Attempting to make pumpkin polymer clay charms with a resin topcoat.
I attempted to make a couple flat polymer clay pumpkin charms. I then attempted to dome the tops with resin. They're not the best-looking polymer clay crafts, but they're good for my first-time making pumpkins.
Working with the Clay
I kneaded some white Original Sculpey to make it slightly softer and easier to work with. Once kneaded, I ran it through my clay machine, like a pasta maker, for a flat sheet of clay.
I used a clay shaping tool, with a silicone tip, to lightly sketch a pumpkin shape onto the clay. I then used a cutting tool to cut out the pumpkin shape.
When I lifted the tool while cutting, the edges of the clay piece lifted causing pointed edges. I ran my fingers along the edges to make them more rounded. I then used a clay shaping tool to smooth areas I ended up folding the clay over itself.
I also used the clay shaping and cutting tools to add more detail to the pumpkin shape. For one pumpkin, I decided to carve out the eyes and mouth. I wanted to see if there was a significant difference between carving the eyes and mouth before baking versus to painting those details after baking.
I placed eyepins through the top of the pumpkin's stem. The eyepins aren't secured this way, but it's easy enough to secure with super glue or resin after the clay's baked. I then placed the clay pieces on a small tile I use for baking.
Baking with a Toaster Over
The packing instructions says to "bake at 275 °F (130 °C) for 15 minutes per 1/4 in (6 mm) thickness." However, I've learned from experience that the temperature and time varies depending on the oven and what the clay sits on.
For me, I preheat my toaster oven for 10 minutes at 200°F. I placed the tile the clay pieces sat on into the toaster oven and run it again for 10 minutes at 200°F. While this post is about a couple pumpkin charms, I baked several more polymer clay charm pieces that filled the entire 4" x 4" tile.
I used a toaster oven to bake my polymer clay craft projects. I got it from a local Goodwill store for about $5 USD years ago. It's in my garage because the fumes baked polymer clay emits triggers my migraines. The fumes are minor and barely noticeable to someone like my Dad, but it's significant for myself who suffers from severe migraines.
I removed the tile from the toaster oven as soon as the timer ended, but I let it cool off for some time before handling. On this day, I waited about a half hour, but only because I was working on other things at the time.
Sanding and Painting
I sanded the pieces with a 220-grit sandpaper to remove unwanted defects and leave the pieces smooth to the touch. Because sanding covers the pieces with a lot of dust particles, I'd sometimes brush the pieces to remove the particles from crevices. Doing so allowed me to see where more sanding was necessary.
I removed the eyepins and put it aside. I painted the pumpkins with acrylic paints. The original orange color I used was too dark for my liking. I tried to mix a lighter orange color, but I apparently didn't make it light enough. I didn't worry about the color too much because I wasn't sure how doming the tops with resin would turn out.
Doming the Tops with Resin
I used Superclear Table Top Epoxy resin left over from a large tabletop resin project I started a couple weeks ago. I did this part in my garage where I had a lot of ventilation, especially when I raise the garage door to let in fresh air.
I mixed equal amounts of parts "A" and "B" for about four minutes. Some sources I've referenced say three minutes should suffice for properly mixing the resin parts. There are also a few sources that say stir until the resin is clear.
For me, mixing the resin parts for four minutes seems to be a magic number. The resin is clear and properly mixed. Improper mixing results in sticky and unusable results.
I then let the resin sit for a few minutes before using the resin. Doing so allows some of the bubbles within the resin to pop while it sits.
I used the craft stick to drop some resin over the pieces, and then used the same craft stick to spread the resin to the edges. I tried to be careful not to let the resin drip over the edges.
Adding Jump Rings
The resin cured within 24 hours. Unfortunately, I didn't completely spread the resin to the edges. I probably could've added more resin over the top and properly spread it to the edges, but I decided I wasn't concerned with it at the time. I also didn't see a significant visual difference between the charm I carved features into versus the charm I painted features onto.
I didn't initially know what to do with the pumpkin charms. I thought this first attempt at making polymer clay pumpkins with a resin topcoat would bomb. They're not perfect, but I didn't see a need to toss them in the trash. Then I thought the charms would look good dangling from my dogs' collars.
I dipped the eyepins into superglue and pushed them into the pumpkin pieces. I then added a few jump rings to the eyepins. I added the charms to my dogs' collars. I let my dogs wear their collars for a while to make sure the extra charm addition didn't bother them.
My Thoughts
I'm pleasantly surprised I didn't ruin the charm pieces. I figured either the pumpkins would look awful or the doming attempt with resin would fail.
Fortunately, the charm pieces look alright from a distance. Adding the pieces to my dogs' collars didn't bother the dogs, although I may remove one of the jump rings from Rascal's collar so that it doesn't dangle too much.
What's Next?
I'm going to attempt making a few more polymer clay charms before Halloween. I'll share my experiences with those in future blog posts and/or YouTube videos.
Should I try to make better pumpkin charms? Login and Sign up to let me know if I should try this again and what I should do differently next time. I'd love to hear from you!
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Thanks, and have a great day!
Simply Jelly Jam