Your kids will love making these polymer clay beads because they look just like turquoise.
Materials:
Black and turquoise polymer clay
Waxed paper or clean, washable work surface
Darning needle or toothpick
Ceramic or glass baking pan
Wire for baking round beads
Roll out a log of turquoise polymer clay and a skinnier log of black clay, using about 1/4 as much black as blue. Twist the two colors of clay together
Fold and swirl the colors until the black blends in a little bit with the blue and looks like turquoise.
Now you can make any shape bead you would like. Try making tube beads (see previous blog on tube beads), round beads, flat amulet-style beads, or even square beads.
To make round beads, roll a small piece of clay between your palms. Poke a hole in it with the toothpick or darning needle. Thread the bead or beads on a wire and lay the wire across the baking pan so the bead is suspended. This prevents the bead from getting a small shiny spot from contact with the pan.
Flat beads can be baked flat on the pan. Poke a hole at the top with the toothpick or darning needle.
You can also try making simple animal-shape beads if you are feeling ambitious.
Bake the beads according to the package directions.
The faux turquoise beads look great strung on leather or suede cord. Try one tube bead strung on leather cord with a knot on each side of the bead for a simple, but great-looking choker.
You can experiment with making other faux precious stones and gems with polymer clay such as amber or jade. Try mixing solid colors with transparent polymer clay to get a realistic look.