DIY Baroque/Porcelain earrings

Happy DIY Sundays!! For this week, Baroque/Porcelain inspired earrings.
Materials:

• Technology!! (Computer, Printer)
• Clay
• X-acto knife
• Edit: somehow I forgot to add these materials:
• Scissors
• Mod Podge+Applicator (a craft sponge will do)
• Earring backs
• Super glue

Tutorial:

1) Find a baroque pattern that you lovveee

image link here

 2) Open this up in an image-editing application (I use Photoshop) and select/alter a single motif to your design (if you're not good with Photoshop or anything, I suggest to use a simple black motif on white background and skip this step)

3) Print 2 of these out, noting the dimensions. (I like to open them up in Word so I can view the formatting, as I can measure out how big the earring should be) Based on the little top and side measurements, I can estimate that these are roughly 2 inches wide and 4 inches long. You can actually adjust the dimensions within Word too.

4) Cut out these general shapes.

5) Roll out some clay (I use FimoAir) and lay the shapes out on top. Using an exacto knife, trace out these shapes (I decided to have my pattern split up into the "stud" portion and the "dangly" portion. Let it dry.

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6) Mod Podge on the design (so glue the paper to the dried clay, then when that's dry, coat the entire thing with more Mod Podge. Also, because the clay will shrink a little when it dries, just fold and glue the edges of the paper over.

7) Glue on earring backs.

(Note: If you decide to have your earring int 2 pieces, make sure you poke a hole in the clay to fit a jump ring through. The thing I like about FimoAir is that even when it's dry you can still alter it ie. poke a hole using a sewing needle through it. *And it's really light and sturdy, so bigger earring designs like this won't weigh down your ear.)

Voilà!

The thing I like most about this tutorial is that this technique can be applied to any image. So not just baroque motfits, but you can make little studs featuring animal heads or dangle fruit from each other. The possibilities are endless!! The clay portion is to make the earring look more "real" because I've tried making earrings out of paper or felt, but it always felt too "craftish" to me.

Don't forget to stop by on Thursday for next week's super special Valentine's Day DIY!