Natasha Scrap Technique | Polymer Clay Scraps Series

In this post, I share how I use the polymer clay Natasha scrap technique to make a veneer and use that to make a beaded bookmark.

I’ve been busy prepping for some craft shows I’ve got coming up in the next couple months. This means I’ve got plenty of cane scraps piling up on one corner of my desk. This is the perfect opportunity to introduce a series sharing my favorite scrap techniques.

First up is a Natasha scrap technique used to make a veneer. Natasha beads are not original to me, It’s quite possible you’ve seen them before or even made them yourself. This is simply my approach to the technique. I’ve never managed to make a satisfactory Natasha bead but I do like the veneers I’ve made and instead use that to make a flat bead.

CHECK OUT THESE POSTS FOR MORE SCRAP CLAY TECHNIQUES:

Lots of polymer clay scrap techniques involve chopping up the clay. With this Natasha scrap technique I find I get the best results when I leave the chopped clay quite chunky. This is good news if you’re like me and find chopping clay up into smaller bits tedious.

Once you’ve made your polymer clay Natasha scrap technique veneer you can use it however you want. In this tutorial I’ve included instructions for the flat Natasha beads I made (you could use them to make a necklace!) as well as the beaded bookmark.

Tools & Materials | Natasha Scrap Technique

Non-porous work surface—I work on either glazed tile or glass
Pasta machine dedicated to polymer clay use—I use an Atlas 180 and will refer to the settings I use on my machine. If you don’t have a pasta machine an acrylic roller and some playing cards will do in a pinch, it’ll just take a little more work
Polymer clay scraps—this is great for using up cane ends
Acrylic rod
Polymer clay blade
Parchment paper

For the Beaded Bookmark

Extra polymer clay in solid colors
Glazed tile for baking & aluminum foil for tenting
Pin drill
Needle tool
2mm cord scrap (I used a scrap piece of 2mm leather cord)
Liquid polymer clay
Shape cutters
Metal hook bookmark
Ribbon
Jump ring

Directions for the Natasha Scrap Technique

preparing the scrap polymer clay for the Natasha scrap technique

Gather up a small pile of colorful clay scraps. The wonky bits left over from building a cane work well for this technique.

Roughly chop the scraps up. I’ve found that I get better results when not chopping up the scraps too small.

Gather up the chopped scraps and squeeze them together into a log.

Roll the log on your work surface to smooth it out. Twist the log a few times until the chunks of color begin to turn into stripes. Again, I find I get better results when I don’t manipulate the clay too much.

rolling out the scraps to make the Natasha slab

Roll the log out into a flat rectangular shape until it’s about 1/4” thick or slightly less.

Turn the clay so the stripes are running straight up and down. Cut even slices with a sharp blade. My slices were about 2-3mm.

Lay the slices flat, taking care to mirror the slices as you progress.

the finished Natasha scrap technique veneer

When all the slices are laid out cover them with a sheet of parchment paper and burnish smooth. I used an espresso tamper but a stainless steel soap or your acrylic rod will work as well.

Your Natasha scrap technique veneer is ready to be put to use as you’d like. Carry on below for the beaded bookmark.

Flat Natasha Beads

Condition some black clay—or color of your choosing—and sheet on a medium setting (no.3 on my Atlas.)

Cut the sheet down the middle. Lay one half on a glazed tile and lay your 2mm cord next to it. Snug the second piece of clay up to the cord.

Gently burnish the clay so it sticks well to the tile. Remove the cord and set the tile aside for a moment.

Using a shape cutter of your choice cut out an even number of shapes from the Natasha veneer. Take care to center the cutter on the most interesting designs in the veneer.

Set half the shapes aside for later and lay the other half on the black clay. Take care to center the veneer shapes over the cord channel.

Lightly burnish the shapes to the black clay and use the shape cutter to trim away the excess black clay.

Round Beads & Spacer Beads

Round Beads—Individually condition three shades of clay that will coordinate with your Natasha veneer. Use a shape cutter for consistent bead size and roll the beads by hand.

Use a needle tool to pierce a hole through the bead.

Fold a piece of paper the create a trough for the beads for baking. You could also bed them in cornstarch.

Spacer Beads—Sheet a piece of black clay on a no.2 setting. Place on a baking tile and burnish well so it sticks.

Cut out spacer beads with a 1/4” round cutter. Cut holes in the spacer beads using a 2mm round micro cutter. If you don’t have a micro cutter mark the center of the circles to drill out after baking.

Remove the excess clay but leave the centers to pop out after baking.

Place all the beads on a baking tray and tent with foil. Bake at the recommended temperature for your brand of clay for 30 minutes.

Finishing the Beads

finishing the flat bead with the Natasha scrap technique veneer

Carefully remove the Natasha beads from the tile. I did this while they were still hot so I could continue baking all the beads at the same time. Baked pieces fresh from the oven are very fragile while still hot. Handle carefully!

Let the beads cool a bit and then sponge or smear with a thin layer of liquid clay.

Place the leftover Natasha veneer shapes over the liquid clay. Press lightly to make sure it’s well adhered.

Trim the excess clay with a craft knife. Place the beads on a piece of paper and pop them back in the oven for another 30 minutes along with the other beads.

When the Natasha beads have cooled sand the edges (and the faces, if desired.)

Assembling the Bookmark

drilling the bead holes larger to accommodate the ribbon used for stringing

Use a pin drill and an appropriately sized drill bit to enlarge any bead holes that need to be made larger to accommodate your ribbon and needle.

Attach the ribbon to a jump ring. Thread on a large hole needle and string the beads.

Tie a knot in the ribbon after the last bead and trim.

Attach the jump ring to a bookmark.

Natasha scrap technique beaded bookmarks

Go read a book 😉

If you love this polymer clay Natasha scrap technique and beaded bookmark and give it a try please tag @bysandracallander on Instagram!

As always, if you have any questions or comments, I’m happy to hear from you.