Funky Geometric Boxes

Project by Heather Roselli from Nashville, Tenn.

Heather Roselli, a busy mother and a creative polymer artist, shows how to make a purple and green hexagon-shaped box using polymer clay, mulberry paper, rubber stamps and inks.

Materials:

Premo! Sculpey Polymer Clay: leaf green, purple and pearl
polymer clay blade
wavy blade
acrylic roller
translucent Liquid Sculpey (TLS)
ruler or grid
X-acto knife and /or scissors
burnishing tool (bone folder or back of spoon)
waxed paper
Mulberry paper
Sobo glue
cotton swabs for TLS
card stock box templates
rubber stamps and pigment inks
smooth tiles or tempered glass
oven
pasta machine
clay gun - optional

Steps:

1. Condition leaf green, purple and pearl clays using a pasta machine.

Figure A

2. Create two Skinner color blends; one blend of leaf green and pearl and another blend of purple and pearl. Add a sheet of pearl behind the colors while blending to lighten them and to add a pearlescent sheen to them.

3. Roll each blend out into a thin sheet, #4 or #5 on the pasta machine.

Figure B

4. Using the wavy blade, cut equal 1/4" to 1/2" thick strips from the thin blended sheet.

5. Condition coordinating background clay (or scrap clay) and roll into a #1 sheet (size according to pattern).

Figure C

6. Apply wavy strips from step #4 onto the background clay, alternating colors and matching edges closely.

Figure D

7. When sheet is full, place waxed paper on top and burnish until all strips "melt" into each other. Roll sheet through pasta machine on #1 setting.

8. Adhere this sheet to a smooth tile or piece of glass without trapping air underneath. Start at one edge and roll sheet onto glass slowly. Follow with acrylic roller to push out any remaining air. Note: Look underneath the glass to check for trapped air.

Figure E

9. Using templates, cut one bottom and six sides of box from sheet using polymer clay blade or needle tool.

10. Condition additional background color and stack two #1 sheets on top of one another. Roll over them with acrylic roller to adhere. Apply more wavy strips as in step 6 and burnish well. Adhere thick sheet to tile or glass as in step 8. Cut inside and outside box lids from this thicker clay sheet using cardstock patterns.

11. Stamp cut clay with a leaf rubber stamp and pigment inks. Do not use much pressure on the stamp. Only apply ink to the surface of the clay; do not make an impression with the stamp.

Figure F

12. Bake on tile or glass at 275 degrees for 20 minutes. Cool completely.

Figure G

13. Apply a thin coat of glue to the backs of the box sides and the bottom and place onto mulberry paper. Place the box bottom in the center with box sides arranged around it. Pieces should line up closely with one another. Place a sheet of clean paper over the clay; then weigh it down with another tile or piece of glass. Allow the glue to dry completely.

14. Cut around clay pieces, leaving paper flaps on one side of each sidepiece.

Figure H

15. Place paper side up in front of you and fold the sides up until they meet. Glue paper flaps to the insides of the neighboring box sides. Dry.

16. Condition coordinating clay for trimming corners of the box. Roll clay snakes by hand or use a clay gun to extrude clay snakes.

Figure I

17. Apply a thin layer of TLS or Sobo glue to the box corners and place clay snakes along the corners. Trim clay snakes even and level with box.

Figure J

18. Use TLS or glue to adhere inner lid to underside middle of outer lid.

Figure K

Place trims around perimeter of lid. Add a lid handle or bauble if desired using TLS (liquid clay).

19. Bake box and lid on clean cardstock at 275 degrees for 30 minutes. Cool completely.

E-mail: claythings@comcast.net

Website: http://mywebpages.comcast.net/claythings/