7/15

Clay Phases of the Moon Garland

Budget: $$, Crafts, D.I.Y. Project, Home Decor, One Day Project, Renter Friendly, Wall Art
By Rachel Denbow

There’s something pretty mysterious and powerful about the moon. It affects the tides, helps us mark the passing of time, and has inspired all kinds of poetry. It’s also pretty gorgeous no matter how full it is. Sometimes you need a reason to make and celebrate something, and other times you just like how it looks and that’s good enough. Enter the phases of the moon garland. It’s made from oven bake clay and is an easy afternoon project to add a little more hippy vibe to your space. 

SuppliesSupplies:
-3 small packages of oven bake clay in one or two shades. I used a white and a light grey with a touch of sparkle to it for a marbled moon effect.
-parchment paper
-rolling pin
-jar lid or circular cookie cutter
-cotton twine
-skewer for poking holes
-metallic paint and paintbrush
-access to an oven
-6″ copper pipe (optional)
-pipe cutter (optional)

Note: When using oven bake clay, be aware that you should keep parchment paper in between any surfaces that you also use for food items such as cookie sheets, rolling pins, etc. Do not use cookie cutters on cookies after having used on oven bake clay. Safety first!

Step2Roll your clay between two sheets of parchment paper with your rolling pin for a smooth surface that is between 1/4″ and 1/3″ thick. I marbled my clay with two different colors for a subtle moon effect. For tips on getting a marbled look, check out Laura’s tutorial here. 

Using your jar lid, cut out seven moon shapes. 

Cut Your MoonsLeave one alone and then lay the rest out in pairs. For the first set nearest the full moon, use your jar lid to cut into it just about 1/4 of the way. You can always cut off the same side on both sets and flip it later because you want them to be opposites for an accurate waxing and waning effect.

For the next set, cut into it almost 1/2 way. Then for the last set, cut into it about 2/3 of the way. You can save your excess clay for any mess up moons that you might need to remake.

Punch and PaintTurn on your oven according to manufacturer’s instructions. Use your skewer to poke holes through each moon as shown. You don’t want to poke too close to any edges, so start with your thinnest moons first and do your best to keep your two holes aligned so they’ll hang straight. Be sure your holes goes all the way through. 

Place them in the oven according to manufacturer’s instructions on top of parchment paper and a cookie sheet. Once they’re done baking, let them cool and then paint the edges gold. Let them dry before moving to the next step.

Knot Each Top HoleCut your twine and thread it through your clay moons. Be gentle as you go so you don’t have to rebake any more moons! Be aware of the position they are facing as you thread them for an accurate waxing and waning effect. To keep them from sliding around on your twine, tie a knot on the back side of one hole per moon. 

String TogetherI wanted to add a little copper pipe to my moon garland so I cut some 1/4″ piping with my pipe cutter and threaded each end through before tying a knot.

Tie Your Copper Ends and Trim CordThen I trimmed  the twine at my knot before finding a place to hang it. 

Phases of the moon 2It could easily be used as a science project for any kids learning about the moon or as fun decor for a space-themed room. 

Clay phases of the moon wall hangingThree cheers for the moon and all of its importance! Also, can we give a hand to all the things you can make out of oven bake clay? –Rachel

Credits//Author and Photography: Rachel Denbow. Photos edited with A Beautiful Mess actions.

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