How to easily make polymer clay rosebud earrings

It's late spring, almost summer and roses are blooming in my yard like gangbusters!  I have mostly red ones but these yellow ones are so delicate and pretty.  So I thought it would be helpful if I listed the meanings of the colors of roses. The meanings, however, are pretty flexible.  Make your rose any color you would like because roses are beautiful any color!

Red rose - love and romance

Pink rose - love, gratitude and appreciation

White rose - marriage, purity and spirituality

Orange rose - enthusiasm and passion

Yellow rose - friendship, joy and good health

Red and white together - unity

Lavender - love at first sight

You will need:

Small amount of polymer clay in desired color

Clay needle tool

Post earring backs

E600 glue

Gloss finish (optional)

Small paintbrush

Home oven set at 275 degrees

Cookie sheet covered with aluminum foil

1.     You can make your earrings as small or as large as you desire depending upon how large your clay balls are.  Roll eight pieces of clay into balls.  Make them all the same size.  It is easiest to work on the end of a clay needle tool attaching your roses to the end.

2.     To make an earring use four of the clay balls.  Take one of the clay balls and flatten with your fingers.  Roll this onto the needle tool, pressing at the base.   This is center of your rose.  (See photo)

3.     Flatten a second ball with your fingers and attach to the base of the rose. This is the first petal.  Curl the ends down.  (See photo)  Continue flattening and attaching petals with the other two balls of clay like you did with the first one pressing at the base to secure them.  Remove the rose from the needle tool and set aside.  Repeat steps 2-3 for a second earring.

4.     When you have finished making your earrings you will need to bake them. Set them on a cookie sheet covered in aluminum foil and bake in a 275 degree oven for 20 minutes.  Remove from the oven and let cool.

5.     Using E6000 glue attach each earring to an earring post.  Let dry completely.  

6.     After your earrings have dried, brush on some clear gloss on the petals and let dry.  (optional)

Make an easy rose pen for a Mother's Day surprise

Did you know that you recycle a simple brown paper bag into an adorable rose pen for a fun Mother’s Day surprise?  Follow the simple steps and you can make an entire bouquet for Mom’s desk in no time, with very little cost! 

This project is easy enough for older kids with a little help.  Your Mom will love her new rose pen and use it often! 

Flower pattern

Recycled paper bag rose pen

Supplies:

Stick pen

Brown paper bag

Flower pattern

Thin cardboard

Tacky craft glue

Scissors

Ruler

Small paintbrush

Acrylic paint in choice of color

Marker in a similar color

Small piece of packaging tape (stronger than regular tape)

Green floral tape

Instructions:

1.     Download the flower pattern and trace onto a piece of thin cardboard.  Cut open a brown paper bag and lay it flat onto your work surface.  Use the cardboard pattern to trace three flowers and cut them out.

2.     Using the acrylic paint apply a coat of paint onto each flower.  Let dry, turn over and apply a coat of paint on the opposite side.  Let dry.

3.     Use a ruler and coordinating marker to mark spoke like lines from the petals (See photo) do this on each flower.

4.     Cut one section to the center of one flower.  On the second flower cut out one petal.  On the third flower cut out two petals.  Save the cut out single and double petals, they will be the center of the rose.

5.     On the first flower add some glue to the petal adjacent to the cut line and fold and attach the petal next to it.  (See photo)  It will look like a bowl.  Repeat this step on the second and third flower folding the petals together.  Let the glue dry.

6.     Use the scissors to cut a small curved opening at the bottom of each flower (This is where the pen will be inserted)

7.     Using the cut pieces of petal use the pen or a pencil to fold around and glue together.  Cut the uneven end straight.

8.     Insert the pen through the smallest center petal and slide up to the top leaving some extra at the end.  Cut a small piece of packaging tape and secure this center petal onto the pen.  Working from the bottom (pen point end) slide on the next sized center petal all the way to the first one.  It will fit tightly.  Use the small paintbrush to curl the petal down.

9.     Continue adding each flower from smallest to largest and curling the individual petals with the paintbrush until you have added them all.  Cut a small piece of tape and secure the last flower onto the pen. 

10. Begin at the bottom of the flower with floral tape, twisting around the pen and down.  Floral tape sticks to itself.  Cover the entire pen up to the end.