~Extra Strong 1/8" (or 1/4") wide "Red-liner" tape-translucent red liner 
~X-Acto type blade knife with a standard size No. 11 blade
Creating the Patterns & Armatures For Clay Cones
1. Print the cone patterns full size (click the link at the bottom of the page)
and allow ink to dry. Cut out the patterns you plan on
using for clay and or paper cones.
2. Now, if 'paper' was printed, trace around your chosen sized pattern onto
cardstock-I place in the corners to save on tracing and cutting. If a
pattern will be used for clay, cut off the "tab area" along the line on the
printed edge. Keep the tab on the patterns you will use when making paper
cones (shown). So, if making both clay and paper cones you will need two
sets of cardstock patterns of your chosen sizes.
3. Since the tab inner line will be on the backside of your scrapbook paper, use
a ruler to draw the tab section line on the printed side of the paper.
*TIP: Always place pattern printed side up on CLAY as the ink will transfer to the clay!
The materials used on the above paper cones were: Circle Grid, Daisy Doodad,
Snowflake, Capricious and Merry Doodles templates, Premo! Metallic Silver,
Bright Lt. Blue, Lt. Green & Red and Metallic Silver
Glitters on heavy scrapbook paper.
Clay Cones
1. Condition the clay by warming 1/4 of a cube in your hand first, then passing
it through the clay machine several times in various directions. Repeat this
step to condition an entire 2 oz. cube of clay (I started with Pearl so
other colors from my hands did not contaminate it).
2. Trace and cut a third clay pattern (without a tab), curl it to get the cone
shape started (see photo above) and staple it near the top edge overlapping
the paper 1/4". A smaller stapler would work better then mine! Now, shake
out some powder onto the cone and rub it all over, which will work
as a release for the clay.
3. Flatten the clay to 1/8" thick (at the second thickest machine setting or
with an acrylic roller tool). Place the cardstock, PRINT SIDE UP onto your
clay (ink and pencil marks will transfer onto clay). Cut around the shape
with a crat knife or blade, remove pattern and remove excess clay.
4. Press your chosen stencil onto the clay and smooth is down gently. Some
stencils have a fancy edge also, if it doesn't line up well with the top
curve of your cone size, place it so that a focal point is in the center of
the cone and cut the actual pattern curve as shown in photo. If you plan to
add a second color of glitter, mask off that area (my cardstock circle is in
the center of the "Sunburst" #TCW166S mini template design).
5. Using a flat brush, apply a thin coat of TLS to the stencil openings. It's
fine if the TLS gets on the template also (not pictured). Wearing glasses,
safety glasses or goggles, dip the round brush into the glitter just onto
the surface and tap glitter over all the openings until you see one soild
color of glitter. *Tap off excess onto a folded piece of cardstock and tip
glitter back into its container for no waste. To clean your round brush, rub
it back and forth, briskly, against a wadded up paper towel. Remove the
cardstock mask circle and apply metallic gold glitter to the center of the
sunburst design. Blow away stray glitter from clay
and template into a trash container.
6. Remove the template slowly. If a decorative top edge is desired, you can use
fancy scrapbook scissors or another stencil design to cut along the edge of
the clay. I used a large scallop design. Now, wrap the clay around the
stapled and powdered cone armature and press the clay seams together on the
backside so they just meet (do not overlap clay). Smooth seam. Press two
coordinating colored small eyelets on each side of the clay cone,
about 3/8" from the top edge.
Paper Cones
1. You can use the same cone patterns for paper and leave the tab in place.
Simply print, cut out and trace around the shape on heavy scrabook paper.
2. I like to use fancy scrapbook scissors to trim the top curved edge of the
paper cones. Follow and cut just inside the curved pattern line with fancy
scissors. Cut the straight edges with plain scissors, just INSIDE the traced line.
3. Place stencil template onto paper cone and use low-tack tape to secure on the
back side of the template.
4a. Using a flat brush, apply a thin coat of decoupage medium over the template.
While wet-wearing glasses, safety glasses or goggles-immediately dip the
round brush into the glitter (just into the surface) and tap glitter over
all the openings until you see a nice coating of glitter. Tap off excess
onto a folded piece of cardstock and tip glitter back into its container for
no waste. When finished, clean your brush right away
with hot water and liquid soap.
4b. For small line template openings (such as Merry Doodles and Capricious),
simply fill in lines with a Quickie glue pen and add glitter as described. I
used green on the star and trunk and silver for the tree.
TIP: The wood/plastic tip end of a paintbrush can be used to wrap the cone
around while 'shaping' into a tight cone and helps press edges together in the
tip of the cone.
5. To secure the cone shape, first curl into a tight cone shape, add red liner
tape, sticky side down, along the FRONT decorated side on the tab edge.
remove the red liner layer, overlap the straight side edge over the
taped tab area and press together.
6. Punch a hole on either side of the cone about 3/8" from the top curved edge.
Cut wire hanger loop according to the size of the cone adding 1/2" extra on
each end. Shape the entire length of the wire around a smaller round bottle
or jar. The curve will be larger when you remove it from the container.
7. Bend the wire with pliers, forming a 1/2" hook, insert into cone
holes and squeeze closed with pliers.
8. Add desired trim along the top edge of cone (see aqua Christams tree cone).
I used some small vintage tinsil garland-above-with
tacky glue. Let the glue dry.
The Card
1.Stencil the card itself with coordinating colors of paint, using the Circle
Grid template with a 'dry brush' paint technique. The basic technique is to
dip a stencil brush in paint, brush off most of the paint onto a
paper towel, then stencil the dots.
2. Cut out two extra small cone shapes (same pattern) without the tab area.
Trim the first shape following curved, traced line with fancy scalloped
scissors. For the second shape, trim about 1/2" off of the top with the
same scissors, which makes it smaller.
3. Use decoupage medium to glue the back of the smaller cone to the front of the
larger cone and let dry. Slightly curve the flat cone shapes so they dome,
add red liner tape to the striaght side edges only and secure to card below,
keeping the curve. Remoce the red liner layer and press cone 'below' the
center of the card's front cover. This leaves room for the floral berry pick.
4. Add a fair amount of tacky glue to the backside of the floral pick (bunch)
and slide it into the cone. Let the glue dry.
Gift Tag: Rosy Red Cone Shape Tied with Red Ribbon
1. Cut out 2 extra small cone shapes without the tab area (refer to step 2
of "Card" above but do not curve the paper). Apply decoupage medium through
the Daisy Doodad template to the smaller cone, add glitter, tap
off the excess and allow to dry.
2. Punch a hole in a corner and tie onto package ribbon with a red sheer organza
1/2" wide ribbon. You can write "To" and "From" on the backside.
Have Fun Filling the Christmas Cones
It's so fun figuring out small treasures to put inside your cones. Here are some
ideas I came up with, but I am sure you will think of many more:
Christmas socks, small bag of candy, a Christams bulb ornament-upside down,
small sock coin purse, candy canes, a floral pick, decorative paper shreds or
tinsil, small toys, gum, mints, money, gift cards, jewelry, a watch, ipod etc.
Be creative, most stocking stuffers make great cone fillers as well!
Click on the link below for the full size
