Create unique wall art for your home with paper cuts and yes, clay!

What you need...

• Card, pink
  
• Paper, decorative
  
• FIMO Soft polymer clay; rose, vanilla, peach, lavender, mint (two packs)
  
• Metal cutters
  
• Box frame, 20cm square
  
• Emulsion paint test pot, pink
  
• Scalpel
  
• Adhesives: Sculpey Bake & Bond; PVA glue

instructions

1. Bird Canvas - design out. Condition the mint clay using your fingers until soft and workable. Place on a tile or glass chopping board and roll out into a rectangle, 16cm x 19cm and 2mm thick. Lay the template onto the clay and push it into the surface using a rolling pin.
   
   2. Cut around the template; start with the smaller sections in the centre of the design and use a pin to lift out the detail. Trim the straight edges using a tissue blade and make a pattern of holes with the end of a knitting needle.
   
   3. Lay a clean sheet of paper over the motif, then rub gently using the palm of your hand to smooth and soften the cut edges of the design. Bake for 20 minutes at 110°C. Leave on the tile to cool down completely, then rub the surface of the clay using a little water and a fine grit sanding pad. Remove from the tile by sliding the tissue blade under the clay piece to loosen it. Smooth off any rough edges on the clay using an emery board.
   
   4. Stick small coloured balls of clay on the head, neck, tail and tummy of the bird using spots of adhesive. Mould teardrops and attach to the wing of the bird along with hearts and balls. Shape leaves and flowers from clay discs, then position on the corners of the motif. Bake to harden all of the new embellishments.
   
   5. Using the pink test pot, paint the front and sides of the canvas and leave to dry. Stick a 18.5cm square of pink paper to the front of the canvas using double-sided tape. Cover the back of the clay motif with a thin layer of PVA glue, attach to the front of the canvas, and leave overnight to dry out.

2. Make a Card - 1. Reduce the bird motif by roughly 20% or until the desired size is obtained. Photocopy the design onto paper or thin card and use it as a guide for cutting out the clay. Bake for 20 minutes at 110°C. Decorate the bird design with vanilla clay balls, flowers, teardrops and lozenge shapes secured with adhesive, then bake. Once cool, gently slide a tissue blade under the motif to loosen it.
   
   2. Create a pink card blank, 15cm x 16cm. Take a rectangle of pink decorative paper, 14cm x 15cm and stick to the front of the card. Matt with purple paper, leaving a border all round. Using a thin layer of PVA glue, attach the bird to the front of the card, then leave to dry out overnight.