Floral Bookmark
With Mother’s Day coming up, I thought, what could I make that is pretty, useful and something I can pop into a card without paying extra postage? A bookmark is useful and flowers are always pretty and always remind me of my mum, Grandmother and friendship. This bookmark would make a lovely gift to pop in a Mother’s day card or birthday card for a friend too…
What is great about Makin's Clay® is the flexibility of the clay once cured, perfect to make a bookmark out of.
Materials:
Makin's Clay® white
Makin's Clay® yellow
Makin's Clay® olive green
Makin's Clay® black (a tiny bit)
Makin's Clay® Roller
Makin's Clay® Matte surface
Makin's Clay® Texture Sheet Set C - Weave
Clay Blade and clay knife
Assorted floral stamps, I included a small butterfly stamp from Kaisercraft
Assorted PanPastel colours
Soft brush
Dusting powder like cornstarch
Hole Punch
Ribbon
Weldbond Universal adhesive PVA
Polymer Clay sealant
Instructions:
Roll out your Makin's Clay® White to a thin - medium thickness setting (I used setting number 5) on your pasta machine, lay it flat on your work surface.
Press your floral stamps around the sheet of clay, concentrating where you would like your arrangement of flowers and butterflies.
Cut the bookmark shape with your long clay blade approx. 5cm wide x 15cm tall. Bend your clay blade to cut the curved shape on top and bottom of the bookmark. If some areas of the bookmark are lacking details, are go ahead and restamp with your floral stamps.
Layer ‘Colour in’ your PanPastel Colours in the stamped areas. I used Hansa yellow and Diarylide yellow for the centre of the flowers. Then Violet, Magenta, orange and the two different yellow shades for the flowers. Permanent green and Chrome. Oxide Green was used for the leaves, then Ultramarine Blue and Turquoise for the butterfly.
Have fun blending and trying different colours of your pastels.
Roll out your Makin's Clay® olive green to a thin setting of your clay machine (I used a number 4 setting). Using one of your Floral stamps with leaves on it, stamp the leaf area of the stamp into the green clay. Cut the leaves out using a clay knife and lay the leaves in areas where you think it needs an extra something on your bookmark. Use your PVA glue to secure the leaves down, cut the excess off with your blade.
Roll tiny snakes of black clay and secure them into the middle of the butterfly, resembling a butterflies body. Set aside.
Lightly dust the push leaf mold with cornstarch, shaking the excess off. This will help to keep the clay from sticking to the mold. Using the Olive green clay, roll into a smaller ball than the selected leaf mold. Press the clay into the mold starting in the centre and working towards the edges.
Tip - the clear view mold can be turned over to check for any air bubbles that need to be pressed out and to make sure that the areas are all filled. Remove excess clay that overlaps the edges of the mold. Remove the moulded flower gently by pressing the mold from the front side or use the clay chisel to help lift the mold out. You can clean up the edges using your fingertips and a soft pointed tip sculpting tool.
Allow the leaf and bookmark to dry.
Optional Finishing step for the back of the bookmark.
Roll out your Makin's Clay® Yellow to a thin to medium thickness setting (I used setting number 4) on your pasta machine, then lightly dust, dusting powder (cornstarch) over the clay. Place the Makin's Clay® Texture Sheet Set C - weave on top of the white clay, using the Makin's Clay® Roller press and roll over the texture sheet, pressing the impression into the clay.
Coat the back of the bookmark with your tacky glue and lay your textured yellow clay on top. Smooth and trim excess clay around the edges.
Allow to dry for 24 hours. Seal the bookmark with your favourite polymer clay sealant.
Once dry, Hole punch a hole at the top of the bookmark and the leave. Attach them together with ribbon or cord.
Hope you enjoyed this tutorial… Thank you!
