Let’s decorate the Christmas Tree

 

Hello dear friends!

I must tell you that Thionville (the town in which  I live in France) is very beautiful with so many decorations and Christmas trees everywhere. I am a child at heart so I enjoy this time of the year – the Christmas carols, the glitter and the idea that in these moments we are more generous (we give presents, we smile more, we care for others and we do more charity). So it is a beautiful moment.

Time to feel grateful also. And I am grateful for:

• my family – meaning my husband, my son, our parents, our brothers and sisters, our friends from all over the world
• for the wonderful people I met in Thionville
• for taking painting classes
• for teaching polymer clay jewelry making classes to Pastorale des Emigrants de Thionville (and I have students from all over the world – Bangladesh, China, Kossovo, Armenia, Hungary, France, Spain, Russia, Poland -to tell you how lucky I am)
• for having people appreciating my work (- and the list goes on -)

and I will also add the fact that my bead embroidered collar was featured on the back cover of a beading magazine (FireMountain Gems and Beads used it for their add) and also for being featured on the FireMountain Gems and Beads’ Gallery of Designs main page last week (during one week) – I can’t tell you how proud I was to see my design featured there!

In line with this idea, I designed a Christmas Tree brooch – perfect for the Christmas celebration!

Materials and tools used: white and red Fimo effects polymer clay, silver gray polymer clay, a pasta machine, a ripple blade, a craft knife, a heart-shaped cutter, beads, liquid Fimo, varnish and Pebeo paints.

1. I conditioned the clay. Then I created a block of clay (approx. 15 cm x15 cm x 2 cm).

2. I drawn a design (free-hand)  using a wooden stick.

 

 

3. I used the clay extruder to make some extruded strings of red polymer clay.

I put two extruded strings one on top of each other to get the desired height.

4. Then I took my craft knife and I am cutting open the design in order to insert red clay.

I continued to do this: cut from the nearest side and then insert the red extruded string and push the clay together again.

 

I cut around an oval shape, took it out and wrapped red clay around it and then inserted it in the design and pressed everything together .

I did this for the entire design.

I made a hole in the clay and inserted a log of red clay.

I started to reduce the cane (I rolled it on all sides in order to make it smaller)

5. After reducing the cane, I cut slices and put them on a sheet of  red polymer clay.

 

I put two slices side by side and rolled them with the roller.

6. I used the ripple blade to cut the sides of the tree.

I used a rigid blade to cut the bottom part.

I opened a little the middle of the tree in order to attach the trunk.  I used a heart-shaped cutter to cut little hearts.

I am using more hearts to decorate the tree.

For a different version, I used beads that I pressed into clay and added liquid Fimo into the small hole.

And then I put a thin string  of silver gray clay around it to secure the bead.

For the back, I put some liquid Fimo on the brooch finding, then pressed it on the back of the tree.

I textured some clay and cut two rectangles using a cutter.

I put the rectangles over the brooch finding to secure it. I put them in the oven according to the clay manufacturer specifications and applied triple thick varnish to finish the piece.

I liked the tree shape so I wanted to try some Pebeo paints on it. This was the result.

I hope you liked my tutorial!

Wishing you a wonderful week-end (and preparing to leave for Colmar and Strasbourg to visit the most beautiful Christmas destinations in France)!

My best to you!

Mihaela 

 

 

 

Advertisement