Magpies-Miniatures Posted June 25, 2013 Share Posted June 25, 2013 It's been a while since i've been here...mostly cos i got swamped in work and kind of forgot to pop back til just now when i saw it in my bookmarks... But now i'm here I just wondered if any of you could perhaps help. I'm looking for a 12th scale holly leaf cutter, or an easy way to make one. planing for christmas crafts, and struggling to source one here at all... i thought about a cane, but i'd much sooner have a manipulateable leaf to suit many needs... does any one have any ideas?? would be greatly appreciative of any help. will try not to leave it too long before popping back- oops!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathieB Posted June 25, 2013 Share Posted June 25, 2013 The craft scissors that make fancy cuts (think scalloped edges) can be used to cut paper leaves. Make one cut in one direction, a second cut near ait in the other direction, and voila! -- holly leaves. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magpies-Miniatures Posted June 25, 2013 Author Share Posted June 25, 2013 whoops, should have said -* from clay. Top idea though, will keep that in mind for my little one doing xmas cards thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted June 25, 2013 Share Posted June 25, 2013 Once you have rolled your clay very thin you can use the scissors on it as Kathie suggests; just dip them in talcum or baby powder before each cut. You can the manipulate them individually before baking/ boiling/ however you cure your clay. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magpies-Miniatures Posted June 25, 2013 Author Share Posted June 25, 2013 oooh really, i wouldnt have thought scissors worked well on clay, but will definately give this a try. thanks ladies!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GirlPiper Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 Have you looked for a ceramics supply place? Often they have little cutters for clay in various shapes. They look like a spent bullet with a spring, and the desired shape on the end. People punch out designs to put on their greenware so there are multiple templates around. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 I have some mini brass stencils and one is a holly wreath that I used part of to make a parget on the pub; you could use a craft knife to cut around the inside of the stencil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GirlPiper Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 I have some mini brass stencils and one is a holly wreath that I used part of to make a parget on the pub; you could use a craft knife to cut around the inside of the stencil. That's a great idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magpies-Miniatures Posted June 26, 2013 Author Share Posted June 26, 2013 i've seen the cutters you mean - Kemper do a range? but I haven't seen anything in a holly leaf - I have a circle, heart, flower and teardop shape from the Kemper range, but unfortunately i've only found one stockist here in the UK, and they charge the Earth for shipping, and unfortunately do't have a holly one... i've thought about making my own but can't find a suitable metal to make the stamp. If i were only needing one or two leaves i wouldn't mind hand-cutting, but for the jobs i have in mind, i'll need closer to 100 :/ *ponders* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathieB Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 Could you make one or two or three leaves by hand, each slightly different as in nature, bake them, then press them into a thicker piece of polyclay to make a mold? You could press them several times to make several molds. I'm thinking it would look like a mini muffin tin. I believe if you dust the baked mold with baby powder or talcum and press clay into the shallow indentations, the leaves wiill pop right out when baked. I haven't tried this myself. Perhaps someone here can expand on the idea. There may be a material other than polyclay that would work better as the mold. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 Tea lights, or rather the tin it sits in works great as a mold if one is really, really careful in handling it, then again I do think Kathie's suggestion is a great one in creating your masters and then use in creating molds. I know there is supposed to be a flexible kind of plymer clay I think would work great as a mold-base... Hugs and good luck 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magpies-Miniatures Posted June 26, 2013 Author Share Posted June 26, 2013 Tea lights, or rather the tin it sits in works great as a mold if one is really, really careful in handling it oh wow this sounds like a brilliant idea! can only hope the tea lights i have aren't in plastic cases, lol. thanks to all of you for your suggestions x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennybee Posted June 27, 2013 Share Posted June 27, 2013 If you have a pencil, pop out the eraser and then you can bend the eraser cap to the shape you want. Ohh you could also take a bottle cap from a soda bottle or beer bottle. It has scalloped edges. Then once you roll out your clay you can just roll the cap on one side then on the other. That may take a try to two but it may get the shape you want. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPete Posted June 27, 2013 Share Posted June 27, 2013 You can try this site. I have ordered from them and they are very good. I've ordered several of the flower cutters and they are good quality. She uses cold porcelain but they should work with clay also rolled very thin http://www.thepedlarstrayltd.co.uk/ Look under miniatures and then Diane Hartfield Flower and Leaf plates. Hope this helps 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffrey Posted June 27, 2013 Share Posted June 27, 2013 You can try this site. I have ordered from them and they are very good. I've ordered several of the flower cutters and they are good quality. She uses cold porcelain but they should work with clay also rolled very thin http://www.thepedlarstrayltd.co.uk/ Look under miniatures and then Diane Hartfield Flower and Leaf plates. Hope this helps what are these exactly? like upside down cookie cutters you press the clay into? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathieB Posted June 27, 2013 Share Posted June 27, 2013 I think the best idea here is to shape the metal end of a wood pencil to the right shape and stamp away! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPete Posted June 28, 2013 Share Posted June 28, 2013 what are these exactly? like upside down cookie cutters you press the clay into? They are cold porcelain cutters. Here is a website with some how to videos using the cutters. https://sites.google.com/site/barrowdeneminiatures/printable-documents If you look under latest tutorials in the upper left and then scroll down the tutorial page there is one on holly leaves. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magpies-Miniatures Posted June 29, 2013 Author Share Posted June 29, 2013 hmm update so far.... I tried the scissor thing and couldn't get it to look anything like a leaf... I tried the tin off a tealight thing (most of them WERE plastic as i thought, lol - just my luck) - i couldn't manage the leaf but i did make some halloween cookie cutters, yay! and i've just been in the garage and unearthed a pencil with a rubber.... these are surprisingly hard to comeby apparently! so going to give this a try after a good cup of tea. thank you for all your help so far everyone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magpies-Miniatures Posted June 30, 2013 Author Share Posted June 30, 2013 I think the best idea here is to shape the metal end of a wood pencil to the right shape and stamp away! woohoo this is the method that worked. thanks to all again. happy to get stamping now xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathieB Posted June 30, 2013 Share Posted June 30, 2013 Glad you found the right method at last. Thank you for sharing the experiments that didn't work as well. We all learned from your challenge. And I, for one, will be saving those little pencil stubs from here on. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magpies-Miniatures Posted June 30, 2013 Author Share Posted June 30, 2013 they were fantastic! I've made a whole selection of stamp-cutters from the pencil tops, found 10 for £1 in a shop, so 10 cutters effectively for £1, plus a free little headache, a few stabs in my hand with a drawing pin, and tired eyes- all in all a good venture though! x 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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