These projects are simple enough for you to start straight away. They need very little Art Clay and only a few basic tools.

Art Clay will dry out if you leave the foil pack open, the bottle lid off, or the syringe nozzle out of water. For tips about using and storing Art Clay, look at the start page, then art clay, then clay.

There are three ways to fire Art Clay: on your kitchen gas hob, with a butane gas torch, or in a kiln. For tips about firing, looks at the start page, then tools, then firing.
When firing, you need to be aware of the risks, however slight. It's unlikely, but materials can flare up or explode, so it's important to wear safety glasses: you've only got one pair of eyes.
The Kitiki safety glasses are made from impact-resistant plastic, fit over normal glasses, and can be cleaned with warm soapy water.

It's important to read the pages about Art Clay, tools, and firing, so that you avoid mistakes and learn quickly. Especially as I won't repeat them in the project notes that follow.

KITIKI ART CLAY KIT 1

This kit lets you make a selection of flat silver shapes. You can make shining stars, tiny snowflakes, crescent moons, or delicate hearts for special-occasion cards and gift tags. Or use them as decorations, keepsakes, and charms, or on brooches, pendants, and earings.

The shapes are cut or punched from Art Clay paper, fired, shaped a little more, and polished. Art Clay paper measures 75mm x 75mm, so you could make 50 stars like the ones in the photo: about 50 pence each.

Kit 1 consists of: 10gm of Art Clay silver paper, a modelling knife, a gas-hob mesh, three grades of abrasive paper, silver polish, and instructions. All you need is a regular gas hob.

The simplest way to make a shape is to use a modelling knife. Alternatively, hobby shops have a range of stamps and cutters. Cutting or stamping shapes from Art Clay paper needs care. Unlike the clay, you can't just repair a little cut or uneven edge with more clay and a wet brush.

If your piece is flat, make sure it really is flat before firing: you could roll it gently with the body of a marker pen but check that the pen doesn't have a moulding seam which will press into the clay. If your shape is curved or folded, it will be harder to polish.

Unlike the clay type, the paper type doesn't need to be dried. So, when your shape is ready, transfer it to the mesh and fire it.

With flat shapes, choose the better side as the front. Be careful when using any abrasive papers: if you work in a direction don't drag the piece off to one side when you've finished or the marks will be hard to remove.

If you want to use the pieces on an earing or knecklace, you can drill them easily. However, a DIY drill will be way too powerful. you really need a mini-drill. Or you could just twist the drill bit in your fingers.

KITIKI ART CLAY KIT 2

This kit lets you make a selection of silver leaves: very easy using Art Clay and very difficult using normal sheet silver. You can design unique Christmas present gift tags, Valentine's Day cards, Mother's day presents, and dinner table place cards.

The leaves are made by painting five or six layers of Art Clay paste onto a real leaf, letting each layer dry before applying the next. The small Art Clay paste comes in a 10gm bottle, so you could make about 8 small leaves: about £1.60 each.

Kit 2 consists of: 10gm of Art Clay silver paste, a sable brush, a gas-hob mesh, a brass brush, three grades of abrasive paper, silver polish, and instructions. All you need is a regular gas hob.

Choose several leaves in good condition, with enough stem so that you can hold them easily. If you want to drill a hole in the finished piece, think about its position and the way the leaf will hang before you start painting.

Remember that you're making a mould from the leaf, so think about which side you want. If the leaf has tiny hairs or spikes, the finished piece will have tiny holes: although holes made by nibbling insects might look interesting.

A few warnings: a long thin leaf will probably curl up before the paste has dried; a spiky leaf design may snag on your clothes; and waxy leaves don't accept paste very well.

Some leaves have a waxy or oily surface so the first coat may separate, leaving small empty circles. Try brushing the leaf first with diluted detergent, rinse it, and let it dry naturally.

Paint on a thin coat of paste type, and let it dry. Drying on a radiator or in an airing cupboard is easier than using a kiln as it mimimises the risk of the leaf drying out too quickly and curling up, taking the paste with it. If you dry your leaf in a kiln, rest it on some vermiculite particles so that it's gently and evenly supported. Don't wait too long between coats.

Paint it again, and repeat the drying-painting at least six times to build up enough thickness. Use a brush, dipped in water but not too wet, to smooth the layers.

When your leaf is ready, transfer it to the mesh and fire it. The leaf will flare up, so be prepared. Also, it may initially curl up and, rather than separate from the clay, pull it and bend it.

Be careful when using any abrasive papers: if you work in a direction don't drag the piece off to one side when you've finished or the marks will be hard to remove.

If you want to use the pieces on an earing or knecklace, you can drill them easily. However, a DIY drill will be way too powerful. you really need a mini-drill. Or you could just twist the drill bit in your fingers.

If you want to change the colour from silver, experiment with painting on liver of sulphur. Depending on how you do it, you can get gold, green, blue, purple, and black highlights, or all-over colours.

KITIKI ART CLAY KIT 3

This kit lets you make a selection of silver buttons. You can use them on special clothes or baby tops, or as decorations keepsakes, and charms.

The buttons are made by cutting shapes, usually circles, out of Art Clay rolled out to about 1.5mm thick. The small Art Clay comes in a 10gm packet so you could make 3 small buttons.

Kit 3 consists of: 10gm of Art Clay silver clay, a drill bit, a gas-hob mesh, three grades of abrasive paper, silver polish, and instructions. All you need is a regular gas hob.

Roll out some Art Clay until it's 1.5mm thick. Cut a circle and let it dry. Using a pencil, mark where the holes will be: not too close together. Twist the drill bit in your fingers

Using the asbrasives, refine the shape. You could add more clay to build up a relief pattern, or texture the surface.

When your button is ready, transfer it to the mesh and fire it. Leave it to cool naturally.

You only need to polish the edge and one side. Be careful when using any abrasive papers: if you work in a direction don't drag the piece off to one side when you've finished or the marks will be hard to remove.