Sculpey III® Colorful Llama 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 15 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.

Use an Acrylic Clay Roller or a pasta machine on the second thickest setting to make a sheet that is not more than 1/8” thick. Make sure the sheet is large enough to accommodate two of the llama cutter shapes.

Cut out two llama shapes. Flip one over so they are mirroring each other. Smooth the outside cut edges with fingertips.

Make tiny little rice shaped legs and mount to each llama in place.

Roll very thin ropes of Lemonade, Candy Pink, and Aqua. Start with a rope of Lemonade across the bottom. Lay the rope in place and then flatten gently with fingertips to make it attach to the background.

Repeat with Candy Pink.

Keep repeating stripes as shown until the llama background is covered. Add little ear shapes in Aqua and little tail shapes in Lemonade as shown.

Finally put a short rope between the ears on top of the head.

Use the Knife Shaped Tool to create a random pattern along each rope to make it look like the fringed paper on a piñata.

Repeat to make both earrings look like piñatas.

Use the Knife Tool to go around the outside edge of each llama to add more random texture so that the outside edges don’t look so smooth. Use the same tool to add details to the ears and texture the tail.

Poke a hole in the top with the Blunt Point Tool for jump ring connections.

Bake the llamas following the baking instructions for Sculpey III®.

Allow to cool completely before handling.

Here is the layout for the earrings.

Use flat nose pliers to open and close jump rings.

Repeat for both earrings. Here's a look at my finished earrings.