Sculpey Premo™ and Sculpey Soufflé™ Copper Sky Post Earrings

Step 1

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 (also called Curing):

Begin by preheating oven to 275 °F (130 °C). After you are done creating; for best results bake/cure clay on an oven-proof surface such metal, aluminum foil, an index card or the Sculpey® Clay Mat at 275°F (130 °C) for 30 minutes per 1/4" (6 mm) thickness according to package directions. Oven safe glass or ceramic surfaces are also acceptable for baking/curing; however please note that the baking/curing 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.

Step 2

Condition your clay as described above (or use a clay dedicated pasta machine). Roll the clays out to about 1/8-inch thickness with the provided clay roller.

Step 3

Cut length from each color that are about 1/8 inch wide and chop those lengths into small pieces. I prefer to chop a length up from one color, then the next color and mix them as I go. Start with chopping up about 4-5 length of each color.

NOTE: I prefer to chop my pieces right on the piece of patty paper I’m going to work on.

Step 4

Once you have a nice pile going, press the pieces together and flatten them slightly with your hand and check to see if they fit your 1.75 inch round cutter. (Of course, YOU can make these earrings to any size you wish!)

Step 5

If you need to add more pieces to your circle (and I did!), just add them to the sides of the rough circle and press them into the stack.

Press the pieces together tightly.

Step 6

Put another piece of patty paper (or plain paper) on top of the pieces and use a flat surface to press firmly down. (I am using a coffee tamper, but any smooth, firm item will do. How about the bottom of a sturdy water glass?

Press firmly because we want this patty to be less than 1/4-inch thickness when done.  

Step 7

Of course, you can peel the corner of your top paper up to look at the pressed patty – make sure that all the edge pieces are press in as well. The top of the patty should be smooth.

Want to add some more pieces to break up larger sections of color? I just added small squares to the places I want to add more color, put the paper back on and pressed again!

Step 8

Use your 1.75-inch cutter to cut out your pattern.

Designer Tip: I like to STAND UP to press on my cutters. I believe that it gives me a cleaner edge. I also use a small block of wood on top to press on to get a more even pressure.

Step 9

Cut your completed patty in half using the long clay blade in your tool kit. I like to use graphing paper to line up clay, find the center, then line the blade up. This way, I am assured that both halves will be evenly sized for my earrings.

Set the two halves aside for now.

Step 10

Roll out the rest of the remaining Copper clay, stacking two pieces together to get roughly the same thickness of your patty above.

Starting with your 1.75-inch circle cutter, position the next two smaller cutters evenly in this cutter as shown WITH THE CUTTING EDGE UP! We are NOT cutting, but using the cutters to create an indented pattern.

Step 11

GENTLY press evenly down on the cutters and remove them. You should have a wonderful pattern in your clay now!

Step 12

Flip the largest cutter to the cutting edge and finish cutting out the circle of clay, using the outside circle pattern as the edge to cut.

Step 13

Use the cutting edge of the smallest cutter you used to cut out the center as shown. Keep this smaller circle.

Split the larger circle in half to create two half circles of clay.

Split the smaller circle in half as well.

Step 14

Here is a look at my components ready to have the holes placed.

Step 15

Line the components for one earring up on the graphing paper, centering them both side-to-side and down a center line as shown.

Use your needle tool to create the holes. Once you have the holes, completed, gently turn each component over and insert the needle tool back through the hole again to make sure that the holes are clear and clean.

Repeat for the other set of earring components. Bake as directed in Step 1 above.

Step 16

Once the earring components have baked and cooled, assemble your hardware to create the final earrings. My earring on the right has my jump rings in place and is ready to have the post glued to the back.

Step 17

Here is a final look at my completed earrings.