***Sofft Tools Website

Project Instructions

Basic Information: It is best to choose the photo or art print
first and then purchase the frame. The actual opening for the
photo is usually a lot smaller after the tiles are added, so
plan accordingly. Photos can be resized by scanning and
printing them out, or having larger prints made.

Before you begin making your tiles, gather your cut out square
shapes, position them on the frame to know how many tiles you
will need to make. Remember, the clay can overlap the edge up
to about 1/2" and the outer frame edges should never show.
Mist a rubber stamp each time you stamp it onto clay or it may stick.

TIP 1: Smooth the clay tile edge where the cutter was joined before
coloring and baking. If you forget, just lightly sand that edge
after baking with wet/dry (gray color) 600 grit sand paper.
Also, place the tiles with ample space between them, so when
you are color tinting the edges you have enough room.

TIP 2: To clean the Sofft tips, swipe them gently sideways
across a paper towel between colors. They can also be washed with
liquid soap adn water and left to dry. Do not use the tips
wet on PanPastels.


Art Frame


1. Condition your clay: roll it through the Clay Conditioner
4-5 times or until pliable. Or, squeeze in your hand and
roll onto your work surface. Flatten the clay to 3/16” thick
with a roller tool or at the #1 setting on the machine. Gently
impress a square cutter into half of the clay, just enough to make
a light guide (NOT all the way through the clay). Secure one of
the larger designs of the *Simply D'Vine (ISDV) rubber stamp set
and mist the stamp with water. Press firmly into clay and lift
slowly. Cut out the design with the cutter. Make a second tile
using a smaller stamp in the same manner by misting and stamping
the design in random directions. Remove the excess clay
from around the shapes.

2. Create the rest of the tiles needed to fit around your frame.
This photo shows each step in color tinting your tiles with
PanPastels.
Step A: Using a soft paint brush, gently dab it into Diarylide
Yellow Shade pastel and pounce it into the the channel lines of
the design. You may need to go over the lines a couple times. Then
using the rounded end Sofft tip and knife, swipe it sideways over
the Diarylide Yellow Shade pastel and dab random strokes on the tile.
Step B: Now add random strokes of Bright Yellow Green Shade
with a oval tip and knive.
Step C: Add random strokes of Chromium Oxide Green Shade with
the Sofft flat tip and knife and begin blending the colors
together right on the tile with a circle motion. Do NOT press
the tip too hard onto the clay or it will pick up an oil-like
substance (plasticizer) and wear out quicker.
Step D: To make the design pop, add more of the Chromium Oxide
Green Shade with the same tool, over just the design area as
shown. The color may extend a little beyond the design lines. Now
add the same Chromium Oxide Green Shade around the edge of the
clay tile for definition.

TIP: If pastel chalk gets onto an area you do not want, simply
dip the tip of a wood handle applicator tool into a small bowl of
rubbing alcohol and wipe clean. This is a great mistake fixer!
See step 4 of “Flowers Frame”.

3. Color all the tiles in the same manner and then bake them as
directed on the Sculpey clay package. When cool, slide a flexible
knife carefully under each tile and remove it from the ceramic baking
tile. Apply a polymer clay friendly sealer/finish and allow coating
to dry. Apply an extra coat for a high shine. (I use Future brand
floor finish). Glue tiles with 7800 or E-6000, beginning in the
center of the bottom edge of the acrylic frame, as seen in step 5
of “Flowers Frame”. Allow adhesive to dry propped flat overnight.
Dip the tip of a wood handle pplicator tool into a small bowl
of rubbing alcohol and wipe clean. This is a great mistake fixer!
See step 4 of “Flowers Frame”.


Flowers Frame


1. Follow step one above of “Art Frame” to make TWO of the same
tiles using the larger flowers in the *Petal Pushers (PETA)
rubber stamp set, Ultramarine Blue PanPastel chalk and the
pointed Sofft tip and knife tool to color in the flower shown.

2. Carefully remove the pointed too tip and turn it over. Apply
Ultramarine Blue Tint to the background area of the tile.

3. Turn the tip back over to the darker blue side (or use a separate
tip tool as shown) and apply Ultramarine around the tile edges.

4. If pastel chalk gets onto an area you do not want, simply dip the
tip of the wood handle applicator tool into a small bowl of rubbing
alcohol and wipe clean. This is a great mistake fixer!

5. Follow the baking (and finishing) instructions in step 3 above
of the “Art Frame”. Begin gluing the tiles in the center of the
bottom edge of the acrylic frame. Make sure the outer tiles are
overlapping the same distance as shown.


Owl Magnet Frame


1. Roll Sculpey clay to 3/16" thick (or with Clay Conditioner
setting #1).Gently impress the birdhouse shape on the clay
(but do NOT cut all the way through). Now gently impress
the oval shape for the photo opening.

2. Secure the larger branch stamp (*Fall On Me ) to an acrylic block
and mist it with water. Stamp a branch where shown in finished
frame above. Stamp two smaller branches on middle left and the bottom
right as shown. Mist and stamp leaves where shown (allowing three
to extend off the frame), a tiny bird and an owl
(*Dog and Pony Show ISDP).

3. Using a soft round paintbrush, dab on Burnt Sienna Shade pastel
into the branch channels. Then using Orange Shade (flip over the
pointed tip) on the pointed knife, tint the owl, then add Permanent
Red Shade pastel to his breast area with a new pointed tip. Tint
the bottom half of his eyes and feet with a mix of Orange Shade
overlapped with Diarylide Yellow Shade. Using a stylus tool or
toothpick, dot of Burnt Sienna Shade in the center of the owl eye.
Color the little bird red and his beak and feet Orange Shade overlapped
with Diarylide Yellow Shade. Tint the leaves with a combo
of Diarylide Yellow Shade, Orange Shade and Burnt Sienna Shade.
Now, color the background with Diarylide Yellow Shade and a
TOUCH of Burnt Sienna Shade, blending them together. And lastly,
color the frame edges with Burnt Sienna Shade.

4. Follow the instructions above of step 3 of the "Art Frame"
to bake and finish your tiled magnet frame. Although,
attach a FLEXIBLE magnet frame (Walmart) to this particular project
as the stiff acrylic ones are too large. You can cut down the corners
to fit the birdhouse frame with regular scissors.

More Inspirational Frames!

Baby Frame-Boy or Girl?

This frame is made just like the projects above, using a "Cute As
A Button" rubber stamp set. I used all PanPastel Tints and the
pointed Sofft tip and knife to color in the areas of the designs.
When I went to glue the tiles on, I used super sticky tacky tape
to attach the "baby boy" and the "baby boy wrapped in a blanket"
so they could be switched out with two extra "baby girl" clay
tiles if my neice has a girl! Makes a great baby shower gift
when the sex is not known. Added note: She's
having a GIRL, so excited!!


Party Time Frame

For this cute little magnet frame I used an "Icing On The Cake"
stamp set and smaller rectangle and square metal cutters.
Again, I just filled in the color design areas with a pointed end
Sofft tip and knive. This is a good example of matching the
design colors to the photo. I mixed in a bit of Permanent
Red Shade with a touch of Permanent Red Tint to create the dress
color. I also used Diarylide Yellow Shade pastel and Burnt
Sienna Shade. I glued the little tiles onto a stiff flat
acrylic magnet frame (Walmart) with 7800 adhesive.