Polymer Clay Peace Pendant

How to Make a One of a Kind Pendant

How to Make a One-of-a-Kind Polymer Clay Pendant

Make a unique necklace pendant with polymer clay and decals.

This polymer clay pendant is quite easy to make. No kiln required.

The clay bakes at a low heat in your home oven and can be finished to mimic all sorts of materials from dichroic glass to marble.

Pendant Supplies

• 1 sheet (or small scrap of) Lazertran Waterslide Decal (Inkjet or Laserjet depending on your computer printer)
• A digitized design - scanned, created by you digitally or purchased
• Small rhinestone
• Magic-Glos Resin Glue
• Sculpey Polymer Clay
• 10 mm (1/2 inch) silver jump ring (I didn't have one large enough, so made one with the Beadalon Jump Ring Maker
• Delta Ceramcoat Air-Dry Enamel in color to match (or coordinate with) your design
• Krylon Crystal Clear spray

Tools Needed

• Graphic design software (I used Photoshop but Photoshop Elements or even a greeting card program like PrintShop can be used.)
• Scissors
• 2 plastic or Teflon sheets for working the clay
• Acrylic clay roller
• Circular "cookie" cutter (I used Makin's Circle Clay Cutters - the 1 9/16-in size circle)
• Bead Reamer (or other tool such as a darning needle for forming jump ring hole)
• Small piece of aluminum foil and baking pan
• Oven
• Cushioned nail file and filing block
• Jeweler's pliers (2 pair)
• Artist paint brush

How to Make the Pendant

Graphic Design

Open a blank document in your graphic software.

Create a black circle exactly 1 1/2-inch wide to mark your design space.

Scan or create your digital design. I used a beautiful paper from designer Ursula Schneider's Elegant Peacock Collection. Two Peas in a Bucket also offers beautiful designs to choose from.

Bring the digital design into the new document with the black circle. It should automatically land on the layer above the circle.

With your design on the layer above the black circle, reduce the opacity of the design so that you can see the black circle below.

Move the paper around until the section you want is properly positioned over the circle. Return the design's opacity to 100% and clip the design to the circle (Layer>Create Clipping Mask).

It will appear as if the portion you selected has been cut out of the paper. However the entire paper is still there. If you're not happy with your "cutout" simply release the clipping mask (Layer>Release Clipping Mask) and try again.

When you're satisfied with your design circle, print it onto Lazertran decal paper.

If you are using a new decal sheet, position the circle at the top left just inside the margin.

You can use the rest of the decal sheet for future projects. If using a scrap of Lazertran, use a glue stick to position the scrap on a plain piece of computer paper in order to run it through the printer.

Polymer Clay Pendant

Roll a small ball of Sculpey between the palms of your hands.

Flatten slightly. Lay flattened disk on a sheet of smooth plastic. (I've used plastic report covers.)

Optional: to roll the clay to a uniform ¼-inch thickness, find a pair of flat household items which are exactly ¼-inch thick to create a channel for rolling as shown. I've used plastic drink coasters.

Use the clay roller to roll out the clay.

Use the cutter to cut the pendant. Peel away any excess clay and return the excess to the package.

Use the bead reamer to make a hole for the jump ring.

Flip the disk and insert the bead reamer from the back to even out the hole.

You don't want to handle the disk too much before baking and risk misshaping it. If the hole needs to be made larger for the jump ring, it is easier to ream it out more after baking.

If you plan to place a rhinestone on the pendant, make a small indentation with the bead reamer or the stone itself.

Be sure the placement will work with your design.

Preheat oven to 275 F.

Place the disk on a small clean piece of foil and place that on a baking sheet or pan. Bake for 15 minutes.

Turn off oven and let piece cool 10 minutes before removing it. The polymer will harden as it cools, but is quite delicate when just out of the oven. I let my pieces cool to room temperature before touching.

When the pendant has cooled completely, remove any rough edges or unevenness using the cushioned nail file and block.

Ream out the jump ring hole further as needed. Do the same for the rhinestone indentation.

Assembling the Pendant

Cut out the decal.

Set it in small dish of water and wait for it to uncurl. Lift from the water. Slide the decal off its backing sheet and position on the pendant.

Dab with a tissue to press down and remove excess water. Let dry.

If you used Lazertran Inkjet decals, you'll notice that the clear areas turned white as they dried. Not to worry; we'll clear that all up with the finish coat ;-)

Paint around the vertical edge of the pendant with a color of Delta Ceramcoat Air-Dry Enamel that matches and blends into your design or coordinates with it. Let dry.

In a well-ventilated area, spray two or three coats of Krylon Crystal Clear over all sides of the pendant, letting each coat dry in between.

On the pendant's face, the Krylon will make the white areas transparent.

I recommend coating all sides so the piece will be easy to clean.

Dip the rhinestone into the MagicGlos resin glue and set it into the indentation. Press down gently. Let dry 24 hours.

Be sure to read my other articles about Home Cured Modeling Clays