How to make a poppy brooch
Making an armature
- Cut a length of wire and tightly wrap it around the main part of the safety pin to create a support
- Bunch the wire at the top where you'll create the flower head
- Form a mid-green clay mixture by combining Emerald Green with a touch of Basic Green
- Cover the wire with the clay mixture, ensuring it’s smooth and consistent
- Add more Emerald Green to the mix to create the pistil (the rounded centre in the petals) and mould it to the top of the wire
- Press 4 lateral grooves into the pistil, in the shape of an Asterix
- Blend the pistil into the stem and bake for 30 minutes at 130°C (266°F)
Clay petals
- Condition the Scarlet polymer clay and create four equally-sized balls
- Flatten these into thin, circular petal shapes
- Apply the petals around the pistil
Detailing the poppy
- Knead the Black clay and apply it to the bottom of the flower and inside the petals where they meet the pistil
- Roll out a thin tube of Emerald clay, cut it into small pieces, and roll each into a ball to create the anthers of the flower (the little round bits on top of the pistil)
- Apply the anthers to the inside of the poppy around the pistil
Baking polymer clay
- Place the poppy face down over an ovenproof glass surface to maintain its shape
- Bake for 20 minutes at 130°C (266°F)
Congratulations! You've created a beautiful poppy brooch you can wear proudly for ANZAC Day.
- Polymer Clay in Emerald Green, Basic Green, Black, and Scarlet
- Safety pin
- Tie wire
- Pliers