Steps:1. Condition gold and blue clays and mix colors together completely. Roll clay into a 1/8-inch thick sheet (#1 setting on Atlas) (figure A).
2. Lay a sheet of metallic leaf flat onto your clean work surface. Place clay sheet carefully over the metallic leaf, so that the entire surface of the clay is covered in the leaf. Lift clay sheet off of work surface. Place a second sheet of metallic leaf on your work surface. Repeat application step until the entire surface of the clay sheet is coated in metallic leaf (figure B). Trim excess leaf and set aside metallic leaf scraps for other projects.
3. Turn the clay sheet so the metallic side is facing up. Gently burnish the metallic leaf onto the clay by applying pressure with the tip of your finger.
4. Stamp the entire surface of the metallic side of clay with the rubber stamp (figure C). Apply adequate pressure to make a fairly deep impression.
5. Use the pointed oval/teardrop cutter to cut out 15 to 20 shapes (depending on the length of the belt) (figure D). Use the tissue blade to cut 1/8 inch off of the end of each shape, removing the point (figure E).
6. On one end of the first trimmed oval, place the crescent cutter 1/4 inch in from the edge, with the points of the crescent facing the center of the shape. Cut out the second crescent 1/4 inch from the other end of the oval shape, with the points facing to the center and toward the points of the other crescent (figure F). Set aside the crescent cut outs. Repeat cutting of oval and crescent for all belt pieces.
7. Fold a strip of aluminum foil lengthwise several times to form a 2-inch-wide strip. With fingers, give the strip a slight curve down the center lengthwise. Make a second and third strip in the same fashion. When all of the oval shapes are cut out with two crescent-shaped holes, take the first shape and press the ends together gently to give the oval a slight curve. Lay the shape on the curved foil in your baking tray (figure G). Repeat for all of the oval pieces. Bake pieces at 275 F degrees for 20 to 30 minutes, and cool the shapes on the foil supports.
8. Cut three strips of suede lacing that are each 6 feet long, and set them aside. The remaining 12-inch strip will be used for baking beads. Place one of the crescent shaped cutouts non-metallic side up on your work surface. Spread a tiny amount of translucent liquid Sculpey onto each tip of the crescent. Lay the piece of suede lacing across the center of the crescent. Place a second crescent over the first (metallic side up), sandwiching the lacing in between. Gently press the tips of the crescents together, forming a bead over the lacing (figure H). Slide the bead to the end of the lacing and repeat bead-making steps to form a total of six beads. Bake all six beads on the suede lacing for 20 minutes at 275 F degrees. Allow the beads to cool.
9. In a small glass dish, use a skewer to mix 2 teaspoons of translucent liquid clay, a pea-sized dab of burnt umber oil paint, and 1/4 teaspoon copper glitter.
10. With fingertip, apply a thin coat of the tinted liquid clay over the entire metallic surface of an oval shape, making sure to get it in the stamp impressions (figure I). Remove excess clay from the surface with your fingertip, cleaning hands with a paper towel each time. Repeat this tinting process for all of the ovals.
11. Remove the beads from the suede lacing and coat each bead with the tinted liquid clay, removing excess.
12. Bake all of the oval shapes and beads for 10 minutes at 275 F degrees and allow them to cool completely.
13. Weave the end of the first 6-foot strip of suede lacing through the crescent shaped holes of one oval shape so the center piece of clay between the holes is showing. Pull the lacing through so about 18 inches of suede extends past the first oval. Line up the next oval's flat edge with that of the first, and weave the lacing through in the same fashion. Repeat until all oval pieces are connected by the suede lacing, metallic side up.
14. Take the second strip of suede lacing and run it through the connected ovals by weaving in the reverse fashion of the first piece of lacing. This time, the lacing will cover the center piece of clay between the holes. When the second lace is woven through all ovals, weave the third piece through in the same fashion as the first (figure J).
15. Once all three laces are woven through the ovals, align them carefully with a 1/16- to 1/8-inch gap between each clay oval (figure K). Slide the lace through the oval so that an equal length of lacing extends beyond the oval on each end of the belt. Pull the lacing so it rests flat on the ovals. Knot all three pieces of the lacing together at each end of the belt, close to the ovals on the ends.
16. Slide a crescent-shaped bead with the points facing down onto the ends of one of the suede laces. Tie a knot under the bead to prevent it from sliding off of the suede. Repeat with the other five beads to add a decorative accent (figure L). If the strands of suede need to be shortened, side the bead up to the desired location, knot below the bead, and trim off the excess suede lacing.
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