Garden Welcome Sign
Design by Karen Prince

Materials and Tools:

• Premo
  • Purple #5513
  • Sea Green #5305 mixed with Sculpey III #322
  • White #5001
  • Ecru #5093
  • Raw Sienna #5392
• Acrylic Roller
• Leaf Motif #APM18 Sculpey Flexible Push Mold
• Alphabet Rubber Stamps
• Black acrylic paint
• Small paint brush
• Drinking straw
• Cording for hanger

Directions:

• Begin by using (1) white, (1) raw sienna and (2) ecru. Condition the clay well. Mix all of these together, but not thoroughly. You want your piece to resemble an actual piece of rock, so you will need to see the variation of the colors. Using your acrylic roller, roll the clay to about 5/16" thick. Form an irregular oval shape with your hands. The length will depend upon the size of your rubber stamps.

• Now, using an actual piece of rock, press it into the clay to give texture. This makes it look very real.

• Using rubber stamps, spell out "Welcome", centering the "C" first and press into the clay. Continue with the remaining letters. (Note: If indentions are made from the edges of the rubber stamps, just smooth out with your finger or use the edge of the rock to texture around the letters.)

• Condition the green and the purple clay. Lightly spritz the push mold with water before using. Follow the instructions for "Molding In Color" on the push mold package. Mix together ½ of the package of Sculpey #322 green and ½ of the package of Premo #5303 green. Do not mix completely. This will give you a variation of green color for your leaves. Roll small balls of the purple Premo and place in the push mold areas indicated for the flowers. Press the green clay over the top of this.

• After releasing pieces from the mold, begin placing on your clay rock. At this point, make holes at the top for hanging with a drinking straw.

• With the remaining half of the #322 green, mix some white into it for a lighter green for the leaves. This just creates interest in leaf color. Press into mold as before and place on the clay rock.

• Roll small snakes of green leftover clay and form tendrils to lay over and around the leaves. Use a wooden skewer to press into place.

• Bake according to package instructions. After cooling completely, paint in the letters of "Welcome" with the acrylic paint. The rubber stamps form the indentions in the clay, which is your guide for painting the letters. Tie cording of your choice through the holes at the top and your piece is ready to hang.