Ideas for Polymer Clay Canes

Here are some fun ways to use your polymer clay canes! You can make a necklace, embellish a pen, or create beautiful candle holders.
 

Materials:

• Polymer clay canes (pre-made or handmade)
• Bic ink pens (you must be able to remove the tip and ink from plastic pen body)
• Glass candle cups
• Assorted beads and bracelet/necklace findings
• Toaster oven
• Cutting blade

Instructions:

1. You can purchase pre-made canes online and at your local craft store. There are many instructions for making canes online.
    
2. Condition your canes by rolling and warming them in your hands. Once conditioned, using a cutting blade begin to cut thin slices. For beads have a depth of at least 1/4” to 1/2". For slices you will be applying to pen casing or candle cups your slices can be much thinner, so cut as many as you can from a cane.
    
3. You can get the large and small diameters from a can by slowly rolling it like a snake on a hard surface. For example: cut several slices while your cane is 1” in diameter; roll out to 3/4” and cut more slices; continue to roll out to 1/2" and cut slices; and so on. This will give you a nice variety of sizes when you cover a pen casing or candle cup.
    
4. For beads: cut thick slices; insert a pin to make the hole; lay on cooking sheet; place in toaster oven at temperature recommended by the polymer clay manufacturer, bake for 30 minutes or time recommended by manufacturer; allow to cool, and then string into bracelet or necklace.
    
5. For pen: remove tip/ink from pen; begin to lay slices of cane onto the pen casing using the warmth of your fingers to help the clay adhere to the plastic casing, cover entire pen casing with cane slices, but don’t cover the tip opening. Place pen onto cooking sheet, place in toaster oven at temperature recommended by manufacturer, bake 30 minutes or time suggested by manufacturer, allow to cool and then insert tip/ink back into pen.
    
6. For glass candle cups: begin to lay slices of cane onto the outside body of glass candle cup using the warmth of your fingers to help the clay adhere to the glass, cover entire glass candle cup with cane slices. Place glass candle cup onto cooking sheet, place in toaster oven at temperature recommended by manufacturer, bake 30 minutes or time suggested by manufacturer, and allow to cool.
    
7. Please remember that anything the polymer clay touches can no longer be used for food consumption and you should never leave baking polymer clay unattended.

Learn more about Maria and see her other projects here.