I don’t know about your Pinterest board, but my feed is full of the latest and trendiest accessories—polymer clay earrings. These earrings are spunky, artsy, bold yet chic and recreatable in your own home. I’m always looking to create my own version of something or pick up a new hobby, so here it is! I came home to my package from Michael’s after a long day at work and I couldn’t contain my excitement, so I test-trialled one pair.
Follow along at my second attempt of creating polymer clay earrings!
Materials:
- Polymer clay
- X-acto knife
- Toothpick
- Saran wrap
- Tin foil
- A rolling pin (or something similar)
- A baking sheet
- Small needle-nose pliers
- 7mm jump rings
- Metal earring backs
- Flat post earrings
- E-6000 Jewelry & Bead Adhesive
- Mini cookie cutters (or random things to make shapes)
- Glass jars
1. Preheat the oven. For the clay I ordered, Michael’s Craft Smart Polymer Clay; I set the oven to 230 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Place the tin foil on your baking sheet. This is where you will be rolling out and baking the clay.
3. Wrap the Saran Wrap either around the rolling pin or place it on top of the clay—if you also use this rolling pin for cooking food.
4. Using a small chunk of your clay, start to warm it up in your hands by continuously folding it over.
5. Roll it into a ball and then roll it out with your rolling pin. The thickness is up to you! (Pro tip: place stacked popsicle sticks on either side of the clay to ensure its depth is evened.)
6. Add additional colors with the same technique, just in smaller sections. Gently roll again to combine.
7. Cut out your desired shape with a cookie cutter. Or, if you’re cheap—like me—use a perfume bottle cap, a lip balm top or anything else you find laying around!
8. Use the X-acto knife to get a cleaner cut, but smooth out the edges with your finger before baking.
9. Use a toothpick to make a hole in each piece for the jump rings to go through after baking.
10. My clay calls for 30 minutes in the oven, but the first time I did it they still seemed a bit soft. I found a tip to make a little tent with aluminum foil around the pieces to help the heat circulate better.
11. Once the pieces are cooked and cooled, use the pliers to open the jump rings and place through the hole in the earring. Make sure each jump ring is securely closed.
12. With the E-6000 adhesive, place just a dab onto the back of the earring and top it off with a flat post. Let it dry for a minute or so, and don’t get this on your hands! (Pro tip: Krazy Glue is NOT strong enough… lesson learned.)
13. Grab an earring back and put those babies on! Strut your stuff, girl!
14. For storage: Polymer clay won’t go dry if left out, but I placed mine in glass mason jars. Make sure you do your research about which plastic containers are safe to store polymer clay in; some plastics will react with the clay and ruin it over time. I decided to play it safe and keep mine in glass jars that are serving no other purpose right now!
Create earrings specific to the holidays for yourself to flash during a family get-together or even package them pretty for a stocking stuffer. Don’t be afraid to take inspiration from a social media influencer or from Pinterest. I have confidence that you’ll be able to create your own unique design. Be bold and have fun!