Here is an easy technique for setting rhinestones into polymer clay. I made a very simple bird ornament to decorate. Hope you find this useful!
Things you'll nee to complete this project:
bake-able rhinestones (heat resistant)
bird cookie cutter (non food use)
clay roller
drinking straw
1cm wide decorative ribbon to hang piece
I'm using a chick cookie cutter from Easter and cutting off the leg part. Use what you have or trace a bird shape out onto the flattened clay and cut it out with a craft knife.
I rolled the white clay out to about 1/4cm thick and cut out my bird shape.
I made a 1/4cm thick teardrop wing shape and placed it onto the bird.
I rolled a ball of black clay and gave the bird an eye.
A drinking straw makes the best hole to hang ornaments.
I made a 1/2cm thick worm of green clay and cut 1/2cm slices from it. I turned those slices into teardrop shapes.
Flattening the teardrops makes little leaves. I used these to make a wreath around the bird.
I made a 1/2cm thick worm from the red clay and cut off 1/2cm thick slices. I made little balls from the slices and places them on the wreath. I used the back end of a paintbrush that was roughly the same size as the rhinestones I was using to push an indent into the middle of each red ball. I placed a rhinestone into each indent and gently closed the red clay in around each rhinestone edge to secure it.
Bake the piece in a preheated 230 degree oven, on a parchment lined baking surface, for 20 minutes.
(Thanks Pam!)
Hang the bird with a piece of decorative ribbon, or glue a brooch pin top the back of the piece.