Mokume gane pendants – Polymer Clay

$Wendy\'s mokume gane attempt$ Okay, so I had a little camera trouble, yesterday. The batteries were dead, so of course I had to charge them. Well, better late than never!

These are the pedants I made using the mokume gane technique I talked about in my last post. I still need to do the sanding and buffing on them, but all in all they turned out pretty good for it to be my second attempt. Of course, I did my studying of a lot of other artist’s work and tutorials before I tried it again.

I used 3 different sizes of square clay cutters and a “rake” from a Zen garden! You can use almost anything to make your patterns in the clay. I have heard of people using magic marker caps, screwdrivers, forks, texture sheets, leather tools, almost anything and everything else!

The picture below is of the pendants I made using the leftover clay from the mokume stack I made. So, even if your experimenting turns out not to be what you were hoping for, smoosh the clay up (yes, that’s a technical term) and make swirlies or run it through the pasta machine to see what kind of pattern you get from that so you can make some striped pillow beads. They are as easy as pie! Then again, you can mix the clay completely until you have another color to start over with. Good luck!
[tags]polymer clay, mokume gane, polymer clay pendants, polymer clay tutorials, show and tell[/tags]

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Next Polymer Clay Idea:

DIY Homemade Clay with Cornstarch – The Best Recipe…

Every good hostess knows a serving platter is the secret weapon at a party. It corrals snacks, makes everything look intentional, and saves you from running back and forth with little bowls. This DIY divided platter takes that idea one step further: each section is labeled with hand-drawn illustrations, making it both useful and irresistibly charming.

The original inspiration came from these tapas-style platters, but we’re creating an English version featuring everyday snacks and nibbles. It’s fun, it’s functional, and it makes even store-bought crackers look Pinterest-worthy.

Materials You’ll Need

White ceramic clay (or air-dry clay if you don’t have access to a kiln)
Rolling pin or slab roller
Oval platter base template (downloadable below)
Divider templates (downloadable below)
Scoring tool + slip for joining clay
Sponge and rib tool for smoothing
Cobalt blue underglaze pencil OR blue underglaze with a fine brush
Kiln + clear glaze (for ceramic clay) OR a food-safe sealant (for air-dry clay)

Step-by-Step Tutorial

Step 1: Shape the Base

Roll a slab of clay about ½ inch thick. Place the oval platter template on top and cut out your base. Smooth edges with a damp sponge.

Step 2: Add Dividers

Use the divider templates to cut strips of clay. Attach them to the base by scoring and slipping. Smooth joins and curve the edges slightly for a handmade look.

Step 3: Refine

Let the platter dry until it’s leather-hard. At this stage, you can tidy the walls, soften corners, and make sure the surface is smooth.

Step 4: Draw Your Illustrations

Here’s where the personality shines. Using an underglaze pencil or fine brush, sketch quick doodles into each section. Keep them loose and playful, not perfect. Our platter has:

Cheese – wedges with holey details
Ham – loose stack of wavy slices
Anchovies – three slim fish outlines
Sardines – larger, striped fish drawings
Salami – one log plus a few round slices with dotted speckles
Olives – oval shapes with pits, some sliced open
Tomatoes – little cluster of round tomatoes tied together

Note: Drawings are slightly altered from the original for a fresh, unique design.

Step 5: Fire and Finish

For ceramic clay: bisque fire, add clear glaze, and glaze fire.
For air-dry clay: allow to dry fully, then paint with a clear food-safe sealant if you’ll use it for food. Otherwise, it makes a perfect decorative tray.