Cute Polymer Clay Book Charm Tutorial

How to Make Simple Polymer Clay Book Charms Step by Step

• To start with, you will need a few different colors of polymer clay. You can use straight from the packet, or mix something up specifically. I have just used some balls of clay that I had leftover from previous projects. You will also need white polymer clay.
• Roll out your white to 3mm thick and cut a piece for each book you want to make. Each piece should be 2cm by 3cm. These white pieces will form the inside of your books.
• Roll out your colors to 2mm thick and cut a piece for each book you want to make. Each piece should be 3.5cm by 5.2cm. These colored pieces will form the outside of your books.
• Put the white pieces aside for now.
• Lay your colored pieces out on your work surface and texture each one with a texture of your choice. I am using scrap booking papers which I just lay over the clay and burnish the texture on with my fingers.
• Tidy up your edges after burnishing.
• Fold each piece in half gently to determine where the middle of the book will be.
• Position one of your white pieces inside each cover and refold.
• Gently push together.
• Use your tissue blade to score the edges of the white pieces so that they look like pages.
• Use a piercing pin to create an indentation on the front cover where the spine would be. Use a ball tool to add more detail.
• Add embellishments. See the video for examples.
• Dust with mica powders if you want to.
• Bake for an hour at Premo's recommended temperature, sandwiched between two tiles and pieces of paper.
• When cooled, add paint if you want to, to antique the surface. Pounce the paint onto the surface using a soft brush and then wipe off with a cloth with a rubbing motion. Dampen the cloth with water if necessary.
• If your embellishments come off, don't worry. When you have finished antiquing your pieces, just stick them back in place using translucent liquid clay.
• Bake for another half an hour at Premo's recommended temperature, or use your heat gun to cure them.
• Drill a hole diagonally through the spine using a pin drill.
• Thread a piece of wire through each hole, and twist off. You will use this to hold the book while you dip it in the varnish.
• Dip each book and use a soft clean brush to remove excess drips.
• Hang your books up with a piece of paper beneath to allow the Varathane to drip off and cure for 12 to 24 hours.
• Cut a length of cotton stringing cord of your choice. Squish a crimp bead on one end and add a jumpring and clasp.
• Thread the other end of the cord through the book. Enlarge the hole if necessary.
• Squish a crimp bead on the other end and add a jumpring and clasp.
• Repeat for each polymer clay book charm you have made.