Playing Around

Scrap clay run through the pasta machine resulted in this beautiful icy water, snowy mountain scene (except for the orange circle...that I placed in the sky and pulled some turquoise over it). Love when that happens.

This one got away from me. I liked the agate look, but then I "planted" too many objects, too deep and textured too much.

This pin turned out OK. The Effects clay gave it kind of a sparkly stone look.

I was striving for a draped fabric look, but got something that looks like it is standing on a mirror. Like what an image looks like when it is reflected in water.

Oh well, at least I've moved past the faces (for now).

Part III, I'm Afraid

So mad......

So sad........

So in need of a spa day!

OK, I'm done for a little while. At least with the faces, not the scrap clay.

Scrap Clay Faces Part II

They express how I feel......a little under the weather.

Scrap Clay Faces Part I

Warped humor; a couple days of this I'm afraid.

Summer Necklace from Scraps

I hand rolled each of those little uniformly bell shaped beads. Couldn't I just use on of the countless bead rollers on the market? Noooooooooo, that would make too much sense.

I wanted this shape because each bead "moves" against the other.

They flip up and down and are always in a different position.

The base is a peyote stitch done with size 11 seed beads. There are color variations in the "coral" bead at the tip of each polymer bead because I wanted to add interest; something that would carry the eye through the piece.

There is some variation in the blue beads as well, but very subtle. I used a beaded loop with a vintage button for the closure. And, best of all, got rid of more scraps.

Scrap Clay Necklace

Used an oval petit four cutter to cut out the oval shape and a tiny Kemper circle cutter to make the jump ring hole.

I'm not nuts about the ball chain, but I don't hate it either. But, for now it will do. I like this necklace; it has potential.

Scrap Clay Cane

This cane turned out very pretty considering the scraps (if I do say so myself).

Rolled the scraps in logs and then wrapped them in the scrap white and translucent.

Bunched them together and rolled the larger logs into thin 12" logs. Cut the 12" logs into four 3"pieces and stacked them two on top of two. Then I squared them off using my roller and stacked them again; resulting in the two large square canes to the right (below).

Tomorrow some jewelry pieces from the scrap clay. My wonderful, extra large convection oven broke today. It just stopped working. I loved that thing. Rather than trying to repair an oven I've had for 7 years, I decided to order a new one. Boy I will miss that good 'ole oven. Now I will have to wait for delivery of the new one. In the meantime, I have a back-up oven I can use.

Happy Mum's Day

This was my first and only (so far) attempt at hand sculpting a polymer baby's head. I spent hours sculpting and was thrilled with my results. As I set it on my bookshelf, it slipped out of my hand and hit the tile floor.

I gave it my all in trying to salvage it by patching here and there and attempting to "paint" over the shattered parts.

Anyway, I featured this piece today because it reminds me of all the "mothering" types of people out there who are caretakers, fixers, nuturers, comforters, babiers and cuddlers who give their all everyday to their families, extended families, adopted families, friends, neighbors, pets, etc.

I hope your day is special.

Peyote Pendant Slider

My polymer leaf cane, a couple of glass flower beads and leaves, some crystals and seed beads sewn onto a peyote stitched ring.

I added two hanging loops so I could hang it differently if I wanted.  Now that I see it on the computer, I'm thinking it needs a large flower to balance out the polymer leaves. Maybe next time, because I'm not touching it. I know I will over work it and end up tearing it out.  Unless I wear it a couple of times and it drives me crazy, then I will address it.

This is the back of the peyote strip that was a "zipper" join into a circle. I used triangles and Silimide beading thread. I saw this technique in Bead and Button's October, 2007 issue where Veronique Landis used silver crimp tube beads to peyote stitch a background for her wirework, flowers and leaves. At the Tucson Bead Show I bought a pendant slider kit from Nanette Young-Greiner (Scorpio Beads) and Shirley Cook (Jumping Jack Glass), who collaborate on glass flower and leaf designs to create their kits. I will post a photo of that piece in the future. It was also a peyote stitched base, but their lampwork beads and color combinations are phenomenal.

BIG Cane

My goal is to use up some of my old canes combined with canes from the scrap clay. It started out as shown in the below photo (that's one messy cane) and ended up as shown above.

So moving right along. Still under the weather but I have little beading projects I have assembled and a couple new books to devour and time is going by quickly. Plus all the scrap clay.

Amazes me how art can take one's mind off of something and into another direction. How conquering a difficult technique or creating something from discards can make one feel so good.

Change of subject: The other day (May 3), I was reading Polymer Clay Daily (PCD) and scrolling through the narrative when I noticed my Boomerang piece was featured in the PCD Flickr sidebar. It is such a kick to see one of my pieces on such a prestigious site. Sorry, I know I'm tootin my own horn, but I feel like a little kid who's been raising her hand in every class and finally someone called on me and I feel visible. Feels good; so, so good.

(Hubby, if you're reading this....Happy Birthday! Thanks for sharing my life-I've never been so happy).