sculpey clay pens for father's day {tutorial}

Dads are so hard to craft for! But I'm thinking most dads could use a ball point pen from time to time, so here's a simple father's day gift your kids can make for dad this year. I originally made these with our church youth group, and my kids also handed out a few of these for Teacher Appreciation week. They make a great inexpensive gift, and the kids had a blast making them. Here's the how-to. . .

Sculpey Clay Pen Tutorial

Supplies:
*Sculpey clay in various colors (I found a multi-color pack at Michael's for $10 and used my 40% off coupon)
*Ball point pens - must be the type you can remove the ball point/ink from. Also, try not to get the type with the soft grip like I accidentally did. They work, but there's less room for the clay.
*Brayer or rolling pin
*Razor blade or sharp craft knife
*Wax paper to protect your work surface
*Cookie sheet
*Oven heated to 250 degrees



1. First, remove the ink cartridge part of the pen from the plastic tube. It should pull out fairly easily, but use a pair of pliers if needed.

2. Choose two colors of Sculpey clay. Cut off a 1/4" piece of each color.

3. Roll out flat with a brayer tool or rolling pin (I don't recommend a wooden rolling pin--the clay will stain it. Yes, I know from experience.) Try to make them about the same length/width.

4. Lay one color on top of the other. Roll up tightly from one short end.

(color change!)

5. Using a razor blade or craft knife, cut the roll into thin slices.

6. Press the slices on the outside of the pen until it is completely covered.

7. Roll the pen on your work surface until the surface is smooth and there are no gaps between swirls.

8. Line the pens up on a baking sheet (I covered mine with parchment paper first) and bake at 250 degrees for 15 minutes. Allow to cool before handling.

9. Push the ink cartridge back inside the pen tube. A perfect gift for your favorite dad!