Scrubs and Kaleidoscopes: DIY Swirly Pens

Plain pens are so boring, but fancy ones can get really pricey! This tutorial will teach you how to jazz up boring, cheap Bic pens. The shafts of these pens will hold up for years with proper care, and you can simply replace the ink cartrige as you run out of ink! You'll only need a few materials and an oven to make these funky pens, and for about $2 to $5 for a whole brick of clay, you can give dozens of pens as homemade gifts!

Materials:

Plain Bic pens.

They really do need to be Bic. I've tried with other cheapo pens, and the plastic melts before the clay hardens properly

Two or three different colored polymer clay blocks. One block will make you dozens of pens.
Needlenose pliers
Wax paper (optional)

I use wax paper to protect the surface I work on from the clay residue

Scotch tape (to tape down the wax paper)
Xacto or box cutter knife
Cutting board (optional)

Step 4

Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to the temperature indicated on your clay package (usually 275)
2. Use your needlenose pliers to carefully remove the ink and ballpoint from the pen shaft. You should only need to twist and wiggle it a little bit. Set the ink aside, and discard the pen cap
3. pinch off a small amount of polymer clay from each color you want to use.

Step 5

4. Roll each color into a ball the size of a small marble
5. Use the pen shaft to flatten out the balls, like you would dough, until you get an irregularly shaped elipsis that's just a few millimeters thick
6. Stack the clay one on top of the other. The color on the bottom will be the outermost color on the pen.
7. carefully curl the edges into the clay, then roll it up. The tighter you get the layers rolled, the more defined the swirl will be
8. Use your hands to thin out the clay roll until it becomes about 1/2 cm thick

Step 7

9. With your Xacto knife, carefully cut off the ends of the clay roll, then slice the roll into 1-2mm thick sections
10. Starting at the top of the pen shaft, press the clay pieces into the pen.
11. As you get a small section done, lightly roll the shaft against your working surface to smooth and blend the clay seams. You may need to press the top of the pen back into a squared-off or rounded shape. Continue pressing and rolling small sections at a time.

Step 8

12. Once you get to the end of the pen, smooth the edges one more time, then cut off whatever hangs over the edges of the opening.
13. Bake for about 10 to 15 minutes. Check the clay after 10 minutes by very slightly bending the pen between your two hands once the pen has cooled. It should be firm against pressure, yet supple enough not to break or crack. If it's still too forgiving, bake it a little longer.
14. Once the pens are done baking, let them cool for about 5 minutes
15. Using your needle-nose pliers, carefully insert the ink back into the pen tube, then you're all done!