w
o b
n a R i
How to Make
y Cla
DIY By Lindsay Ponta
These adorable rainbow ornaments are a
fun craft that does double duty as a treasured
keepsake to bring out year after year. They’re
the perfect decorations to add to your
Christmas tree or to hang up in your windows
to inspire a feeling of community. Consider
making and giving them as a year-end gift to
all of your neighbors!
1 INSTRUCTIONS
Condition white polymer clay by
kneading it with your hands until it
becomes soft and flexible.

Tip: Make sure your work surface is as clean
as possible to prevent debris from sticking to
the clay while you’re working with it.

2 Once your clay is conditioned to the
point that it no longer crumbles, use
a rolling pin to roll the entire block to an
approximate ¼-inch thickness.

Tip: You can use silicone guide rings to help
you. Slide one ring onto each end of your
rolling pin to make the final thickness as
perfectly uniform as possible.

3 4
Roll three additional colors into long,
thin “snakes.” A clay extruder can
help you create perfectly smooth and even
stripes, tubes and more.

Beginning with the innermost color of
your rainbow, cut a small piece off the
colored clay snake using an X-Acto knife.

(Note: Do not allow children to cut with
the X-Acto knife. Adults should perform all
cutting required.) Gently lay the colored
piece of clay onto the white clay and bend
it into an arch. Bend another arch around
the first, leaving a bit of space in between.

Repeat with the third color.

5 Use the rolling pin to gently flatten
the colored stripes, pressing them
lightly into the clay. They don’t need to be
completely flat, but they shouldn’t poke up
too much when you’re done.

6 8 Washington FAMILY DECEMBER 2020
Cut around the rainbow with the
X-Acto knife, leaving a generous white
border. Use the end of a pen or pencil to
poke a hole at the top.

7 Preheat the oven to the temperature
indicated on the package for your clay.

This temperature can vary based on the
type of clay you are using.

Tip: Using an oven thermometer is highly
recommended. If you bake the clay at too
low a temperature, it won’t fuse properly.

Instead of being strong and flexible, your
ornament will be brittle, breaking off with
the slightest pressure.




Orn
a SUPPLIES
1 Polymer clay in white and three other colors
Rolling pin
Silicone rolling pin guide rings (optional)
3 Clay extruder tool (optional)
s ent
m You can find all the supplies to make this
project at your local craft store or on Amazon.

Polymer clay comes in blocks divided into
sections. You can make three large ornaments
from one block of white clay.

X-Acto knife
Pen or pencil
Flat-back pearls in mixed sizes
Glue Twine or ribbon
4 9
8 Bake the ornaments in an ovenproof
glass dish or a baking sheet lined and
tented with aluminum foil to prevent
the ornaments from burning. Bake for 15
minutes longer than the package suggests
to make sure your clay is completely fused.

Remove ornaments from the oven and allow
to cool completely. (Note: The clay doesn’t
set until it has completely cooled.)
9 Apply a generous amount of glue to the
bottoms of each rainbow. Press the flat-
backed pearls in a random arrangement
to look like clouds. Let the ornaments dry
overnight. 10
Thread a length of twine or ribbon
through the hole at the top of
the rainbow ornaments. Hang them in a
window or on your tree. n
10 Lindsay Ponta created the DIY and lifestyle
website Shrimp Salad Circus in 2009 to
inspire busy women to live perfectly imperfect
creative lives. Find easy DIYs and recipes at
shrimpsaladcircus.com. WashingtonFAMILY.com 9