How to Make Your Own Holiday Ornaments!

Polymer Clay (I like Sculpey brand clay)
Cookie Cutters*
Rolling Pin* or Water Glass
Waxed Paper and tape to hold down the corners
Baking Sheets
Aluminum Foil
Oven
Toothpicks
Ribbon or embroidery thread

*CAUTION: You will need to have a rolling pin and cookie cutters that are dedicated only for craft use. Polymer clays are not food-safe, and you should not use any tools such as rolling pins and cookie cutters for food use after they have been used for craft projects such as this one.

Optional:
Paint and brushes
Markers
Paint Pens

Choose the color or colors of clay that you want to use for your decorations. You can use one color of clay only and then add all decoration and colors to the clay after it has been baked if you wish. Or for a different look, you can mix and model two or more colors together to get a marbled effect. The more you mix the colors together, the less dramatic the contrast between the colors. I personally prefer to mix colors for the marbled, swirly effect!

Like any clay, you will need to condition it first to soften it and make it more malleable and easier to work with. To do this, take the clay and knead it in your hands and on your work surface. Make sure your colors are conditioned individually before combining them if you want to make a marbled effect, otherwise your colors may mix together too much and lose the desired look.

If you are choosing to combine colors, select the colors you want to use. I recommend using no more than 2 or 3, otherwise it might get muddy looking. But feel free to use as many as you like and experiment to find what YOU like best! You can use equal amounts of each color or more of one and less of another depending on the effect you want. Again, this is where the fun of experimentation comes in. You can always add more of a color as you mix if it doesn't look the way you want. Take the amounts of clay you want to use and begin to gently knead them together. Twisty and folding the clay will add swirls and bends between colors. The more you work the clay in this stage the less dramatic the marbling or swirling will be as the colors start to blend together.

Now that your clay is ready, it's time to roll it out. This part is just like when making cookies, except you don't get to snack on the "dough" as you work! Take some wax paper and tape the corners to your counter or table to hold it in place. Gently roll the clay that you've already conditioned into a ball, then place onto the center of your waxed paper. Using a rolling pin or the side of a water glass, carefully roll the clay out until it is about 1/4" (.63 cm) thick. PLEASE DO NOT USE ANY TOOLS FOR THIS PROJECT THAT YOU PLAN TO USE FOR FOOD USE AT A FUTURE DATE! Try to make sure there are no air pockets in the clay, as they may bubble up slightly when baked.

Once the clay is rolled out to the desired thickness, you're ready to cut out your holiday shapes! Select the cookie cutters you want to use (again, please do not use these for food after using them for craft purposes!) and place them on the rolled out clay. If you chose to marble the clay with more than one color, you may wish to try several different placements on the clay before pressing to get the best composition of color for your ornament. Cut out as many shapes as you can with your clay, then gently lift them from the waxed paper and place them on the cookie sheet that has been covered with aluminum foil. Be careful when lifting the clay shapes, as they may tear or warp the same way soft cookie dough will. You can always use your fingers to reshape the edges of the clay once you place it on the baking sheet if this happens. For some projects, having your fingermarks on the project adds a nice touch and reminds you that it was homemade!

Ball up any remaining scraps of clay and re-roll to 1/4" thickness as above and continue to cut out shapes and re-roll dough until there is not enough left to use for an ornament. Repeat all steps as often as needed to make as many ornaments as you wish!

Once you have cut out your polymer clay ornaments and placed them on the baking sheet covered with aluminum foil, you will need to use the toothpick to make a hole near the top of the ornament that is big enough to allow a ribbon or thread for hanging your ornament. Polymer clay does not shrink noticeably (no more than about 2%), so it will be easy to see what size your ornaments will be when completed, and to see how big the ribbon hole needs to be.

In order to permanently harden the clay, you will need to bake the ornaments. Preheat your oven to 275 degrees F. You may wish to use an oven thermometer to make sure your oven is at the appropriate temperature. Place the cookie sheet of ornaments in the preheated oven on the top shelf and bake for 15 minutes. Be careful not to overbake! If you see your ornaments browning or scorching, the temperature is too high. You can purchase an oven thermometer to verify that your oven is calibrated properly.



*Please use adequate ventilation when baking the clay. It tends to give off an odor as it bakes that can be unpleasant to sensitive noses.

You may choose to make thicker ornaments if you wish. If you do so, you will need to adjust the baking time. Bake the clay for 15 minutes for each 1/4" of thickness. (Ornaments made 1/2" thick for instance would need to bake for 30 minutes instead of 15.)

Remove cookie sheet from oven when finished baking and allow ornaments to cool completely before removing. Once they are cool you are ready for the finishing touches!

Photo of thermometer found here.

Now that your ornaments are baked, they are almost complete! You can now use permanent markers, acrylic paints, and even oil-based or soft lead colored pencils! Feel free to use your imagination and add more personal touches to your ornaments. You can draw pictures, write names and dates, etc.

Once you are finished decorating your ornaments (or if you choose not to decorate them), you can select a ribbon or embroidery thread. Thread one end of the ribbon or thread through the hole you created at the top of your ornament. Carefully pick up both ends of the ribbon and allow the ornament to slide to the bottom of the loop so you can judge how long you want the ribbon to be. Remember to allow enough length to tie the ribbon! Once you choose the appropriate length, cut the ribbon and tie a tight bow. You may wish to apply a small drop of glue such as Elmer's Glue to the knot to keep it from slipping loose. Now you are ready to hang your new ornaments!