Vintage Mannequin

 Bought this vintage torso at an antique shop in Prescott.  It fits perfectly in the space between the bookcase and the doorway.  Perfect for displaying long bead crochet necklaces.

I was so happy unearthing this treasure, I didn't care about carrying it two blocks to my car.  

Textured Knitting

A little textured knitting.  Organic shapes and lots of holes.   I am so drawn to to deconstructed clothing with its raw, frayed edges, weird seams, exposed linings, etc.  And, I LOVE making something like this with its different stitches, open holes, raised and ruffled spots, looped and bubbled rows.

Holiday Sparkle

 At Arhaus, I walked around a corner and there was this colorful, sparkling chandelier hanging over a small coffee table.

The fringe.  The fringe was so unexpected.  Substantial, yet delicate, filling the space, but hardly there.

Beautiful.

Holidays

 More inspiration from Arhaus.

 The lighting.  Oh, the lighting….take your breath away lighting.

Classic, elegant, whimsical, rustic…….and more to come.

Holidays

 I go shopping to get inspired; taking in the colors, textures, layering, angles, arrangements, displays, atmosphere, etc.

 Arhaus is one of my very favorite stores.

 I could spend hours looking and touching.

I LOVE those concrete tea light holders (above).  May have to go back and get a few.  Yep, may just have to go back.

Cyber Monday Adventure!!!

http://bit.ly/Brady2016  Click on the link to get on the path to a year long adventure of creating!  This would make a great gift during this holiday season.  Learning, creating, making friends worldwide.  Happy Holidays!!!!!

My Studio

 I like to listen to nature music while I create.  But, I was in the middle of a movie (TV to the left) when I decided to take a photo of my studio.  Table to the left with all the paints is where I paint.  Table behind it is for Paperclay, papier mache, sewing and beading.  The table behind that is for polymer clay.  Table at a right angle to the polymer table is for photography (white tent all the way in the back).

 Neat and clean work surface above, but it won't stay that way for long.

GranPods

When I get free time, I am sitting sculpting more GranPods.  I really enjoy making these guys.

Dia de Muertos

Photo editing through Photofunia.  It is fun fooling around on this site.  You can plop your photo (or any photo) in any number of fun photos.

Happy Halloween!

Polymer clay marshmallows wishing you the happiest of Halloweens!  [Inspiration: Zombie marshmallows by Meaghan Mountford of The Decorated Cookie-permission obtained].

Studio Clean Up

I purchased 60 yards of material.  Yes, you read that correctly.  I made table skirts and dust covers for two 6' tables and one 10'.  I also made a dust cover for my photography tent.  Still in the process of going through things and rearranging cabinets.  But, I really like how the table skirts hide the plastic storage bins under the tables.  A bin for jewelry bits and pieces (which I wish I had more of).  A bin for felting supplies.  A bin for doll making supplies.  And, a bin for my newest obsession of shabby chic holiday trees.

Free Tutorial for Joining

Oct. 10, 11 & 12 are the first 3 days of ticket sales for Polymer Clay Adventure!  If you join through my link http://bit.ly/brady2016 during those 3 days you are automatically entered into raffle to win a goody bag.  100 goody bags will be raffled.  Join through my link http://bit.ly/brady2016 and I will send you a PDF on how to make the Haunted House Teapot. I have to wait until the coordinators send me the list of those who joined through my link in order to email the tutorial, so be patient.  Polymer Clay adventure is a year long online retreat.  24 classes for $99.  That's around $4.00 a class.  Such a deal, right?  I am really looking forward to it.  Hope you will join me.

Congratulations to Crystal Carpenter who won the free membership to Polyform's 2016 Polymer Clay Adventure!!!

Ghouhl Friends Till The End

It's the Ghoul Friend pins making their Ghoulish Entrance again (get it? enTRANCE).  The Ghoul Friends work the graveyard shift and, make no bones about it, they think it is the best.  No ghouling around, they think every shroud has a silver lining.  They look forward to going out after work to party, but, don't worry, they practice safe hex.  They love going out to eat.  But no handburgers or halloweiners for them.  Nope, only the finest quality health food.  Why?  Because it is super natural.   Muwahahahahaha, so begins the Halloween season.

Gourd Sculpture Tutorial

Plastic Bottle Textures

Enchanted Polymer Clay

An enchanted forest polymer clay necklace with tiny pebble steps leading up to a mysterious door.  I am reading a children's book from the 1950's "The Borrower's" by Mary Norton.  I love the creativity and humor of this little book.  It made me think about this polymer clay necklace I made a couple of years ago and have started wearing it again.  Fun and smiles.

Polymer & PaperClay Mixed Media Sculptures

81 seconds of polymer clay sculptures and one (above) of PaperClay.

Polymer Clay Art Vases

A quick 96 second video of my polymer clay embellished vases.  I had fun putting this together.  Some of the pieces are quite old.  The one with the beaded  curly-Qs is from the mid '90's.  Some are small.  The spiral cane covered vase is 4" tall.  Some are tall.  The leaf and petal vase is 24" tall.  Sea Nymph#1 and Sea Nymph#2 are translucent clay sculpted on glass.  The floating clouds under water  are "finger painted" on a ceramic vase.  The same with the gecko vase.  Much fun.

Polymer Clay Pod Men

At Clay Carnival, I did the center sculpture in a class taught by Dawn Schiller of Odd Fae.  It was such a pleasure to meet her as I have admired her work for many years.  It was so much fun, I have continued to make these little fellows.

Polymer Clay Carnival

 After arriving in Las Vegas on Wednesday, we walked, took photos and enjoyed the beautiful weather.

 Below, we are setting up our work spaces Thursday morning in the Zen room; getting ready for 4 full days of polymer clay classes.

This year was even better than the last three.  Really had fun.

Polymer Clay Dinosaur Skin

 I am having some serious fun with these textures!  One of the great things about polymer clay is just "playing".  Even if I don't make anything out of these or go any further with them, it has been gratifying to just play!

Dino-mite Textures!

 Look at these textures!  I couldn't pass up these toys.  Ran home and made textures of their wrinkly, bumpy, spiked, spiny skins!

 Like I don't have enough texture molds.  Can't help myself.  It's not a phase.  I'm addicted.

Not sure what I am going to do with them, but I did make some sample pieces which will be posted in a day or two.

Clay Carnival Inchies

Heading out to Las Vegas for the annual Polymer Clay Carnival!  So excited. The Grumpy Cat inchies were a challenge.  They look more Grumpy Cat Zombies so they fit right in with the rest of my pieces.  The piggies are a hold-over from the "Bacon Necklace".  Had to throw some of them in.  Thurs. 4hr. class in the morning is with Jana Roberts Benzon, Leslie Blackford's 4 hour class is in the afternoon.  Friday morning is Judy Belcher and the afternoon is with Dawn Schiller.  Saturday's 8 hour class is with Bettina Welker.  Sunday's morning class is with Donna Kato and the afternoon with Natalia Garcia de Leaniz.  Whew!  Since I will be busy with classes and not able to post, I am filling in with some fun mold-making in the next few days.

Polymer Clay Transfer

The polymer clay transfer is about 5"x7" mounted on an 8"x11" piece of distressed wood painted black and sanded.  It makes a nice backdrop for displaying necklaces.  It is really fun doing a large transfer on polymer clay.

Leslie Blackford Workshop

Leslie Blackford's workshop was on June 28.  The Arizona Polymer Clay Guild members learned how to take a character of their choice and create a sculpture based on that character.  I made several attempts at sculpting a girl pulling a wagon, but just couldn't get it going.  I had about 4 hours of sleep the night before and was so tired I couldn't think let alone sculpt.  Feeling punchy and going for humor, I thought I could make an evil bunny with a basket full of skeleton eggs.  Again, not great, but made me giggle.

Fishies Workshop

There were 21 Arizona Polymer Clay Guild members making polymer clay pins - Donna Kato's fish pins to be exact. 

Donna Kato taught us cane work, inlay, carving, cut & replace, etc.  

My fishies above and below aren't pins yet and look nothing like they are supposed to, but I'm happy.

With Halloween not too far off in the distance, I tried my hand at a Skeleton Fish.  Not great, but it made me giggle.

Bottom row, second from right……my smiling face.

If you love fish, Donna Kato has a Ziggy Fish Necklace workshop available on CraftArtEdu (click HERE).  

Miss Bacon's Necklace

A Pig Tale by Marlene Brady

Don’t go bacon my heart--I’m apologizing ahead of time (to save my own hide), but you know what a ham I am.

I’m bacon out here in the desert and got boar-ed. In the mood for some humor, I purchased one of Leslie Blackford’s pig pendants and I made some polymer clay bacon to go with it.  A stroke of Ein-swine, I thought. Squealing so loud, I almost hurt myself and had to call a hambulance.  Strung them on a cable necklace using Hamma Beads for spacers. Oh lardy, lardy, it looks good I thought.  Hogwash you say?  Wouldn’t you hock anything for this?  Of kosher you would.  I knew you could be suede.

So, here’s my pig tale.

I wore it on Fry-day and had an urge to watch Hamlet, but instead, I jumped in my pigup truck and went to Porkopolous.  Parked in a no porking zone and almost got a porking ticket.  I walked in the door and it was a hambush.  I was hogging the limelight; surrounded by bacon admirers.  They never sausage a thing.  I’m not loin. Thank goodness there were no pigpockets.  I left in a hurry, driving like a road hog.

I thought Miss Bacon's Necklace might be featured in “Porks Illustrated”, but, no -- snout their style.

Kevin Bacon wanted this necklace, but I couldn’t part with it if I fried.  I know you are rooting for more, but I’m done ribbin you. 

Dutch Spiral & Silver Chain

Double your options; long or short.  Dutch spiral and silver chain = versatility.