Polymer Clay Photo Frame Pin

Steps:

1. To make spiral shapes: Cut two 1-1/2-inch pieces of the silver wire. Using round-nose pliers, bend about 1/4-inch of wire at the end into a circle. With needle-nose pliers, manually continue the flat spiral until it is approximately 1/4 inch in diameter.

2. Take the end of the wire and bend down. This will be used to attach spiral to clay. Repeat this step with other piece of wire and set both pieces aside.

3. To make crystal dangles: String Black AB crystals onto 1/2-inch head pin. Form a loop. Repeat twice.

4. Onto a 1-inch eye pin, string a 3mm Smoke, 4mm Vitril, and a 3mm Smoke crystal. Trim excess. Leave enough wire to form a loop on the end. Repeat this step twice.

5. Onto a 1-inch eye pin, string a 4mm clear, 4mmVitril, and a clear crystal. Trim excess. Leave enough wire to form a loop on the end.

6. Use the round-nose pliers to bend the ends of the wires and form loops on them.

7. Use the long-nose pliers to open the jump rings and attach the Black AB dangles to the crystal dangles. Set two aside. Attach the third to the crystal dangle and set aside.

8. For the frame: Pre-condition all the clay thoroughly before using. Cut clay into thin slices and run it through the pasta machine until pliable.

9. Using the thickest setting on the pasta machine, roll out a sheet of black clay. Lay on the clay board. Using a sharp blade, cut two rectangles (1-1/2" x 2-1/2"). Place one aside to use as a backing.

10. Place the other rectangle on a piece of wax paper. Lightly spray the clay surface with automotive protectant fluid and spread it out with your fingers. Lay the clay onto the deeply etched rubber stamp and press down. Carefully peel off rectangle and make sure you have a deeply impressed pattern.

11. Place stamped clay onto the clay board. Place a ruler next to the rectangle. Using the measurements on the clay board, try to center the square cutter. Then punch out the first square at the 1-inch mark and the second at the 2-inch mark. Make sure to leave at least 3/8 inch of clay on each side of the rectangle.

12. Place this piece on top of the backing piece. Using a toothpick or pencil, make a small indention though the already removed squares. Make sure to mark each of the four corners to gently leave an impression on the bottom layer. This will become your template for placing the index prints.

13. Place the index photos on the pre-marked squares of the reserved backing piece and gently press them into place.

14. Place the top of the pin onto the backing and gently press into place. Using the blade, trim away any excess clay from edges. Be sure to leave at least 1/4 inch of clay at the bottom of pin. If clay does not stick, then brush a thin layer of Lisa Pavelka's high-temperature cyanoacrylate super-strength adhesive to adhere it.

15. Press silver stars, flat-back crystals, and decorative wire spirals onto the clay in a pleasing pattern.

16. Place ruler below bottom of the pin. Find the center of the pin and insert an eye pin. Place an eye pin 1/4 inch to the right and another 1/4 inch to the left of the center.

17. Place the ruler at the top of the pin. Find the center. Load a 4mm Vitril crystal followed by a 3mm Smoke AB crystal onto the 1-inch head pin. Using wire cutters, trim away excess and leave 1/4 inch of wire. Insert this pin at the center top of the pin.

18. Load a 4mm Vitril crystal onto a 1/2-inch head pin. Repeat this step once.

19. Insert one of the head pins 1/4 inch to the right of the center pin. Insert the other one 1/4 inch to the left.

20. Carefully turn pin over and lay onto a ceramic tile. Brush the pin back with the Lisa Pavelka's high-temperature cyanoacrylate super-strength adhesive to adhere it. Lay the open pin onto the clay and gently press down.

21. Brush a 1" x 1/2" piece of black clay with the Pavelka adhesive and carefully thread though the pin back. Then gently press the clay together with a clay shaper tool.

22. Leaving the pin on the ceramic tile, gently place it in the oven and bake at 275 F degrees (132 degrees C) for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

23. Pull out each eye pin and apply the cyanoacrylate super-strength adhesive to adhere it. Repeat this process with the head pins. Allow to dry before proceeding to next step.

24. Assemble the pin by attaching the three finished wire pieces to the pin with the extra large silver jump rings. Be sure to place the longest piece in the center.