Polymer Clay Holiday Post Cards

Materials

green, pearl, red, blue Kato Polyclay
Kato clay roller
Kato NuBlade
deck of playing cards
gold and silver leaf
evergreen Color Box pigment ink
white, black Color Box Crafter's Ink
gold paint pen
small star cutter or craft knife
patterned rubber stamp(s)
gold rub-on cream

Steps:

Before you begin, condition clay thoroughly with a pasta machine, or cut cubes of clay about 3/4-inch square and pinch and knead. Roll into a snake, fold and roll more. Continue kneading and rolling until clay is soft and pliable and no longer cracks when twisted.

1. Condition blue clay to about the thickness of eight cards (figure A).

2. Apply silver leaf and stretch crack per label instructions (figure B).

3. Cut out two six-pointed stars. There is a pattern in figure C.

4. Using texture/graphic stamps, impress the image into the stars.

5. Position torn, silver-leafed clay and stars (figure D).

6. Stamp a message with white Crafter's Ink (figure E).

7. Use a cream rub-on in gold over raised area of stars (figure F).

8. Optional: Stamp with a "post card" stamp in black on the back.

9. With a permanent pen, write your message and address the cards.

To make the Christmas card:

1. Roll green clay so it is eight cards thick.

2. Cut to shape; approximately 4" x 5-1/2."

3. Roll pearl clay three cards thick. Tear the top edge to look like a jagged snowy hill. If you want texture on your "snowy hill," take about 8 cards in a stack and tap the corner of the stack on the pearl clay.

4. Cut three triangle shapes for the trees and small rectangles for the tree trunks out of the pearl clay. Stamp with evergreen ink using a patterned rubber stamp.

5. Cut apart two of the triangles to allow space between the cut shapes. Place the trees and tree trunks on the card.

6. Cut stars out of red clay that has been gold leafed and cracked.

7. Bake the card for 45 minutes at 275 F degrees.

8. When cool, mark the edges of the trees with the gold paint pen.

9. Optional: Stamp with a "post card" stamp in black on the back.

10. With a permanent pen, write your message and address the cards.

Tips:

The post office will weigh the cards for you and tell you how much postage each card needs.

Ask the postal worker to hand-cancel your cards.

You can make cards thinner than instructed. They will be very flexible, hold up to mailing and cost less to mail.