Polymer Clay Plant Hanger

Figure B

Steps:

1. Condition Premo and Sculpey clay. (The terra cotta Sculpey is soft and requires very little conditioning.) Mix the two colors together completely and form a 3/4" ball of clay.

2. Push a 10" piece of wire (or the knitting needle) through the center of the ball. Roll the ball so it turns into a snake that extends out the length of the wire, with the wire in the center.

3. Once the snake is completed, gently roll it over the texture sheet. Then use a rolling motion, cut the snake into 5/8" to 3/4" beads (leaving it on the wire center) using a tissue blade to form the tube beads.

4. Repeat the above steps to make a total of 54 beads. Bake the beads on the wire for 20 minutes at 275 F degrees.

Figure D

5. In a small dish, mix a small dab of blue oil paint into a tablespoon of translucent liquid polymer clay. Mix thoroughly with a skewer. Using your fingers or a soft brush, spread the blue liquid clay over the beads on the wires. Allow the liquid to flow into the recesses in the texture and wipe excess off with a paper towel.

6. Once all of the beads have been glazed, bake again (still on the wires) for 10 minutes at 275 F degrees.

Figure E

7. To make the decorative bead for the top of the hanger, roll a 3/4" ball of clay over a 1/4" dowel covered in aluminum foil (a craft knife or leather stamp handle works well also).

Figure G

8. Roll bead to 1-1/4" in length and decorate the sides using the two leather stamps.

Figure H

9. Cut a slit the length of the bead with the tissue knife and then bake for 15 minutes at 275 F degrees. Glaze the bead and rebake as in step 4.

10. For the three decorative beads, make three 5/8" balls of clay and press them onto the piece of wire or knitting needle. Decorate each of the beads with the two leather stamps and bake on the wire for 20 minutes at 275 F degrees. Glaze the beads and rebake as described above.

11. Now you are ready to string the beads onto the planter hanger. Use a pre-purchased hanger or make one by cutting three pieces of approx. 2 feet of garden wire. Holding the three pieces together, fold over a 1" loop or 2" hook at the top, and then twist the six pieces together under the loop or hook.

12. Cover the wire twist at the top of the hanger with the top decorated bead. The slit in the side of the bead will make it easier to slide on.

Figure J

13. Starting on one leg of the hanger, string beads on in the following order: 6mm glass bead, three polymer clay tube beads, one 14mm glass bead, three tubes, one 14mm glass, three tubes, one 6mm glass, one decorative clay bead, one 6mm glass, three tubes, one 14mm glass, three tubes, one 14mm glass, three tubes, one 6mm glass. Repeat the same pattern on all three legs.

14. Bend a 1" hook at the base of each leg. Clip off any excess wire. Hook each leg hook through each of the three holes in the plant pot.