Materials You’ll Need for Your Whimsical Beetlejuice Earrings:

Before we dive into crafting these fun, twirling Beetlejuice earrings, make sure you have all the necessary materials ready to go! Here’s what you’ll need:

• Polymer clay – I used Sculpey Premo for this tutorial, but feel free to use any brand of polymer clay you prefer for your creations.
• Twinkle Twinkle - 2 oz.
• Black - 20 grams
• White - 2 oz.
• Wasabi - 15 grams
• Ultramarine Blue - 22 grams
• Fuchsia - 22 grams
• Blush - 22 grams
• Clay cutters – I used Rockrose Cutters from our hauntingly spooky Halloween collection for this tutorial, perfect for achieving precise shapes and clean edges.
• Modern Tombstone Clay Cutter - 1.75"
• Coffin Clay Cutter - 0.75"
• Coffin Clay Cutter - 1.00"
• Bat Clay Cutter - 1.00"
• Texture Mat -  For the texture mat in this tutorial, I used the Lisa Pavelka Ancient Doodles design.
• Pigment Powder - Artdone Metallic Mirror Effect Holographic Aurora Chameleon Pigment (Color #20)
• Spinner findings (for the twirling effect)
• 20 gauge craft wire. I like to use the Beadalon German style wire because it is not dead soft, but has a medium temper.
• 22 gauge craft wire.
• Ruler
• Dremel Drill Press Workstation (optional)
• Drill Bit #60
• Jewelry pliers for assembling the earrings
• Earring Wires
• O-Bead - Bronze
• 11/O Seed Bead - Olive Green
• 3mm Crystal Bead - Olive Green
• Clay tools (like a tissue blade, pasta machine, and acrylic roller)
• Gloss varnish or resin (to give your earrings a polished finish)
• Oven for baking the clay
• Armor All and a sponge (to prevent sticking when cutting the clay)

With these materials in hand, you’re ready to bring your spooky and whimsical Beetlejuice earrings to life!

Video Tutorial

Instructions

Make the Striped Cane

• Let’s create a vibrant striped cane! Begin by conditioning and rolling out 2 ounces each of Twinkle Twinkle and White clay on the thickest setting of your pasta machine. For my Atlas 180, that means using the #0 setting for the thickest sheet.
• Once your clay is ready, cut a 4x4 inch sheet from each color and stack them neatly on top of each other. To achieve a smooth finish and eliminate any trapped air pockets, use an acrylic rod to gently roll across the surface of the layered sheets. Then, feed the layered stack through the pasta machine on the thickest setting to reduce the thickness of the stripes.
• Next, carefully cut the stack in half and re-layer the pieces on top of one another, making sure to maintain an alternating color pattern.
• Continue this process until your cane has a total of eight layers (16 stripes), creating a beautifully textured and vibrant striped design.

Make the Spinner Beads

• Gather the wasabi clay sheet, black and white striped cane, pigment powder, and texture mat.
• Roll the wasabi-colored clay to a #2 setting on your pasta machine. Lightly spray Armor All onto your texture mat, then place the clay sheet on top. Mist the clay with water, and gently press it into the mat using your fingers. Once the texture looks even, use an acrylic rod to roll over it smoothly. Carefully lift the clay from the mat to reveal the texture.
• Gently pat the textured clay dry to remove any Armor All residue. Dip the 3/4" Coffin Clay Cutter in Armor All and press it firmly into the clay sheet. Repeat once more for the second coffin. After cutting, use pigment powder on your fingers to gently rub the high points of the texture, making the design pop and bringing your piece to life.
• Next, cut about a 2mm slice from the striped cane and pass it through the pasta machine at a #4 setting. This will give the slice an even thickness with minimal distortion.
• Use the 3/4" Coffin Clay Cutter to cut into the striped cane, ensuring the stripes run perpendicular to the length of the coffin.
• Cut two 2-inch pieces of 20-gauge craft wire from the roll. With the striped coffin cutouts facing down on your work surface, gently press the wires into the striped clay, taking care not to distort the shape. Next, place the wasabi coffin cutout on top of the wired striped clay and gently press the two pieces together. Once you're satisfied with their alignment, repeat the process for the second coffin bead.
• To create the bat beads, repeat the same process using the 1.00" bat clay cutter instead of the coffin cutter.

Make the Skinner Blend

• Select the ultramarine, fuchsia, and blush polymer clay and condition each color. 
• Roll each color into a flat, even sheet. Then, cut the sheets into triangles, ensuring the base of each triangle is the same width. Arrange the triangles side by side, with the wide ends touching, to form a rectangle. This setup will help create a smooth color transition for your blend.
• The stencil I used is sized to fit the full roller width of my Atlas 180 pasta machine, which is 180mm (about 7.1 inches). That gives me a nice, full sheet of clay to work with for this three-color Skinner blend. The stencil serves as a guide to break the clay into three even sections. If you're using a different pasta machine, like the Atlas 150, you can resize the stencil to fit your machine's roller width if needed! Just a quick tip: the number in the machine's name refers to the roller width in millimeters, so the Atlas 150 is 150mm wide (about 5.9 inches).

Below is the template I used for the three-color Skinner blend as a reference. Feel free to adapt it based on the size of your pasta machine.

• Set your pasta machine to the thickest setting. Take your sheet of clay and fold it in half, making sure the two edges of the same color are meeting. When you’re ready to run it through the machine again, always insert the folded side down. Repeat this process about 15 to 20 times, consistently folding the same way each time. You’ll start to see the colors gradually blend into a beautiful, smooth gradient!
• As you roll the sheet through the pasta machine, you can use your hands to gently adjust the clay to maintain a consistent width and ensure the blend stays within the size needed for your earrings.
• Once the blend is smooth and to your liking, roll it through the pasta machine to a setting #2.

Make the Tombstone Frame Bead

• These beads will serve as the frames for the coffin spinner beads, providing a fun and playful space for them to twirl and dance.
• Condition and roll out a sheet of black clay to a #3 setting on the pasta machine. If desired, you can add texture to the surface; I like to run the clay through the pasta machine using an air conditioning sponge filter for a unique effect. Once rolled out, slice this sheet in half to create two sheets of approximately equal size.
• Next, gather your Skinner blend and your black-and-white striped cane. Slice two pieces from the striped cane about 3.5mm thick. Run the striped cane slice through the pasta machine on a setting #2.
• Cut two 1.00" strips from the Skinner blend. Combine each strip with a black and white slice to form a segment measuring approximately 3x3 inches square. To adhere them, place a sheet of deli paper over the surface and gently smooth the seams with your fingers to ensure a seamless bond. Repeat this process for the second earring.
• Carefully place one of the combined cane slice squares on top of a black sheet of clay. Use an acrylic rod to gently roll over the surface, releasing any trapped air pockets for a smooth finish. Repeat this process with the other combined cane slice square on a separate sheet of black clay.
• Next, take the 1.75" Tombstone clay cutter and gently press it into the surface of the clay to mark the cutting area, but do not cut through. Ensure that the seam between the two canes runs diagonally across the Tombstone shape. Repeat this process on the second layered cane slice, flipping the diagonal to create a matched set.
• With the Tombstone shapes marked, take the 1.00" Coffin Clay Cutter and dip it into a sponge soaked with Armor All to prevent sticking. Identify the center or the desired location for your spinner bead, then cut through the clay. Repeat this process with the second layered cane slice.
• Finally, use the Tombstone cutter to cut through the layered cane sheet. Remove any excess clay from the cutting and transfer the cut pieces to a sheet of cardstock. Bake the pieces at the manufacturer’s recommended temperature; I baked mine for one hour.
• I'm using a Dremel Drill Press Workstation with a Dremel 3000-1/24 Variable Speed Rotary Tool Kit and a small vise mounted to the drill press table. Place the frame bead in the vise, ensuring it's perpendicular to the work surface using a square. To stabilize the bead, I used wide popsicle sticks. Visually locate the bead's center, using a ruler for accuracy. Mount a #60 drill bit in the Dremel, and carefully drill through the bead, clearing the polymer clay chips as you go. If you don't have this tool, you can use a pin vise to drill the hole, though the tool makes it much faster and easier. Once finished with one side, flip the frame bead over and repeat on the opposite end.

Finishing and Final Assembly

• Sand down any rough edges with fine-grit sandpaper. Start with 220 grit and work through to 1000 grit. My preferred sandpaper is Abranet Sanding Mesh.
• If you prefer a glossy finish, apply a layer of UV resin to the surface of the clay.
• Follow the manufacturer's instructions for application and curing.
• Make a simple loop headpin by snipping the end of a 2-inch wire segment to make it flush. Then, grip the end with your round-nose pliers and roll the wire around the pliers to form a loop. Once the loop is complete, adjust the pliers so that one jaw is on the opposite side of where the loop meets the wire. Gently bend the long end of the wire with your finger until the loop is centered.
• Slide the Bat bead onto the simple loop headpin and use your pliers to make a slight kink at the base of the bat bead. Trim the wire to just under 1/2 inch with your snippers. Then, grip the end of the wire with your round-nose pliers and roll it around to form a loop.
• Make a swirled headpin by cutting a piece of 22 gauge wire about 4.5 inches in length. Using your round nose pliers, grasp one end of the wire. Start bending the wire around the tip of the pliers to create a loop. Continue wrapping the wire around the pliers to form a swirl shape. You can make this swirl as tight or loose as you prefer. Once you have the desired swirl shape, use the flat-nose pliers to gently press the swirl against the wire to secure it in place. Gently straighten the remaining wire leading away from the swirl to ensure it is even and ready for use.
• Slide the swirled headpin into the Tombstone frame bead. Then insert an 11/O Seed Bead, O-Bead, and the Coffin Spinner bead followed by another O-Bead and the 3mm crystal. Then, create a wrapped loop to secure the beads in place.
• Next, take your bat bead and gently open the simple loop at its base. Slide your frame bead onto the loop, then carefully close it to secure everything in place.
• Attach your choice of earring wires or post studs, depending on your preference.

And there you have it—a stunning pair of Beetlejuice earrings crafted with care, showcasing your creativity with polymer clay! I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and feel inspired to explore these techniques in your own projects. Remember to share your creations and tag us on social media; I can’t wait to see how you put your unique spin on this whimsical design! Thank you for crafting alongside me, and stay tuned for more exciting polymer clay projects. Happy crafting!