These clay elephant earrings are easy to make and perfect for the spring and summer seasons. You can personalize them by adding extra details to the elephants, changing the colors of the elephants, and using your own types of beads.

Step 1: Step 1: Gather Your Materials

The materials you will need for this project are...

Polymer clay
- Gold
- Red
Mod Podge
Jewelry Pliers
- Wire cutters
- Flat nose pliers
- Snipe nose pliers
Bronze beads
Headpins
Jump rings
Fish hook earrings
Paintbrush
Silver Chain
Tacky Glue
Toothpicks
Clay tools
Glitter

Step 2: Step 2: Making the Elephant Body

For the elephant, you will need two balls of red polymer clay. A larger ball for the body and a smaller ball for the head and trunk. Make another set for the second elephant. The first step to making the body is creating two indents (one vertical and one horizontal) in the large ball of clay. You can do this by using the back of a paintbrush or clay tool.

Step 3: Step 3: Creating the Legs

The indents created will separate the bottom of the elephant into four parts. Pull on each of these parts using your fingers to form the feet of the elephant. Smooth out the legs and round the bottoms of each foot to give it a more finished look. Repeat this step for the second elephant.

Step 4: Step 4: Creating the Head and Trunk

Put aside the body and bring out the smaller ball of clay. Using your finger roll out the ball of clay on one end to for a long teardrop shape. Refer to the images above for guidance. The large part of the teardrop will be the head and the thinner part will be the trunk. To form the elephant's trunk bend the thinner part of the teardrop as shown in the image above. Repeat this step for the second elephant.

Step 5: Step 5: Attaching the Head to the Body

Once the head is created attach it to the body and smooth out any uneven creases. Repeat this step for the second elephant.

Step 6: Step 6: Making the Ears

For the ears, you will need to gather a small ball of gold clay. Cut this ball of clay in half to form two smaller balls. Flatten each of the balls out to form the ears of the elephant. Repeat this step for the second elephant.

Step 7: Step 7: Attaching the Ears

Once the ears have been created attach them to both sides of the elephant's head. Stick them on firmly by pressing them with your finger. Repeat this step for the second elephant.

Step 8: Step 8: Making the Eye Pins

Put your elephant aside and grab the one-step-looper, wire cutters, and some headpins. Use the plier to create two loops on the headpins and use your wire cutters to shorten the pin. Repeat this step so you end up with four eye pins, two for each elephant.

Step 9: Step 9: Inserting the Eye Pins

Using your fingers or a plier insert one eye pin into the back of each elephant. Then, insert another eye pin into the bottom of each elephant. View the images above for further guidance.

Step 10: Step 10: Baking Your Charms

Once the pins have been inserted securely, it is time to bake the elephants. Bake the elephants in an oven according to the instructions on the package of your polymer clay. Bake on either parchment paper or aluminum foil. Once baked leave them out to cool for at least 10 minutes.

Step 11: Step 11: Securing the Eye Pins

Once the elephants are cooled, we must secure the eye pins. Using your flat nose or snipe nose pliers gently remove the eye pins from the back of one of the elephants. Dip the eye pin in some tacky glue and reinsert it into the back of the elephant. Repeat this step for the bottom eye pin. Repeat this step for the second elephant.

Step 12: Step 12: Adding Details

This step is optional but I decided to add some glitter to the ears of the elephant. To do this first gather a toothpick, glitter, and glue. Using your toothpick dab small dots of glue around the ear of the elephant. Use the other end of the toothpick to pick up single flecks of glitter and glue them onto the ear. This part can be tedious but it is worth it. Repeat this step for both ears and the second elephant. Let the glue dry fully before moving onto the next step.

Step 13: Step 13: Glazing the Pieces

Once the glitter has dried we must glaze the elephant. Using a paintbrush, apply a thin layer of Mod Podge all around the elephants. Be careful around the glitter to make sure it doesn't move around. Let the Mod Podge dry completely before touching the elephants.

Step 14: Step 14: Cutting the Chain

While the elephants are drying we can cut the chain for the earrings. Using your wire cutters cut 2 pieces of chain that are each 5 links long (approximately 1 inch).

Step 15: Step 15: Setting Up the Bead

Gather your one-step-looper, beads, and 2 headpins for the next step. String a bead onto each headpin and use the plier to create two loops at the top of each bead. Use your flat nose pliers and snipe nose pliers to attach a jump ring to each bead.

Step 16: Step 16: Attaching the Bead and Chain to the Elephant

Use your flat nose pliers and snipe nose pliers to attach the chain to the top eye pin of each elephant. Then, use the pliers to attach the jump ring from the bead onto the bottom eye pin of each elephant. Once this is done your elephant should look like the picture above.

Step 17: Step 17: Attach the Earrings

Gather your fish hook earrings and a jump ring. Use your flat nose pliers and snipe nose pliers to attach the elephant to the fish hook earring using a jump ring. Repeat this step for the second elephant. View the images up above for extra help.

Step 18: Step 18: Your Earrings Are Complete

Congratulations your one-of-a-kind elephant earrings are complete and ready to be worn. You can also attach an earring backing for extra security, but this step is optional. If you enjoyed this instructable leave me a vote and any advice you have for me in the comments section below.