Husbands sure are a distracted bunch. Is it really that hard for them to look away from the television or the computer long enough to answer, “Does this outfit make me look fat?”

I mean, honestly, what kind of response is a half-hearted grunt coupled with a, “I don’t know.” shrug?

I expected a little more than that when asking for his opinion on what to call my latest Christmas crafting project. But my husband’s response was nothing, not a word, not a peep, not so much as a knitted brow, or roll of eyes.

So fine, be that way, dear. I’ll just call it the, “The Wand-of-Something” and be happy with it.

I guess. 

Fair warning though to the hub, when our next child is born and I sign his birth certificate Bartholomew Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, don’t say I didn’t ask for your feedback. You grunted in reply, so I took that as a yes.

For your own Wand-of-Something for yourself, as a Christmas gift or to keep the kids busy during a snow day follow these easy instructions that combine my love of sculpting, working with wood, fabrics and beads.

You will need the following from your local arts and craft supply store:

  • Wood dowel (3/8 x 36 cut in half)
  • Polymer clay
  • Liquid clay
  • Paint brush
  • Elmer’s super glue
  • Electric tape
  • Steel jump rings
  • Scrap fabric, ribbon and/or yarn

Recommended but not necessary:

  • Clay oven
  • Knitting needles
  • Tiny glass beads
  • 32 gauge wire
  • Various sterling silver beads
  • Powdered chalk
  • Glitter paint
  • Aluminum foil
  • Exacto knife

For this entry I’m going to show you how to make a very simple Wand-of-Something Cupcake. But don’t box yourself in a corner, wood dowels are very inexpensive, have fun and make dozens of everything imaginable!

Steps on making a cupcake can be seen on my previous blog entry for the Treat Tree.

The only difference is the size of the cupcake, which top and bottom measure close to the diameter of a half dollar. Once your cupcake is made, make a slight indention on the bottom with the dowel; set aside.

Your cupcake is going to need a base to assist in the later attachment to the dowel. Take a ball of clay and make a long snake and then coil it gently around the top of the dowel. Do not wrap tightly, this is just to get a proper fitting. Once the snake is coiled about the dowel paint liquid clay on top and fit the cupcake over top. Now gently press the cupcake and coil together, just enough to stick, and then pull both off the dowel.

On a protected surface further press the cupcake and coil gently together, and then add as many jump rings as you wish to the back of your cupcake. The jump rings will be used to add fabric, ribbons and other notions to complete the Wand-of-Something in a later step.

A great way to add dimension to your clay work is by using powdered chalks. Gold is a great way to give your clay piece an antique look. I have lightly brushed gold colored chalk to various areas of the cupcake and coil.

Use liquid clay to further secure coil, cupcake, jump rings and cherry top.

Set aside.

Take another ball of clay, the diameter of a quarter or less and fit on the end of the dowel. Push as far as you can without sending the dowel through the clay and remove. Re-roll the clay gently in your hands and refit. Do these steps repeatedly until you have a nice round shape and decent fit to the end of the dowel.

Bake all clay pieces according to instructions.*

Once the cupcake and single clay ball is completely cooled, decorate with paints and glaze as desired.

While waiting for the paints and glaze to dry take the dowel and wrap 4 to 5 inches of one end with electrical tape. Leave a quarter of an inch or so exposed dowel at the very tip so that you can super glue the single baked clay ball at this end. Allow to dry.

Next turn the cupcake upside down and drop as much super glue as you feel necessary to coat the coil (but don’t drown it) then immediately attach it to one end of the dowel. Be sure the cupcake is secure and straight. Allow time to dry.

Now you are free to add strips of fabric, ribbons or beaded gauge wire to the jump rings in the back or further decorate the cupcake as you so desire. The possibilities are endless!

* Because this is such a tall piece be careful when baking. Make sure clay doesn’t hit any of the cooking elements inside the oven. Also, you may need to use aluminum foil as props against the cupcake to keep from having any flat spots or from sliding off the coil. If you simply cannot get the piece to stand while inside the oven, separate the coil and cupcake, bake and when cool super glue the two pieces together. Another tip, if the coil will not fit on the end of the dowel after baking use an Exacto knife to chisel away some of the clay, but please do so with extreme care!