Sometimes a long walk through a craft store is all I need to get inspired. As much as my mind is consumed with design and web-based projects, it’s still important for me to have a balance between that and hands-on crafts. Oven-bake clay is something that I loved momentarily a few years ago and then ditched after a few rounds of baking little trinkets. Well guys, I love it again. The possibilities are endless! My refrigerator has been looking sad and empty, so I decided to add some simple hexagon-shaped magnets.

Supplies needed: oven bake polymer clay, a clay cutter or a knife, magnets, a hot glue gun/glue, a small piece of paper cut into a hexagon shape (I made the shape in Photoshop and traced it directly from the screen), and a hard/flat surface (I used the back of my phone).

First, you’ll need to cut your clay into smaller pieces and roll them into round balls. I ended up using 1/4 of the block of clay for each ball.

Flatten each ball of clay with a hard surface, such as the back of your phone or a plate, until it’s wide enough for the hexagon shape to fit over it.

Place the hexagon shape over each round piece of clay and use the clay cutter to cut away the edges.

Carefully place all of the clay hexagons onto a cookie sheet and bake according to the instructions on your clay package. I baked mine at 110°C/230°F for about 15 minutes. It’s recommended that you bake them on parchment paper, but I didn’t have any so I skipped that. It didn’t make a difference because I knew the backs would be hidden anyway.

These magnets didn’t turn out the way I originally wanted them to, but I learned to love them anyway. See how the peach clay above is a pinkish peach? The oven turned them into a very yellowy peach. You can also see that the mint color deepened and got all ocean-like and the gold marbleized even more. I think they ended up looking more earthy and fall-like, which I love. I am also trying to embrace that DIY projects are not always perfect and that there is usually something new to be learned. :)

Once your clay hexagons have cooled off, hot glue a magnet to the back of each one. These would make a sweet gift for any honeybee lovers in your life! …I gifted them to myself. :)

 

ps. Shout out to my little snow globe-collecting cat lady sister who is nine today!