Happy Valentines Day

For all of you crafty moms out there!!


Valentine's Heart Necklace!
Things you will need:Clay Acrylic PaintKnitting NeedleRibbon (or necklace cord)ToothpickClear Nail PolishHeart Cookie Cutter

I use a combination of Sculpy clay, and fimo for most of my clay projects. I work the Sculpy clay so it is soft... then take some of the Fimo clay for the color... and mix the two clays together. This way I don't have to paint my beads (except for any detail paintings I want to add). After you have worked the clay, roll it out (I use my hands for this) Once it is the thickness I want, I use a small heart cookie cutter to cut out the shape for the bead.

If you don't have a heart cookie cutter... you can mold the heart shape using your hands... or use a kitchen knife (ask parents first IF you can use a knife with this clay) and cut out the shape of the heart. You can either set your heart side-ways or straight.... both ways look nice. You will also want to make other beads to go on your necklace... make some round ones (roll the clay in the palm of your hand) or long beads... just have fun with the shapes!

Take a knitting needle and make the hole in heart (and the other beads you made too). I like using the metal knitting needle because it has a dull end with a nice smooth surface (which won't grab the clay as you push it through). Once the hole is made... set the beads on a cookie sheet (use an old one) and bake in the oven until hard. 300 degrees for about 30 minutes. (check the beads after 20 minutes to make sure they are not too well done. If they are starting to turn a brownish color... take them out! It is better to bake at a lower temp for a longer period of time.)


Once the beads are baked... let them cool (this takes about 1/2 hours) If you did not use the Fimo Clay for color... you can paint the entire bead. You can paint anything you want on your beads... lines, flowers... dots look very nice! Dots are easy to paint on your heart bead... take a little piece of waxed paper, and put some acrylic paint on the wax paper... then dab your toothpick into the paint.... then put the dots on your bead.
After you are all done painting the beads... you can spray them with acrylic spray... or use a clear nail polish (this is what I use) to cover the beads to give them a nice shine. When this is coating is dry... you can put your beads on ribbon, or necklace cord. Beautiful!
Another Idea... Use the heart shapes to make magnets! Instead of putting a hole in the beads... glue a piece of magnet strip on the back of the bead!