How to create a miniature dog kennel in polymer clay

As part of our 'miniature garden' series, Candy Chappill shows you how to make a lovely little dog kennel for your miniature garden, dolls house or fairy garden using polymer clay.

Miniature dog kennel tutorial

By Candy Chappill.

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You will need

Premo Sculpey Clay – brown and light brown
Spacers 2mm
Wooden texture tile
Kennel shaped templates
Roller
Needle tool
Scalpel
Baking method
Super Glue
Cardboard
Swivel pin vice
Drill bit 1mm
Copper head pins

Download the template used to create this miniature dog kennel here.

Method

1. Roll out your clay 2mm thick, texture using a wooden texture tile, and cut around your templates using a needle tool. Create the wooden texture tile by rolling some moulding compound onto some textured laminate flooring.

2. Roll out a lighter brown clay 2mm thick, texture again using the same wooden texture tile, and cut into 2cm strips. Bake all of your wooden clay items in an oven at 130°C for 20 minutes.

3. Once all your wooden clay items are baked and cooled, glue the house sides together using Super Glue. It’s easier to do one corner at a time and let that dry completely before trying to glue the next.

4. Measure up your 2cm wide roof pieces against the kennel. Trim them all using a sharp scalpel. You want them to be about 5mm longer than the kennel on each side. This will give a nice finished look.

5. Glue the roof planks on. Start with the bottom ones first and slightly overlap them as you go up the roof. Again this gives a more realistic finish.

6. Add a sign to the front of your house. Print onto some thick card, attach it with some strong glue, and then drill and rivet the sides using some copper head pins.