Holiday Photo Ornaments

Use different colored polymer clay to make a customized ornament perfect for any holiday, from AMACO!

Materials:

• FIMO® Soft Polymer Clay —
• Christmas Ornament:
  
  • Silver (#81)
  • Metallic Red (#202)
  • Tropical Green (#53)
• Chanukah Ornament:
  
  • Metallic Gold (#112)
  • Brilliant Blue (#33)
  • White (#0)
• Kwanza Ornament:
  • Black (#9)
  • Indian Red (#24)
  • Emerald (#56)
• AMACO® Pasta Machine
• AMACO® PolyBlade
• AMACO® Needle Tool
• Teardrop Leaf Cutters (from Kemper Tool) K46: 1 3/4", 1 3/8", and 1"
• 1 3/4" Circle Cookie Cutter (from Ateco)
• X-Acto Type Craft Knife
• Small, Round Coffee Straw
• 8" x 8" (or larger) Ceramic Tile
• Wax Paper
• Oven Optional:
• Ball Tip Stylus
• FIMO® Gloss Lacquer

Steps:

1. Condition each color (starting from lightest to darkest) by rolling through the largest setting of the pasta machine a few times. Make sheets of all three colors by rolling through the third largest setting of the machine.
    
2. Cut out six teardrop shapes using the largest Kemper Tool Leaf Cutter. To make your own cutting templates, draw teardrops and circle shapes onto a piece of waxed paper or deli wrap and cut out with scissors. Use these templates to place over the clay and cut around with your craft knife.
   
   Tip: It’s helpful to place the flattened clay on a deli sheet or waxed paper when cutting out the shapes. This makes it easy to lift the shape from the paper backing after cutting without stretching and distorting the clay.
    
3. Repeat Step 2 to create six medium and six small teardrops from the remaining two colors. If desired, texture can be added to one or more petals.
   
   Tips for Adding Texture: Create a crepe paper effect by dragging the needle tool vertically along the clay across the entire surface width.
   Make tiny indentations over the surface of the clay using a ball tip stylus.
   It’s easiest to get a clean, overall appearance by texturing the clay sheets before cutting out the teardrop shapes.
    
4. Once all 18 teardrops have been cut, stack them from largest to smallest, leaving approximately 1/4" of clay exposed from under the edges of the clay placed on top.
    
5. Roll up the outer edges of the largest teardrop inwards and lightly press together to form a fluted end.
    
6. Position the six layered teardrops into a circle on your ceramic tile. The largest teardrop edges should touch, but not overlap. Once these are evenly spaced, cut out the center using the circle cookie cutter or paper template and remove the excess clay.
    
7. Roll a 1/8" diameter snake of clay using the same color as the outer teardrop. Gently press the snake against the inside edge of the frame opening. Trim away excess clay. Decorate and secure the snake by pressing vertical or angled lines every eighth of an inch, using the needle tool.
    
8. Roll six 3/8" diameter balls of clay using the same color as the smallest teardrop. Press a ball over the outer tip of each teardrop, slightly flattening with your finger. Make a hole with a small coffee straw in one of the circle ends. Bake the ornament on the ceramic tile for 30 minutes at 265ºF (130°C). When cool, gently slide the PolyBlade underneath to remove it from tile. Tape a picture on the back and add a ribbon.
   
   Variations
   Add FIMO® Gloss Lacquer to one or more petals after baking.
   Instead of making a hang hole, glue a magnet to the back after baking to display on the fridge or attach to a holiday card to create a gift within a greeting!
    

 Read the 19 personalized ornament ideas for some great gifts.