Scrap Polymer Clay Heart Shaped Beads Mini Tutorial

Video #616: Using up scraps from the Vol-080 Faux Fordite Polymer Clay Tutorial. Perfect for making a matched pair of earrings.

Topics Covered In This Video:

• I recently did a tutorial called Faux Fordite Wire Weave Pendant Tutorial (see link below video), and in that tutorial there were some left over clay scraps. I promised to show everyone how to use those scraps to make some scrap clay heart beads, but ran out of time. So here I am making good on that promise:-)
• In the Vol-080 Faux Fordite tutorial, we created a slab of layered polymer clay. When the cabochons were cut from the slab there, were some left over trimmings.
• The piece of scrap I used in this video, is about the size of your index finger… the perfect amount for making two heart shaped beads.* I show a pair of earrings made with the scrap heart beads. They are rough on the front and very smoothly sanded on the backs.
• The back side shows a beautiful swirl pattern design.
• This technique makes two heart shaped beads that match in color, but are each different and unique.
• First you roll the clay into a log about the size of a finger.
• Then roll the log through your pasta machine at the thickest setting (the thickest setting on my pasta machine is 8 playing cards thick), to make a beautiful striped “tape” of clay.
• Fold the tape in half and run it through your pasta machine a couple more times, to make the tape even more stripey.
• Now run your piece of clay tape through the machine at 1-2 settings thinner, until the clay is about 1 inch wide and a several inches long.
• Fold tape in half and then roll it into a spiral from the cut ends until you run out of tape.
• Where the fold is, press an indent into the top of the log to make the top crease in the heart, and pinch the bottom to make the point. Log should have a heart shape when you look at either end. Each end will also have a rough crackled look due to the cracked edges of the tape that happened when you rolled it through the pasta machine.
• Cut the log in half to create two heart shaped beads.
• The beads should be rough on the front, and smooth with a spiral pattern on the back.
• Bake on a paper lined pan with a tinfoil lid for one hour at the temperature recommended for your brand. I used Premo Clay so I baked at 275F for one hour. Use an oven thermometer to make sure your oven temp is correct.
• Sand, buff and wax the sides and back of your heart beads.
• Drill hole as needed, by hand using a drill bit in a pin vise.
• Then use the beads for whatever type of jewelry project you like.

• Related Video: Faux Fordite Polymer Clay Tutorial
• Related Video: Foil Pan Lids Protect Your Polymer Clay In The Oven
• Related Video: Atlas 150 Brand Pasta Machine
• Related Article: Wet Sanding Polymer Clay Tutorial

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