Jack in the Box

This colorful clay Jack in the Box will make a great addition to any child's room, from AMACO.

Materials:

• AMACO® Fun Wire™ — 2" Clear/Silver 18 gauge 12" Pearlized Gold 24 Gauge
• AMACO® PolyRoller™ or Pasta Machine
• FIMO® Soft Polymer Clay—
  • 1 each of:
  • Transparent Yellow (#104)
  • Transparent Blue (#374)
  • Transparent Green (#504)
  • Fluorescent Pink (#201)
  • Transparent Red (#204)
  • Transparent Orange (#404)
  • White (#0)
  • Black (#9)
• Two 3 mm Black Beads
• One 6 mm Black Bead
• Star Cutter
• Wooden Alphabet Block
• Nail (21/2" Long)
• Aluminum Foil
• Wood Skewer
• E-6000 Glue
• Baking Sheet
• Baking Parchment (optional)
• Round Toothpick
• Hammer
• Knife
• Wire Cutters
• Oven

Steps:

         Box

1. Hammer nail part way into wooden block. Smoothly wrap entire block with aluminum foil. Cut an additional strip of foil and wrap around the four sides of the block. This allows the block to slip out of clay “box” after baking.
    
2. Condition all colors of clay until soft and pliable. Roll out Transparent Yellow FIMO® Soft until 1/8" thick. With nail at top, shape Transparent Yellow sheet around and under block. Trim excess and smooth edges. Add an additional square of Transparent Yellow sheet to top back edge of box for lid and smooth into place. This square should be the same size as one of the box sides.
    
3. Roll and twist 1/8" diameter coils of various clay colors to trim edges of box. For flowers, roll five 1/4" balls of Fluorescent Pink FIMO® Soft. Flatten into teardrop shape for petals. Add smaller teardrops of Transparent Red to center of pink petals. Arrange on box as shown in photo. Place a small ball of Transparent Yellow to flower center. Add Transparent Green stem and leaves as shown. Decorate all sides of box with flowers or stars. Prop lid to support while baking.
    
4. Bake in home oven preheated to 265°F, 130°C for 30 minutes on a baking sheet. When cool, pull wooden block out by nail. Remove strip of foil from inside of clay box.
   
   Body
   
   
5. Roll three 1/2" diameter balls of clay from Transparent Blue, Transparent Yellow, and Transparent Green FIMO® Soft. Flatten to 1/4" thick. Stack alternating colors to form body. Wrap Pearlized Gold Fun Wire™ tightly around wooden skewer to form “spring”. Lay spring between second and third layers. Insert wooden toothpick at neck, leaving 1" protruding. Form additional petals (see step 3) from 3/8" balls of Fluorescent Pink FIMO® Soft and smaller teardrops of Transparent Red for collar and arrange around toothpick. Add stars for buttons.
   
   Head
   
   
6. Roll 3/4" ball with White FIMO® Soft. Using small bits of clay in different colors, create the mouth, nose, and eye “patches”. Insert two small black beads for eyes. Make eyebrows with two tiny coils of Black FIMO® Soft. Push head down onto toothpick.
   
   Miscellaneous
    
7. For hair, cut thin strands from Transparent Orange FIMO® Soft and twist. Arrange in loops around face. To make hat, flatten Transparent Blue FIMO® Soft into a 3" circle, approximately 1/16" thick. Gather edges and fold under. Position on head and press into place. Decorate hat with another Pink and Red flower.
    
8. Form little mittens for hands with White FIMO® Soft and insert spring wire ends into them. Leave mittens on wire during baking.
    
9. Prop lid again for second bake. Place body into box and press down firmly against bottom (see photo). Place on baking sheet along with mittens. Bake in an oven preheated to 265°F, 130°C for 30 minutes. When cool, form crank with Clear/Silver Fun Wire™ and glue to side of box. Wait 24 hours then glue bead onto crank. NOTE: If body did not adhere to bottom of box during baking, attach with glue.