Summer is a time for making memories, and there’s no better way to preserve your little one’s first summer or a family camping trip than by making your very own fingerprint memento.
Polymer clay is a wonderful thing — it’s cheap, easy to use and doesn’t require any special equipment.
Making your own fingerprint key ring is a great way to preserve memories as your little ones grow up. They also make perfect gifts for loving mothers and doting grandparents.
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You can use this tutorial to make a single fingerprint key ring or a necklace with a tag for each of your children. You can even make one for yourself and your partner by joining two fingerprints into a heart, or preserve a memory from a summer holiday by pressing a shell or a leaf into the clay to create a unique pattern. The only limit is your imagination!
DIY fingerprint key chain
Supplies:
- One small packet of white polymer clay
- One small tube of acrylic paint (optional)
- Mod Podge to varnish (optional)
- A bamboo skewer
- A rolling pin (or small bottle)
- Baking paper
- A key chain or ribbon for threading
- A knife to cut the clay
Instructions:
Gather your supplies
Roll the clay
Roll a small amount of clay between your clean hands until a ball is formed. Place the ball on top of the baking paper, and roll it flat. You should have an oval shape that is approximately 2 mm thick.
Make a hole
Using the bamboo skewer, poke a hole in the top of the oval. Make it big enough to fit your key chain or ribbon through.
Make an impression
Make an impression in the clay with either a fingerprint or other textured object. You can use a leaf, a seashell, a piece of lace — the options are endless.
Bake the clay
Next, bake the clay following the manufacturer’s instructions. As a guide, the clay should harden in a moderate oven in about 15–20 minutes.
Once the clay is hard, remove it from the oven, and let it cool completely. You can either thread the pendant directly onto the key ring for a natural look, or paint it in a colour that suits your taste before sealing it with a coat of Mod Podge.
These gorgeous little clay charms are perfect as gifts, or you can create them to keep close to your heart as a cherished memory of a summer’s past.
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