Succulent and Pearl Cluster Earrings Tutorial

In my last tutorial, I covered how to make the pearl cluster. Today we are going to match the cluster with a beautiful polymer clay succulent bouquet and create a pair of earrings. 

If you don't know how to make the pearl cluster, read it here.

Materials needed (picture 1)

• pale pink polymer clay (3g Fimo soft blossom+ 1.5g Fimo Effect Transparent)
• 28-gauge soft wire
• Two 10mm metal plates with double holes
• 24 3.5mm round pearls
• 2 pink teardrop shell beads

Step 1. Cut out polymer clay circles (picture 2)

Using a pasta roller, or clay roller, roll polymer clay to a 1mm thick flat sheet. Using a Wilton Number 7 round piping tip to cut circles (4mm in diameter). Therefore, a circle is 4mm in diameter and 1mm in thickness.

This approach can accurately control the size of succulent leaves and take all the guesswork out.

Step 2. Prepare the succulent leaves (picture 3)

• Center: 1/8 of a circle
• 1st Layer: 1/8 of a circle +1/4 of a circle +1/2 of a circle
• 2nd Layer: 3/4 of a circle + 3/4 of a circle
• 3rd Layer: 1 1/4 of a circle*3
• 4th Layer: 2 circles*5

Step 3. Shape the succulent leaves (picture 4-7)

This kind of succulent has relatively round and thick leaves. Shape the leaves using your thumb and forefinger as shown in picture 4 and 5. Only use force around the edge while keeping the middle part thick and fleshy. Then put the leave on top of a ball tool to get the curves.

For you to see clearly, I only showed the shaping process of the largest leave. You will need to do the same for all the leaves (Picture 8). It can be a little difficult when handling smaller ones; keep patient and you’ll succeed.

Step 4. Assemble the succulent leaves (picture 9-17)

Dab a piece of wire in the liquid clay (picture 9). Then form a small cone shape using polymer clay at the end of the wire. Assemble the succulent leaves as shown in picture 11- 17.

Make a few succulent centers using the exactly same approach explained above (picture 18). They will serve as fillers. You will see how to use them in the final arrangement later.

Now your succulents (both large one and fillers) are ready to hit the oven. Bake for 15 minutes at 110C/230F. At this point, you only need to partially bake the succulent. The final baking comes when you arrange all the succulents on the metal plate.

Step 5. Arrange the succulents (picture 20 and 21)

After baking, take the succulents out of the wires. Put a little polymer clay at the center of the metal plate and apply liquid clay on top (picture 19). This will serve as a base to glue all the succulents together.

Arrange the succulents as shown in picture 20 and 21. Since we are making a pair of earrings here, don’t forget to make another symmetrical one.

Now it’s time for final baking. Put them in the oven at 110c/230f for 30 minutes.

Step 6. Finish the earrings (picture 22 and 23)

Before you attach your baked succulents to anything, you will need to apply adhesive (I recommend E6000 glue) between the succulents and the metal plate. This step is not shown in the picture.

After the glue dries, using a jump ring, attach the succulent to the pearl cluster and shell bead as shown in picture 22 (Read how to make pearl cluster here).

As the final step, attach the ear hooks to the metal plates. Then your polymer clay succulent earrings are completed!