papers, you can create a polymer clay embellishment that will coordinate with the overall theme of your card.
• In this activity, the millefiore canes will start out small, with minimal reduction needed. To form the apple embellishment, the components will be reduced separately, and then joined together. Depending on the paper, several sizes of embellishment can be created.
• Apple body cane:
  • Take a small amount of cadmium red 5382 and roll into a log.
  • Add a small amount of Black 5042 to Green 5323 to create a darker, forest green. Mix well.
  • Run the custom mixed green through a pasta machine on a #4 or 5 setting (or use a brayer to roll very thin).
  • Wrap the Cadmium Red log with the forest green.
• Leaf cane:
  • Roll a small amount of the forest green into a small log.
  • Roll a sheet of black on a #4 or 5 setting (or use a brayer to roll very thin.
  • Wrap the forest green with it.
  • Reduce as needed in proportion to the apple body.
    
• Stem:
  • Roll a small amount of raw sienna into a very small log.
  • Pinch the log into a triangle shape.
  • Reduce as needed in proportion to the apple body and the leaf.
• Assembling the miniature cane:
  • Take the forest green wrapped apple cane. Reduce as needed in proportion to the leaf and stem canes.
  • With a needle tool, impress the apple cane to create the apple shape. Do this fairly deeply and then re-shape the cane into the apple shape as needed.
  • Apply the stem cane into the crevice. Re-shape as needed.
  • Apply the leaf cane on one side of the stem cane. Re-shape as needed.
  • Let the cane sit for a couple of hours or place in the freezer for 15 minutes before slicing.
  • Slice the mini apples.
  • Bake the slices in a calibrated oven at 275 degrees F for 20 minutes per ¼ " of thickness. Since these slices will be less than ¼" thick in most cases, adjust the baking time to 15 minutes if necessary.
  • Use double stick tape to affix the apple slices to the card stock.
  • Voila, a very special greeting.

NOTE: Create larger versions of this type of cane construction for buttons. Cut the slices at least ¼ " to 1/3" thick. Pierce holes in the button with a needle tool prior to baking. After baking apply Future floor wax (acrylic wax) if desired for a shiny surface.

NOTE: Garments with polymer clay button should be washed by hand, or turned inside out and washed on a gentle cycle. Do not use bleach and do not dry clean!!!