Ages 5 to 8
With her voice locked away in Ursula's Nautilus shell necklace, Ariel could do little but stand speechless while the sea witch fooled Eric into marrying Vanessa. Thankfully, during the ceremony, Scuttle the seagull swooped in and pulled the necklace from Ursula's neck causing it to shatter on the wedding ship deck. Ariel's voice returned to her just in the nick of time! Fashioned from polymer clay, this pretty spiraled shell isn't designed to steal anyone's voice. In fact, it's apt to be a real conversation starter between a young princess and her friends.
by Cindy Littlefield
What you'll need
- Waxed paper
- Polymer clay (white and purple or orange)
- Rolling pin
- Toothpick
- Baking pan or sheet
- Aluminum foil
- Scissors
- Beading cord or monofilament
- Measuring tape
- Beads
- Magnetic necklace clasp
How to make it
1. Cover your work surface with waxed paper.
2. Knead the clay until it is soft and flexible. Roll some white clay into a 3/4-inch ball and some purple or orange clay into a 1/2-inch ball.
3. Roll the balls into 3-inch-long logs. Place the two clay logs side by side and twist them together a few times. Then, pinch the twisted clay into a lump and press it flat into a disk atop the waxed paper. Top the disk with another piece of waxed paper and roll the clay into a circle 1/8- to 1/4-inch thick and 2- to 2 1/2-inches wide.
4. Carefully roll the clay circle into a cone (one end should be tight, the other open enough to fit your finger into).
5. Now slowly roll the tight end of the cone into a spiral, stopping 1/2 inch or so from the open end.
6. Use a toothpick to carefully poke a hole through the top of the shell so you can thread cord through it later.
7. Place the clay on an aluminum foil-lined pan and bake it according to the manufacturer's directions, turning the shell over halfway through the baking time. Allow the baked shell to cool completely.
8. Cut a piece of beading cord or monofilament a few inches longer than you want the finished necklace to be. Thread the shell onto the cord and slide it to the center. Thread beads onto the cord on both sides of the shell, leaving space at each end to tie to the magnetic necklace clasp. Finally, thread the cord ends back through a few beads and trim any excess length.
Crafts
