Ladybug Clay Pot Friend

Every flower needs a friend, and with this Ladybug Clay Pot Friend, you can make one yourself. Becky Meverden has designed a cute clay companion that you can hang on a flower pot. Between his sweet smile and adorable spring legs, this ladybug craft is sure to delight anyone who visits your garden. Plus, you'll have a blast putting the spots on his wings. Give flower pots and these little guys to family members and friends with green thumbs.

Materials:

• 2 oz. blocks Premo! Sculpey
• 5042 black
• 5382 cadmium red
• 5001 white
• 5572 cadmium yellow
• 5033 orange
• 24-gauge black Fun Wire
• 2 black seed beads
• "Let It Bloom" flexible push mold
• 3" clay pot
• 1-1/2" heart cookie cutter reserved for clay use only
• 7/16" Kemper circle cutter
• Pasta maker for clay only or acrylic roller
• E6000 glue
• Toothpick
• Straight pin
• Paint brush

Instructions:

1. Condition polymer clay according to manufacturer's instructions.
    
2. For the flowers, using the push mold, press a ball of orange clay into the center of the flower mold until it is just even with the petals. Press a ball of yellow clay into the center of the flower, covering the orange. Press from the center out, filling in all the petals. Pop out flower. Make 11 to 13 of these flowers. Bake and set aside.
    
3. For the ladybug's body, roll a 7/8" ball of black into a pear shape. Press a straight pin halfway into the top of her body.
   
   
    
4. For the arms, roll two 3/8" balls of black into 1" tapered logs. Press onto both sides of body.
    
5. For the legs, cut two 3" lengths of the black wire. Wrap each wire around the paintbrush to coil.
   
   
    
6. For the feet, roll two 1/4" balls of black into ovals and flatten slightly. Press one end of the coiled wire into each foot, and press each leg into the bottom of the body.
    
7. For the head, roll a 5/8" ball of black. Roll a 1/4" ball of white and flatten it to a 7/16" circle for her face. Press it onto her head. For the eyes, press two black seed beads into the face. Use a toothpick to make two squint lines in each eye. For the nose, roll a 1/8" ball of red into an oval and press it onto her face. For the mouth, press half of a circle cutter into the face under the nose. You can also use a toothpick or your fingernail to draw the mouth.
   
   
    
8. For antennae, cut two 1/2" lengths of black wire and press into the top of the head. Roll two 1/8" balls of black and press them onto the top of each wire.
   
   
    
9. Press the head onto the top of the body.
    
10. For the wings, roll a sheet of red through the pasta machine at the thickest setting (#1), then thinner (#3) and thinner still (#5). If using a roller, roll until 1/32" thick. Use a heart cookie cutter to cut out a heart.
    
    
     
11. For the spots, roll 10 to 14 balls of black. Flatten slightly and press randomly all over the heart wings.
     
12. Place the ladybug on the pot in position. Press her wings upside down onto the back of the ladybug so that the tip of the heart is pointed toward her head.
     
13. Put the clay pot on its side with the ladybug on top and bake it according to the manufacturer's directions. Let cool.
     
14. Glue the ladybug to the pot and glue flowers randomly all over the pot.