Hearts

These pretty hearts are so simple to make, you’ll want to give one to everyone you love!

You can make them into jewelry by gluing on a pin back or earring backs after baking, or use white glue (like SOBO) to stick them in place onto gorgeous handmade Valentine’s Cards. Try decorating a picture frame or box with these as well!

They are made by rolling clay flat with a pasta roller or brayer, and using rubber stamps or other elements–like real lace, or textured place mats, even old jewelry or the design on the ends of silverware! These elements are used to press in texture.

You can then use small cutters found in craft or cooking stores and catalogues, or purchased through places like Amazon.com where they have sets of shape cutters in several sizes. Try using larger ones for pins, and smaller ones for earrings. Or, group several together!

Cut the clay as you would cookies, and then gently smooth any rough edges with your finger. For an easy beveled edge, place plastic wrap over the clay before cutting.Highlight raised areas of the designs on raw clay with Pearl-Ex powders. Or, mix powders or acrylic paints with Varathane to make a stain or faux-enamel that can be painted onto a baked and cooled piece, and then quickly wiped off of the raised areas, to leave the color or metallic in the recessed areas. (old tshirts are very useful for this, but get the old tshirt wearer’s permission first!)

You can also use metallic inks made for rubber stamps, and stamp designs onto the clay with less pressure for a smooth surface effect.

This can be done on raw or baked clay, but I prefer the results on raw clay. Bake all clays according to directions. When gluing jewelry findings, use a super glue such as Pic-Stic , E-6000 or other strong glue. (This part is for the grown-ups to do, but children do very well at the decorating!)

After baking, use Varathane as a sealer. This is particularly important if you are using powders, paints, glitters or metallic leaf.

Valentine Rosie, a polymer doll and graphic image