Sculpey® III Bug House

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 15 minutes per 1/4” (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. 

To create the body- Make a large dome shape about 5/8” wide.  Make a smaller dome shape about 3/8” wide for the head. Attach the head to the front of the body.

With the flat edge tool, score a line down the center of the body.

Create 8 small Blue dots. Press 3 on each side of the body. Press 2 onto the head to form the eyes.

Add tiny balls of yellow to the center of each eye. Use the pointed end of the tool to poke a hole into each eye.

• To create the body- Use Blue to make a long, narrow teardrop shape about 1 3/4” long. Make an oval about 1/2” long for the head. Attach the head to the body.
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• To create the wings- Make two Lime narrow teardrops about 1 1/4” long. Make two Just Orange narrow teardrops about 7/8” long. 
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• Lay the orange and green wing side by side and push them together so they attach to each other.
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• Press the tapered end of the wings under the body on each side
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• Make two Lemonade balls for the eyes. Press into the head and poke a hole into each one.

Create the twisted rope used for the bug bodies and the letters by making a log of each color.

Stack the colors 2 x 2.

Gently roll the bundle until its smooth.

Gently twist and roll the bundle until it becomes a twisted rope.

Keep twisting and rolling until the rope is as thin as you would like.

• Take a piece of the twisted rope and taper one end for a tail. 
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• Gently bend a hump in the middle.
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• Add tiny bits of Blue clay onto the head for eyes. Poke a hole into each eye.

• Make a Just Orange club shape about 7/8” for the head. 
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• Take a 3" long piece of the twisted rope and curl it up into a spiral.
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• Push the head onto the side of the spiral.
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• Make 2 small Lemonade balls and 2 smaller Blue balls for the eyes. Layer the Blue balls onto the yellow balls.
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• Poke a hole in each eye and poke a hole for a mouth.

• Form a blue arch shape about 4” long and 1/8” thick. Use the pointed end of the tool to gently etch the words you want to form in the sign for placement.
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• Roll thin snakes of Lemonade. Cut three lengths from the thin rope to make the letter "I".
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• To make a heart, shape two Just Orange teardrops. Put the teardrops side by side and flatten them to shape a heart.
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• To make striped letters, roll very thin pieces of the twisted rope. Cut off little lengths from the twisted rope and bend them to form letters.
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• Place the letters on your sign. Add a border around the outside of the sign if desired. 

Bake the sign and the bugs according to manufacturer's instructions. When cool, glue to the box with clear fast dry glue.

You can make your bugs out of any color combinations!