Sculpey Bake Shop Light™ Sea Bracelet
Sculpey Bake Shop Light™ Sea Bracelet
Designed by Syndee Holt
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I've lived by the beach all my life and one of the things I love the most are the colors. Our water is a deep green with swirls of light blue and pearly white against the blue of the sky. I was digging around in the studio the other day and came across my box of Sculpey Bake Shop Light™ clays. I though to myself, “Oh there is a BIG bracelet in this box!” Sculpey Bake Shop Light™ is an extremely light and durable clay – perfect for a larger bracelet. Now I'm in love with several of the colors, including this Blue.
ADDITIONAL SUPPLIES
- Small smooth tile
- Bracelet blanks
- Small container with water
Project Instructions
Your workspace:
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.
Getting Started:
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.
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.
Getting Started:
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.
Pull or cut off a large piece of the Blue clay and roll in your hands to warm up and condition the clay. Create a cylinder of clay about 3/4 inch wide by 7 inches (you can measure it against the bracelet blank). NOTE: The length can be and inch or so shorter than the blank, the clay will stretch when you work on it.
When you have created a smooth cylinder with little or no seaming, place it on your paper work surface. Use your fingers to start smoothing down the cylinder and creating uneven edges. Keep the clay thicker in the middle of the clay strip. You will notice that the clay also gets longer as you smooth it. you can remeasure against the bracelet blank and trim as many times as needed. You can also place your hands at both ends and kind of push the two ends towards each other to shorten the bracelet and add some extra shaping to the edges of the bracelet. NOTE: if you have a larger wrist, you can extend the clay past the ends of the blank.
Once you have a pleasing shape, set the bracelet aside and mix the clays. Mix ½ balls of each one to start, mixing both the Turquoise and the Spanish Olive about 1:1 with the Pearl. Pinch off part of the mixed ball (of your favorite color) and roll into a thin snake of clay about 1/16 inch in diameter and only about 3 inches long. NOTE: The artist chose to hand roll these cylinders instead of using an extruder to make the piece look more organic, but the extruder could be used to make the snakes. Make a double coil (coils at each end facing opposite directions) and place it in the center of the bottom side of the bracelet clay cuff. In this photo, a Blue double coil was added first and then the Green coil.
Roll out a small piece of the Pearl clay on the widest setting on the Clay Conditioning Machine and place this sheet on the small smooth tile. Dip the “cup” end of the Etch and Pearl tool in a small container of water (plastic water caps are perfect for this job!) and firmly punch through the clay to create the “pearl”. If all goes well, you can punch several, then peel up the sheet of clay and the pearls will remain on the tile for you convenience. Use these pearls to fill gaps in the patterns, and create a bubble effect. Use the edge of the Super Slicer to pick up the pearls and place them into the design.
Continue working to one side and then the other side of the bracelet adding coils and bubbles to the pattern. Make sure to leave some of the beautiful blue Pluffy showing! One you have the one side complete, gently pick up the clay and measure it AGAIN on the bracelet blank to ensure that it hasn't grown on you! Turn the bracelet around and begin on the other side in the same fashion described above.
When the bracelet is complete on both sides, gently wrap it around the bracelet blank and press gently to adhere it to the blank. NOTE: Two bracelet blanks can use used to fully support the design.
Since the clay has uneven edges, it is advisable to support the clay when it's baking. You can balance it on an oven proof glass (shown) or nest it in polyester fiber fill. The second bracelet was baked just by setting it on a sheet of paper in the oven (with one of the bracelet blanks at the bottom edge of the bracelet) and it baked just fine! Bake as directed above in Step 1.
