Easy to Make Plant Identification Markers

Happy Memorial Day weekend friends. This weekend I have managed to whip up some plant markers using one of my favorite crafty mediums, Sculpey modeling clay.

I can never pass up fresh herbs at home. Since making my standing planter, I have been slowly filling it with the most aeromic herbs. Since planting my little herbs, I am forever mixing up the Peppermint and Oregano! I know, I know… silly right. I can identify 30 different kinds of ferns, but herbs baffle me. Don’t judge!

I knew I needed to make some plant markers to eliminate the confusion.

What You'll Need

TOOLS:

Cookie Sheet
Cookie Cutter
Rolling Pin
Toothpicks/Setter Tool
Wire cutters

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The Wire Hangers

I choose a lightweight aluminum craft wire which is pliable, yet sturdy enough to hold a small clay tag without deforming.

To shape them, I used a small rolling pin. The wire is super pliable and easily wrapped around the cylinder.

Clay Markers

I knew I needed a medium that would withstand the elements for the tag. Sculpey polymer clay was the perfect solution. This clay is so easy to use, flexible and crack proof. I ordered white, but Sculpey comes in various colors so feel free to get creative!

Taking small chunks, I rolled out small ovals approximately ¼” in thickness. I wanted an oval shape marker and without an appropriate cookie cutter; I dug through my scrapbook supplies, grabbed an X-acto knife, and I was in business.

It took no time to cut 6-8 of these ovals. Using the setting tool, I made a small hole for the hanger to thread through.

From an older project, I readily had some hand stamps. They were perfect for stamping out the different herbs names. If you didn’t want to order the stamps, you could easily write in the clay using a toothpick. It’s completely up to you.

Once the markers were all stamped, it was time to bake them. Preheating the oven to 275 degrees, I baked them for approximately 15-20 minutes. They come out of the oven soft, but as they cool become hard.

Once cooled, I used Anne Sloan dark wax to give the markers an antique look. Rubbing the dark wax into the lettering really made them pop! It gave them such a cool aged look. It also makes them waterproof!