I don’t know why, but I hate typing with bracelets on. I also hate typing with my watch on, too. Maybe it’s because I have a MacBook Pro and every time I’m typing away, my metal bracelets and watch make that scratching noise against the surface of my laptop…and it’s slightly agitating. I also think it’s because they feel like they are getting in the way. Regardless of the reason, I always end up taking off my jewelry at my desk. A few days ago, I finally decided to make a catchall for these baubles, just for the sole purpose of holding them at my desk while I’m typing away. And what’s even better is that this catchall also doubles as a coaster for my drinks when my jewelry isn’t using it to take a nap.
Materials:
Oven Bake Clay (I used Studio by Sculpey in the color Stardust)
X-Acto Knife
Paint Brush
Rolling Pin
Liquid Leaf in Renaissance Gold
Surface to mold your clay around (I used a large candle jar from Bath & Body Works)
Surface to roll your clay on (I used my Martha Stewart cutting mat)
Rubber stamps (optional)
Oven Safe Bowl
Cookie Sheet
Krylon Acrylic Crystal Clear Acrylic Coating
Instrutions:
- Make sure your hands and work surface are clean and dry. The last thing you want to do is get dirt or some sort of contaminants in your clay mixture.
- Preheat your oven according to the directions on the package of your clay (mine said 275 Fahrenheit).
- Roll out your clay evenly ¼ cm thick. Make sure the entire surface of the clay is larger than the surface you want to mold your clay around.
- Mold your clay around the surface and make sure there are no air bubbles or cracks in the clay. If you want to carve or stamp your initials or anything to the bottom of the catchall, do this now.
- Gently remove your design from the surface you molded it around and place it right side up. Fix or alter any areas you need to at this time. If you wish to carve or stamp anything on the inside surface, do this now. I stamped some stars on mine.
- Flip your design over the bottom of an oven safe bowl and lightly adjust any clay areas, to make sure the design stays in shape. Place bowl on cookie sheet and place in oven. Bake for the time it states on package of clay (mine said 30 minutes).
- Once you remove the cookie sheet from the oven, immediately take your catchall off the bowl, and flip right side up. Use an oven mitt so you don’t burn yourself! Allow to cool.
- Once your catchall is cooled down, you can begin painting your liquid gold leafing to it. Before you begin painting, be sure to shake the liquid leaf vigorously so the gold paints on evenly.
- Once the liquid leaf is dried, you can begin using your jewelry catchall!
- In order to take your jewelry catchall up a notch, spray a coat of Krylon Acrylic Crystal Clear coating on to seal the gold leaf in and give the catchall a shiny finish.
This DIY project takes approximately 1 hour from start to finish, and you can make multiples at the same time if you wanted to create these for holiday gifts! Try experimenting with multiple colors of clay, stamping words into the interior, making different shapes and sizes, or adding a ring stand to the middle!
Thanks for DIY-ing with me! If you want to see more DIY posts like this from me, let me know by liking this post below!
Bows and Arrows,
Lynda
abowandarrow.wordpress.com 