Use Colorful Clay to Add 3D Flair to Your Clutch Bags

Have some fun picking out your clay and clutches—we scored these wristlets at Target, but you could always update an oldie you have on hand. We decided on a bright color palette for both, ‘casue with all this gloomy weather, we wanted a clutch that would really a pop! Even though we made three versions, the process for each is the same. So choose your favorite shape and let’s get going.

Materials:
– various colors of Sculpey clay

– small clutch (or a few if you are making some for your girls)

– E-6000 glue

Tools:
– clay cutting tools

Instructions:

1. Decide what shapes you want to create with your clay—draw them out on scrap paper if it helps!

2. Warm up the clay by rubbing it in your hands and spread it out evenly on a flat surface to about a quarter inch or the thickness of your choice.

3. Draw your shape using your needle end clay tool. Once you’re happy with your design, cut out the shape.

4. Preheat your oven and bake according to the instructions on the Sculpey package (We cooked ours for 15 minutes at 275 degrees F).

5. Once your shapes are completely cool, apply a thin layer of E-6000 to the back of your shapes and place on clutch.

6. Let dry over night and you’ve got yourself a stylin’ new bag!

We’ll start with the arrow embellishment. We used florescent pink clay for this design and we just LOVE the color! So grab a chunk of clay and roll it between your hands to warm it up. When it feels malleable, flatten it out on a smooth surface. We put a piece of paper down on the table so that we wouldn’t get little bits of clay in the porous table. Smash the clay down until it’s about a quarter inch thick.

Now, grab your needle tip clay tool (be careful, it’s sharp!). This tool is great because you can draw and cut with it. First, draw your design lightly on the clay. If you mess up, smooth it out with your finger and start over. Once you have a shape you like, carve it out by slicing through the clay with your needle tool. Pull away the excess clay and then smooth out the edges. If you’re making this for Valentine’s Day, you could make the tip of the arrow a heart and win some mega cute points ;)

Moving onto the next shape—a triangle! For this one we used gold clay. Sculpey makes a few shades of gold, all of them sparkly and metallic. In other words, you’re definitely going to have glitter hands after you use this clay! Follow the same process of warming up the clay and flattening it on your table, then draw and cut out your triangle. Ours is a mid-size acute triangle for all you math people out there. Smooth out the edges with your finger and set this shape aside.

Finally, we’re going to make some little squares. Repeat the steps from above but this time, we’re gonna add some more colors into the mix—a gold square and another shade of green. They kind of remind us of Rubik’s Cube squares or buttons from a space ship in an ’80s movie, which is just fine by us!

Put all of your shapes on a cookie sheet and bake the clay according to the instructions on the Sculpey package. Let them cool after you pull them out of the oven.

You’ve officially reached the final stretch! Apply a thin layer of E-6000 to the back of your shape and then place it on your clutch. Make sure you know where it’s going because once it’s on the bag, you can’t move it or you’ll get glue all over the place. Your clutches will look like they’re ready in a few hours (so tempting!), but we recommend that you give the glue a 24 hours to set. Trust us, your will power will pay off!

Did you wake up super early to see your clutches? Yeah, us too! We’re loving how these 3D clay embellishments look: they add a playful touch to these already colorful wristlets, you trendy DIY-er you!

Super cute and fits a smartphone? We’re in love!

Now if we could only figure out how to hold it. This way? Or this way?…

Or this way? (Get it?) Okay, we’ll make our exit now :)