Sculpey Soufflé™ Blended Curly Earrings

 Getting Started:

Please make sure your work area is covered and you are not working on an unprotected surface. We recommend working on the Sculpey® Oven
Safe Work Mat, wax paper, metal baking sheet, or disposable foil. Uncured
clay may damage unprotected furniture or finished surfaces. Be sure to
cover your crafting area appropriately.

Start with clean hands, unwrap and knead clay until soft and smooth, or condition by running clay though a Pasta Machine. We recommend using a designated machine for clay purposes only. When working with multiple colors, clean hands with soap and water or baby wipes (we have found that baby wipes work best) before switching colors. Shape clay, pressing pieces firmly together.  Wash hands
after use.

Baking:

Begin by preheating oven to 275 °F (130 °C). After you are done creating; for best results bake clay on an oven-proof surface such as metal, aluminum foil, an index card or the Sculpey® Oven Safe Work Mat at 275°F (130 °C) for 30 minutes per ¼" (6 mm) of thickness according to package directions. Oven safe glass or ceramic
surfaces are also acceptable for baking; however please note that the baking
times may take longer as the glass or ceramic surfaces take longer to heat up. For best baking results, use an oven thermometer. DO NOT USE MICROWAVE OVEN. DO NOT EXCEED THE ABOVE TEMPERATURE OR RECOMMENDED BAKING TIME.

Roll 1/4 bar of each color into a sheet 1/8” thick with either the Acrylic Clay Roller or a pasta machine on the thickest setting.

Slightly overlap the edge of one color over the other.

Roll with the roller or press through the pasta machine on the thickest setting to bind them together. Fold the sheet matching like color to like color and press or roll several more times to start seeing a blend in the middle of the sheet.

The sheet will naturally get wider with the pressure. In order to make it more narrow, so that we have all three colors - Thistle, Sedona, and the blend of the two - represented in the final shape, fold the solid colors inward toward the middle.

Gently roll or press the sheet again to make the sheet longer and more narrow and still be blended in the center. Make sure the sheet is wide enough to accommodate the shape of the cutter at least twice with the blended
area going down the center of the cut shape. Make sure the sheet is not too
thick or too thin compared to your cutter. My sheet is approximately 1/8” or a
little less so that the cutter will cut through on the outside edge and the
embossed lines will impress the clay without cutting through completely.

Turn the sheet 90 degrees on the work surface.

Burnish a sheet of plastic kitchen wrap on top of the clay.
Make sure its smooth with minimal bubbles. This will help the cutter release
from the clay and also create a nice bevel around the edge of the cutter shape.

Use the cutter to cut out two shapes from the clay right through the plastic wrap.

Carefully remove the plastic wrap from both the clay sheet and the circle shapes.

Use the Clay Blade to cut through one edge of the circles. I cut through the blended area on each so that my curls will go from one pure color, through the blend, to the other pure color.

Pick up one end of the circle with fingertips and gently grasp the other end with fingertips. Carefully twist each end away from each other until you like the curl that is made.

Bake the curls following the baking instructions for Soufflé™ Sculpey.

Allow to cool completely before handling.

Here is the layout for the earrings.

Glaze the earrings with Clear Glossy Glaze. Allow to dry completely.

Once dried, glue ear posts to the back and allow glue to dry completely.