Upcycled Vases
Craft Store Supplies (click on the following websites for additional
product information and free project ideas!)
Studio™ by Sculpey® colors: After Midnight, Sadona, Peapod,
Spanish Olive, Wasabi Studio by Sculpey
Studio Antiquing Medium: Warm White Studio by Sculpey
Polymer clay compatible glaze
Craft Store Tools:
Studio Style & Detail Tools (Largest Ball End) Studio by Sculpey
Studio Texture Makers: Swirls & Scrolls Studio by Sculpey
Sculpey Super Slicer flexible blade Polyform
EZ release push mold: Caribbean Floral Jewelry #APM43 Polyform
Acrylic Roller Tool Polyform
Spritzer or spray bottle of water
Smooth ceramic tile
Large flat paintbrush
Paper towels
Vases: Take a trip to your local thrift or dollar store (I like
Dollar Tree) and pick up some plain, smooth surface ceramic
vases in any color. Make sure they are not plasitc as those type
will melt in the oven. While you are there, check out the displays of
flip flops for summer (they may be located outside the store).
Just make sure that the straps are smooth and not textured. Solid
colors with no special designs are best to upcycle.
Tuscany Vase
1. Condition 6 square sections of after midnight Studio clay and
by rolling and squishing it in your warm hands. Flatten the clay
to 1/16" thick with a roller tool (or a clay-dedicated pasta machine
if you happen to have one!).
2. Spritz the Scrolls texture maker with water and press the clay
into the design. Lift the clay slowly and place on a tile.
3. Cut a square from the design area you like and remove the excess
clay around the shape. Using a flexible slicing blade, bend it into
a slight curve and round off the straight sides of the shape.
4. To scallop the clay edges, press the ball end of the Style &
Detail tool in the center, then evenly along the edge of all sides.
Secure clay to the vase.
5. Bake the vase at 275o for 30 minutes. Turn off the oven, allow
the vase too cool, then remove it from oven. This prevents the
vase from forming cracks that may occur with sudden temperature changes.
6. Shake the Studio antique medium with the lid tightly closed.
Apply to the clay working in sections, with a flat paintbrush,
reaching into all the indentations. Wipe off excess paint on raised
surface only with a folded paper towel. To remove paint residue
from the baked clay surface, slightly dampen the paper towel (but
not dripping wet) and wipe the raised surface only. Alow the paint
to dry several hours then apply a coat of glaze.
Terracotta Vase with Handles
1. Pinch small pieces of conditioned Sadona clay and flatten them
onto the vase. Work in sections until the entire vase is covered,
including 2" inside the top rim. Smooth the clay surface. Form two
3/4" balls of Sadona clay for handles.
2. Roll each ball into a 4" long rope. Form a spiral in one end leaving
2" straight area and press onto vase side. Press the spiral near
the top of the vase side. Press the straight end firmly onto vase
as well leaving a handle shape. Holding your finger on the backside
of the spiral to prevent it from moving, press the pointed end of the
Style & Design tool (or a pen tip) into the spiral to form a decorative
hole in the center. Add a second handle to the opposite side
of the vase in the same manner.
3. Roll several 9/32" balls of Sadona clay. Spritz the leaf mold with
water and press the ball into the shape. Flex the mold to release
the clay leaf and press near the bottom rim of vase, at an angle.
Repeat spritzing mold, adding leaves around the vase.
4. Also with Sadona clay, form two 7/32" balls and press into the small,
four point flower mold shape. Remove and press onto vase rim
where desired. Form two 11/32" balls and press into water spritzed
medium six point flower and secure over the bottom flattened
area of each handle.
5. Bake the vase at 275o for 30 minutes, turn off the oven, allow
the vase too cool, then remove it from oven. Shake the Studio
Antique Medium with the lid tightly closed. Apply to the clay working
in sections, with a flat paintbrush, reaching into the
handle, flower and leaf indentations. Wipe off excess paint on the
surface with a folded paper towel. I like to leave a slight
resiue of paint over the entire vase for an old world terracotta style.
Fantastic Flip Flops
Now it's time to turn those simple sandles into upcycled designer
looks with a few embellishments.
Craft Store Supplies (click on the following websites for additional
product information and free project ideas!)
Soufflé™ 3-D Opaque Ink Pens
Sakura
Permapaque® Dual Point Paint Markers
Sakura
Tulip® Glam-It-Up!™ Iron-On Crystals™
Duncan
Aleene's® Platinum Bond All-Purpose 7800™ Adhesive Duncan
Clear tape (such as Scotch®)
Tools you will use:
Tulip® Cordless Heat Setting Tool™ Duncan
Three AA batteries for heat setting tool
Fashion Art TWEEZERS™ Duncan
Wood dowel or thick wooden skewers 1/4" thick (for curling ribbon)
Scissors (for the ribbon)
Toothpicks
Gather up or purchase some flower or summer themed appliqués. I
found my sheer flowers with beaded centers at Wal Mart and
fabric/craft stores carry appliqués also. You will need 2 of the
same design for a pair of flip flops.
Before you begin: Remove any sticker labels or tags from flip
flops. Wipe sandals clean if needed.
You may choose to add your designs directly on the straps.
If so, there are many Souffle 3-D pen colors to choose from.
On the clear straps in the left photo, I deicded to add simple
swirls with a white Soufflé pen. Once dry I secured 3 sizes of Tulip
Iron-On clear Crystals using Aleene's 7800 Adhesive and a toothpick.
The orange flip flop on the right has
flower designs done with a yellow Soufflé pen and orange dots fill
in the flower centers. Of course
you can use any combo of colors that match or coordinate
with your flip flop colors.
As for the ribbons, I use 3/4" wide white or bright yellow colored "grossgrain"
(pronounced grow-grain) ribbon on my samples to wrap around and cover the
straps. Plan for 1 yard for EACH single flip flop so you don't run
out! Cut end at an angle an slide under one strap end as shown. Secure
with 7800 and let dry about 5 minutes, then wrap around the strap,
right over the center and down the other side adding small blobs
of glue under the straps every 1 1/2" or so. Clip end at an angle
and secure. I added orange dots with a Permapaque after wrapping.
To make thin curly-q's, I use 1/8" to 1/4" wide white or
light color grossgrain ribbon cut into 8" long lengths. The curled
piece will be glued on in the center of the ribbon making two strands.
You can add fun accents using Permapaque markers as shown here.
Allow the paint to dry for about 15 minutes before curling.
Run the ribbons under water to get them wet. Shake out the excess
water for about 20 seconds. Use clear tape to tape one end around a
dowel, wrap the ribbon close together and tape the end to the
dowel. Bake on a shallow pan at 250o fo 20 minutes, that's it!
Remove tape and slide ribon off dowel.
When you are adding Tuplip crystals onto ribbon directly (or
other fabrics) you can use a heat setting tool. Place crystal
in position (TWEEZERS are helpful) turn on the tool, wait 30 seocnds,
then press and hold the red button down and press the metal tip
onto the crystal for 20-25 seconds. Do not press hard or the
crystal will slide.
Other Simple Flip Flop Styles
You can write words, names or phrases on the sides of the foamy base
using a Permapaque marker. This pair repeats the phrase "GIRLY GIRL".
