As I've mentioned in a previous post, for my sister's hen or bachelorette party I decorated and filled gift bags for each of the hens. I was really pleased with how they turned out and one of the items that the hens were most impressed with was a little keepsake that I made. I'm such a sentimental person that for me a little something to keep from the weekend (aside from a hangover) was essential. So, I decided to go back to my clay-ey roots (I do love a clay craft!) and make some rustic-inspired hanging hearts for everyone; with the bride and groom's initials imprinted on for the bride-to-be and 'hen' imprinted on it for the hens. Keep reading to find out what I used and how I did it...
Air dry clay | Rolling pin | Alphabet Stamp | Heart cutter | Straw | Twine | Matte Clear Sealer
1. Roll out some clay and cut out a heart shape using a cutter. I rolled out my clay until it looked as though it was about half a centimetre thick as I wanted them to be quite delicate looking but not so thin that they would be brittle. To make this precise, place two pieces of card (which are your desired thickness) either side of your clay as you roll.
2. Make a hole through the clay at the top of the heart with a straw. I used a run of the mill drinking straw here and twisted it as I pressed down to help cleanly remove the clay from the middle.
3. Gently imprint the clay with the alphabet stamps. I started off doing this trying to line the stamps up so that the letters were perfectly in line however I realised after a few failed attempts that it looked really nice a little imperfect. I also really liked the square imprint around each letter.
4. Leave to dry thoroughly before sanding the edges until smooth. I left these to dry for a couple of days (mainly because I went to stay at my parents) but they probably would have dried overnight. Once I returned, I sanded the edges with a damp nail file (this helps control the dust a bit!).
5. Spray with several thin layers of varnish and once dry, add some twine to hang them from. I used a matte varnish to finish these off as I wanted them to keep them looking unpolished and used twine for a finished rustic look.
...and thats it!
Is this something you would make for your hen party gift bags?
I'd love to hear what you think in the comments below!
♥
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