I often find beads or great vintage buttons and know I'll never find another like it. That's when making your own mold comes in handy. You can make your beads identical, or shape and paint each one differently to give them more personality. It took me around 45 minutes to make the mold and 6 beads, not including baking and cooling time.
Molded Polymer Clay Beads
Make some bitchin' jewelry with handmade skull beads
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Pick out your button or bead. Make sure it's clean and undamaged. I'll be using this skull bead, which I made awhile back.
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Condition your polymer clay (mush it up until it's soft) and roll it into a rough ball that's a little larger than your bead.
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Press the bead firmly into the top of your clay, then pull it straight back up to make the impression of the bead. If it comes out wonky on your first try, just roll the clay back into a ball and try again.
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When you're happy with your mold, bake it according to the manufacturer's directions. Let it cool completely. I then sealed mine with a little spray varnish to help keep the clay from sticking to it, but that's optional.
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Roll a small amount of clay into a smooth ball. If you have any creases or wrinkles in the ball, you'll have them in your bead. Press it firmly into the mold.
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Pull the clay out of the mold and smooth out the sides and back, being careful not to distort the front of the bead. *I prefer to drill holes in my beads after they're baked. If you don't have access to a drill or dremel you might want to poke holes through your beads now.
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Bake your beads and let them cool completely.
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Drill holes in your beads with a small drill bit. Paint them as desired and seal them with a spray clearcoat (varnish).
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That's it! You're all set to make some bitchin' jewelry with your new handmade beads.
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Cat Morley
northernstar![[...Wanderlust Lost...]](http://images.cutoutandkeep.net/users/2200/_64x64.jpg)
[...Wande...
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Posted By:Morbidly Cute »
November 20, 2007 15:51
Popular tags: Dressmaking / Tailoring, Revamping, Painting & Decorating, Clothing & Fabric, Decorating, Halloween, Christmas, and Costumes & Cosplay
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Cat Morley
20 Nov 16:56
Those look so great and I really like the necklace you made with them x
northernstar
20 Nov 17:13
I love how you made the mold and yes the necklace is really nice :)
Carli
22 Nov 16:22
great idea! that necklace looks great :)
LaKore
22 Nov 22:43
awesome idea
Erika A.
26 Nov 00:36
Wow this is great. I've always wanted to mass produce my own beads. Thanks! This tutorial is perfect.
RenJac1301
27 Nov 21:39
I So Love that :)
Courtney Couture
17 Dec 03:50
those are beyyyoooootiful!
i need 2 make some....my to-do list grows longer and longer lol
Christine G.
22 Dec 02:41
Thanks so much chickie! I'm putting your tutorial up on my website now -
Cheers,
Christine
http://www.how-to-make-jewelry.com
Arko
04 Jan 16:04
I used this the other day to recrate one of my favourite bracelts that I brok forever ago. :D
Great tutorial.
x
Sammie_Kay
28 May 10:39
omg i love it soo much
thanx sooo much
now i just need find some polymer clay. lolol
KattyRa
09 Jun 12:25
The skullz are funny
I'm going to try them
thanx
Morbidly Cute
20 Jul 21:51
Thanks so much everyone. I'm glad to hear that some of you have found it useful!
DIS.AR.RAY
06 Aug 17:39
THAT IS KICKASS! All of my friends find shit like that, but I can never seem to. I always look for those special things, like once I found a sprite soda pin, or a fruit loops make-up mirror, but the other stuff..
I CAN'T FIND! lol
but these look awesome!
christine s.
16 Aug 19:44
this is fantastic! definitely going to make some.