How to Make a Mum Out of Clay
When you give a friend or family member a bouquet of mums, you may feel disappointed when the beautiful, colorful flowers wither and die. Instead of wasting your money on temporary mums such as these, make artificial flowers using polymer clay, which you can sculpt to resemble real mums. Polymer clay is baked in an oven, which makes the clay mum project both affordable and convenient. Once the mums are complete, they can be wrapped with a bow just like a real bouquet of fresh mums.
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Things You'll Need
- Polymer clay
- Rolling pin
- Miniature cookie cutter, 3-inch circle
- Craft wire, medium gauge
- Wire cutters
- Needle-nosed pliers
- Stainless steel fork
- Cookie sheet
Instructions
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1
Roll 2 oz. of polymer clay into a sheet that is 1/16-inch thick. Select any color of polymer clay that you prefer.
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2
Cut out six circles from the thin polymer clay sheet using a 3-inch circular cookie cutter.
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3
Cut a piece of medium-gauge craft wire to measure 12 inches long using wire cutters.
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4
Form a quarter-sized piece of polymer clay into a sphere, and press the sphere onto the straight end of the wire.
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5
Insert the other end of the wire through the middle of each clay circle, effectively creating a pierced stack of clay circles. Slide the circles down to the other end of the wire, stopping 1 inch below the clay sphere.
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6
Fold the first circle up over the sphere using your thumb, forefinger and index finger, which will create a triangular vase-like form around the sphere.
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7
Turn the wire 90 degrees clockwise, and fold the second circle against up, as you did to the first circle. Because you turned the wire, the second clay circle will be pinched against the first circle in a staggered manner.
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Repeat the process, turning the wire and folding up the clay circles each time to create a flower that looks exactly like a mum.
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9
Bend the empty end of the wire into a 1 inch spiral using needle-nosed pliers.
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10
Place a stainless steel fork upside down onto a cookie sheet, and lay the clay mum over the fork. This will lift up the mum so that the clay does not flatten or become crushed.
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11
Bake the clay mum in an oven that is 200 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes, then allow the clay mum to cool for 20 minutes before handling it. Repeat the entire process to make a bouquet of mums.
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Tips & Warnings
Do not touch hot polymer clay before it cools. Hot polymer clay can cause severe burns.
Keep hot polymer clay and hot cookie sheets out of the reach of children.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
