Polymer Clay Stained Glass Vase

Materials:
1/2 of a 2 oz. block black Premo polymer clay
1/2 of a 2 oz. block silver Premo polymer clay
2 oz. bottle Liquid Sculpey
pattern for vase design
oil paint: red, sap green, blue, yellow
copper glitter
6" x 4-1/2" x 2-1/2" rectangle glass vase
X-Acto knife
wooden skewer
clay dedicated toaster or convection oven
clay dedicated flat baking tray
oven mitts
oven thermometer
ceramic, granite, or acrylic work surface
paper towels
metal palette or small metal or glass containers to mix colors
Fimo polymer clay varnish, gloss finish
very fine pointed brush
brush cleaner
tape - clear or masking

Steps:

2. Condition the silver and black clays and mix together until blended thoroughly into a dark metallic gray. Roll into 1/8 inch thick clay snakes. Place the snakes on the glass, following the lines on the vase pattern. Shape and trim the snakes to fit the pattern with the craft knife. Make sure all snakes form closed shapes and connect to each other (figure C). Remove the pattern from the back of the glass. Bake the vase at 275 degrees for 15 minutes. Allow the vase to cool. Tip: Place the glass vase on a heatproof but not a cool surface. It must cool slowly or the glass may crack.

3. Squeeze a few drops of translucent liquid clay into each well (cavity) formed by the clay 'lead' snakes.

5. In the third section of the palette, squeeze one-half teaspoon of the translucent liquid clay, and mix a small dab (the size of a pin head) of blue and an equal amount of yellow oil paint into the liquid clay to make a dark green. In the fourth section in the palette, squeeze one-half teaspoon of the translucent liquid clay. Add a dot (just what fits on the flat tip of a skewer) of sap green oil paint to mix a light green. With the tip of a skewer, put a few drops of light green clay into each section on one side of each leaf. Blend the green and translucent clay and fill each section. Add the dark green to the other side of each leaf and fill each shape completely. Use the dark green for the grass shapes as well. Wipe any excess clay off of the surface of the clay snakes with your finger.

6. In the fifth section of the palette, squeeze one-half teaspoon of the translucent liquid clay, and mix a small dab (the size of a pin head) of blue oil paint into the liquid clay. In the sixth section in the palette, mix a small dab (the size of a pin head) of blue and an equal amount of red oil paint into the liquid clay to make purple. With the tip of a skewer, put a few drops of blue clay into some of the sections on the flower and the bottom wings of the butterfly. Blend the blue and translucent clay and fill each section. Add the purple to the rest of the flower and the center of the bottom butterfly wings and fill each shape completely.

7. In the seventh section in the palette, squeeze one-half teaspoon of the translucent liquid clay. Add a dot (just what fits on the flat tip of a skewer) of yellow oil paint. Use the yellow clay to fill in the background of the vase swirling the yellow and translucent clay together. In the eighth section of the palette mix one-half teaspoon of clay with one-fourth teaspoon of copper glitter. Highlight different sections of the vase pattern with copper glitter clay. When all of the sections have been filled bake the vase for 15 minutes at 275 degrees. Allow to cool completely.

8. To create the stained-glass effect, only varnish the colored translucent clay with a very small brush. Wipe any varnish off of the clay snakes and allow the varnish to dry.