Sculpey Premo™ “New Neutrals” Swing 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 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; 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.

Sheet out about 1/2 block of the Premo Slate on the middle setting on your clay conditioning machine. Sheet a small amount of the White and Sunshine colors through the machine ONCE (it doesn’t need to be conditioned really). Then break off small irregular pieces and press them randomly onto the Slate sheet as shown.

Place the patty paper over the top of the sheet and use the Sculpey Acrylic Roller to roll those small pieces of clay into the conditioned sheet of Slate to create a trendy faux terrazzo look. FUN! (And imagine all the other color combinations you can use for this technique!)

Use the third from largest (1.5 inch) circle cutter to cut out one circle and then the next smallest (1.25 inch) cutter to cut out another circle. Set aside the remaining clay.

Cut each of the circles in half to create the feature parts of the two earrings. Set aside for now.

From a small sheet of the remaining Slate clay (sheeted on the same middle setting), but out two circles for the top of the earrings using the smallest (3/4 inch) cutter. Set aside.

Sheet out a small piece of the Sunshine clay on the same setting and use the circle cutter from the Sculpey Mini Cutters-Geometric to cut out two small circles for the bottom of the earrings. (Designer note: Did you know that the mini geometric cutters that match shapes with the larger nested cutter sets all fit as the smallest cutter in the nested sets? The circle, the oval, teardrop and square).

Here is a look at the completed design.

In order to place my holes perfectly, I lay the pieces onto a sheet of graph paper (these is actually an index card with graphing on it). Then I can see where to place my holes so that everything hangs perfectly. Bake the pieces according to the directions in Step 1 above. (For the record, I bake on sheets of cardboard cut off of my Amazon boxes. This piece of graphing paper was placed right on the cardboard and into the preheated oven.)

Mounting the post:
Flip over the top circle of clay and put a dot of the Sculpey Oven Bake Adhesive (formerly Bake n’ Bond) in the approximate location of the post. Gently press the post into the liquid clay. The liquid clay should well up around the edges of the post. NOTE: Actually any fairly thick color of Liquid Sculpey will work in place of the Oven Bake Adhesive!)

This is a fairly large post back, so I added an extra dot of the Oven Bake Adhesive to the post to flood the entire back of the post.

Bake all of the pieces according to the directions in Step 1 above. (For the record, I bake on sheets of cardboard cut off of my Amazon boxes. This piece of graphing paper was placed right on the cardboard and into the preheated oven.)

Here is a quick look at the baked and cooled post (with the post back on it to protect the post while I assemble the earring.

Assembling the earrings:
The first thing I like to do once the pieces have cooled is slide the post back on it to help protect the post.

Attach the pieces together using either oval or round jump rings as shown. (NOTE: these top pieces are for the final photography that looks better without the post in place.) Your new earrings, in the new Spring Pantone palette are ready to wear!