Awhile back I showed the tiny food earrings I picked up from Inedible Jewelry. The creative duo behind that shop also authored The Polymer Clay Cookbook, a hands-on guide to making miniature food jewelry. I was excited to try the techniques in the book, and quickly discovered that crafting tiny edible-looking pieces from polymer clay is unexpectedly addictive.
I teamed up with Jessica from Inedible Jewelry and, with National Best Friends Day approaching on June 8th, I adapted a few tutorials and the skills I learned to make four playful foodie friendship necklaces. Below you’ll find the materials and step-by-step adaptations I used for each charm, along with printable cards to pair with the necklaces. I’m also giving away five copies of The Polymer Clay Cookbook so you can try these yourself.
Click through for tips, tutorials and the giveaway details.
There’s a lot of technique in The Polymer Clay Cookbook, so I’m sharing the materials, tools, and adapted steps I used for these friendship necklaces rather than attempting to duplicate the entire book here. If you want to explore advanced textures, surface finishes, and glazing techniques, the book is a great resource and goes into much more detail than these summaries.
Note: For photography I made my charms about twice the size of the examples in the book by roughly doubling the clay amounts in each tutorial.
Pretzel Friendship Necklaces
You’ll Need: Ecru, yellow and white polymer clay; orange-brown oil pastel; paint brush; craft knife; headpin; chain or necklace.
To Make: Mix ecru and yellow clay and roll into a 4–5″ snake. Overlap the ends, twist and fold to form a pretzel shape. Push a headpin through the bottom, up through the twist and out the top center. Rub orange-brown oil pastel onto the surface and use a brush to blend for a baked appearance. Add tiny bits of white clay as salt. Bake following the clay manufacturer’s instructions (about 20 minutes at 275°F is common).
Waffle Friendship Necklaces
You’ll Need: Ecru, yellow and white polymer clay; orange-brown and raw sienna oil pastel; lollipop stick; liquid clay; paint brush; craft knife; headpin; chain or necklace.
To Make: Blend ecru and yellow clay. Flatten into a pancake and cut into four wedge shapes. Slide a headpin through the bottom point and out the top curve of each wedge. Trim the rounded edges off a lollipop stick to create one square side and one triangular side, then press it into each wedge to form a waffle texture. Rub orange-brown pastel into the ridges and brush to blend. Mix a bit of raw sienna pastel into liquid clay for a syrup effect, paint onto a small area, and top with a tiny square of yellow clay as butter. Bake as directed by the clay manufacturer.
Burger Friendship Necklace
You’ll Need: Ecru, yellow, red, green, brown and white polymer clay; orange-brown and raw sienna oil pastel; paint brush; ballpoint clay tool; craft knife; headpin; chain or necklace.
To Make: Flatten a ball of ecru clay into a pancake for the bun and shape another piece into a dome for the top. Rub orange-brown (and a little raw sienna if desired) onto the bun surfaces and brush to blend. Flatten brown clay into a thick patty and use a ballpoint tool to texture the edge. Prepare a red patty, a small yellow square for cheese, and a ruffled green lettuce edge from rolled green clay. Stack the components, insert a headpin through the center, and bake according to package instructions. Glaze if desired following the book’s glazing tips.
Fries Friendship Necklace (adapted)
You’ll Need: Yellow and red polymer clay; optional orange-brown oil pastel; paint brush; craft knife; headpin; chain or necklace.
To Make: Flatten a red piece of clay and cut out the fries container shapes (a larger back piece and a smaller front piece). Roll yellow clay thin and cut into short fry shapes. Layer fries on the larger red piece, then place the smaller red piece on top and pinch the edges to seal. Optionally add a little orange-brown pastel to highlight some fries. Insert a headpin if needed and bake as directed.
Donut Friendship Necklaces (adapted)
You’ll Need: Ecru, pink, yellow, red, blue, green, white and orange polymer clay; optional orange-brown oil pastel; paint brush; craft knife; headpin; chain or necklace.
To Make: Flatten ecru clay into a thick pancake and use the back of a paintbrush to punch a hole through the center to form the donut ring. Cut the ring in half if you want two half-donut charms. Flatten pink clay into thin frosting half-circles and layer over the ecru base. Roll very thin snakes of colored clay and cut into tiny sprinkles, then press onto the frosting. Bake as directed by the clay manufacturer.
Finishing All Necklaces: After baking, glaze following the book’s recommendations if you want a glossy finish. Form a wrapped loop with your headpin (there are many simple tutorials online if you need guidance), attach to a chain, and the charm is ready to wear.
Printable Cards
Print and cut the matching cards, then fold in half to tuck the necklace inside for gifting.
Photos by Jeff Mindell | Printables by Floating Specks
If you’d prefer to buy instead of make them, Inedible Jewelry offers similar miniature food necklaces including donuts, waffles, burgers and pretzels.
The Polymer Clay Cookbook is available for purchase and there are signed copies available directly from the authors.
Giveaway
I’m giving away five copies of The Polymer Clay Cookbook. Follow the giveaway widget on the original post to enter. Winners will be announced after the giveaway ends.