Impressed Pendants
Design by Kris Richards

• 1 2-oz. package of conditioned Premo! Sculpey in choice of colors
• #16 or 18 gauge Artistic Wire in your choice of colors
• Bold, deeply cut rubber stamp design
• Acrylic Brayer
• Round nosed pliers
• Pasta Machine
• Lumiere Pearlized Acrylic Paints
• Sculpey Super Slicer, Biscuit cutter, round cookie cutter, or similar item to cut round pattern in clay

Directions:

Gather clay, blade, pasta machine, acrylic brayer, mounted or unmounted bold design rubber stamps in your choice of motifs, and Lumiere paints. Flatten your clay on setting #3 on an Atlas Pasta machine.

Use pasta machine to roll unmounted stamps with the clay through the pasta machine together. Or, flip mounted stamp upside-down, and press rolled out clay onto the image. Remove and cut images out with biscuit cutter.

Use your fingertip to lightly apply several colors of the Lumiere paints. Allow all of the paints to dry thoroughly before progressing to the next step.

Press one of the stamped painted pieces on to another piece of black clay rolled out on the thickest pasta machine setting. Be sure there are no bubbles between the two pieces.

Use the acrylic brayer to press the design into the black clay piece. Roll in different directions until the relief is completely flattened and smooth.

Cut both pieces with biscuit cutter.

Repeat cutting process for other image.

Roll a large oval-shaped elliptical ball of black clay just a tiny bit smaller than the two images.

Flip one of the flat images of clay upside down. Lay the elliptical ball in the center, on top of the flipped back piece.

Sandwich the elliptical ball between the front and back pieces of clay, making sure both pieces are not off-center.

Press all of the edges firmly together, and make sure there are no empty spaces or air pockets in between. You will feel the piece moving inside if there are. Press lightly and gently roll the piece between your palms. If necessary, use the clay blade to slit an end open and press any bubbles or air pockets out toward the slice.

Here is how your pendant should look after sealing the edges. (front and back)

Use a needle tool or a bamboo skewer to poke a hole where the bale will go.

Get your desired color of 16-18 gauge wire. (I used black 18 gauge Artistic wire.) It should measure approximately 4 inches long. Use a pair of round nosed pliers to bend it in half.

Loop one end around and around the hanging end of the other side, and form a "hangman's noose." Be sure there's enough wire left to insert into the hold in the pendant.

Insert the long, unlooped end into the hole in the pendant. Bake all at 275 degrees for 30 minutes, allowing it to cool completely. If desired, apply a very thin coating of Translucent Liquid Sculpey with a soft brush to one side and bake TLS side UP in oven at 275 degrees. Repeat process for second side. ALTERNATIVE FINISH: Apply a thin coat of Future floor wax, using a small, foam brush. Allow to dry before applying a second coat. Then, flip and repeat for second side. NOTE: Pendant does NOT require that you must apply any finish at all. Then, string on your favorite material --- leather, Buna cord, or ball chain and finish with a favorite finding or closure.