Free guide for heart made of self hardening clay with nice button details

Here's a guide to a fun project you can do with your kids or grandkids. The heart is made of self-hardening clay and decorated with coloured buttons in different colours, materials and sizes. The result is a beautiful heart that exudes atmosphere, and depending on your colour palette, a summery or wintry look. The heart is a great way to decorate your children's room, vacation home or living room. Wrapping it up nicely is no problem, so you can also use the homemade heart as a unique hostess gift or a charming Mother's Day present.

Download PDF here

You will need:

• Self-hardening clay
• Wooden buttons
• Plastic buttons
• A piece of strong yarn or string (jute string is used in the pictures below)

In addition, you will need:

• A round rod, rolling pin or similar.
• A glue stick for a glue gun or something else round that can be used to make a nice round hole
• A pair of scissors
• Glue gun, optional
• Water, optional

Procedure:

1) Open the packet of self-hardening clay and take about half of the clay out onto the table and knead it.

2) Form a heart out of the clay. Use your rolling pin. Roll and shape the heart until you have the shape you want and a thickness of about 1/2 cm. Feel free to dip your fingertips in a little water to smooth out any cracks on the edge of the heart, but not too much water as this will prolong the time to dry.

3) Stick the glue stick or something else through the heart where you want a hole for hanging it. Pull out the buttons.

4) Spread the buttons all over the heart to make a nice pattern. Use the variety of button sizes, colours and patterns when creating your pattern.

5) Gently press all the buttons several times so that they sink into the clay. Then leave the heart to dry for a day, but preferably more.

6) After drying is complete, remove the glue stick and cut a piece of string to tie into the heart. If some of the buttons have come loose in the meantime, you can easily glue them back on with a glue gun.

7) Your project is now complete! Find a nice place to hang it, or wrap it up nicely using silk paper and satin ribbon to give as a present.

Have fun!