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Decorate Bic Pens!
The best type of pen to decorate is a white barrel Bic pen (or other similar brand - test an uncovered pen first) This is a fun and easy project. Just remove the ink from the pen and decorate the white barrel (Do Not bake the INK!) Add thin slices all the way around and roll the pen to smooth it out. Then have fun adding other dimensional parts like flowers or leaves on top.
Bake at 275 degrees for 30 minutes and let cool before you add the ink back in. |
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Cover Handles of Utensils
Open your kitchen drawer and marvel at all the possibilities! If you are worried that any part of the utensil might melt you can always try it in the oven first (realize you may be risking it melting but at least it won't be melting with Silly Millies on it and all your hard work) Most hard plastics and all metals can usually take the heat. It only takes a few minutes in the 275 degree oven to realize if the utensil has any parts that might melt.
When you are sure you utensil won't melt add Silly Millies however you like and then bake. Your pieces will be sturdy enough to use and wash by hand. |
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Silly Milly Bracelet
A fun and simple project for all ages! You could make a whole bracelet from just one small Silly Milly. Just slice and poke holes with a toothpick. Perfect holes can be obtained by poking through the side of the bead so the point just barely pokes out then poke the toothpick back through from the other side. You don't need to leave the toothpicks in because the clay won't shrink. Bake at 275 degrees for 30 minutes, let cool and then get ready to string them up. I like to use stretchy cord and some fun in-between beads. Depending on the size and number of your in between beads you can make a bracelet with about 7 to 10 Silly Milly Beads. |
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Glass Vases and Jars
Find a funky jar or vase and add slices anyway you want. You can cover the whole jar or leave it mostly clear. I like to link my Silly Milly slices together for better durability but you don't have to. When you've covered it as much as you want just put the whole thing in the oven. Glass will never melt at 275 degrees so no worries there. Bake for 30 minutes and let cool. |
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Super Funky Switch plate
Isn't this awesome switch plate by Melinda Leonard inspirational? She created a background with design canes of several colors and then added extra slices of the sailboat cane, fish cane, leaf canes and face cane. It's very dimensional AND Funk-tional!
Check out How to Make a Switch plate for complete directions of a simple one or two cane switch plate. |
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Multi Slice Pin
You could just slice one slice, bake it and then super glue a pin back on but why stop there? What about adding lots of slices together to make a design like this Silly "Cat Flower". This one even has little dimension- the blue triangles stick up. You can do anything! |
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Frame-a-rama!
You can cover most kinds of frames with no melting problems but it always a good idea to test your frame before you put a lot of work and Silly Millies into it. Sometimes there are soft meltable plastics that you don't even know are there. Just stick it in the oven at 275 degrees for a few minutes to see if it will work. If it survives then go to town adding Silly Milly Slices all over.
If you are using an unfinished wood frame you will want to add some kind of finish to give it a slicker surface. This will make it easier to get the slices to stick while you are working with it. Elmer's glue works good. Another sometimes issue with wood is that it may cause cracks. To avoid this look for wood with fewer grain lines and bake it before adding Silly Millies to leach the sap out (that's what causes the cracking in your polymer clay coating).
Another hint (from the voice of experience) Never bake with your photos in the frame. (I know... DUH! but I've been there and they can melt!) |
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Starry Ornament
Did you know you can easily change the shape of your Silly Milly? Triangles are really easy- just pinch all along the top of the cane and press down towards the table at the same time. Now you will have triangle shapes every time you slice. These triangles work really great to make fun star shaped ornaments.
I like to add extra small slices over the spots where the triangles touch. You could leave the middle open or put a large slice that shows through. The possibilities are endless. Poke a hole in the top and bake at 275 degrees for 30 minutes. After it as cools add a curly wire (I use 16 gauge copper wire which can be found at the hardware store) |
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Place Settings or Picture Holders
Use 16 gauge wire to make a paper clip (swirl of wire) on one end then make a zig zag of wire that ends with a triangle that would stand flat on the table. Cover the bottom triangle of wire with Silly Milly Slices and Bake at 275 degrees for 30 minutes. This place setting was made with all different colors of leaves and used at Thanksgiving. |
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Be Creative like Elliot McDill
Elliot makes all kinds of creatures from her Mom's Silly Millies. She uses feathers and wire to make them even more fun. She has even made a scene of a Jungle on a CD. She also covers things like rocks to make paper weights. You can see her work at Art a Whirl every year on the third weekend of May. |
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Paper Craft Projects Galore!
Thin Silly Milly Slices are great for making unique cards, bookmarks, and scrap books. Don't forget that you can order Silly Milly Slice Packages and you don't even have to bake your slices. Plus you get lots of different designs. Just use the regular archival glue that you usually use or poke holes and sew it on for extra dimention |
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Don't forget these other Silly Milly Projects:
Thumb Tacks - bake your slices- thin and flat. Then super glue a tack on the back.
Magnets - Super glue magnets right on the back of baked slices. Take a hint from the cool pin above and make magnets with more than one slice.
Knobs - See our How to make a Silly Milly Knob page for all the info.
Buttons- Either poke the holes before baking or bake thin slices and add a shank with super glue on the back. When baked properly (275 degrees for 30 minutes) these buttons are washable. |
Click here to check out Projects by Customers |
Have you made something fun with Silly Millies? Send photos to layl@claysquared.com
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