Materials needed:                                    
White stoneware clay, cone 6                      
Letter stamps
Water                                                 
Small straw or coffee stirrer
Craft knife
Iron oxide stain                                       
Small paint brushes                                             
13 gauge high-temp wire
Matte Turquoise glaze cone 6                           
Kiln

Instructions:
1.  Roll a walnut size piece of clay into a round shape. Taper one end to a point. Make an indentation in the non-pointed end to make a heart shape.
2.  Using a coffee stirrer or small straw, make a hole horizontally through the top heart bead. Set it aside.
3.  Take another small piece of clay. Roll out a small rectangle, about 1/8” in thickness.
4. Press the letter stamps into the clay to spell your word. Carefully cut the word out with your knife.
5.  Using a toothpick make a few scratch lines on the heart where the word should go. Make a few more lines on the back side of the clay where the word is pressed.
6. Apply  a small bit of water using a paintbrush, on the scratched areas and gently press the word onto the bead.
7.  Put aside to dry to bone dry stage.
8. When bone dry, bisque fire in your kiln to cone 05.
9. After the bead has cooled, color the letters of the word, using the iron oxide stain and wipe away the extra with a sponge.
10. With a paint brush, apply glaze to the rest of the bead, being careful to avoid glazing the holes.
11. When the glaze has dried, suspend the bead on high-temp wire and fire to cone 6.

Resources:
Beads available from www.dianehawkey.com white stoneware clay, iron oxide stain, blue glaze, high temp wire available from www.lagunaclay.com