Polymer Clay Smooshers and Watermelon

Summer is slowly winding down. One of my favorite things about summer is the fruit!  I'm hoping someday that my backyard will yield an abundance of fruit.

Currently, I'm waiting (impatiently I might add) for my itty-bitty watermelons to become nice size watermelons and ripen.  Before the onset of cold weather would be good!  In previous years I haven't had much luck with that.  They end up getting blasted by frost.  I may just have to hit up the local fruit stand this week.

In the mean time, here are some juicy colored polymer clay items from a few of my fellow Polymer Clay Smooshers.  

The colors in this Candy Swirl Pendant by 2 Good Claymates remind me of a sweet juicy watermelon!

Candy Swirl Pendant by 2 Good Claymates

The wonderful color combination in this Copper Mica Shift and Klimt Cane Necklace by Creative Art Center,  reminds me of a nice juicy slice of watermelon!

Copper Mica Shift and Klimt Cane Necklace by Creative Art

Such wonderful colors in this Bright Polymer Clay Cuff Bracelet by Valerie's Stuff   I can just imagine a hot summer day eating a nice cold and juicy watermelon.

Bright Polymer Clay Cuff Bracelet by Valerie's Stuff

Oh, and speaking of Polymer Clay Smooshers, you might want check out the blog. The "3rd annual Masquerade Clay Ball" is coming up. It is a polymer clay challenge that is open to everyone.  Go check it out if you think you might be interested.

Necklaces and Earrings; Autumn Challenge for Smooshers

It's kind of been one of those weeks. Been doing a lot of running around and not getting anything done!  

However, today I didn't have to go anywhere and I locked myself in my room and got a few things accomplished.  I finished two necklaces and three pairs of earrings.  I also have a bracelet and key chain almost done.  But I had to stop so I could deal with those pesky dishes in the sink and cook dinner.

One of the completed necklaces is for the Smooshers' autumn challenge. 

The beads are wrapped with copper wire and connected with jump rings. I haven't done any wire work in a while, so my hands and fingers are a little sore. 

Everything I completed today involved working with wire:

The necklace on the left is a non-polymer clay necklace.  The beads are unakite and jasper with Swarovski crystals for accent.  All wire wrapped with copper.  The three pair of earrings on the right are polymer clay and copper wire.

I really would like to do more wire work, especially with silver.  But at $42.00 or so an ounce,  I just can't afford to work with it very much.  But, maybe I'll do some more copper work. I like it a lot for fall.  But, then again I like copper a lot for anything!

Sand, Smooshers and Things Sparkly

As the last days of summer are winding down, my thoughts take me back to the  sunshine, ocean breezes, and warm sandy beaches from my younger days in Southern California.  Many wonderful items from fellow members of the Polymer Clay Smooshers Guild on ArtFire remind me of summer days spent at the beach.

This Golden Sunburst from Dana's Jewelery feels so much like the shimmering California sun!

Golden Sunburst from Dana's Jewelery

  

And what beach day would be complete with out a search for seashells and starfish? I never really found any starfish, but I love this Lucky Starfish by Gem's PC Creations!

Lucky Starfish by Gem's PC Creations

 Sutton pin with Crystals by Fesser Arts is reminisant of footprints in the sand.

Sutton pin with Crystals by Fesser Arts

And a fiery sunset completes the day.   I've seen a few California sunsets in the colors of this Gold, Red and Black Swirled Pendant by Dream Weaver's Designs

Gold red and black swirled pendant by Dream Weaver's Designs

Polymer Clay Mokume Gane, Yet Another Attempt

Once again, I'm attempting Mokume Gane with polymer clay.  Mokume Gane is actually a Japanese metal working technique that emulates wood grain.

I was going to use Christmas colors, but I couldn't get my head around that.  So I started with some autumn colors instead.

I'm using premo for this attempt and it is pretty mushy.  I want to try Kato poly clay next to see how it compares for this technique. It's a much firmer clay and a bear to condition.

I created a stack by layering sheets of the autumn colors.  I rolled the stack, cut it in half, stacked and rolled again.  And did that a few times.  I then squared (more or less) the stack.

I love using the trimmings for beads!  Typically when I try this technique, I end up with great beads.  The pendants, not so good. . .

Okay so some of those beads aren't perfectly shaped. These things happen.

Here I've taken slices from the stack and am working on a mokume gane sheet.  I'm hoping to use the sheet to make some nice shiny cabochons and pendants.

Finishing Things Up

I have a few completed jewelry items I need to upload to my Artfire Studio, so I will be working on that today (I hope).  Completing items is the easy part. Photographing and then adding them to my Studio is fairly time consuming.

I've a couple more things on my jewelry work table, and then I'm going to have to attack some polymer clay and make more pendants, beads and what-not. 

Yesterday, I received part of my order from Dick Blick. Unfortunately, it's not the part I really, really need.  What I really need is the the acrylic paint - I'm out of red, yellow and blue!

I have a palette of leftover oil paint from the large painting I just finished.  So I started a small (8" x 10") abstract oil painting.  Paint is just way to expensive to let go to waste!

Guess I better get to work!

Beach Necklaces Restrung and Listed

The three necklaces I blogged about needing to restring, are done. Yay! And listed. Double yay!  I'm up to 46 items in my ArtFire studio - that's a little over 2 pages full.

It's taking longer than I planned, but I'm plugging away at it.  The last couple of weeks it seemed like I was making hardly any progress.  I know last week, the tax preparation class I'm taking sucked up a lot of my time.

I'm nearly done with the free-form bracelet I'm working on.   That bogged me down a little bit as well. 

I still feel I'm not quite organized like I should be.  I'm still trying to get my mind around promoting my ArtFire Studio.  I definitely don't have that organized like I should.

But, I 'm plugging away at it and learning as I go. 

Is it Real or is it Memorex?

I must really be showing my age by referencing the old audio tape commercial - the one where the tape recording of the opera singer breaks the crystal glass.  Now, if you have to ask what an audio tape is, well never mind.

Perhaps I should have just said is it real or is it polymer clay? Polymer clay is a great medium for faux effects.

The "bone" sun pendant in this necklace was created by moi from polymer clay. 

Polymer can emulate very well a variety of items such as leather, metal, , coral, jade, wood, river stone and the list goes on!

 In this pendant Desert Rubble has combined real metal gears with polymer clay. What a fun combo!

These polymer clay river stones have wonderful layers of subtle color.  This necklace by Fantasy Clay, has the distinct advantage over the real thing of being much lighter.


If you are interested in trying some faux techniques with polymer clay, there are some basic free tutorials at Polymer Clay Central.  There are polymer clay tutorials on several other topics as well.

Some books if you are interested: Faux Surfaces in Polymer Clay by Irene Semanchuk Dean; Making Polymer Clay Beads by Carol Blackburn; Steampunkery by Christi Friesen.

This is just a tiny bit of info on polymer clay and faux effects!  It is one of the many fun and wonderful things about polymer clay.

Water and Reminiscing

When I tell people I live in Washington state, inevitably I get asked about the rain.  But in our area, east of the Cascades, we don't get all that much rain. This is desert! The average rainfall is about 8"  where the average for Los Angeles  is nearly 15".  But, irrigation water makes this area rich in agriculture. (And wineries!)

Water, necessary for life too little is a bad thing, as is too much.  And a great source of fun and recreation as well!   Growing up in Southern California, especially in my teen years, I spent a lot of summer time at the beach.


Waves and Pearl pin  by Sassy Clay Creations takes me back to those days of playing and swimming in the ocean.  Hot summer days and the cool pacific ocean.  The roar of the ocean and taste of salt water.

I never found starfish or much in the way of shells on the beach, but Tina Holden's Blue Crackle Pendant starfish bead is reminiscent of the tide pools in Corona Del Mar.


Dolphins!  My daughter loved dolphins when she was growing up!  Each year we had to go to Sea World In San Diego! This
Dolphin sculpture by Tamed takes me back to those times.

Hopefully someday I'll take a trip to Southern California and play on the beach again.

What is Polymer Clay?

Polymer clay was originally developed during the late 1930’s in Germany.    In the1960’s, Eberhardt Faber bought and began marketing the product under the name FIMO. 

Polymer clay is essentially polyvinyl chloride with plasticizer to make it pliable.  It is not traditional “earth” clay.  Polymer clay is cured at low temperatures in a home oven.  It is recommended to have an oven (IE a toaster oven) dedicated to curing the clay. 

Curing it is safe to when manufacturer’s instructions are followed.  However, if heated to too high of a temperature, the polymer clay will give off some nasty fumes.  Ask me how I know.  Ask me about the batch of beads I burnt last week. . .

Polymer clay comes in a wide array of colors and is incredibly versatile medium.  I use it mostly for for jewelry making.  It is also wonderful medium for sculpture (something my muse is screaming at me to explore).  And, because of its low curing temperature (275-300 degrees) covering items such as boxes, bottles, pens and switch-plates is popular with polymer clay artists.  The possibilities are only limited by ones imagination!   It is however, NOT recommended to use for surfaces that are intended to be eaten off of like plates and bowls.

Red With Envy by Laughing Moon Arts

The most common brands in the United States are Sculpey/Premo by Polyforms, Fimo by Eberhard Faber and Kato Polyclay by Van Aken.   

Cernit and Pardo are not as common in the US, but are gaining a following.  Knightwork has been experimenting with Pardo and has made some beautiful canes with it.

Here are a few websites to begin exploring the possibilities of polymer clay:

Glass Attic   

Polymer Clay Smooshers

Polymer Clay Daily

Polymer Clay Central

The three most common polymer clay brands:

Fimo

Sculpey/Premo

Kato Polyclay


A couple of non-polymer clay comments.  My internet went down yesterday.  And my Facebook page hasn't been working since last night.  FRUSTRATING!  I love/hate computers. 

Freeform Friday

Gads, it's been one of those kind of weeks.  Well, I've been plugging away at my knitting project for the KAL sponsored by Jane Thornley.  The ladies over in the forum at Ravelry have been producing some beautiful items.  Wish I could link to it, but the way Ravelry is set up, you have to join to see anything.  If at all interested, I would recommend joining - it's free!  A lot of knitting, crochet, spinning info and free patterns!

I took a progress photo of my project, and YUCK!  The green circle looks awful!  It actually doesn't look as bad as the photo makes it.  Guess I'm going to have to do some frogging. . .



On to polymer clay beady things.  Don't these beads remind you of the roar of the ocean, taste of salty air, cool ocean breezes on a hot summer day?

Bummer.  They were supposed to be evocative of cold crisp snowy mornings.  I guess I just don't do snow very well in general. . .








I've been playing with making patchwork leaf pendants. I'm thinking strung simply on leather cord.  But, there is always the chance I will change my mind.  I'm still pondering them. Not sure if they look leafy or just plain weird.

Well, right about now my brain is mush.  Probably something to do with the cold I have, blech. Mush, or not, I need to do some ArtFire things (or at least attempt to), so off I go.

Back to Normal

I was able to get a few more things uploaded to my ArtFire Studio.  It seems our ISP has fixed their problems (for now).  I should get to my goal of 20 items uploaded by the end of the day!

Here is a Purple and Blue Pendant Necklace that I listed last night.  I love purple!

I lost count of how many items, I've made, lol.  Made and remade! My new goal is to get 100 items uploaded.  By the end of the month would be good.  So, that is 80 more to go!

That means I better get off the internet and get to work!

Texture

These started out to be bookmarks, but they are to thick to function well as bookmarks.  So now they are pendants.

I'm not sure about all of them, some of them I like more than others.  But, I love playing with texture!   No molds here!  I have a few basic tools, and some home made texture sheets. 

There are also random household items such as crumpled foil, sandpaper, paper towels, screws and whatever else I can find.

Just building the texture with polymer clay isn't enough.  It needs something to highlight the texture and make it stand out.

Sometimes  I add "Perfect Pearls" before curing.  It is a mica pigment powder that adds a metallic shine.  Also this particular brand "contains a binder that permanently adheres to polymer clay" so it is permanent (unless you put way too much on - Ask me how I know).

But, I'm finding that doesn't always bring out the texture like I would like.  Also, the pendant on the right, it's to much all over shiny silver.  Kind of boring.


The other thing I do is add a glaze or two of acrylic paint, usually burnt umber.  I also use the metallic colored paints to highlight and give a metallic look.


I applied acrylic paint to the silver pendant so that it now looks like old bronze.  I like it much better now!

Goals and Challenges

I need inventory, and I need it bad!  I’ve been reading a lot of business information on the Etsy and ArtFire sites.  One tidbit of information I read o stated that you should have at least 100 pieces of inventory ready to sell!

I just about fell out of my chair when I read that! Holy Guacamole Batman!

Relax, breath deep and think.   

How am I going to do this?  I have some inventory already, but I’m going to pretend I don’t.  So how am I going to create 100 jewelry pieces?

How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.  So, what I need to do is make this into small manageable “bites”.

The big question in my mind is: If I apply myself, I mean REALLY APPLY MYSELF, how many jewelry pieces and I make in day? A week? A month?

Lets say I give myself 4 weeks.  That works out to 25 pieces a week, or 3 - 4 a day.  That sounds doable! much less overwhelming than 100! 

So in 4 weeks I'm going to make 100 pieces of jewelry!

Currently, I'm waiting on an order from Fire Mountain, and I hope to get that in the next day or two.  In the meantime, I'm in polymer clay overdrive mode!  Cranking out some mean beads! 

By Saturday or Sunday, I should be ready to put some things together!  I'm actually going to shoot for 20 pieces over the weekend.  Lock myself in my little room and not come out until Monday.

I Like This Bracelet, But...

I made this bracelet last year, and I really like the combination of the black and orange beads. It has a nice Halloween feel to it.  However, because of the weight of the beads, the “clasp” is on top of my wrist.   I think this bracelet would work better with elastic beading thread. 

This really shows the importance of test driving new designs.  While it looks good, it just doesn’t wear right.  The darn thing drives me crazy(er)!

But, I'm planning on a necklace or two similar to the bracelet.  I 'm making some orange-gold beads to go with the dark ones I made over the weekend.  I getting ready for a bead stringing frenzy! 

I'm suspect by the time I get my Etsy and ArtFire shops up and running, it will be too late for Halloween items. I can't believe how much there is to do!

I had fun this weekend!

I did some claying over the Weekend!

I cracked open some packages of polymer clay and fired up the pasta machine! 

The clay I worked with was actually Sculpy Premo, and not the Kato in the picture.  It is way easier to condition!  Oh, but I have plans for those packages of Kato Polyclay. 

To get going, I just wanted to make some simple beads.  I made a few and put them in the “secret” ingredient. 

I learned this trick from Silastones’ tutorial blog:  Silastones Tutorials   (scroll down to the "Lava Beads" tutorial.  She uses rock salt in her demo to make lava beads, but I wanted a finer texture and went with Kosher salt.   

And I want to mention, Silastones' work is wonderful and her tutorial blog is a great wealth of information!

After some feverish claying, I had a tray of beads nearly ready for the oven. 

Now, these beads would look rather plain without some sort of patina. 

So to give the beads some pizazz, I brushed on some Perfect Pearls.  The beads will have a nice metalic shine, almost like raku.

 

Guess what the most important item is for working with Perfect Pearls.  YES, that’s it – the dusk mask!  You don’t really want to breathing this stuff.

Well that’s it.  The beads have been cured and are ready to be turned in to jewelry. Oh, and I'm guessing you are wondering what they look like.  Well, you are just going to have to wait! 

Well, okay I did plan to include a picture of the finished beads, but the weather was rainy all day. I couldn’t go outside to get a decent  picture of them.  So, hopefully tomorrow.

Earrings and Contests

I was trying to make earrings for a trade being sponsored by Beading Daily. Its supposed to be mailed by August 31, but I'm afraid its just not going to happen. Too much to do and not enough time to do it.

Hubby said they are to nice to send away, and I should keep them and wear them. *sigh* I'm hoping to open an Etsy shop, but if I keep everything I won't have anything to sell, lol

I noticed they also have a challenge for "Stringing" magazine as well. I'll have to give that one some thought over the next couple of days.

And speaking of contests, Art Bead Scene, is having a giveaway for some wonderful beads from Green Girl studios. There are also details for a mixed media design contest being hosted by Green Girl studios. They have some incredible entries! I'm going to see what I can come up with, but boy there is some stiff competition.

Well, I have some "important" celebrating to get ready for. Everybody have a great weekend! I probably won't be posting again until later next week.

Necklace Finished!

The Art Bead Scene challenge inspired me to use colors I don't normally use. And I am very pleased with how the necklace turned out.

I got a little stuck putting the necklace together. Actually it was more a case of procrastination. That and fussing over it too much. I tend think about it too much and make the stringing process more complicated than I need to.

I spend to much time worrying about how to put a piece together instead of "just doing it". Sometimes, simple is better. I really enjoy using waxed cotton, waxed linen, hemp and leather. Perhaps it is because they are inexpensive materials I'm not so afraid to experiment.

I have more beads for at least one more necklace. I also have some beads that need to be finished. So I can play more with this. I have some shell heishi and dyed mother of pearl I may try to incorporate.

So, off I go to play!

Summer's End

A tale my Mom use to tell about my brother (16 years my senior) was about a paper he had to write in grade school. The topic was what he like most about summer and what he liked least about summer. What he wrote was something like this:

"What I like most about summer is when it begins. What I like least about summer is when it ends."

I never like when summer ends either. Even now, I tend to get a little melancholy as summer winds down. I like and look forward to autumn, but at the same time I don't like summer to end. As I worked on these beads I thought about those carefree summers and days at the beach growing up in Southern California.

Really, the colors of these beads aren't quite right for Southern California. But that didn't matter. As I worked on them, I still thought of the foggy beach mornings giving way to warm sunshine. And playing in the waves of the cool Pacific waters. And the inevitable sunburn.

A picture of the woodcut print that is the inspiration is at August monthly challenge.

The bead colors were inspired by the print for the challenge. Somehow while working on these beads, I found myself thinking about the Southern California beaches and never wanting summer to end.

Back in the "Groove"

I'm such a naughty blogger. Okay, my New Years Resolution is to blog a minimum of once a week. What? It's already August, nearly September! Well I blew that resolution.

I've been getting back to working with polymer clay - it's such a fun medium! Last year at Polymer Clay Central, one of the topics was groovy. I started these beads last year and recently finished them. I made this fun little necklace with some of the beads.

Currently, I'm working on some beads for a monthly challenge at this blog: http://artbeadscene.blogspot.com/

After I get the beads buffed, I'll take some photos and post a little more about it.

I also have some quite a few beads I need to photograph and post. As well as some random knitting things. (It's too warm to think about knitting very much right now).

And maybe I'll think about finishing the painting. Maybe.