Things You'll Need:
- Polymer clay in a variety of colors Polymer clay cutting, carving and shaping tools Acrylic clay roller Craft pasta machine Smooth acrylic, tile or plastic work surface Parchment paper Cookie sheet Oven Polymer clay gloss (optional) Small paint brush (optional)
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Step 1
Polymer ClayOpen the packages of clay. To make the foods listed below, you will need orange, green, red and white clays.
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Step 2
Cutting the ClayUse a clay cutting tool to cut off 1/2" of the orange clay block.
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Step 3
Rolling the ClayPlace this piece of clay on the acrylic, tile or plastic work surface and press it with the roller. It will feel hard and crumbly at first, but the more you work it, the smoother it will become. You also can pick it up, roll it in your hands and fold it.
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Step 4
Craft Pasta MachinePass the clay through a craft pasta machine, then fold it in half and pass it through again. You also may want to roll it in your hands a few times before putting it back in the machine.
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Step 5
Working the ClayContinue to work the clay as outlined in Step 4 until the edges no longer break apart when it's flattened and you can bend a thick piece in half without it breaking. It should be smooth and malleable before you try to make anything from it. If it's not conditioned properly, your cured items will crack and break apart.
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Step 1
Fingertip RollPinch off a piece of this conditioned orange clay, and, with your index finger, roll it into a log on the work surface.
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Step 2
Press gently on one end of the log as you roll it to taper the end to a point. You may want to keep some of your doll items close by to check the scale of the food as you are making it. If the carrot seems too big as you are rolling it, break off a piece of the log and roll again.
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Step 3
Add Indents to the CarrotPress the thin edge of a clay tool randomly down the length of the carrot to give it irregular root bumps and uneven skin like a real carrot.
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Step 4
Use a clay tool to poke a hole atop the carrot for the leaves, then roll a proportionately sized piece of green clay with your finger into a strand that looks like a blade of grass.
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Step 5
Add Greenery to the CarrotBend the strand of green clay in half and use a narrow-ended clay tool to poke the creased end of the strand into the hole atop the carrot, so that two strands of green are protruding from the top of the carrot. Repeat this step for additional strands of greenery if two doesn't seem like enough for your carrot.
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Step 6
Repeat Steps 1 through 5 until you've made your desired number of carrots.
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Step 7
Place parchment paper on a cookie sheet and lay the finished carrots on the parchment paper.
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Step 1
Blend Green and White ClayMix green clay with twice as much white clay to create light green clay. Polymer clay is like paint. You can mix colors and they will blend seamlessly if worked enough.
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Step 2
Mix red clay with two to three times as much white clay to create pink clay.
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Step 3
Pink Clay LogRoll pink clay into a log 1/2" thick, or however thick you want the diameter of your watermelon to be. Press the ends flat so that the log is cylindrical.
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Step 4
Roll out light green clay to 1/8" to 1/16" thickness, and cut it into a rectangle that is large enough to fold around the pink cylinder without overlapping. Wrap the light green clay around the pink clay just until the light green clay touches itself. Trim off any excess light green clay.
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Step 5
Wrapped LogRepeat Step 4, using dark green clay, rolling it slightly thinner than the light green clay, and wrap this evenly around the log.
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Step 6
Log Cross-SectionUse a sharp clay knife to slice the log into circles. Each circle is a full slice of watermelon. Cut these circles into halves, quarters or eighths for pieces of watermelon to add to your doll's table. Add the watermelon pieces to the cookie sheet with the other miniature foods.
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Step 1
Preheat the oven to the temperature specified on your clay package. Different manufacturers cite different curing temperatures, but most say 275 to 300 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes. It's important not to overcook or burn polymer clay as it can release toxic fumes.
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Step 2
Turn on the oven's overhead fan or crack a window for ventilation while cooking the clay.
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Step 3
Place the cookie sheet in the oven when the specified temperature is reached and set a timer. The clay packaging will tell you how long to cook it.
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Step 4
Remove the cookie sheet from the oven when the time is up, and leave it to cool on top of the stove.
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Step 5
Add polymer clay gloss with a paint brush if desired, once the pieces have completely cooled.
