How to make a poppy brooch

Making an armature

-     Cut a length of wire and tightly wrap it around the main part of the safety pin to create a support

-     Bunch the wire at the top where you'll create the flower head

-     Form a mid-green clay mixture by combining Emerald Green with a touch of Basic Green

-     Cover the wire with the clay mixture, ensuring it’s smooth and consistent

-     Add more Emerald Green to the mix to create the pistil (the rounded centre in the petals) and mould it to the top of the wire

-     Press 4 lateral grooves into the pistil, in the shape of an Asterix 

-     Blend the pistil into the stem and bake for 30 minutes at 130°C (266°F)

Clay petals

-     Condition the Scarlet polymer clay and create four equally-sized balls

-     Flatten these into thin, circular petal shapes

-     Apply the petals around the pistil

Detailing the poppy

-     Knead the Black clay and apply it to the bottom of the flower and inside the petals where they meet the pistil

-     Roll out a thin tube of Emerald clay, cut it into small pieces, and roll each into a ball to create the anthers of the flower (the little round bits on top of the pistil)

-     Apply the anthers to the inside of the poppy around the pistil

Baking polymer clay

-     Place the poppy face down over an ovenproof glass surface to maintain its shape

-     Bake for 20 minutes at 130°C (266°F)

Congratulations! You've created a beautiful poppy brooch you can wear proudly for ANZAC Day.