Instructions:

BEFORE STARTING: Knead clay until soft to make it easy to work with. Cover working surfaces with wax paper, then clean surfaces and wash your hands thoroughly after kneading.

1. Use the roller to roll out thin sheets of red and black clay on wax paper.
2. Cut an oval shape from scrap paper to use as a pattern. Use the pattern to cut an oval from the black and red sheets of clay.
3. Cut the red oval in half to create the ladybug’s wings. Pinch off small bits of black scrap clay, roll them into tiny balls and press them flat to make circles. Press the black circles onto to the red wings.
4. Put a piece of scrap paper across the black oval, leaving part of the top edge uncovered. Press the “wings” in place on top of the black clay. The paper will keep the wings from sticking to the body except at the top where the body is not covered with paper. Press two small balls of black at the top of the body for “eyes”, then add a tiny ball of white to each eye.
5. Leave the paper between the body and wings. Bake the lady bug on an oven proof glass surface in a 275ºF oven for 15 minute per ¼” thickness, with good ventilation. DO NOT USE A MICROWAVE OVEN. Avoid over baking. After the bookmark is cool, carefully remove the paper from between the body and wings.

To use the bookmark- Slip the page to be marked between the wings and body of the ladybug, so that the eyes peek out the top of the book!