Metal Copper Polymer Clay Paw Print Earrings

These little stud earrings are about 9mm, which makes them perfect to wear all day, every day.

And all you need to make them is a tiny scrap of clay!

Step 1:

Log on.
Take a pea-sized piece of clay and roll it into a log shape about 2mm wide.

Step 2:

Divide up.
With the craft knife cut eight equalsized pieces from the roll about 1.5mm long. The exact size doesn’t matter too much so long as all the pieces are about the same size.

Step 3:

Roll with it.
Take another piece of clay and make two identical balls about 5mm in size. Roll them, individually, into balls. Also roll the tiny slivers from step 2 into balls.

Step 4:

Make the paws.
Place the larger ball on a piece of Teflon sheet and arrange four of the smaller balls in a line on one side; it should look like a paw at this point. Repeat with the other larger ball and the remaining four smaller balls on the other piece of Teflon sheet. This stage is done on the Teflon so you can
transfer the paws into the oven without needing to pick them up as they are very delicate.

Step 5:

Pressing matters.
Make sure your Teflon sheets with the paws in place are on a firm surface, then press gently on the paws with your forefinger. Use a firm pressure so that all the balls squash together and stick. Don’t wiggle your finger around, just press straight down.

Step 6:

On your marks, get set, bake!
Bake the paw shapes in an oven at the temperature recommended by the clay manufacturer (this will differ depending on the brand of clay
you have). Once baked, let the paws cool, and then they will come straight off the sheet. Using a tiny dot of E6000 glue, attach the earstud pads to the
backs of the paws.

Sometimes the paws will come apart after firing, so it is a good idea to make more than two at the same time, then you are guaranteed to have at least two that match and have stuck together.

You can make these paws at whatever size you wish, but as you go bigger you will need something flat to press them with as your finger won’t be large enough.

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