My Home, My Oasis: Polymer Clay Petals

Greetings, folks!  This weekend, let's make a bold new floral arrangement...with polymer clay!  Polymer clay is available at most craft stores, is inexpensive, and comes in a wide variety of colors. It's also very easy to work with, and the kids can help, too!

First, you'll need supplies. You'll need:

Polymer clay (at least two different colors)
A baking sheet (I have one that I don't use with food anymore, it's an older one specifically for crafting)
A few plastic knives
Wax paper/Plain paper for your work surface (don't use printed paper, as the ink may transfer)
An old towel, just in case things get messy
Green or silver floral wire
A strong glue (I prefer Aleene's Tacky Glue)

First, prepare your work station by laying out the wax paper or plain paper.  Next, open up your different blocks of polymer clay, and cut off a chunk of two different colors.  Make one chunk larger than the other, as you'll want one color to be the dominate color.  In this case, I wanted black to be the dominate color.

Roll each of your two chunk of clay into a ball, and then into a 'snake.'

Roll your 'snakes' together to form a chain.

Begin to roll your chain back and forth, like a rolling pin, to lengthen it and help the two pieces of clay bond.

Fold the chain in half, then in half again, and squish it together with your hands.

Roll the piece of clay into a new ball.  You should be able to see the different variations of color.

I did another one, in teal and black, but didn't roll it as much as the red and black for more contrast.

 Next, divide your ball into four pieces.  Flatten each piece out, and form into an elongated diamond shape, like this:

Gently fold up the sides of each piece, and pinch the ends together to form a petal shape. Note: on one end, don't pinch the ends too much, as you'll need to be able to insert a piece of your wire in the end.

Once you've shaped all of your pieces, bake them in the oven according to the package instructions on the polymer clay.

Once they've cooled down, cut your floral wire to the desired length and glue into one end of each petal.  You may need to double up on the wire, depending on how big your petals are.  If that's the case, just twist two pieces of wire together, then glues the twisted pieces to the petal.

 And, tada!  They're done!  Aren't these neat?  You can put them in a vase with other faux or real flowers, or make an arrangement with just the petals alone.  Tell me how you'd use them, or what color combinations you think would be fun!

About this Blog....

Hello, world!  My name's Jill, and I'm here to help.  I've been there.  We're all stressed from time to time, and when things are hectic, the first thing to go is our style, our fashion, our tiny bit of opulence and luxury that we allow ourselves.  I think that's a crime.  When you've taken 5 extra minutes to curl your hair, or put on a fun bracelet, you feel so much better the rest of the day.  When you take the time to cook something special for dinner, it tastes so much better.  If you put out a new floral arrangement, or make the dining room table, your home looks so much better.


I know what you're going to say.  "But Jill," you're thinking, "all that takes time.  And fancy meals and new things cost money, extra money that we don't have.  This is a recession, after all!" I know what you mean. I don't think these things should cost more, though.  That's why I've done my digging, and all of my research.  I wanted these things in my life, but didn't want to pay more for them.  And I didn't want them to take forever.  I've come up with many, many ways to inject tiny bits of sparkle and fun into my life, without breaking the bank.  Domestics by Jill is my pet project, my way of sharing all of those tips and tricks.  I hope you all can use my tips, and even help me come up with new ones!


While perusing my blog, please look out for these features:


New Week, New Style (Every Monday)
Each Monday, I'll be posting a tip about a fresh new look to add to your wardrobe or accessories for the week to come.


Feast on This (Every Wednesday)
Featuring a brand new recipe, or a twist on an old classic, that's easy to make but pleasing to eat.


This Weekend: (Every Thursday)
Ideas for fun entertaining.  If you're going to be indulging yourself, why not invite your friends along?


My Home, My Oasis (Every Saturday)
Your home needs love and attention, too.  Here you'll find my tips for easy home decorating, organization, and cleaning.




Don't forget, we're all in this together.  If you've got a comment, suggestion, question or idea, please remember to contact me!