Make this polymer clay faux cork desk organizer

Make this polymer clay faux cork desk organizer. Combine old cans, clay and paint for some awesome organizers. Then you can use them as decorations, vases, candles or as a desktop organizer like I did. The secret to creating this technique is an old toothbrush. 

As an avid upcyler, I have a large stash of empty cans in a variety of sizes stashed in a bin in the baskets in my craft nook in the kitchen. You would be amazed at what all I  have hiding in the baskets.  LOL Learn more about my storage and organizing in this post. 

In the last couple of years, I have developed a fondness for polymer clay.  So I needed to have space in the kitchen where I could work since the clay needs ovens. This project brings together two of my favorite things a recycled item and polymer clay. The metal is ideal because you do not have to worry about the metal melting during the baking process. One of my favorite things to do is to create “faux” materials with the clay. While playing around with the cans and polymer clay, I discovered a faux cork look. I knew immediately that the faux cork piece would become a candle and the other pieces would hold pens, pencils, and other miscellaneous stuff. To finish off the pieces I added the jute and I might go back and add wood buttons too.

Materials needed for the polymer clay faux cork desk organizer:

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• Premo! Sculpey® Ecru PE02 5093
• Sculpey® Super Slicer 
• Sculpey Clay Conditioning Machine (or acrylic roller)
• Hemptique Jute Cording brown #10,  blue #20
• Americana®  Acrylics by DecoArt – DAO93 Raw Sienna, DA130 Raw Umber, Matte Sealer
• Cleaned and dry cans
• Old toothbrush 
• Beacon Adhesives Quick Grip

Oven and clay only baking sheet or aluminum foil, paper towels

Instructions for the polymer clay faux cork desk organizer:

1. To make the faux cork, you will need to condition the clay by needing the clay in your hands or by running through a clay conditioning machine, the machine is also known as a pasta machine. If you do not have a machine you can use an acrylic roller.
2. For the Faux cork, I used ecru clay rolled out in a sheet long enough to wrap around the can with a 1” overlap on the end and the edges.
3. I used a Super Slicer blade to trim off the excess.
4. To create indentations on the clay I used an old toothbrush.  I rolled it around the can leaving indentations as I went along. I used the tip of the brush to leave larger impressions.
5. Once the cans were covered I followed the manufacturer’s instructions for baking.
6. For the faux cork piece, I added a layer of Raw Umber and then wiped it off.  I allowed it to dry and then added a coat of Raw Sienna and used a paper towel to remove the excess.
7. I sprayed all the pieces with a matte sealer.  
8. The twine was added to the exposed spaces and secured with Quick-Grip adhesive.  

So try out this polymer clay technique to make a faux cork desk organizer.  Start saving those made tin cans.

 

 

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