Sculpey Premo™ "Midnight" Mosiac Votive

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 both bars of the Navy Premo through the Clay Conditioning Machine on the thickest setting. Cover one half of the Navy Premo with a sheet of silver composite leaf. Set the remainder of the Navy sheet aside for Step 5

Sheet the Navy/leaf piece through the Clay Conditioning Machine to the second thickest setting. The leaf will crackle slightly as the clay stretches.

Spread a piece of barrier paper out on your work surface. Cut out as many of the large hexagon shapes as you can from the Navy/leaf clay. Position the hexagon cutter along one edge of the clay. Press down hard on the cutter with your hands cutting all the way through the clay. Wiggle the cutter a little when it has cut all the way through the clay to help the clay release from the cutter edges. Place the cut hexagons on the barrier paper so that they are easily moved out of your way when necessary. Repeat cutting as many pieces as possible and place them on the barrier paper. Having partial hexagons will come in handy for the edges of the votive, so cut these from the scraps as well. Set the Navy/leaf hexagons aside for now.

Sheet Slate and Frost White Glitter through the Clay Conditioning Machine on the thickest setting. You should have a piece of Navy Premo from Step 1 and a sheet each of Slate and Frost White Glitter all the same thickness

If you have some scraps of the Navy/leaf, sheet it through the Clay Conditioning Machine on the thickest setting as well

Layer the three solid color clay pieces and the Navy/leaf piece in a pile. Roll over the pile with the Acrylic Clay Roller to thin it and press out air bubbles.

Sheet the pile of colors through the Clay Conditioning Machine on the thickest setting. Roll the clays up into a jelly roll style log.

Roll the log gently on your work surface to smooth the outside

Twist the log and roll it again to smooth it.

Fold the log in half, twist, and roll it some more. Fold, twist and roll once more

Slice the log open with the Super Slicer. This will produce two thick halves of marbled clays. This is a good way to marble a large amount of clay all at once

Sheet each half through the Clay Conditioning Machine on the thickest setting. [

Fold one sheet with the solid side folded inside, and sheet again to help the colors blur a bit. You can repeat folding the sheet and pressing it through the Clay Conditioning Machine to make the colors blend to your liking. But don’t blend them so much that you can’t see lines of color anymore. When you are happy with your colors, sheet the clay without folding it one more time on the second thickest setting. Repeat the entire process with the other marbled sheet.

Cut out as many large hexagon shapes as you can from the marbled sheets. Place them on barrier paper so that you can move them freely. Partial hexagon shapes will come in handy for filling in along the edges, so cut those out too.

Place a starter row of hexagons from the bottom to the top of the glass votive. Do not leave any gaps between them.

Continue adding hexagons snugly in rows alongside the initial row. Mix the silver leaf pieces in with the marbled pieces randomly. Turn the marbled pieces so they do not create a row of stripes. Allow pieces to extend past the top and the bottom edges to be trimmed later.

When the hexagons have reached all the way around the votive, you may have an area to be filled in where the hexagons need to be trimmed to fit. Take your time and trim pieces to fit with the clay blade As long as you keep the cuts very straight and angular the pieces will blend right in to the finished look.

Make sure all the little partial spaces are filled along the top and bottom edges. Roll the votive very carefully on the work surface to help all the pieces smooth into each other and any possible gaps are closed

Fold the excess pieces over the bottom edges

Trim the excess clay from the bottom of the votive. Trim the excess clay along the top edge of the votive. Make sure clay does not go over the edge of the glass where it can be exposed to the candle flame.

Bake the votive following the baking instructions for Premo. Allow to cool completely before handling.