Garden Inspirations...Flowers & Butterflies

Click on photo to see a larger view

It's funny how working in the garden, hands in the dirt, sun on your back, can inspire you to create something totally unique.  I think I zone-out while I'm digging around, planting colorful flowers & pulling pesky weeds. So, that is how these new little cone-shaped Vintage looking earrings came about. I believe I do my best work when I don't think, don't plan, just let it happen -lol Clear your mind, put on some music, take a deep breath,
and let your creativity flow...
 

Native Florida Plants that Attract Butterflies Many beautiful native Florida plants have the added advantage of attracting butterflies, the most attractive of all winged insects. Since butterflies usually migrate long distances, they require frequent stopovers for food and rest. 

Our front garden is full of Butterfly

attracting flowers. I just love to 
watch them fluttering around, the dogs
are absolutely mystified by them too.

If your interested in my jewelry designs,
you can find them in my Etsy Shop 
It's the Marketplace for everything Handmade:)

Denim Blues....Pendant - Necklace - Earrings

Seems like everyone has a Blue period, this is mine. I love anything that
goes with a pair of jeans & a tee-shirt:) Most of these pieces
were made as custom orders.

Polymer Charm Bracelet

Cornflower Pod Necklace

Navy-Blue Dangle Earrings

Polymer Clay Experiments Continued

I started this pendant over a year ago & never finished it. Many of
my pieces end up pushed aside, to make way for new ideas. I usually work
on about 3 or 4 different things at once.

I was rooting through a bowl of misfit beads, when I discovered it. I decided it was

finally time to finish it & added a Mica Shift technique bezel, in a silver metallic Premo clay.

Strawberry Fields Polymer Clay Pendants

We are so lucky to have this family owned farm just down the street from our house.

You can pick the strawberries yourself, and also a variety of other fruits & veggies.

All this berry picking inspired me to create my latest polymer clay pendant. It is available in my Etsy shop

Made of Premo clay in a rich mouthwatering, ruby red. Sprinkled with flecks of real gold leaf & topped off with a stem of metallic gold. I antiqued it with a dab of Burnt Umber, to finish the look.

Wearable Hearts- Art for your Ears

I created these earrings with a hand-made mold, made using an Antique metal button.  It was actually one of my Grandmother's buttons, from her collection that she brought with her from Alsace Lorraine. A bit of the past, combined with the futuristic medium of polymer clay, make for a lovely keepsake pair of earrings.

Polymer Clay Bracelet Tutorial - Faux Hidden Magic

Here is my simplified version of the Hidden Magic technique. It's quick & easy & the results are comparable to real thing, if I do say so myself-lol! I'm an impatient person, if I get an idea I like to see the finished product ASAP!
I used Premo Clay for this demo, the colors are vibrant & it retains a nice flexibility after baking.The cane I used for this bracelet was an older one, so after I ran the slice through the pasta machine on #2, I added a very thin sheet of translucent on top, to hold it all together. Then, the thin black & white sheets over that. Run the whole concoction through on #3, and then black side down on your stamp on #1. Wha-La !

 The link below will take you directly to my new tutorial, "How to Create a Cuff Bracelet"
How to Create a Cuff Bracelet Tutorial

Live Each Day With A Joyful Heart

Valentines Day is coming up soon, it's a great time to reach out to loved ones & let them know how special they are.

The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart.
-Helen Keller

"The heart is the first feature of working minds."
~ Frank Lloyd Wright

Tutorial - How to Make a Polymer Clay Hollow Pod Pendant

You can make these Pods on any size light-bulb, I used a small appliance (refrigerator) bulb for this project. Use a good quality
clay for the pod, such as: Premo, Fimo or Kato clay & follow the manufacturers directions for oven temps. This is important to insure a strong, yet flexible pod.
My Hollow Pods are super light-weight & can be made in many sizes, from large, to small, for use in pendants, earrings or charms:)

On the Bright Side - Polymer Clay Sculptures

A Walk in the Park

Stop & Smell the Flowers

 I love to recycle stuff & then use them 
in my latest craft projects. 

So, for the past 2 years I've been saving 
burned out light-bulbs to cover with Polymer Clay. 

Any kind of light-bulb will do, tiny night-light bulbs,

ceiling fan bulbs, small round refrigerator bulbs, 
or even the candelabra type. 

I'm always on the look-out for discarded treasures! 
It's a great way to use up 

old polymer clay cane slices & ends.

I also have a large collection of empty perfume bottles, 
I haven't decided what I'm going to make
them into, but they smell good & the shapes 

are quite unique!

Don't forget to Kiss a Frog!

Making the Sculptures:

To prepare the light-bulb before covering it with clay, 

I always wipe them down with some

isopropol alchohol on a microfiber cloth. 

Then, simply apply your canes, smooth them

as you go with your acrylic rod.  My light-bulb 
sculptures have a different look
at every angle.  That is especially
true for "By the Sea".  One side has a star-fish 
clinging to it & 
the opposite side has an Octopus! 
I love to add extra embellishments too!
like glass beads, wire, 

wooden shapes (stars, hearts) etc.