Sunday, January 15, 2012

Homemade Buttons

Yay buttons!!!

Materials:
Polymer clay
Ziploc Bag
Straw
Cookie Sheet
Clay Glaze
Paintbrush

1) Conditioning your clay
Polymer clay needs to be conditioned before use.  First, you have to warm up the clay.  I like to do this by putting the clay I'm going to use in a ziploc bag and then sticking that ziploc bag in my pocket for about five minutes.  Next, I squish it with my fingers until it feels like playdough.  If the clay seems to hard, you can use clay softener.

2) Roll your clay
Roll your clay into a ball. Remember: the bigger the ball, the bigger the button.

3) Squish!
Place your ball of clay on a ziploc bag and fold the bag over so both the top and bottom of the ball are covered.  Use a butter knife, or anything with a flat surface, to squash your ball into a button-ie form.  

4) Making Holes
Use a straw/coffee stir to cut button holes.

5) Bake!!!
Follow the instructions on your clay packages.  Generally it's 30 minutes at 275 °.  Because buttons are thin, 20 minutes should do.
 
6) Making them shiny
Apply the glaze to the buttons.  Paint one side at a time. 
 
7) Done!
Now go make a button bracelet...  

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