Millifiore Pendants

Flower Power

Swirly Leaves

Springtime Garden

 

Chunky Floral

Etsy Treasuries Polymer Clay Jewelry

I love Etsy Treasuries!  You get a peek at an assortment of items, from different crafter's, that are all color coordinated. What fun!  My New Silver Leaf Earrings were included in this Treasury called "Have a Nice Sunday".

Silver Leaf Turquiose-Lime Earrings


These are reversible earrings, so you get 2 different looks in one! The front is a Silver-leaf, stamped design. Then I used Adirondack Alcohol Inks to add the watery greens & teals. After the first baking, I used clear liquid polymer to add depth & shine.

 

This is the reverse side, done in a Pearlized-Metallic Mokume Gane technique.

The Earrings are 20mm x 5mm thick, the edges are wrapped in a stacked stripe cane, done in the same blues, teals & lime.

My Polymer Teal/Cobalt Charm Bracelet is featured in this latest Etsy Treasury called "Teal the End of Time".I have so lucky to have my Jewelry appear in over 31 Etsy Treasuries so far.

 

What's New for 2011- Black & White Bangle

I love making Bracelets! Black & White with a hint of Limey-Olive is one of my favorite color schemes! This  bangle was made using Kato clay because it's so strong & it polishes up so nicely too! I used a large cookie cutter for the center of the bracelet & a flexible tissue blade to cut the outside curves. Lots of sanding & a couple coats of poly-varnish to finish.

My Bracelet won Second Place in Voila!
March 9, 2011

Polymer Clay Jewelry Techniques

  I had a great beginning for 2011 yesterday!  I sold 17 pieces of my handmade jewelry! I've put a lot of time, effort & heart into making jewelry pieces for my 
Etsy Shop

Polymer Clay Discoveries in Mokume Gane & Mica Shift Techniques

I'm currently working on a series of cabochon pendants using the mokume gane and mica shift techniques. These are 2 of my favorite techniques to explore, the combination's and color palettes are limitless. Of course, I love working with Premo Metallic clay, I really think it performs the best, especially with mica shift applications. I'm also experimenting with Pardo Translucent Art Clay, it has a crystal-like clarity that I haven't found in other brands. Using extremely thin layers of the Pardo Translucent, silver leaf, and some of my unique Mica Shift canes to create a cabochon with more depth & sheen. I must admit I have this terrible habit of not writing down the different techniques I create and then wondering how in the world I did it!

 Below are a few pics of the process, making up my metallic color blends, the impressed mokume gane sheet.

                                                              

Polymer Clay & Stainless Steel Cable Bracelets

I love to mix different mediums, such as this Stainless Cable with my handmade Polymer Clay chunky beads, and a few Glass Beads too! These are fun to wear, especially with the dangling charms.

This is a very long piece of Sterling Chain threaded with a double length of clear jewelry elastic. It makes a nice slouchy, chic looking bracelet. I made assorted Raspberry colored beads with a mix of Premo Pearl white & Premo Pearl red, and a few Plum & Grape Millifiore flower beads. I also added my New Pyramid shaped beads set in a silver bezel. First, I made the standard Swirled Lentil bead, flattened the back, and then used a small square of Plexiglas, pressing it in towards the center on all 4 sides, to refine the Pyramid dome.

Polymer Clay Sculpted Teapots

 

I've been working on more of my "Light-bulb Teapots"  This Fish Teapot is my latest concoction.  The main body of the fish is covered in a Mokume Gane technique, that was made using Premo Pearls clay.  I impressed a pattern into the many layers of clay & then shaved off the raised portions.  I used about 6 different color variations, from cobalt blue, turquiose, aqua, to a brilliant limey-lemon with green foil accents.  For the details I added a few Kato liquid droplets on the gills & fins.  I had quite a time trying to bake this little guy! I slumped the tail & fins over armatures made of foil.

  Here's another tiny teapot made over a re-cycled ceiling fan light-bulb

This is made over a larger round vanity light-bulb. I used  Premo gold clay & translucent to create a butterscotch swirl, I mixed a cinnamon spice color for the flowers & an olive/lime for the leaf cane. 

Relax & Create- Happy Claying!
Have a cup of tea too! My all-time favorite is Constant Comment-a yummy blend of orange & spice:)

Faux Wall Treatment

I've been doing some Faux-Painting in the new house, trying to bring a more personal, homey touch. I was going for a antique, faded French wallpaper look.

This is a view of the entrance foyer to the Master Bedroom & Bath. I used an all-over Damask pattern, with sponged layers of metallic pearl glaze. For all my wall sponging techniques I use the natural sea sponges that our family collected while on vacation in the Keys. We love to go sponge diving, it takes about a week of soaking and beating the sponges to process them so they are soft & usable, but it's worth it, they make great paint applicators!!
In the niche area we added a diamond mosaic pattern with real 4 x 4" tumbled marble tiles.

                                             Close-up of Faux-Finish Damask Pattern

                                               

The next project was the dining room, which presented a problem with the huge open 7 x 9 ft niche area.  I didn't want a traditional china cabinet, so my husband devised these thick plate-glass shelves, with molding across the front, for all my glass-ware. I used a metallic finish by Ralph Lauren for the back wall of the cabinet.
I found the glass top dining set on Craig's List, it reminds me of something from Alice in Wonderland, with the huge, whimsical looking claw-footed chairs & carved base.

                                                                                   The living room also has niches with plate-glass shelves. They give me lots of room to display my favorite antique pieces that my Mom left to me:)

Polymer Clay Samples Project for Klutz Books

I was recently contacted by one of the editors at Klutz, a children's craft book publisher. Apparently, one of the assistant editors found my Polymer Clay shop on Etsy and contacted me. They loved my new Charm Bracelets & also my Pillow Beads. I was thrilled to hear from them & very flattered that they liked my work! Our daughter used to love their books as a child, because they always included the supplies needed to complete a project.

 I received a box of supplies from Klutz that included: polymer clay, beads, findings, cording, etc. The project that I was hired to do focused on girls age 12+, with Polymer Clay jewelry designs that would interest that age group. I created 2 really cute bracelets, some earrings, a simple pendant & assorted beads. What a blast I had! Just letting my imagination go wild!

Here are some of the beads that Klutz particularly liked from my shop . As I am under contract with the book publisher I can't reveal the design samples I made for them.

The ones above are my Florida Sunset Beads, with inset seed beads.
The next ones are my signature Watercolor Rainbow Pillow Beads, these have been a really good seller in my Etsy shop!
At the bottom are my South-West Blue Denim Beads, in stonewashed & cornflower blues.

 

Polymer Clay Raw Canes

Polymer Clay Raw (Unbaked) canes.

This is the first time I've offered canes for sale in my Etsy Shop BeadazzleMe.etsy.com

I make so many canes, especially flowers, that my studio is bursting with my ever-increasing inventory! I keep them color coded, and also in different categories, such as: leaf canes, flowers, stripes, swirls, abstract, etc...

I really enjoy the process of cane-making, it's relaxing, and I can watch a wonderful old classic movie at the same time:) My favorite clay for millefiore cane making is Fimo brand. I always used the Fimo Classic Translucent & White as they perform well for making complex canes.