Whimsical Garden Markers

SUPPLIES & TOOLS:

• Fimo clay
• 18" Stem wire, 18 gauge, silver
• Headpins, 2" nickel
• Assorted beads and/or beads made with Fimo clay
• Nickel wire, 24 gauge
• Sculpey acrylic clay roller
• Large rubber stamp with overall design
• Alphabet stamp set
• Black permanent ink pad
• Metal ruler
• Cookie cutters
• Modeling tools
• Wire cutters
• Jewelry pliers
• Non-stick cookie sheet
• Glue
• Plastic drinking straw
• Cardboard
• Clay pasta machine (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Roll Fimo clay to less than 1/8" thickness on a non-stick surface. Strips of cardboard placed to the left and right of clay, in the thickness desired, will ensure that clay is an even thickness. Optional tip: Use a clay pasta machine instead.
2. Create shapes out of rolled clay with cookie cutters, a thin metal ruler, or by using a thin metal tool to cut around a paper pattern of your own design.
3. Add texture and decoration to clay shapes in a variety of ways: rubber stamps, ropes of clay, impressions made with beads, fresh leaves or other objects.
4. To imprint letters into the clay, gently press a rubber stamp letter into an inkpad of permanent ink and then into the clay itself. Repeat for each letter.
5. Use a plastic straw to punch a hole for the wire hanger in top center of the clay shape. Punch any other holes that you will need for hanging beads. These can be smaller than top hole, but should be twice as large as wire that you will insert into them.
6. Remove any beads pressed into clay before baking. To bake, follow manufacturer's instructions on package. When clay is baked and cooled, glue beads into place.
7. Twist wire to form hanger. Embellish hanger with either purchased or self-made Fimo clay beads.
8. To create marbled effects in clay, combine two or more colors and knead together until desired effect appears.

• Brighten up your spring planting with these cute and easy garden markers!