Simple Norwegian Maternity Frame

If you’ve got a “bun in the oven,” one neat way to represent this is to create a picture frame that adequately captures the maternal experience. Working on a project like the maternity frame with an older child can help build anticipation and acceptance for a younger sibling on the way, as well as create a sense of continued heritage.

Materials Required:
Sculpey polymer clay
Red, White, and Blue acrylic paints
Water-based glaze
Paintbrushes (medium and fine-tipped)

Break off a piece of clay that fits nicely within the palm of your hand and knead it until the material is soft and flexible. Roll into a fat tube, gently working one end into the ball-like shape that will be the head. If you have fingernails, pinch two arms off just below the head and work these until they are smooth and of even lengths.

Working with the rest of the body, roll the clay in your palms so that the middle of the tube stays fat while the lower portion dwindles slightly in width. Pinch this lower portion into two even parts that will become the legs. Roll these until smooth and even, but not too long.

Poke a hole in the fattest part of the abdomen with your finger and gently extend the surface of the clay outwards, making sure not to thin it out too much. Shape the upper torso with your fingertips or the handle of a paintbrush to give the impression of breasts just above the stomach.

Now bend the legs so that they curve firmly around the lower lip of the open abdomen. Continue shaping the stomach into a deep cavern, folding the outer lip if needed to create a more rounded appearance. Once you are satisfied with this, bring the arms forward and lightly press against the outside of the belly. Bake at 275° F for about 15 minutes, checking to make sure the clay does not take on a singed appearance. Let cool for about an hour.

Once the figure has cooled, apply red acrylic paint to the entire surface, making sure to get at all the cracks and crannies. Let this dry, then using a fine-tipped brush paint a white line from the tip of the nose to the buttocks, and from the left hand across the back to the right. Follow this up with a blue streak in the center of the white surface areas and, once dry, cover with a light coat of glaze.

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