Thursday, September 17, 2009

Batty!!!


Could you use one of these on Halloween night?

This would also make a great magnet or make the design smaller for a pair of earrings, but this is simple and fun and can be done in a ½ hour.

I have the chains available through the http://www.clayfactory.net/ for 2.00 each, 1.00 each (sold in packages of 5, one color), it has everything you need; silver or gold plated, the jump rings, and the clasp. They are about 15 1/2" long from jump ring to jump ring and they have an extra 1 7/8" adjustment chain too! If they are not up there when I get these posted, just ask Howard.











The eye hooks are placed in to the bat where I want them and they have a shart leg with a hook that sticks in to the clay. I press the clay down around it once I insert it and the hook doesn’t come out. I used 22 gauge non tarnish silver or non tarnish brass wire to make the dangles on the bottom and some other beads I had made. The glitter beads can be made from the instructions here: http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2009/06/glitter-beads.html

Using purple Cernit and Purple glitter from http://artglitter.com/
Links will take you to the page at http://www.clayfactory.net/ where the products are.
Black Cernit
Red Cernit
Round cutter set- Makin’s Clay
Clay Blade
Craft Knife
3/16” teardrop cutter
7/16” round cutter
Large and small ball stylus
Pasta Machine
3 hooks with leg
1 chain set (Link finally added, YAY!!!)



1. Condition a ¼ block of the black clay until smooth and creamy, then roll out in the pasta machine on the thickest setting and fold the clay sheet in half to double the thickness or roll out with a glass jar until about 3/16” thick, using the largest and smallest circle cutter from the Makin’s clay circle set cut out one of each size.







2. Cut the largest cut out circle in half.







3. Place the two halves together so they look like camel humps or mountains.


4. With the 7/16” round cutter cut out 3 halves of the circle in each half of the big circle.

 
 
 

 
5. Take the cut out that used the smallest cutter and roll it in to a ball and then roll it in to a pear shape.




 
 
 

 
6. Place over the center of the two large cut out halves right in the middle and press down firmly with out smashing too much.
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
7. Place the large ball stylus in to the center of the pressed on pear shape and pull down to form a mouth.
 
 
 
 
 

8. Roll out some conditioned red clay on the 5th thickest setting and use the small 3/16” cutter to cut out two teardrops.

9. Place one over the mouth a little to the right of center.
10. Place another over the mouth on the left of the other.
Sometimes if the red clay sticks in the cutter you can place the cutter squarely and flush on to the clay you want it on and pull the cutter back very fast and get the piece to stick to the clay you are putting it on, this doesn’t always work and takes a little practice.
Otherwise push out the shape and turn it over so you will not see the indent from the plunger. Then place where you want it to go.


11. Cut out another 3/16” teardrop and roll it in to a ball.
12. Drop in to the bottom of the hole for the mouth.


 

 
 
13. With the craft knife make a mark in the red ball that goes north to south in the middle for the bats tongue.




 
 


14. Using the 3/16” teardrop cut out 3 teardrops out of the black clay that is rolled out on the thickest setting.

15. Roll all of the pieces in to balls.

16. Roll two of the balls in to little teardrops.

17. Roll one of the balls in to a little coil that is about ¼” long.

 

18. Put the two teardrops on each side of the top of the bats head for ears.


19. Mark each ear by pressing the large ball stylus in to the teardrop at the bottom of it close to the head.

This will also help attach the ears to the head.

 


20. Place the little coil over the red teardrops for eyes and mark in the middle of it with the craft knife to make eyebrows.

 
 
 
 
 

 
21. Roll out another piece of the black clay on the 5th thickest setting and cut out another 3/16” teardrop.


22. Cut that in half and roll both halves into very small balls.

 
 
 



23. Place on the red teardrops for pupils in the eyes and press in to place.

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
24. Using a small ball stylus “draw” on the wing divisions.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
25. Insert the hooks with legs in to the wings and at the bottom of the body or leave them off if this is going to be used for something else.


26. Bake in a 275 degree preheated oven for 30 minutes

27. Shut off oven.

28. Let cool.

Add chain and dangles

36 comments:

  1. I love these! I wish we (UK) celebrated Halloween as much as you do over there. Its getting better though. I'll have to encourage people with my bat necklace that I'll be making this weekend!

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  2. LOL!!! FloRaeMe I will trade you places for awhile.
    Thank you so much and show me your bat!!!

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  3. I love it Marie...
    You do a great tutorial's!!

    Those bats definietly make me laugh
    : )
    Pattee

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  4. So cute Marie! I haven't tried using polymer clay before, but I think I may just have to give it a try and make myself a bat necklace. Thanks for such great directions. Your creativity amazes me!

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  5. Hi Marie,,, I love All of the Halloween projects, but I love, love, love this sweet bat necklace. This is just tooo darn cute! It makes me smile.
    I hope you are having a great week. I am doing well and getting lots done:) (()) my friend,, Gail

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  6. Those are adorable! I love them. You are SO creative!

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  7. Marie I love the one with the eye attached.

    Awesome.

    xoxox

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  8. Wonderful! Seeing these almost make me want to make them - if I had the time right now! I love bats and watch them flying around our house every night... Yours are much prettier though!! Hugs, Silke

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  9. Awwwwwwwww thank you so much Pattee, that is so nice, I am glad you like them.
    And if they make you smile, my work is done!

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  10. Thank you Marie for your wonderful comment on my witch's!
    Pattee

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  11. Welcome to my insanity Susanc, watch out though it is very addictive!! Glad to have some company.
    Thank you very very much!
    Show me your bat!!!

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  12. I am so glad to hear you are doing well Gail, that makes me smile!!!

    Thank you so much!
    Love and hugs to you!!!

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  13. Thanks Lynda, you are so nice!!!

    I love love love your new jewelry pieces, they are beautiful!

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  14. Thanks Renee that is my favorite too!!!

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  15. LOL!!!
    We have bats here too Silke, they are soo cool to watch.

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  16. Hi Marie!!! you are amazing with these cool ideas...what a neat necklace!!! I think I will have to do a craft session with my niece and make these....

    thank you for sharing all of your wonderful and clever ideas with us!!!

    Hugs
    Diana

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  17. Holy cow (holy bat?), what a great tutorial. These bats are fantastic and frightening! I think it's those gaping mouths that do it. Yowza!

    Hahaha, word verif is WHAMO!

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  18. Your bats are so cute! And I love your tutorials - they are so clear and easy to follow.
    :0)

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  19. Hi Marie...thank you for being so sweet!!! just popped in to say hello!!!

    Hugs
    Diana

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  20. These are so clever - well done you ! Have a great weekend

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  21. That project is pretty wonderful, Marie.

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  22. Great bat & tutorial. I havent checked everything out here yet but will as soon as i get a bit of spare time.

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  23. You're brilliant! :D I love ur energy!

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  24. these are so cute! i love the googley eyes.

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  25. Thank you so much Diana. It is a fun necklace!
    You could probably do this with Cole too, just put a little magnet on the back.
    I don't think he would have a problem with it at all, he is very artsy.

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  26. Holy Bats Bella!!! They are not scary!! LOL!! Cute maybe.
    Thank you so much Bella.
    Don't you just love how the word verification works?
    It is almost magic!!

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  27. Thanks you so much Angela you have made my day!!

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  28. Thank you Mrs. B!! Are you busy working on the 31 days of Halloween?
    I am getting so excited.

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  29. Thanks Jonty!!
    I am honored, your paper mache is masterful!!

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  30. Thank you Abz!!! What a kind thing to say!!
    Your art is wonderful too!!

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  31. Hey thanks Amy. They would look good out of fondant too!!!
    On those Cherry Bomb cupcakes, yummmmmmmmmmmm!!!

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  32. I made a bunch of bats today, what a fun project. The tutorial is very well written. Thanks for posting it. - Robin

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  33. Thank you very very much Robin! Show us your bat!!!

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I am so glad you stopped by. Please leave your words of wisdom. I look forward to them and I so enjoy reading them all.
Live to love, Love to create, and create to connect.
Marie

www.mariesegal.com
www.clayfactory.net