Pink & Yellow Octagon Hoop Earrings

Condition the pink and pale-yellow clay until smooth and pliable, keeping both colors from the same brand at the same firmness so they roll and cut at the same rate. A firm clay like Premo keeps the octagon corners crisp; a lightweight or flexible clay keeps a statement drop comfortable and helps a thin frame flex instead of snapping.

Roll both colors to the same even thickness using thickness guide rails or one locked pasta-machine setting, and re-roll in stages rather than one big squash so the slab stays even. Equal thickness is what lets the two frames sit flush and bake without warping.

Pattern option A (nested cut frames, the cleanest route): lightly dust your concentric octagon cutters with cornstarch, cut the pink outer octagon and punch its center to leave an even pink frame, then cut a yellow octagon that drops inside the pink and punch its center to leave a thin yellow band around a fully open middle.

Pattern option B (stacked slab, cut through): lay a thin yellow slab onto a pink slab and roll them lightly together, then cut the full outer octagon through both layers; trim the yellow back from the outer edge so the pink shows as the outer ring, and cut the open center through both. This gives the two-color frame in fewer separate pieces.

Pattern option C (single matched cutter set): if you have a concentric octagon frame cutter that cuts the outer and inner outline in one press, cut the pink outer frame and the yellow inner frame from that one set so the band widths register identically on every earring, then assemble as in option A.

Make a matched mirrored pair: cut both earrings with the same cutter so they are the same size, cut from adjacent areas of the slab so the glitter reads alike, and flip the second blank if you want a true mirror. Confirm both read as a balanced pair before you go further.

Wipe the raw contact edges of the pink and yellow pieces with a damp swab to clear cornstarch and oils, brush a thin label-directed film of liquid polymer clay on the seam, then press the yellow ring into the pink frame on a flat surface and blend only the seam with a clay shaper so the colors fuse without trapping air.

Pierce the hanging hole at the top-center of each octagon with a needle tool while the clay is raw, keeping a generous wall of clay between the hole and the edge so the loop will not tear out. Set both holes the same distance from the top edge so the finished pair hangs level, since holes cannot be moved after curing.

Bake the frames flat on a smooth ceramic tile lined with cardstock or parchment, following your clay brand's package temperature and time and checking the real oven heat with a thermometer. Let them cool completely on the tile before handling so the corners stay flat.

Once cool, wet-sand the edges through rising grits, keeping the paper wet and the edge moving so you round the corners rather than cut a new flat. Rounded edges feel comfortable against the neck and do not catch hair.

Choose the finish for the look you want: a thin water-based gloss glaze deepens the color and makes the pink glitter pop, while a satin coat keeps it calmer. Work in thin coats, follow the glaze label, and test it on baked scrap first so you can confirm it dries clear and not tacky.

If a baked frame needs a cleaner or wider hole, let it cool fully and open the hole with a pin vise hand drill and a fine bit, then clear any burrs with a bead reamer so the jump ring passes freely.

Open a gold jump ring by twisting the ends sideways past each other with two pliers (never pulling them straight apart), thread it through the pierced hole and the lower loop of the gold huggie hoop, then twist the ends back until they meet flush. Repeat for the second earring and confirm the pair hangs level and front-facing.