Do not use unbaked clay on unprotected furniture or finished surfaces. Start with clean hands and work surface area. Good work surfaces include wax paper, metal baking sheet, or disposable foil. Knead clay until soft and smooth. For best results, clean your hands in between colors. Shape clay, pressing pieces together firmly. Bake on oven-proof glass or metal surface at 275°F (130°C) for 30 minutes per ¼" (6 mm) thickness. For best baking results, use an oven thermometer. DO NOT USE MICROWAVE OVEN. DO NOT EXCEED THE ABOVE TEMPERATURE OR RECOMMENDED BAKING TIME. Wash hands after use. Baking should be completed by an adult.

Begin by preheating oven to 275°F (130 °C). Test temperature with oven thermometer for perfectly cured clay. For best results, condition all clay by running it through the clay dedicated pasta machine several passes on the widest setting. Fold the clay in half after each pass and insert the fold side into the rollers first.

Blend ¼ package Pearl and Turquoise to form a light turquoise color. Set aside. Blend a dime size ball of each Purple, Pearl and White to form a light pastel purple color. Set aside. Blend ¼ package of Pearl and White with a small amount of Ecru to form a cream color. Reserve about a dime-size ball of the new cream color for later.

Create a skinner blend between the light Turquoise and Cream colors following this technique (http://www.sculpey.com/how-tos/techniques/skinner-blend ) stopping short of complete color mixing. The sheet should be about 5” x 3”. Turn the blended sheet 90° on the work surface with the cream end toward you. Use the Super Slicer to trim the cream end and roll the sheet up into skinner blend cane with the cream color in the center.

Reduce the diameter of the skinner blend cane until it is doubled in length. Use the Super Slicer to cut the cane into two equal pieces.

Pinch both halves of the cane into a triangle shape along the length.

Create four thin snakes of Navy, making them the length of the canes. Add a thin snake of Navy on both sides of the triangle. Use the Clay Conditioning Machine on the thinnest setting to roll out a sheet of the light purple clay. Lay the sheet over one of the canes and snakes. Use the Super Slicer to cut the excess on either side. Stack the other cane without the light purple layer on top of the cane with the light purple layer. Compress to form a triangle shape.

Reduce the new triangle cane to about 8” long. Use the Super Slicer to trim any distorted clay from the ends of the cane and cut the cane into two equal pieces. Place the canes, wide sides together to form a square.

Reduce the square cane to about 8” or 10” long. Use the Super Slicer to trim any distorted clay from the ends of the cane and cut the cane into four equal pieces. Arrange the square canes in a diamond shape with the cane pattern all going the same direction.

Compress the cane to make sure all the pieces are firmly stuck together. The cane at this stage should be about 1” square and several inches long. Allow it to rest.

Pierce both the top and bottom of the egg with the Needle Tool. Make sure the bottom hole is a slighter larger to make it easier get the contents of the egg out. Use the Needle Tool to stir up the contents of the eggs and break up the yolk. Use a straw or your mouth to blow the content from the top hole out through the bottom hole. Once you are sure all the contents are out of the egg, you can rinse it slightly with water. Make sure the blown eggshell is clean and dry on the inside. If necessary, place the shell in a warm oven for a few minutes.

Use the Clay Conditioning Machine on a medium thick setting to roll out a sheet of any scrap color of clay you may have. Make sure the sheet is long enough to wrap around the circumference of the egg and wide enough to cover the height of the egg .

Wrap the sheet around the middle widest section of the egg. Use the Super Slicer to trim the sheet where it meets itself. Gently stretch and smooth the clay sheet slightly to cover the egg completely. Use the Needle Tool to open the holes you previously pierced in the top and bottom of the egg. These will form air vents.

Bake the clay covered egg according to the directions above on a mound of fiberfill to avoid any flat spots. Allow to cool completely.

Using a pencil, draw a horizontal line around the widest part of the egg.

Use the Super Slicer to cut the cane into six thin even slices about 1/16” thick. Lightly press the cane slices around the middle section of the egg, making sure the corners of the cane touch. If necessary, stretch the cane slices slightly to make them meet around the egg.

Reduce the remaining cane slightly. Use the Super Slicer to cut twelve thin even slices about 1/16” thick. Arrange them in a row above and below the first row of cane slices. As you move around and towards the narrowing ends of the egg, the slices will need to be stretched into a narrower diamond shape.

Reduce the cane once more for the last rows at the top and bottom of the egg. These cane slices will need to be stretched into even more narrow diamond shapes.

Use the Acrylic Roller to roll across all the seams of the cane and blend them.

Roll the covered egg between two pieces of a sanding sponge to lightly texture the surface.

Bake again according to the directions above and allow to cool completely.

Blend a small amount of Spanish Olive with an equally small amount of Pearl to create the leaf color. Blend a pea-size ball of Candy Pink with the reserved Cream color from step 1 above to create the flower color.

Roll out thin snakes of the leaf green color for the flower stems. Use the Super Slicer to cute the stems to the length you like and slightly taper them at the ends. Lightly press the stems onto the egg in a cluster arrangement. Apply 4 or 5 stems to begin, more can be added later if necessary.

Make several more green snakes, about 1-2” long and taper them to a point. Flatten these slightly and press them onto the surface of the egg to form leaves. Using the Needle Tool, draw a vein line down the center length of each leaf.

Roll small balls of the pink clay about ¼” diameter. Flatten these on your work surface into long ovals. Starting from one end and working your way to the other, roll the clay up to create a small flower blossom. Press the flowers onto the egg at the top of each stem. Repeat this to create as many flowers as desired. Add additional leaves and stems if desired to make a pleasing flower arrangement on the egg.

Add small accents of purple flower clusters by rolling tiny balls of the light purple clay. Press the balls onto the surface in clusters of 3 or 4. Press the tip to the smallest Etch ‘N Pearl tool into the center of each ball to add detail.

Bake the egg one final time according the directions above and allow to cool completely.