By General Crafts Contributor Amy
The Witch’s black cat got a little too curious about his masters flying broom. Make your own ornament of the black cat and his wild ride as he hangs on for dear life.
What you need:
- polymer clay (I used Sculpey III brown, tan, beige, black, yellow, orange, pink)
- findings: head pins
- hobby blade
- jewelry pliers: rounded, cutter
- craft wire
- black acrylic paint
- brown chalk or charcoal
- thin paint brush
- optional: Sculpey Glaze (for a protective shine) and a paint brush to apply
- optional: cutting board or clay mat
Tips:
- Always start with a clean surface. I use a cutting board that I only use for clay.
- use a baby wipe to clean hands in between colors since colors can stay on your skin and transfer to your next color of clay.
For the broom handle:
Start with brown and tan clays (I used some scraps).
Roll out all your clay pieces into separate canes with brown as the thickest.
Place your clay canes together with brown as the center.
Roll them all together.
Fold in half and twist roll out again. Repeat this process until you get a wood grain look you are satisfied with.
*use this technique anytime you need a wood grain look.
For the broom straws:
Start by mixing yellow and tan into a solid straw color.
Roll out an elongated teardrop (keeping some spare clay).
Roll out thin canes with spare clay. Attach at intervals around the broom pinching or cutting off excess.
Drag a hobby blade from the base of the broom straws to the tips.
Shave some chalk or charcoal onto a paint tray (or dish). Dip a thin paintbrush into the dust shavings. Gently brush into the crevices.
The Black Cat
Roll out: a long oval for the body, 4 canes for the legs, and a longer cane for the tail. For the head I rolled out an oval and pinched it into a rounded triangle. Attach the legs and tail to the body. Flatten some clay and cut out two triangles for ears. Roll out 2 orange circles for eyes and one light pink circle for a nose. Assemble and poke 2 nose holes. (I smoothed my ears into the head with the end of my paintbrush)
Attach the black cat to the broom. Insert headpins into the broom handle and straws. Bake clay as directed. I used Sculpey III which bakes at 275 degrees for 15 minutes per 1/4 inch thickness. I baked my ornament for 25 minutes. Let cool. Trim headpins with cutter plyers so they are about a half an inch long. Use rounded plyers to curl head pins into circles. Use black acrylic paint and a thin paint brush to paint on eyes. Add some craft wire and enjoy your new Halloween ornament.
