Last week I was in Hobbycraft nosing through the free leaflets on things you can make and came across one on making your own beaded jewellery using modelling clay, in the case of Hobbycraft, FIMO. Looks simple enough to do and what with Christmas round the corner I thought it would make a fun project for Callum and I to do and combine it with presents for people. I'm sure if you want you could use your own
home-made clay but if you are short of time, don't want to or would like a colour that is hard to come by in food dye you can use what I have and what was recommended in the in the Hobbycraft leaflet, FIMO.
I opted for two types of projects today. One was to make a ring and the other to make some pendants. The packs I had bought had various colours of blue and yellow in with green and red and lilac too.
Flat RingYou could do this in either just one colour or make a marbled effect with more than one colour. I opted for a marble effect using a kind of royal blue piece of FIMO and an orangey/yellow piece. I broke off a tiny amount from each and moulded them together roughly to get a marbled effect. Next I rolled the marbled coloured FIMO into a ball and then from there made it into a drum shape (as below).
Once I had achieved this I used the end of a small paintbrush and pierced the drum shaped FIMO in the middle and then rolled it on it side until I had a ring shape. Once you have achieved your desired look and size you can place on some baking paper on a tray and cook in the oven on Gas Mark 2 for 30 minutes.
Pendant. I made two of these, one was two colours of blue and the other red and yellow. As above mix the colours together to make a marbled effect. Once you have achieved your desired effect roll the FIMO into a round ball (or in my case I opted for and oval egg shape), then place on a piece of baking paper and gently press down with your finger to flatten to the ball shape. You can go as thin or as thick as you like. Once finished grab the end of a small paintbrush and near the top of the pendant make a small hole that is big enough to put some for of chain, string etc through (put don't put it through yet). Once done then cook in the oven for 30 minutes on Gas Mark 2. Leave to cool and once cool use your "chain" through the hole and make your necklace with a pendant.
There are plenty of other pieces of jewellery you can make and I will do a post on those another day. Also FIMO doesn't have to be used just for making jewellery there are a whole bunch of other things you can make, it's just like modelling clay.
Have fun!!
