Making your Own Polymer Clay Stamps/Molds

One of my favorite recent projects was polymer clay related.

While I was playing with the silicone molds, I made some molds and stamps with my own designs.

First I made a small sketch of what I wanted for the design with pencil.

Next I rolled out a little slab of clay.  

I laid the design down on the clay and burnished it with a ball tool to transfer the design to the clay.

Then I used my clay tools to  trace and make the design.

I decided not to add the word to this one.

Doing it backwards on the design would make it backwards once stamped.

Bake your mold in your toaster oven according to the manufacturer's directions.

Then I began stamping away.

You can use your stamp over and over again.

You will notice, however that the stamp starts to soften a bit as the mold absorbs some of the oil from the clay.

No worries.

Just pop the mold back in the oven with your next batch of beads and you are good as new.

My daughter wanted me to make her a thresher shark.

So my husband found an outline online. 

 I could not shrink it enough with my computer so I had to make my own sketch from it.  

You can see my erased first attempts.

I followed the same process for transferring the design and tracing the shape.

My daughter has not seen these yet but I like the way they turned out.

I hope she does too.

Next I wanted to play with just different textures.

It is not my favorite, but I do like the idea.

I can utilize different parts of the mold depending on where I press the clay on it.

I saved my two favorites for last.

I did a tree.

I love how they symbolize life and family.

I intentionally tapered the edges of the mold down towards the table.

Check these out!

How cool are they?

I made a ton of beads and pendants from the tree mold.

I ended up making bigger ones for pendants and smaller ones for possible earrings.

My favorite mold was actually the first one I made: a nest.

Also a symbol of family, birth and renewal.

There is something so satisfying to seeing designs come from something that came originally from your own head and hands.

I could not get enough of playing with this mold.

Big chunky pendants...

In a variety of shapes.

Some pieces that I gently curled up to be three dimensional nests.

Some with bails...

Some just the eggs....

I can't wait to start playing with the finishes.

Thanks for stopping by....

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