Sculpey III in the following colors:

• Terra Cotta (352), White (001) Leaf Green (322), Yellow (072), Hot Pink (503), Red Hot Red (583), Black (042)
• Roller or brayer (pasta machine if available is excellent for conditioning sheets of clay)
• Kemper cutters in 4-sided flower shape (2 sizes) and teardrop shape
• Alphabet rubber stamps
• Animal print rubber stamps (Hero Art, Inkadinkadoo, and All Night Media all make a variety of alphabet and animal print rubber stamps.)
• Bamboo skewers (available at grocery stores)

Directions:

Shaping Garden Medallion

• Condition ½ bar of Terra Cotta and ¼ bar of white Sculpey III. Mix 2 parts of terra cotta and 1 part of white Sculpey III to create clay the color of garden "clay pots."
• Roll the clay into a ball and begin flattening it with your brayer or roller to roughly 1/3" thick. If you have a round cookie cutter or an oval cutter, you may use it to cut the clay, or continue to shape it free form to an oval shape. Make your oval shape roughly 3" x 2".
• Measure the width of the alphabet stamps and center your "saying" on the clay slab. Our examples show Ladybugs Welcome and Animal Crossing.
• Press the letters into the clay, with even spacing between letters.
• If you choose to use the animal prints, press them into the clay as well in a random fashion.

Shaping Flower and Ladybug Decorations

• For leaves, roll out a sheet of Leaf Green Sculpey III 1/16" thick. Using a small teardrop cutter, cut two or three leaves. Flatten each leaf between thumb and forefinger, and then impress the center vein by pressing the side of a needle tool on the leaf. Pinch the leaf slightly so it forms a realistic shape.
• Press the leaves onto the lower edge of the garden medallion.
• To make the flowers, begin with a sheet of yellow Sculpey III 1/16" thick. Using the smaller of the two Kemper flower cutters, cut one per flower.
• Take the larger Kemper flower cutter and cut an equal number of flower shapes from the conditioned hot pink Sculpey III.
• Place the end of a paintbrush handle in the center of the pink flower. Push gently from below and cup the flower shape slightly. Remove brush.
• Place the brush handle in the center of the smaller yellow flower shape. Gently bring the petals up around the handle. Twist to loosen the flower; then, place the smaller flower in the cupped area of the larger flower.
• Place the finished flower(s) on the edge of the leaf cluster.

Shaping the ladybug

• Roll a small ball of red clay. Elongate slightly to form bug body.
• Roll a very small ball of black clay and place on one end to form the ladybug’s head.
• Roll a very thin snake of black clay and place down the center of the ladybug’s back.
• Place two black dots on either side of the black stripe.
• Place ladybug on the top of the medallion.

Final Steps

• Carefully insert pointed end of bamboo skewer from the bottom of the medallion. Clay should be thick enough to secure it. Insert 1/3 of the height of the medallion.
• Bake medallion (with skewer inserted) at 275 degrees F (135 degrees C) for 30 minutes.
• Place in flower garden.
• After baking brush brown acrylic paint into stamped impressions. Wipe excess from surface with damp paper towel.