About

Cost
$ $ $ $ $
Difficulty
• • • • •
Time
1h00

The Sparkle Factory
Neon showdown at the laser beam corral! Any- one who knows me well knows that I have a cowgirl heart having seen my share of fair-
grounds during my horseshow days. I love western belts and have collected many over the years. This has led to the many whimsical and fairy-tale style buckles I have designed for my collections. Western buckles can incorporate any theme you want, and making your own creates the ultimate statement accessory.

Inspirations
Inspired by my classic Acid Cameo col- lections, this project juxtaposes unusual themes—Rococo and the old West—and gives the basic buckle a psychedelic make- over using polymer clay. The beauty of using this material is that it allows us to mimic the look of tooled leather.

Posted by Running Press Published See Running Press's 24 projects » © 2024 Tarina Tarantino / Running Press · Reproduced with permission.
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  • How to make a belt buckle. Acid Cameo Western Belt Buckle - Step 1
    Step 1

    Work about one and one-half bars of the blue polymer clay into a ball.

  • How to make a belt buckle. Acid Cameo Western Belt Buckle - Step 2
    Step 2

    Then roll it out with the clay roller into an oval shape.

  • How to make a belt buckle. Acid Cameo Western Belt Buckle - Step 3
    Step 3

    Place the shaped clay onto the surface of the buckle.

  • How to make a belt buckle. Acid Cameo Western Belt Buckle - Step 4
    Step 4

    ...

  • How to make a belt buckle. Acid Cameo Western Belt Buckle - Step 5
    Step 5

    Place the texture maker on top of the clay and press down firmly so the design is deep and defined.

  • How to make a belt buckle. Acid Cameo Western Belt Buckle - Step 6
    Step 6

    Lift the sides periodically to make sure the clay has blanketed the entire surface of the buckle face.

  • How to make a belt buckle. Acid Cameo Western Belt Buckle - Step 7
    Step 7

    Make a cameo and frame using polymer push molds.

  • How to make a belt buckle. Acid Cameo Western Belt Buckle - Step 8
    Step 8

    Place the cameo and frame in the center of the buckle face and gently press so they adhere to the surface of the textured clay.

  • How to make a belt buckle. Acid Cameo Western Belt Buckle - Step 9
    Step 9

    Be careful not to press too hard or you will lose details on the molded pieces.

  • How to make a belt buckle. Acid Cameo Western Belt Buckle - Step 10
    Step 10

    Now add some sparkle by pressing the crystal beads into the textured clay. What I love about this lace pattern is that it naturally creates a frame for the crystal beads.

  • How to make a belt buckle. Acid Cameo Western Belt Buckle - Step 11
    Step 11

    Put the entire buckle in the oven and bake as directed on the clay packaging. After the buckle has baked and is com- pletely cooled, you may need to pop the entire clay portion out of the buckle face and glue it back in with E6000, as the clay sometimes does not provide enough adhesion to the metal. If you prefer a glossy finish, just brush a coat of Sculpey Glaze evenly over the baked and cooled clay. This will also protect the surface of the buckle.

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