Polymer Clay Tutorial: Coffee Heart Ornament

 This cute and simple free coffee heart ornament project utilizes some basic supplies and awesome stamps for an ornament every coffee lover will love. Enjoy!

I’d like to introduce you all to a very wonderful lady, Kimm. She is fantastic, fun, & very friendly. Over the past several months I have purchased several stamp sets to use with my clay. Her designs are unique, fun, & come in many different themes. They work fantastically with clay and won’t break the bank if you like to buy multiple sets at a time.

SHOP with MsKimmCreates NOW

Materials:

• Premo! Polymer Clay in white – 1/2 block
• Coffee Themed Stamps – I like these from MsKimmCreates on Etsy
• Cutter in the size & shape of ornament you’d like to make
•  1/4″ round cutter (or smaller) for hole in ornament
• Clay Blade or x-acto knife
• Cosmetic sponges
• Fimo Deco Gel
• Acrylic Paints in Raw Sienna & Burnt Umber
• Heat Gun
• Metallic Rub-On Wax
• Pasta Machine
• Polymer Clay Oven
• OPTIONAL:
  • Varnish
  • Glitters
  • Mica Powders
  • Hot Fix Swarovski Crystals

Instructions – Part 1:

• Fully condition your 1/2 block Premo! white clay.
• Roll your clay on the 2nd largest setting of your pasta machine.
• Choose your coffee themed stamps (I like these from MsKimmCreates on Etsy)
  • Line up your stamps as you would like on your piece of clay and gently press them DOWN into the clay.
• You can arrange the stamps on the clay in whatever way pleases you. You will cut your shape from this once your stamping is done.
• Using a cutter you can see through, place it on top of the white clay.
• DO NOT cut your shape out until you are happy with the image you see through the cutter.
• TIP: Move your cutter all around and to different places until you see something that satisfies you.
• Cut your shape out and use your finger to smooth the edge of the clay, getting rid of excess seams.
• Use a small cutter and cut a hole wherever you’d like your heart to hang.
• TIP: If you cut your shape off center it will hang crooked which will give visual interest to your ornament instantaneously!
• Add a few hot-fix crystals if you’d like.
• Bake your ornament on a piece of printer paper for 45 minutes at 275 degrees Fahrenheit (if using Premo!) and covered in foil.

Instructions – Part 2:

• Once your ornament has completely cooled, remove it from the oven.
• Use sand paper and gently sand the edges of your heart to remove any rough spots you may have left behind.
• Using 2 colors of paint, (I like raw sienna and burnt umber) mix each with equal portions of water to make a watery paint wash.
• Using a cosmetic sponge saturate a small portion of your sponge with the lighter color of the paint.
• Apply to the ornament using light touches.
• Use another cosmetic sponge and saturate a small portion of it with the darker color of paint.
• Apply it only where you want a darker color variation on your ornament.
• Let the paint dry or use a heat gun to speed up the process.
• Once the paint is dry, use a baby wipe and wipe off the ornament to remove the paint from the raised surface of the clay and leave it in the depressions created by the stamp.
• Repeat this painting process as many times as necessary until you are happy with the coverage. (I did this to mine 4 times).
• Add a thin layer of Fimo Deco Gel to your ornament using a soft bristled brush.
• Place back into your polymer clay oven for 20 minutes on a piece of printer paper at 275 degrees Fahrenheit (if you are using Premo!) and covered in foil.
• Once the ornament is dry, use your fingers to apply a metallic wax paste to the edges.
• TIP: You can also use metallic acrylic paints if you have them, but I love the look of these waxes on my ornaments.
• Again place it into your polymer clay oven for 20 minutes at 200 degrees Fahrenheit. This will heat set all the paint & waxes but not hurt the polymer.
• Remove from the oven once cooled.
• Add a satin ribbon of your choice.

Use these as gifts for co-workers, a gift for your daily barista, tags for your Christmas presents, keychain fobs, and even simple pendants. Have fun and enjoy!

SHOP WITH MSKIMMCREATES NOW

Thanks for joining me today,

Happy Claying,

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