Your journaling can be the most heartfelt part of each scrapbook memory. Now, add interest, dimension and style to your words by transferring them to polymer clay. You can mix and match clay colors to make artful scrapbook layouts with real meaning. Grab your ink jet printer, t-shirt transfer paper, favorite polymer clays and let’s make clay while the sun shines!

 Materials and Tools:

• Light colored clay. I used Sculpey III clay in Light Pink Pearl Premo! Sculpey pearl and red mixed works well, also.
• T-shirt transfer paper
• Ink jet printer
• Craft Knife
• Pasta machine, acrylic brayer, or rolling pin dedicated to polymer clay.

• Rubber stamping ink. I used Ancient Page ink by Clearsnap to create visual depth around the edges of the pieces.

Directions:

• Condition clay and roll out to about 1/8th inch thickness.
• Using an image editing software program, create text. Reverse, or ‘flip’ the image, and then print onto t shirt transfer paper.
• Cut out text box from transfer paper. Place face down on clay, and burnish well. Use a large spoon or a bone folder, and rub smoothly and evenly into the clay. Any areas that don’t get burnished won’t transfer.

• For a clean look to the journaling blocks, use a knife to trim evenly around the clay. For this piece, I used my fingers to rip an uneven shape for a stylized appearance.
• Bake at 275 degrees F for about six minutes. Remove from the oven, and peel off the transfer paper. Then return the piece to the oven and finish the baking process. If the pieces are not flat after baking, place a ceramic tile or heavy book on top of the warm clay until it cools.
• Use glue dots or double sided tape to adhere journaling blocks to your scrapbook page.

 
Email comments and questions about polymer clay scrapbooking techniques to allisonstrine@mindspring.com.

Click here for more techniques from a Pro!
Part 1: Terrific Titles
Part 2: Cool Clay Stampings
Part 4: Handmade Scrapbooking Page Accents

Click here for more scrapbooking ideas using Sculpey!