Polymer clay four-leaf clover earrings

Deck yourself out for St. Patrick’s Day with these unique and one of a kind four leaf clover earrings.  They are quick and easy to make with just a few supplies and bake hard in your home oven.  Make as set for yourself, your BFF and one for the teacher.  Be sure to check out the matching Pendant too!

You will need:

Polymer clay blocks in three colors, lt. green, dark green, and white

Mini seasonal cutters for clay (available in craft stores)

Rolling pin or dowel (this should only be used for clay)

Waxed paper to work on

Aluminum foil, cookie sheet, and home oven

Masking tape

X-acto or craft knife

Sculpey glaze

Small paintbrush

Pointed stylus

Needle nosed pliers

Jewelry findings—small bails and fishhook ear wires (Or earring posts if you like that style of earring)

E6000 glue (for post earrings only)

1.     The blocks of polymer clay come with four separation lines.  Slice ¼ section off from each of the three colors with the X-acto or craft knife.

2.     Lay the three separate color sections side by side. Condition the clay by squeezing with your hands.  Twist the three colors several times to blend and marbleize the clay.

3.     Use a rolling pin or large dowel to roll out the blended clay to approximately ¼” thickness.  Use the four-leaf clover cutter to cut out a motif for each earring. 

4.     Using a pointed stylus make a hole in the top of each earring. (If you are making post style earrings you may skip this step.)

5.     Cover a cookie sheet with aluminum foil.  Set your oven at 250 degrees and bake the earring motifs for 10 minutes. When done, let cool completely.

6.     Tape a five-inch piece of masking, tape down on each end, sticky side up to your work surface. (This keeps the pieces in place while you are glazing them) Place your baked motifs on the sticky side and brush a coat of Sculpey glaze on top.  Let dry.  When they are completely dry, turn over and brush some glaze on the opposite side.  

7.     Use the needle nosed pliers to squeeze the bail through the hole in the top of the earring.  Open the fish hook ear wire and feed it through the bail loop.  Squeeze all loops back together tightly.  If you are making post earrings use some E6000 glue to attach a post earring back and let dry completely.

Note:  Do not use a microwave oven!