Polymer clay earrings have been on the up and up for the past year. Everyone has jumped in on the trend whether that be through starting their own small shop or adding these statement pieces to their wardrobe. Lifestyle Tries is here to get in on of the action and try a hand at making these homemade clay earrings.
Supplies needed include polymer clay, a rolling pin (or similar instrument), Exacto knife, 7mm jump rings, pliers, earring posts, super glue, toothpick, baking sheet, parchment paper.
All of these supplies can be found at your local craft stores such as Michaels or Hobby Lobby.
This DIY took about an hour and a half and cost $20 to create.
Follow these steps to make your own polymer clay earrings:
Step One: Preheat the oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step Two: Begin to warm up the clay by rolling it between clean hands. Make sure your hands and surface are free from lint, dust, or other particles to keep the clay from getting dirty.
Step Three: Once the clay is warm and easier to work with, begin to roll it out into a sheet about ¼ thick. Or, depending on the style and shape you are going for, you can roll the clay into a long log. This is the strategy to use if you are going for the rolled rainbow-shaped earrings.
Step Four: You can now begin to cut the clay into shapes. Using the Exacto knife, carefully cut the clay into freehand shapes or find items around your home that you can trace to get a more exact look. This step is all about your own personal creativity and desires. Cut circles, squares or stars, or form the long log into rainbows or other desired earring forms. Looking at Pinterest of Instagram can give you great ideas on what shapes to create.
Step Five: Once you have the desired shapes cut out, carefully take your finger and smooth out the edges. This will create a more polished look.
Step Six: Now it’s time to punch holes in the clay shapes. This step is dependent on what kind of earring you are making. If you plan to join two pieces together through a jump ring to create your desired earring then you will need to create a hole in both pieces in which the jump ring can conjoin them. Use a toothpick and create a hole in the clay. Make sure it isn’t too close to the edge or it could breakt hrough. Also, make sure this hole is wide enough to fit the width of the jump ring.
Step Seven: Now it is time to bake the clay pieces. Place them on the parchment paper-lined baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.
Step Eight: After 15 minutes has passed, remove the clay from the oven and allow it to cool until it is no longer hot to the touch.
Step Nine: It’s now time to assemble your creation. If you have separate pieces that need to be attached, take the pliers and open the jump rings. You can then connect the pieces and close the jump ring. Make sure it is securely closed so the clay pieces do not come off. Once this is completed, or if you don’t have pieces to attach, it’s time to make these clay shapes into actual earrings. Take the clay and turn it onto its backside. Apply a dot of super glue to the earring post and stick it to the clay. If you want the earrings to be extremely secure, take more superglue and overlay it on top of the placed earring post. Let the super glue dry.
Your custom earrings are now good to go! Be sure to share your photos by tagging @cbulancermedia on Instagram.
