Simply Pressed Clay Buttons

Have you tried the new Simply Pressed Clay molds from Stampin’ Up! yet?  I love them!

The set comes with two molds – one is Buttons and one is Blossoms – each one has three different designs on it.  You use them with the Simply Pressed Clay – which is white molding clay.   Look at this cute card that I made using the Buttons.

I really love this card!  I made it as a swap card for our STARZ retreat prior to convention.  And also used it for my stamp clubs in July.  I colored the white clay using my reinker bottles – I made Pear Pizzazz, Daffodil Delight and Melon Mambo clay and molded them into the button molds.  Here are a few tips that I discovered while I worked with the clay and the molds.

• I pulled off a small amount of clay, stuck it in a small ziploc bag, added drops of reinker.  Close the bag and knead the clay until the color is distributed.  I wrote on the bag what color it was and kept it sealed until I was ready to use it. Alternately you could put gloves on your hands and knead the color in that way – you don’t want the ink all over your hands.
• The molds use far less clay than you think.  I found it was better to fill each section of the mold with just enough clay to create a flat back – and don’t go over the edges – if you do then you’ll need to cut that away later.  Especially with the buttons so that you can mold the holes you want just enough to fit inside.
• You can use the embossing buddy to add a little powder in the molds to help the clay release.  But I prefer to use the freezer.  Put the clay in the mold and then stick in the freezer for 10 -15 minutes pop out and set aside to dry completely over night.  I actually found that when the mold was already cold it took less time in the freezer.
• I accidentally left one of my bags of colored clay slightly unsealed – which caused it to dry out just a bit – I decided to try to mold it anyway – and it actually molded very well and popped right out of the mold.
• Once you have your shape you do want to let it dry completely – I left mine to air dry over night.
• You could also create the shapes in white and then color with markers or the spritzer, a sponge or dab into the ink pad – this will add some variations of color.

That’s just a few ideas for you when using the clay.

If you want a little more detail on my card here you go –

• Card base is Chocolate Chip.  I did add a layer of whisper white on the inside so it would be easier to read the message you add to the inside of the card.
• On the front is a layer of Whisper White.  Stamp greeting in Chocolate Chip ink on front.  I stamped the stem from Field Flowers in Pear Pizzazz ink on the card.
• Add stitching around the stem – I used the Paper Piercer, mat and template to add 6 holes – 3 on each side of the stem.  Then string the Early Espresso Baker’s Twine through and tie in a bow.
• Punch flowers using the Pansy Punch from Gingham Garden Designer Series paper.  Curl the petals with a bone folder and add to the stem with mini glue dots.
• Add the clay buttons to the centers of the flower.  I used the Multi-purpose liquid glue and made sure the buttons were dry before adding them.

 

This is one of my favorite cards.  Thanks for stopping by today.

You can buy the Simply Pressed Clay and Molds in my online store – CLICK HERE – along with all the other products I used on this card.