Souffle Faux Wood Transfer Bracelet

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® Work ‘n Bake Clay 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 ¼" (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. I've attached the b/w transfer image below as well as what the original 3x3 photo looked like.

Roll out some scrap clay on the widest setting on your pasta machine (#1 on mine). The clay only needs to be about 2-1/2 inches (64mm) wide and at least 10 inches (254mm) long. Roll out your cover color (Latte) on the #4 or thinner layer that is slightly larger than the scrap piece.

Gelli plate:If you opt to do the Gelli plate, remove the protective cover on the plate and use a VERY small amount of the Rust colored paint to swirl on the plate. (wood-2.jpg) LESS IS MORE! You can always add more paint to the clay sheet, but it’s difficult to remove once it’s on the clay.

Immediately, place the center of your clay sheet face down on the plate and gently press with your hand (don’t rub) . Remove the clay, clean the plate with a baby wipe and repeat the paint and press for the other two ends of the sheet

Always clean the Gelli plate immediately with the baby wipe! Allow the Rust paint layer to dry briefly before repeating the process using the White paint. I like to print the middle first, but you can choose to do it in any order you wish. Sometimes you can quickly print twice before cleaning/adding more paint.Set the printed strip of clay aside to dry for a few minutes.

Adding the Transfer:Select your transfer and make sure that you have enough clay surface for the entire transfer. Trim the edges of the transfer to leave a small amount of selvage around the image.

Place the transfer face down on the clay and apply a small amount of clean hand sanitizer on the entire sheet of paper, covering the paper as quickly as possible to prevent wrinkles.

I like to use one of these silicone brushes to wipe back and forth across the transfer to help remove bubbles and excess sanitizer.

When the paper starts to look more opaque and starting to dry, repeat the process again adding sanitizer and wiping the surface. Wait about 30 seconds and slowly peel up the edge of the transfer. If the majority of the image has transferred to the clay, continue to slowly remove the paper. If the image hasn’t transferred, place the paper back down and reapply a little more sanitizer and wait another minute or so

Ta DAA! Admire your work! The ink from the transfer will be dry almost immediately on Souffle, but let’s let it sit a few minutes while we create the base on the bracelet blank.

The Bracelet Base:Place the bracelet blank on the edge of the scrap clay and trim to the edge of the bracelet. Roll the blank and wrap the clay around the blank. Trim the opposite edge.

Slide your blade along the edge of the blank to trim the excess clay from the blank. Repeat on the other side.

Cut a small strip of clay from the remaining piece of scrap clay that is about ½ inch (13mm) wide and the length of the blank. Lay this strip right down the center of the blank.

Use both of your thumbs to gently press the edges of this strip down to form a curve. This does NOT have to be perfectly even and smooth! Otherwise, I would have never been able to make even ONE of these bracelets! Lol

Roll the remaining scrap clay through the pasta machine on the #4 setting to create another strip of clay about the same size as the original. Place this clay over the blank and wrap the excess clay to the INSIDE of the blank as shown.

Now use the Exacto blade to trim the clay to the INSIDE edges of the blank (not the OUTSIDE edges as we did before).

Wrap the excess clay at the ends of the blank down into the center of the blank and just pull to remove the excess clay. Then you can use your blade to neaten it up. THERE SHOULD BE NO CLAY ON THE INSIDE OF THE BLANK!

Applying the transfer to the bracelet:Carefully line the transfer up with the covered blank making sure that the pattern stays straight and there is transfer on both edges of the blank. Wrap the edges of the transfer sheet to the inside like we did with the final layer of scrap.Use the Exacto blade to carefully slice away the clay by sliding the blade along the INSIDE of the blank. NOTE: I find it easier to start in the middle of the bracelet and slice to each side. See how the clay on each edge is wrapped to the inside? Carefully pull it off and you may been to tuck each corner and tug it off as well. Use your blade to clean up the inside of the blank.

Bake the clay according to the directions in Step 1.

Finishing the bracelet:Once the clay has cured and cooled, just pop the clay off the blank. See that messy part inside the bracelet? I like to roll out the rest of the transferred clay on the #5 setting (very thin).

Apply a little bit of the TLS or Bake n’ Bond with your finger to the inside of the bracelet. Lay the thin sheet of clay on the inside and press into place. Use the Exacto blade to carefully cut around the OUTSIDE edge of the bracelet to trim the excess clay away.

Use your thumb to smooth this layer of clay into the edge of the transferred clay and rub off any excess clay. This will give a much more natural and smooth edge than trimming it

Bake the bracelet again as directed above.Once the bracelet has cured and cooled, you can apply a thin layer of Sculpey Satin or Gloss Glaze. (NOTE: I dip my glazing brush into water, then just the tip of it into the glaze before applying to the clay. This gives a nice THIN layer of glaze without brushmarks!) For an even deeper, shinier finish, apply a thin coat of Sculpey Liquid Clay Clear to the cured clay with your finger. Use a small pair of kitchen tongs (with silicone tips) to hold one edge of the bracelet (hold it by the short edges) and use a dual speed heat gun on the top setting- moving it constantly across the surface of the bracelet and about 8 inches above the bracelet. There will be a little puff of steam and then you will see the clay gloss over. Once the portion of the bracelet has cooled, repeat for the small portion that the tongs were holding.

Syn’s tips:Transfers: Yes, it MUST be a laser print! Many copiers work like a laser printer. Yes, the sanitizer must be clear and different brands work differently. (I like Purell) Take a small piece of clay and sanitizer with you to the copier place and test a piece with ONE print before printing a bunch of transfers.I use Hammermill Copy Plus or Inkjet paper because I know that this paper isn’t recycled paper. The recycled papers often have a very thin layer of plastic between the paper fiber. This plastic layer prevents the sanitizer from transferring the ink.If the bracelet blank is too small for your wrist, extend the clay past the ends of the bracelet slightly. If the bracelet to too large after baking, add a thicker layer on the INSIDE of the bracelet.