Piñata Ink Flowers and Leaves

• One block Cernit Clay: white #010
• Piñata Inks: Blanco, Sunbright Yellow, Lime Green, Rainforest Green, Señorita Magenta, and Baja blue
• Gloves
• Bic round stic pen
• Blade
• Needle tool or drill bit (small)
• Piece of corrugated cardboard to work on
• 1/2" round Kemper cutter
• 2 feet 16 gauge Non Tarnish Brass wire
• 2 feet 18 gauge Non Tarnish Brass wire
• 4 feet 24 gauge Non Tarnish Brass wire
• Round nose or rosary pliers
• Chain nose or flat head pliers
• Flush cutters
• Nylon jaw pliers

Cut the block of White Cernit clay in half and condition each section. Form in to a block that is 2 1/2" long by 1 1/2" high by 3/8" thick. Place on the cardboard sheet to do the work. Cut block with blade diagonally across the surface.

Cut out rounds with the 1/2" round cutter. Do not press block together after cutting.

Drop on 5-12 drops of the Piñata Señorita Magenta ink.

Drop on 5-12 drops of the Piñata Baja Blue ink.

Drop on 5-10 drops of the Piñata Blanco ink and set aside.

Do the same thing with the other half of the clay, but use the Lime Green, Rainforest Green, Sunbright Yellow and Blanco ink this time.

Set aside and let dry. You can also turn over the inked squares after about 10 minutes to dry the bottom.

Put on gloves and working on the cardboard squish the block with ink together. Form into a rectangle and keep pushing and compacting together to make a smaller rectangle of inked clay.

Stretch the rectangle out till it is about 5" in length and cut in half.

Stretch the rectangle out till it is about 5" in length and cut in half.

Place the two pieces together with the cut faces on the same end or mirrors of each other.

Compact and lengthen the cane again and cut and half and place cut faces together again.

Compact into and square shape and roll cane into a coil.

Roll coil on work surface until it is about 8" long and 1/2" in diameter.

Cut the cane in half and pinch one half into a teardrop shape the length of the cane.

Cut the other half of the cane in half and roll down one half to 3/8" and pinch into a teardrop shape the length of that cane.

With the last piece roll down to 5/16" and pinch into the teardrop shape the length of the cane.

This will make 3 different sizes of flower petals to make 3 different sizes of flowers with.

Reduce and repeat all of the steps above with the green, yellow, and white inked sheet of clay, but just roll the whole thing down to 1/2" and pinch the whole cane into a teardrop shape the length of the cane rod.

Slice off 5 pieces of the teardrop cane that are 1/8" thick.

Place all the points of the slices together in a flower shape.

Press these together with your finger, closing the hole in the center of the flower. Flatten the edges of the petals with your finger also.

Cut the flower off your work surface with your blade and place the tip of the pen into the center of the flower.

Push the tip of the pen and the flower into the indentation between your first two fingers on the opposite hand to form a small point on the back of the flower.

Gently remove the flower from the pen and bake. Make all the flowers no matter what size this way.

Slice off 1/8" slices from the green, yellow and white inked teardrop cane and flatten between your thumb and forefinger. Poke 2 holes in to round end close to the bottom. Bake at 130°F/265°C for approximately 30 minutes.