Materials:

• Granitex clay in your choice of colors
• A glass vessel (votive, pickle jar, pimento jar) with lid
• A roller or brayer
• Cutters: teardrop, star, two small flower cutters
• Sculpey Clay Gun

Directions:

• Roll a sheet of Granitex to 1/16" thickness. Drape the clay over the bottom of the vessel, and trim with a sharp blade, while smoothing the clay to the class. Try to eliminate air which can be trapped between the clay and the vessel.
• Roll the remaining Granitex out to a sheet of 1/8" thickness. Using a hair pick, score the surface of the sheet. Cut along the scored lines to make weaving strips.
• Roll Granitex snakes 1/16" in diameter. Place an even number of snakes vertically on the vessel from bottom to top. The more vertical ribs, the finer the weave.
• To weave: Holding the strip horizontally, place the end next to a vertical strip. Bring the strip over the next vertical and then trim it next to the third vertical. Repeat until you have completed a row.

• Begin Row 2 by offsetting the position. Cover entire vessel, alternating row one and two.
• You are now ready to add decorative touches. Using Green Granitex, roll a 1/16" diameter snake. Place it on the vessel to form a vine network.
• To make the leaves, roll out a sheet of Green Granitex 1/16" thick. Using a small teardrop shaped cutter, cut desired number of 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.

• To make flowers, begin with a sheet of Granitex 1/16" thick. Using a star cutter, cut one per flower. Out of a contrasting color, using smaller star cutter, cut one per flower. Flatten each larger flower part, thinning the edges. Place the end of a brush handle in the center of the flower and push gently from below, cupping flower slightly. Remove brush.
• Place the brush handle in the center of the smaller flower part, and gently bring the petals up around the handle. Twist to loosen flower; then place the smaller flower part in the cupped area of the larger flower. Place the finished flower on the vine, amid the leaves.
• Optional: (depending on size of vessel) Load the Sculpey Clay Gun with Brown Granitex and the largest spaghetti screen. Extrude lengths, then loosely wrap around your fingers to form a tiny birdnest. Place the nest on top of the vessel. Place three tiny, blue Granitex eggs in the nest. Dust the leaves, flowers, nest, and eggs with gold eyeshadow. Bake in a preheated oven at 275 degrees F (135 degrees C) for 30 minutes.