Mia Bella Passions

Airdry Clay Flower Incense Holder

Let's make a beautiful flower incense holder.

We are using airdry clay, which you can get from most craft stores.

The photographic tutorial that follows will guide you on how to create it.

You Will Need:

Printed flower guide

Scissors

500 grams white airdry clay

Rolling pin

Sculpey tools, or a small knife, teaspoon, and thin skewer.

Step One:

Print the free VectorStock flower image in 8 x 10-inch size.

Then cut around the outline with scissors.

Step Two:

Roll out clay to about 1cm thick to fit the image.

Step Three:

Cut around the edge of the flower to remove the excess clay.

And score the detail lines as shown.

Save the offcuts!

Step Four:

Remove the paper guide.

Then use a pointed tool to score lines on the petal.

Step Five:

Use an offcut piece of clay to roll a circle that is 4cm by 4cm in diameter and 1 and 1/2cm in thickness.

Moisten with water if the clay is hardening.

Step Six:

Use cold water on your finger to make a clay slurry on the centre of the flower.

Press the circle onto this.

Use a pointed tool to make hole detailing.

And then a centre hole to hold the incense stick.

Step Seven:

Make a slurry of clay and water and gently go over the entire flower and edges to smooth the surface.

Roll four pieces of aluminium tinfoil into balls.

Step Eight:

Use the balls and any excess clay to place under the petals which you are gently moving upwards as shown.

If cracking occurs use clay slurry to smooth out.

Leave in a warm place overnight.

Step Ten:

Place the flower on a lined tray and put it in an oven at 80 degrees Celcius, and bake for 20 minutes to complete drying.

Turn the oven off and leave it inside until the oven is cold.

Step Eleven:

You can leave the flower a natural white clay, sealed with a clear sealer, or you can paint it in the colour of your choice.

Make sure you also seal the bottom too!

I painted my DIY incense Flower in a cream-white colour.

When completely dry, put the incense in (place on a pretty plate if you like) and light.

A lovely homemade gift to give.

Just place the incense flower on a foil or pretty paper covered piece of cardboard as a base.

You'll find Mia Bella Passion's free printable papers HERE.

Put it on a sheet of clear cellophane, stand a pack of incense behind it and pull all sides upwards to tie at the top with a piece of rattan or ribbon.

Trim the cellophane top, and add a gift card to the ribbon.

Gift sorted!

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#DIYincenseholder #homemadegifts #airdryclay

#claycraft #claygifts

Nutty Chocolate Slice

There is nothing nicer than a delicious homemade slice!

What makes this slice even better is that it's healthier than most.

And if you want to leave the chocolate element completely out, you can, leaving the slice just nutty.

It is not baked so it's easy to whip up in a food processor.

Toast the nuts of your choice and process warm.

Add the peanut butter, honey and oil, combine and press the dough into a lined baking pan.

Melt dark chocolate and spread over top.

Refrigerate.

When the chocolate is set, turn the slice out, chocolate side down on a board.

Melt white chocolate.

spread on top.

Melt a little more dark chocolate and make stripes.

Use a fork to make a pattern.

Refrigerate cutting into squares or rectangles when set.

A pretty box of cut pieces is a perfect gift and is certain to be a hit with the special people on your gift list.

Especially if they are nut lovers.

It's also a fabulous go-to snack when you need an added boost of energy throughout the day.

Nutty Chocolate Slice

3 and 1/2 cups of mixed whole nuts (550 grams)

4 Tablespoons runny honey

5 Heaped Tablespoons peanut butter

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 cup of dark chocolate for the base (plus a few tablespoons extra for topping)

1 cup white chocolate for topping

(The secret to keeping the chocolate topping softer so that it does not crack when you cut it.

Add a small amount of coconut or vegetable oil to the melted stage).

Place nuts on an oven tray lined with baking paper.

Roast for 15 minutes until golden.

Cool until warm to the touch, then place in a food processor.

Crush until fine.

Add the peanut butter and honey and half the oil.

Process until a dough forms.

Add more oil until you have a moist but not sticky dough.

(If your processor cannot manage this, do it using clean hands or wear food processing gloves)

Line a square pan (I used 22cm x 22cm size - which is about 9 by 9 inches) with tin foil and press in the dough firmly.

Melt the dark chocolate.

Spread over the top.

Place in refrigerator for 10 minutes to set.

Remove and tip onto a board with chocolate at the bottom.

Melt the white chocolate.

Spread on top.

Add lines of melted dark chocolate on top of the white, and create a pattern using a fork.

Refrigerate until set, remove and cut into rectangles (or smaller squares).

Store in an airtight container in the pantry or cupboard.

Yield 16 slices.

(Printable recipe HERE)

Hint:

It is best if you cut the slice with a dry, hot knife.

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When A Craft Project FAILS - The LEAF BOWL!

This is an honest and open chat about when a craft project fails.

It starts with a picture you have seen in a magazine or on the Internet.

But there are no instructions on how to create the said image.

So your brain does a little whirl of thoughts.

That looks easy.

You only need a few items to make that.

I have those things in my craft stash.

That should only take half an hour.

That is exactly what happened with this project.

Making a 'Leaf Bowl'.

To put a votive candle inside.

So the leaves glow and look pretty.

The original image I saw was a green leaf bowl, but I thought I'd use the brown fallen leaves.

SO...

It all started well.

I collected my leaves from the park across the road.

I blew up my balloon.

Because the picture I saw described it as 'A Balloon Leaf Bowl'.

Then I decided to sit the balloon in a bowl to support it while the leaves were glued on.

Wrong.

The balloon wanted to be anywhere but in that bowl.

I persevered.

I started glueing the leaves onto the balloon with Mod Podge Glue.

And that was also a mistake. That glue is too thin!

By that time I was wishing I had another set of hands.

One set to hold that dastardly balloon down and the other set to glue the leaves in place...then...

BANG!

The balloon popped (a chemical reaction between glue and balloon plastic I'm assuming), with gluey balloon bits and leaves flying all over the show!

= ONE VERY BIG MESS!

Think kid in kindergarten messy playtime!

Pressing your hands in glue and paint and creating whatever your heart desires.

Never one to give up, and driven by determination, 'Plan B' stepped in with total acceptance this craft project is seriously a very messy one.

But I'm telling myself that there is no wrong way to do this or a penalty to be had.

Next attempt:

One plastic bowl covered in several layers of plastic wrap.

This was turned upside down before applying wood-strength PVA to glue all over the plastic-covered bowl. This glue is thicker than Mod Podge.

I placed the leaves randomly using more glue but left little space in between.

I'm hopeful some candlelight might peek out of these gaps if this leaf bowl should succeed.

With the leaves finally glued onto the bowl shape,

I left it for 24 hours to dry feeling hopeful my initial failure at this leaf craft may perhaps become a success.

Meanwhile, I had a brainwave to Google Search the image of the green balloon bowl.

This is when I realised, the said green leaf bowl was actually made out of metal!

Note to self, search the image before attempting any future mad craft ideas to find out more!

But I soldiered on with my natural leaf creation by applying a gloss ModPodge sealer for an extra coat of protection on the leaves.

After another 24 hours of curing, I CAREFULLY removed the first two inner layers of plastic from the bowl and then CAREFULLY loosened the leaf shell to remove it.

(I certainly managed to create something very FRAGILE!)