The Crafter's Workshop Website

Basic Nightlight Instructions

1. Remove the exsisting cover from the night light. This will not be
used as most are plastic and would melt.

2. Choose your stencil template design. The sample image above uses
the 12" large Brocade (#TCW195), although these basic instructions use the
6" Arabesque. Condition 1/2 to 3/4 of a 2 oz. cube of clay (your
color choice-I used Bronze Premo! Sculpey Accents (#5519), by warming it in your
hands, rolling and squeezing it. Roll a 1/8" thick sheet (second
thickest clay machine setting) that will be used as the top clay layer with
holes or shapes cut away from it.


OPTIONAL STEP: For a textured top clay layer only, spritz the back of
a very detailed tempalte with water (I used Arabesque 6" #TCW159 for this project)
and place onto clay slab. Run the clay and template togehter through the
clay machine at the 2nd thickest setting. Slowly lift a corner of the template,
and check if all of the texture is crisp, if not, run both through
at the third thickest setting of the machine. Remove tempalte and secire the
textured clay sheet, right side up on a ceramic tile.


3. Spritz the back of the next tempalte with the larger cut out areas
(I used Circle Grid 6" #TCW203) and place onto the clay. Press it very
gently to prevent the texture from being disturbed-if you've addded texture. Using an
Ex-Acto craft knife held straight up, cut out and remove clay from 16 holes.
Make one row of 2, 3 rows of 4 and one row of 2 cut outs
to fit nighlight.


4. Trim desired shape around the nightlight cover, leaving at least a
3/16" solid clay flange (rim or edge) around the shape. Place two small lumps
of scrap clay on a ceramic tile and press the tube (from the inside) onto
the clay to stablize it. Lift clay carefully by sliding (with a back and
forth sawing motion) with a slicing blade under the sheet of clay. *See the
first image above step 2 of "VARIATION NIGHTLIGHT below. Drape it, centered,
over a TP tissue tube.

5. Bake at the recommended temperature and length listed on the clay
package brand you are using and allow to cool. Note: Leave the roll attached
to the tile for a second baking!


6. Paint the surface, inside the hole edges and the night light cover
sides of the clay cover with 1-2 coats of white, allowing it dry between coats.
Allow to dry completely. Using slightly moistened 400 grit sand paper,
sand just the very highest texture of the imprint and a little on the side
edges to create a shabby time worn look. The bronze clay will show through
in tiny areas and seem as if the paint has been worn off or chipped over time.


7. Thoroughly mix together 1/2 CUBE of White Translucent (#PE025527)
Premo! Sculpey Accents with a 1/4" BALL of Premo! Sculpey Accents
Peacock Pearl (#PE025038) clay, to form a translucent aqua tint. Apply a thin
even coat of Translucent Liquid Sculpey to the BACK (bronze color) side of the cover.


8. Lay the aqua clay over the back of the cover and press gently to
secure. The TLS will act as a glue during the baking process. Trim away the
excess clay with an Ex-Acto knife, so the aqua clay is the same shape as the
cover, but does not show from the front side of the night light.


9. Mix three shades of transluscent pink clay by adding tiny graduated
sized pinches of Magenta Pearl (#PE025029) Premo! Sculpey accents to three,
3/4" balls of White Translucent(#PE025527) clay. Form three 2" x 1" long
sheets that are 1/8" thick (largest pasta setting). Secure them together with
the lightest, then medium tint then deepest tint as shown. Flatten to 1/8"
thick (largest setting) and roll up like a jelly roll. Cut into thirds crosswise.


10. Follow instructions on the diagram above.


11. Secure the long leaf shape to one side of the three ropes
with the point facing outward from the logs.



12. Turn the cover over to the front side. Using the slicer blade, cut
very thin slices (as thin as possible) of the 'three rose cane' and secure
one in each circle opening. Try to avoid fingerprints when flattening, by
using the flat end of the Ex-Acto knife to press onto the clay circle area. Bake
the cover on the tissue roll for 15 minutes and allow to cool completely.

13. All nightlights will be finished a little differently. Here are some of
the styles you may find that will work. Do NOT buy a base where the cover
has a FLAT metal or plastic strip, as your cover is curved and will not attach
to a flat surface. Remember, you can buy them at a dollor type store and just
remove the nightlight cover and use the base.

Note: There are a few additional steps for the Arabesque (#TCW159)
bronze and light yellow nightlight.


A VARIATION NIGHT LIGHT

1. Spritz the back of a very detailed template with water (I used
Arabesque 6" #TCW159 for this project) and place onto clay slab.
Run the clay and template togehter through the clay machine at the 2nd
thickest setting. Slowly. Now, run both through at the third thickest
setting of the machine. Secure the clay, right side up onto a ceramic tile.
Cut out the shapes creating a nice filigree look, creating a pleasing
outline shape to the light as shown.


2.Use a slicer blade to aid in lifting the cover off of the ceramic tile.
Follow step 4 above, then bake the top cover layer on the tissue roll prop as
directed on the clay brand package. Allow to cool completley. This cover
is created like step 7 and 8 above, using two baking cycles, one for just the
top of the cover and the second after the translucent clay layer is added
to the back of the top cover. Re-bake the cover on the tissue roll
for 15 minutes. Cool completley.

FINISHING ALL STYLES OF NIGHT LIGHTS


1. To attach the cover to the plastic base, first apply a small thin
layer of TLS inside the cover at the bottom center, where the connector will be
placed. Form a 3/4" ball, of Premo! Scupley Accents White Translucent
color of clay, into a short thick log of clay. Dip your finger in water
and rub it over the neck of the nightlight as a release agent
(avoid getting any moisture inside the neck!).


2. Press the clay onto the nightlight neck making sure not extend the
clay over the top rim and do not cover the switch area. Now press the soft
clay against the baked cover and shape it, so it does not show from the front
of the night light. Note: Make sure the bulb will be at least 1/4" away from the clay cover.


3. Carefully remove the cover from the base (with the soft clay still
attached to the cover), so that it keeps its shape. Bake the cover
with the soft clay, curved, baked, cover side DOWN, on a piece of cardstock
that is placed onto a ceramic tile. The cardstock prevents a flat shiney
area appearing on the cover. Once cool, use E6000 glue to attach the cover
to the nightlight neck. Prop accordingly while drying overnight and make
sure when propped that the bulb will remain at lest 1/4" from the cover. I
used a paintbrush handle slipped under the bulb while drying. Note: IF
the cover attachment connector pops securely in place, there is no need to
glue it to the plastic night light base.

You Can Make Jewery Too!

This stencil template technique can also be used on two-layer jewelry
pieces as shown in the image above. I chose to use two different flowers from
the "Flower Frenzy" 6" template (#TCW157)for the necklace using Premo!
Sculpey black (#5042), White (#5001), Cadmium Red Hue (#5382) and Turquoise
(#5505). The round pendant necklace with beads was created with The
Crafter's Workshop template called "Paradise" 6" (#TCW186).