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Turkey Napkin Rings

Thanksgiving Decor

To make the turkey-embellished napkin rings as shown above, follow the entire tutorial.

If you want more formal-looking fall napkin rings, simply follow the middle section of the tutorial for the stamped ring as shown below.

Napkin Ring Materials

• Sculpey Polymer Clay - white
• Delta Ceramcoat Acrylic Paint - brown, tan and yellow
• Small paint brush
• Clay sculpting tools
• Small rubber stamp in fall design
• Cardboard roll, e.g. from toilet paper or plastic wrap
• Country Colors Water Based Varnish and Sealer in satin finish
• Aleene’s Clear Gel Tacky Glue
• Pencil
• Oven for baking

Making the Napkin Rings

Roll out five large pea-size balls of clay. Roll each into a cone and then flatten as illustrated.

Lay one flattened clay shape on your work surface; then one to the right and one to the left overlapping a little at the bottom.

Do this again with the remaining two flattened pieces.

Take a small flat edge sculpting tool and make indentations in each tail feather to create the look of feathers. The tail section is now ready for the body.

Start with a medium size pea shaped ball and roll into a cone. Flatten slightly leaving some fullness for the body.

Refer to the close-up below to place it wider end down on the tail feather section.

Take another ball about half the size used for the body.

Roll into a cone shape and lay it with the wider end up on top of the body to form the head and neck.

Lightly smooth out the bottom to blend into the lower body.

Roll two tiny balls and place at the bottom for the feet. And another very tiny ball rolled into a small cone and attach the larger end where the beak should go.

Roll out a tiny piece of clay into a rope; slightly flatten and cut off to about ¾-inch in length.

Attach one end to the top of the beak and let it lay down onto the body. This is the snood.

Use a pencil lead to poke two tiny holes for the eyes.

Set the assembled turkey aside for baking.

Cut the cardboard tube into a 1-inch length.

Roll out a good size piece of clay until it is just a little over 1/8-inch thick (but no more than ¼-inch).

Lay the cardboard piece down on its side on the rolled clay and bring up both ends of the clay to completely cover the outside of the tube.

Use one of the sculpting tools to cut the excess clay off the ends of the tube.

The easiest way to do this is to keep the tube on the work surface and simply roll it towards you as you press off the excess clay with a trimming edge tool.

Smooth the edges of the clay and smooth out the seam.

Roll two thin ropes of clay long enough to go around both edges. Lightly press the ropes on the edges smoothing out the tiny seam.

Take a very small rubber stamp and make impressions into the clay all around the smooth area of the tube.

Placing two fingers inside the tube will allow you to hold it and press the stamp into place.

In the example I used a very small fall leaf stamp.

Place the turkey and the ring on a metal pan in an oven preheated to 275F. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

Let pieces cool completely before handling.

Follow the topmost photo to paint the pieces. Seal with water based varnish.

When completely dry, glue the bird on top of the napkin ring with the tacky glue.

Let dry 24 hours before using.

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