In my never ending search for fun new ways to recycle old containers. Here is a very simple way to recycle an old mint tin and candy containers into something useful.
The first thing I did was to condition the clay with the pasta machine. I put it through about ten times to get it nice and soft. This is to make it easier to imprint onto the clay.
For the Halloween Candy Boxes, I just went ahead and covered the pre-sanded containers with the clay and then used a knitting needle to imprint lines on them (see below for details).
- For the Pumpkin, I added polymer clay eyeballs and some tiny spiders.
- For the moon light pumkin patch, I shaped balls of clay into pumkins and used the knitting needle to make the appropriate markings. I made the bat shape and moon the same way. I used the Jacquard mica powder to highlight areas of the pumpkin patch. Then I baked them in the oven (craft oven...not food oven) for the time specified by the polymer clay manufacturer. Once it was done baking, I let it cool for a while
For the Altoid Container:
The I took one of my rubber stamps and pushed it (image side down) onto the clay. I carefully removed the rubber stamp.
Then I took the empty "Altoid" mint container and sanded it down. This is done to make the surface adhere better to the clay. Then I put a coat of "Lisa Pavelka's Poly Bonder" which is glue that is geared for use on polymer clay. I placed the polymer clay (image side up) onto the mint box. I cut off the excess clay and finished off the edges.
Then I added some flat rhinestones, a little brush of mica powder and baked it in the oven (craft oven...not food oven) for the time specified by the polymer clay manufacturer. Once it is done baking, let it cool for a while. Then add a chain or string. There you have it, a quick and easy polymer clay project.
