UTEE Stamped Pendants

I love making stamped jewelry and have done tutorials using a number of different materials. So, when I saw doodlecraft's beautiful polymer clay pendants, I knew this was what I wanteded to work on for the remix contest.

Here's her original awesome project:

Damask Polymer Clay Pendants! by doodle craft

The other thing I'd been wanting to play with was UTEE - Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel or ultra thick embossing powder. My plan was to use a polymer clay shape as my pendant base and stamp into the UTEE. It took a lot of trial and error, but eventually I got pendants that looked pretty, colorful and shiny.

This tutorial has two versions of the UTEE pendant.

The second one is in step 10.

UTEE - Ultra Thick Embossing Powder, clear

Optional colored embossing powders

Embossing ink, stamp pad or dauber

Cured polymer clay shapes, 1 for each pendant

Heat gun for crafts

Optional glitter, pearlescent powders and/or mica

Stamp pad & black or colored ink

Toothpicks

Pliers, optional

1" wire, any kind

1 jump ring

If your clay shape doesn't have a hole, follow this step:

Take your 1" piece of wire and make a small loop by rounding it over at the top. You can make any kind of design you want as long as it's at least 6 mm long.

Set aside.

Cover one side of the hardened polymer clay disc/shape with embossing ink.

Press the inked side into the UTEE granules. Take out and set the disc in your tray. Then gently apply heat source from a few inches away until the UTEE melts. Keep your fingers away from the hot end of the heat gun.

While the UTEE is still soft, apply more of the granules. Melt again.

Repeat this one more time and while the UTEE is melted, press in the loop. This was a little tricky and I had to keep melting the UTEE until I got the loop to stick.

Repeat and add 2 - 3 layers of clear UTEE. (Try to just melt the powder and not blow the melted liquid around. )

Then add a layer of either colored embossing powder or glitter. I used embossing powder. First, terra-cotta, then gold.

When the surface has cooled, put a toothpick through the loop. Then, carefully melt the back and edges to smooth out any rough spots. Don't get too close to your wire loop or it will slide out of the embossing powder.

Add one more layer of UTEE and then ink a stamp pad.

Warm the surface of the pendant again right before you stamp and press the stamp firmly into the front of your pendant. Remove the stamp.

Add a just a little more heat until you see the shine come back.

You can also apply some pearlescent powders with your fingertips to highlight the raised areas until you like the look. Then add a little more heat to set them.

Add a jump ring to the loop and you're done!

I made some wavy polymer clay disks that were about 2 mm thick and cured them.

Then, I used a hole punch to make holes in the hardened clay. I then proceeded the same way I described in the previous steps. (If you use a wavy shape the clay softens so it is flat enough to stamp and then it curls back up again as it cools.)

Add a chain and it's ready to wear!