Web Of Angels!

Supplies: 

• FIMO Polymer Clay: gold, flesh, caramel
• FIMO soft Polymer Clay: blue, white, green violet, red 
• AMACO Millefiori Quilt Squares: Churn Dash and Star Patchwork
• AMACO What A Character Push Molds: # 7 and # 21
• AMACO Design Push Molds: Teddy Bears
• Polymer Clay Template
• Music Box "Touch 'n' Play"
• Acrylic Paint: black
• Wire: 26 gauge, 5 inches
• Baby Powder or Cornstarch
• Blush or Pink Chalk
• Friendly Plastic Arts and Crafts Goop Adhesive

Equipment:

• Rolling pin, brayer or pasta machine
• Round toothpicks
• Sharp blade
• Foil
• Index card
• Oven
• Pliers

Instructions:

1. Condition FIMO soft and FIMO by warming, then kneading until smooth and elastic.
2. Brush molds with powder. Shake out excess powder. We will make all four molded pieces, then set them aside to use later. Before removing the pieces from the molds, clean up the edges by pressing all excess clay towards the center back of the piece. Lift from the mold by pressing a separate ball of clay against the back and then using it as a handle. Trim away excess clay.
3. For the face, roll a scant 3/4" ball of flesh FIMO into a short cone shape. Place the point of the cone into the nose in the mold, then press to fill mold. Lift face from mold. If desired, use toothpick to carefully indent nostrils and to add detail to corners of mouth.
4. For the hands, roll Flesh FIMO into two scant 1/2" balls. Press into molds, being sure to fill the thumb. Remove from mold and roll wrist to make it smooth.
5. For the bear, roll a 1/2" ball and a 5/8" ball with caramel FIMO. Roll the 1/2" ball into a short cone shape and press into the head part of the little bear mold. Fill only the head part. Remove. Now fill the body part with the 5/8" ball. Remove from mold and press the two pieces together.
6. For body, roll a 5/8" ball of blue FIMO. Roll ball into a short pear shape, then flatten between palms to create pattern (see illustration A). Lay body onto an index card. Twist wire to create a loop, then press loop to top of neck edge. Cover exposed loop with foil to keep it from getting stuck in the clay.
7. For wings, use sharp blade to cut six 1/8" thick slices from the Star Patchwork Quilt Squares cane. Press three together to form each wing, (as in illustration B) and press onto body.
8. To create back of head, from gold FIMO roll a 1/2" ball. Press ball to top of body (over wire loop), flattening it.
9. The collar and bottom dress trim are made from the Churn Dash Quilt Square cane. You will make a white border around it to create a new design. To do so, flatten some white FIMO soft into a 1/16" thick sheet. From this cut a 4 X 1" rectangle. Lay one of the Churn Dash pieces on the rectangle, then wrap all four striped sides with the rectangle. Trim at one corner so as not to overlap the edges. Cut five 1/16" thick slices. Set aside.
10. To create green and white checkerboard, roll a 1" ball from green FIMO soft and one from white. Roll each into a very even 4" long rope. Place side by side (see illustration C) 
11. Roll across the ropes lightly with a roller. Cut ropes in half; flip one half and place the two parts together like a checkerboard (see illustration D).
12. Roll each side with the roller to flatten slightly, then pull and stretch, then smooth with the roller, then stretch, until the cane is 8 inches long. Keep it even. Trim ends. Cut into four equal parts and reassemble (see illustration E). Smooth and stretch slightly until the cane reduces to approximately a 1/2" X 1/2" checkerboard. Cut eight 1/16" thick slices. Set aside.
13. To create legs, lengthen the rest of the checkerboard cane by laying it on its' side and rolling it gently until it is a 3/8" thick rope. Now it will look striped. Cut two pieces, each 1 & 1/2" long and press to bottom of body (see illustration F).
14. For shoes, from violet FIMO, roll two scant 1/2" balls. Roll each into an egg shape and press to bottom of legs. Add buttons by pressing two tiny red balls against the front of each shoe. Use toothpick to press two holes in each button.
15. For dress sleeves, from blue FIMO soft, roll two 5/8" balls and one 1 & 1/8" ball. Roll each into a pear shape, then flatten balls between hands to match patterns G and H.
16. Press four of the Churn Dash squares to the bottom of the dress. Press a row of checkerboard squares above that. Roll a very thin rope from violet FIMO soft and lay a rope on each side of the checkerboard trim. Press in place. To create texture on the dress and camouflage imperfections, press dress between two pieces of paper toweling.
17. Position dress overlay body. Position a hand under wide end of each sleeve. Press arms in place, curving over left one. For collar, press one Churn Dash slice to front of dress.
18. Follow picture for positioning bear.
19. Press face in place. Use blunt end of toothpick to make shallow eye holes in both angel and bear. Barely dip blunt end of toothpick into black paint. Tap on paper to nearly remove all paint, then press into eye indentations.
20. Use Q-tip to pat some pink chalk onto cheeks.
21. For hair, roll 10 to 20 scant 3/8" balls of gold FIMO. Roll each into a rope then flatten them slightly. Press these strands to the angels head, varying the length and style as desired.
22. For the halo, roll some of the left over checkerboard clay into a rope. Twist it, then place around the angel's head.
23. Bake angel on index card in a pre-heated 265 degree F. (130 degrees C.) oven for 30 minutes. Cool in oven. Remove. Tie green string to wire loop.
24. To attach music box, use pliers to break off the support legs on the back. Glue in place with thick glue such as "Friendly Plastic Arts and Crafts Goop.

Web Of Angels! | Back to the Classroom at Crafty College |