oven bake clay present toppers

Oven bake clay is a great alternative if you want to play around with clay projects! One of my favorite things to make during the holidays is present toppers that can double as little ornaments.

I started with a few different colors of Sculpey oven bake clay - red, black and off-white. I grabbed a few of my favorite flower stamps from my collection. Anything that makes an impression can be used to make an impression or stamp into clay-stamps, leaved, flowers, decorative buttons, decorative jewelry are all things that can be pressed into clay!

I rolled my clay into little free form disks and then pressed my stamp into the surface and carefully pulled it away.

I poked a hole in each of my clay disks.

Next I baked the clay in the oven according to the directions on the packaging (275 degrees for about 15 minutes)

Once the clay cooled I painted the surface. I completely covered the entire surface with black acrylic paint.

While the paint was still wet, I wiped it from the surface with a damp cloth. The paint settles into the nooks and crannies of the designs!

The end result are rustic looking little present toppers that can also be hung on the tree!

Felt Holiday Cookie Tutorial

I have a family FULL of foodies - myself and husband included- so on my list of things to make this holiday is food out of fabric to use as present toppers. This project is so easy and the end result might just be the cutest project I have made so far!!!

Start with pieces of felt in colors that represent the food your are making. I decided to start with making cookies but you could make just about anything!!

If you do not have access to felt, a few alternatives are paper, fabric scraps or even painted fabric.

Cut out cookie shapes.

Add embellishments - chocolate chips out of felt, sprinkles from beads, icing from different colors- get creative with "decorating" your cookies!)

Once satisfied with the cookie, sew the top and bottom together and then stuff with just a little stuffing-this is optional- you may not want fluffy cookies :)

Have fun with color and contrast....

Tiny beaded embellishments that look like sprinkles...

Pretty designs with stitching...

Get creative "decorating" your cookies.

Use them on the tree- I am thinking next year a tree full of cookie ornaments!!

Use them in your gift wrapping.

Stack them on a plate as a fun and unexpected holiday party favor and let party guests each take one.

Or just keep them around to make you smile!