Polymer Clay Recipe Box

Materials

Kato Polyclay: 2 blocks red, 1/2 black, 1-1/2 white
Suze Wineberg's Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel
Kato Marxit
Kato clay roller
Kato clay blade
craft knife
ceramic tile
acrylic recipe box
pasta machine dedicated to clay
two-part epoxy
cotton swab
ruler
dried chili peppers
dried bay leaves
pressed parsley
carrot stem leaves

1. Condition all clays thoroughly before use.

2. Roll one block of white and one block of red clay through the thickest setting of the pasta machine to create sheets.

3. Stack the sheets on top of each other. Slice exactly in half and stack on top of each other again (figure A).

4. Repeat once more until you have created a striped cane with four red and four white alternating layers (figure B).

5. Place cane with color stripes horizontal. Using the 1/4-inch side of the Marxit, lightly press into clay leaving marked impression (figure C).

6. On each marked impression, slice entirely through the cane using clay blade (figure D). Place each striped slice up against the other, flipping every other one (figure E) to create a checkerboard cane (figure F). Set aside.

7. Roll a half block of white clay through the pasta machine on the third thickest setting. Cut thin slices of the checkerboard cane and lay against one another over the entire sheet of white clay, like tiles (figure G). Use the clay roller to smooth clay (figure H).

8. Use a ruler to measure two rectangles, approximately 1/2 inch smaller in height and width than both the top and the sides of your acrylic box.

9. Press in bay leaves, carrot stems and parsley (figure I). Smear a dab of white craft glue on the back of the leaves using a cotton swab. Adhere the leaves to the clay. Glue the chili peppers to the clay the same way.

10. Roll a long, thin snake using black clay approximately 1/8 inch in diameter. Write the word "RECIPES" across the larger (front) piece (figure J).

11. Roll a thin snake of red clay approximately 1/4 inch in diameter and wrap it around the edges of both pieces (figure K). Smooth the seam. This will frame the pieces and create a dam.

12. Pour the embossing enamel over the entire surface of each piece (figure L). Using a paintbrush, brush off the excess granules on the word RECIPES and the outer red frame.

13. Bake at 270 F degrees for 20 minutes. Allow to cool completely.

14. Glue both pieces to the box with two-part Epoxy. Let dry.