DIY Network

Metallic Sun Mirror Visit DIY's Craft Lab to learn how to work with polymer clay. From "Craft Lab" episode DCLB-229

Guest Karen Mitchell joins host Jennifer Perkins and demonstrates how to make a super hip sun mirror using polymer clay. This eye-catching wall hanging brings new scale and dimension to polymer clay.

Flat sheets of clay covered with variegated metallic leaves are transformed to raised scrolls.

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Guest Karen Mitchell utilizes polymer clay to create this unique sun mirror wall hanging.

Metallic Sun Mirror

Project designed by Karen Mitchell.

Materials:

1 lb. brick Premo polymer clay: copper
2 oz. bottle of translucent Liquid Sculpey
5" mirror
eight 1" mirrors
variegated metallic leaf
8 flat back clear crystals: size SS 42
4 wooden craft picks
13"-14" pizza pan
aluminum foil or parchment
1" section of cardboard paper towel roll
Sculpey Super Slicer
craft knife
scissors
pen
ruler
pasta machine
acrylic rod
1-1/8" clay cutter

	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C
	Figure D
	Figure E

1. Condition all of the copper clay. Roll three sheets of clay on a number one setting on the pasta machine (about 1/8" thick) that are at least 5-1/2" square (figure A). Stack the sheets together and use the acrylic rod to stick them together.

2. Spread a thin coat of liquid Sculpey on the back side of the large mirror. Place the mirror in the center of the clay stack, press in place, and trim clay with knife to the edge of the mirror (figure B).

   Tip: Use liquid polymer clay as glue to adhere the clay to the mirror.

3. Line your pizza pan with foil or parchment. Mark the center of the pan. Draw perpendicular lines that intersect the center mark. Divide these sections in half to create the look of eight even pie slices. Place the mirror in the center of the pan (figure C).

4. Roll a snake of copper clay 3/8" thick and 16" long.

5. Place a sheet of variegated leaf on your work surface and place the clay snake on top. Roll the snake so that it is wrapped with metallic leaf. Burnish the leaf onto the clay with your fingertips and remove the excess. Continue this process until the snake is completely wrapped in leaf.

6. On one edge of the snake, remove the metallic leaf with your craft knife (figure D). Squeeze a line of liquid clay around the outside edge of the clay edge under the mirror. Wrap the snake around the mirror with the side with the leaf removed facing inwards. Trim the ends of the snake so that they meet, and press the snake to attach it to the mirror edge.

7. Roll two large rectangles — at least 8-1/2" long — of copper clay on a number one setting on the pasta machine.

8. Lay a sheet of variegated metallic leaf on your work surface. Place one of the sheets of copper clay on top of the leaf. Turn the clay sheet over and burnish the leaf on with your fingertips. Repeat the leaf application for the second sheet of clay.

9. Cut eight strips that are 3/4" wide by 8" long. Set aside extra leafed clay.

10. Take one leafed strip of clay and form a small scroll at one end of the strip, with the leafed side on the inside of the scroll. When the scroll is about 1/4" in diameter, repeat on the other end of the strip.

11. Wrap the strip, leafed side out, around a 1" piece of cardboard paper towel roll (figure E). Stick the top scrolled ends of the strip together to form a teardrop shape. Repeat this step for the other seven strips of clay.

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