How To Use Your Silly Millies [polymer clay millefiore canes]

Tools you may need:

Thin blade-- Razor blade or wall paper removing blade or X-acto blade
A smooth surface to work on
(not the dinning room table)
An oven set at 275 degre

Cookie Sheet
Sheet of baking paper or wax paper
Large needle or other object to poke holes
A small rolling pin-Plexiglas or wood

>To change the size of your Silly Millies

   First warm the clay in your hands
   To make it smaller- Gently roll it out

To make it bigger:

1. Set the cane on end
2. Press down gently
OR-
1. Slice a thick slice
2. Roll the slice out

If your clay gets too warm you can put your Silly Millies into the refrigerator to cool it off and make your slices without distorting the cane. Reduce or enlarge the cane to the size you want before you refrigerate it.

How to make perfect beads or buttonholes:

1. Slice your cane at desired thickness
2. Poke needle in until it barely pokes through the other end.
3. Poke the needle in again back through the other way.
(by the way you CAN put your buttons in the washing machine and dryer after baked)

To see how the pictures are built with colored clay see our "How a Cane is Built" page .

Bake Silly Millies right onto stuff!

You can bake Silly Millies right onto anything that won't melt at 275 degrees
(which is a lot of things!) Then put the whole thing into the oven and bake it right on!

 Some fun ideas are:

Pens (use a white plastic Bic Pen and take the ink out  before baking)
Switch Plates see How to Make a Switch Plate
Metal Utensil Handles (ice cream scoops are fun!)
Frames and Mirrors (wood or metal)
Bottles and Jars (vases, salt and pepper shakers!)
Knobs see How to Make a Knob
Glass Christmas Ornaments
Wooden Beads 

The possibilities are endless!!!

More ideas for Silly Millies:

Add baked slices to cards and scrapbooks

Make a Mobile with slices and wire.
Make big beads with tinfoil inside!
Build tiny boxes
(bake the bottom first then stick sides on)
Use baked slices like tiles-
add to mosaic stepping stones, mirrors, etc.
Give them as party favors
Have a Silly Milly sleep over!!

Baking:

Place your creations on a cookie sheet covered w/ baking paper or wax paper.

Bake everything at 275 degrees for 30 minutes.
Test your oven with one slice if it comes out
darker your oven is too hot. The color should not change at all.
Let your creations cool 15 minutes before touching.