Happy Holidays

Wishing you and yours the very best of holidays.  Peace, health, little moments of joy, smiles, giggles and connections.  Yes, I know "connections" is an odd thing to wish, but I think you know what I mean.  Those precious moments when someone touches your heart,  you let them all the way in for that split second of connecting.  I want more of those, I want to give those moments, I want you to know I appreciate you.  Thank you for stopping by my blog or Facebook page.  Thank you for being creative and sharing and connecting.  You can tell I watched "It's a Wonderful Life" with Jimmy Stewart.  But, seriously, thank you for giving me the gift of your company.

Spacers or …..

I've been spacing out lately so I thought the polymer clay spacer beads would be apropos.  I spent a day making spacers and loaded some on a couple of cable necklaces.  Again, they look like oversized Heishi beads to me; which I love.   I'm sure you are all heading out shopping, looking for lots of good deals on this Black Friday.  So be off, have fun, be safe and sing "Dashing Through the Dough" while you shop.

Jellyroll Beads

Jellyroll beads with two Curly Beads on the ends.  Normally it is the design in the middle of a jellyroll that is the main attraction.  This time it is the technique of rolling the sheet and allowing it to spiral on the ends to create the shape of the bead.  I cut clean edges on a sheet of white clay, rolled it, smoothed it a little and then applied the scrap clay slices about halfway up the roll.  Gently rolled it again to blend in the slices, cut the one end and then tapered it a little.  Because the cording end is tapered, I suggest drilling the holes after baking.

Hot Pink Interlocking Circles

I love the workshops taught at Clay Carnival and the fun of discovering new products.  While at Clay Carnival, I had the opportunity to purchase some of the brand NEW Kato Flourescent Pink to use to make my Interlocking Circle Cane taught by Sarah Shriver.  Thank goodness for my table mate, Becky Acosta of Bliss Point Creations.  She helped me literally turn things around.  I have taken several of Sarah Shriver's workshops and want to take another.  I am in awe of her talent and art.

Above left is the cane I made in Sarah's workshop.  After I reduced it, I cut some cane slices to cover my drawer pull burnisher, made two interchangeable tops for the "Snap" ring and a couple pair of earrings.

Pollen Inspired Beads

"Under the Microscope" was the name of Natalia Garcia de Leaniz Clay Carnival Workshop in Las Vegas.  It was extremely satisfying to experiment while building my beads (above).  Natalia is inspired by pollen photographed while under the microscope.   Just so interesting to me how artists get inspired and then translate/interpret it into a piece of art.  Pollen.

You can see more of Natalia's work on her website (click HERE).

Who Made These?

 I was a member of the Bead Society of Greater Chicago years ago.  I won these two cane beads in a silent auction held by the Bead Society.  For the life of me I cannot remember the creator.  The beads were highly in demand because of the nude figure cane.  You can click on the photos for a larger image.  Leave me a comment or email me (on the right sidebar at the bottom).

Bead Squiggle Ornaments

I strung some of my bead soup onto a thin wire and then wrapped it around a knitting needle.  The knitting needle's shape created the natural squiggle.

 I made a bunch of shrink plastic Tee Shirts with bead sayings on them.  Still working on it, but it is coming along nicely.  Thank goodness it is a 3' tree.

Polymer Clay Canework Beads

These were my first cane work beads way back when.  I sized and hand rolled each one.  I keep saying I am going to re-string them, but I still haven't gotten around to it yet.  Having too much fun.  Hope you are too.

Blue & White Beads

 I made more blue and white canes to make more Delft pendants, but reduced them too far leaving the pattern too small to distinguish.  Ugh, I hate when I do that.   All I could do was make some beads, but they are not what I was looking for either.  They're nice, but not what I had in mind.  I've put it aside for now because I am frustrated.

Polymer Clay Inclusion Beads

 I used Leslie Blackford's inclusion beads (click HERE) as inspiration for my beads above and in the foreground below.  I had fun going through my spice rack and embossing powders looking for colors and textures.  Really love how they turned out.   Now, to get them strung.

Soothing Bead Soup

I keep my colorful bead soup in a large glass hurricane container; perfect for some beadiful candlelight.  Remember to use "DRIPLESS CANDLES" or you really will have bead soup.  Better yet, use an FLAMELESS LED CANDLE.  (Thank you Barbara of Pinelands Treasures (click HERE).

Handful of Happiness

Inclusion Cane Beads

 I made some polymer clay inclusion cane beads.  There are some great photo tutorials on the web.  The first one I really like is from the blog Les Ethiopiques by Helene Jean Claude (click HERE) and the second one is from this creative blog (click HERE).  I apologize for not supplying the artist's name and blog.  Translation was not provided, but the great photos are self explanatory.

Bright Red Beads

The season for giving thanks is almost over and the season for giving is around the corner.  For a quick gift, make some polymer clay beads and string them on a cable necklace.  

Gray & Black Beads

Polymer beads slipped on a cable.

Faux Beaded Beads

Textured polymer clay beads in hand blended grays strung on a simple leather cord; faux beaded beads.

Polymer Drum Beads

Polymer drum beads slipped on a cable necklace.

Worry Beads

I sliced up some of my face cane and applied them to brown clay....thinking the brown clay might take the place of hair. One friend said they looked like monkey beads. Another friend said the faces look so worried. So, maybe I'll make them my worry beads. I'm drilling the holes today and hope I get inspired to make them into something. Happy December!

Beaded Holiday Bracelet

I won this hand beaded bracelet in a raffle. The bead artist is Sandra deBay. She was inspired by Linda Frechen's design in the August, 2007 Bead and Button magazine. You can purchase the pattern HERE. Linda Frechen accidentally stepped into a patch of poison ivy and from that she created an award winning beaded shoe.....which gave root (sorry) to the bracelet.

My Beaded Bracelet Giveaway

Just leave me a comment for a chance to win this bracelet. Giveaway is over at midnight tonight.