Super Simple Sculpey Snowman Ornament

Last Friday I visited my grandma at her apartment before work, and I got to see her little Christmas tree all set up. She could include very few ornaments on this much smaller tree in her much smaller apartment this year, but she included a small Sculpey snowman ornament that I made for her over a decade ago. It was so sweet in it's simplicity and has such an adorable homespun look that I had to try to replicate what I had done all those years ago to give as special gifts. Hopefully my boyfriend's family members will enjoy them for years to come as my grandmother has.

To make your own gang of snowmen cuties you will need:

• White Sculpey Polymer Clay
  
• Acrylic paint in orange, red, and brown or black
• fine detail paint brush
  
• round tooth picks for noses
• scissors and/or wire cutters
  
• eye pins or small metal paper clips for hooks
• whole cloves for "stick" arms

  1. Paint the pointy ends of round tooth picks with orange acrylic paint and leave out to dry while completing the other steps.
  2. Roll two small balls of white clay, one larger than the other and squish them together. The larger ball forms the body and the smaller ball, the head.
     
  3. Push an eye pin or paper clip cut to size down into the top of the snowman's head to form a loop so it can be hung on the tree with a hook or ribbon. Hint: I like to leave my eye pin almost the full length of the head and body so that it keeps the two pieces together and there is less risk that it will come out of the clay after baking.
  4. Push a clove into each side of the body ball of clay down at an angle from the top to form the snowman's arms. (These smell great while baking!)
  5. Cut the painted end off one of the toothpicks (it should be dry by now) and push it into the head ball of clay to form the carrot nose.
     
  6. Bake the snowmen on a glass baking dish that you have dedicated for use with polymer clay according to package instructions (I baked my snowmen for 17 minutes in a preheated oven at 275degrees).
  7. After they have baked, take them off the glass and put them onto the counter to cool.
  8. Once your snowmen have cooled, use the brown or black paint and a fine detail brush to add dots for eyes, mouth, and buttons. Also, paint the year on the "butt" of the snowman if desired.
     
  9. Use red paint to add a small heart to the bottom right of your snowman's body for a sweet little touch.
     
  10. Allow to dry and add a hook or ribbon and package for your lucky recipient or adorn your tree!

      Happy Holidays! Enjoy!