How to Make a Cat Ornament

Completed cat ornament

If you're tired of the same old Christmas decorations, try decorating on a cat theme. This craft project creates a seal point Siamese or Himalayan cat ornament out of polymer clay. However, you can make this ornament into any type of cat you like, simply by painting it differently. Other ideas include a calico cat, a tabby cat and a Persian cat. Try using your own cat as a model or find a cat picture to use as a guide.

Things You'll Need

• Polymer clay
• Board
• Parchment or wax paper
• Rolling pin
• White paper
• Pencil
• Craft blade
• Craft paint
• Paint brushes
• Polyurethane varnish

Instructions

1. 

   Knead some polymer clay until it's soft and smooth. Line a board with parchment or wax paper. Place the clay on the paper and roll it out to between 1/4- and 1/2-inch thick.

2. 

   Draw a stylized cat figure in pencil on white paper. Make the ears and the top of the head first, then create a slight curve on each side of the head. Taper the line inward just above the shoulder, then begin to flare it out slightly along the sides of the cat's body. Create a cat tail that curves out toward the right. Bring it back so that it touches the bottom of the cat's body. Lightly draw in two legs in front with small feet facing outward.

3. 

   Cut out the cat template and place it over the polymer clay. Cut around the figure with a craft blade. Remove any excess clay and set it aside.

4. 

   Trim away the edges of the clay with the craft blade. Smooth the edges of the cat ornament with your finger.

5. Transfer the ornament off the paper and onto a baking sheet. Bake at 275 degrees for 15 to 30 minutes. Remove the ornament from the oven and allow it to cool completely.

6. 

   Paint the entire ornament with cream-colored craft paint. Reapply additional coats after the paint has dried, up to four coats.

7. Paint the ears and tail dark brown. Lightly draw the shoulders, front legs and feet on the ornament in pencil, using your template as a guide. Paint a dark brown line at the shoulders and upper legs. Then paint in the bottom two-thirds of the legs with the brown paint. Allow the paint to dry, then add another coat of paint.

8. 

   Use a small, fine brush to paint on two light blue cat eyes. Take care to make them an almond shape and work to make both eyes look the same. Paint a brown diamond on the face, with the right and left points just under the eyes. Paint two black cat pupils on the eyes. Mix the brown and cream paints. Paint a triangular nose and a smiling cat mouth on the bottom of the brown triangle. Once this has dried, paint the inner part of the face black, leaving the nose and lower mouth light brown. Also paint black on the edges of the ears.

9. 

   Paint over the end of the tail and feet with black paint. Mix the black and brown paints and paint a fur texture over the middle part of the legs and tail.

10. 

    Paint over the outer edge of the cat's face with the mixture of brown and cream paint. Work in some more dark brown paint around the cheeks, taking care to leave the black paint at the center of the face untouched. Work the paints together while they're wet to create shading. Make sure the mouth stands out from the face. Work in some of the lighter brown color at the top of the front legs and then blend it in with brown. Add a white highlight to the eye. Once dry, coat the ornament with polyurethane varnish.

Tips & Warnings

• To make the cat look more Himalayan, create a slightly fatter ornament and paint broader, shorter legs and feet.