What's Cooking?

Can you beleive that I have these focals cut and ready to bake for over a month?  I made them when I decided to participate in Erin's Challenge of Color, because I was supposed to also make some Polymer Clay Beads to match my palette.  But I first got distracted playing with me stamps, my etch and pearl tools, and I really wanted to paint them after baking, and then I could not sit down again long enough to make my challenge beads.  Lucky I had some that were right on with the palette.

They are baking in the oven as I am writing this, and I will hopefully be able to sit in my table long enough to play a little with paint and finish them while I still have some "ME" time.

3 Fun Ways to Use Scrap Polymer Clay and more...

I just hate to see my Polymer clay go into a bundle of horrible looking clay.  I'd rather make some small beads out of it to coordinate with the ones responsible for having leftovers.  I usually make some 5mm marble beads, and they are a great way to finish a necklace, bracelet or even to be used in any other way in the jewelry project.

My second favorite creation is what I call a buckle.  This is just a big flat bead with two a hole on each side.  They are great for focal pieces on either a necklace or a bracelet.

I have also used it to make the center of a big bead that I might want to cover with canes. 

Here are some other ideas for useful tools or displays:

• I been meaning to use some scrap clay to make some molds, stamps and texture sheets out of some screws and findings I have been collecting for this purpose.
• I am also in need of an Earring Stand to photograph my earrings.  Just make a base with polymer clay and use strong artistic wire (16-20 gauge) to make the stand and arms that will display my earrings.  What was first, the chicken or the egg? In my post: Weekend Reviews - Blogs to Visit: Polymer Clay I I mention having talked about earring displays recently.  Well, this post was under construction and I referred to it before posting it!  Talk about a LOOP!  Yoou can find a great way to make a different type of earring stands in Tina Holden's Mini Displays Tutorial.
• And last but not least.  Look at this cool Handmade Texture Tools project from PolymerClayWeb

To enter my giveaway of a Polymer Clay Pendant and Beads CLICK HERE for instructions.

Weekend Reviews - Blogs to Visit: Polymer Clay I

I got caught up in the Michael's Challenge and ended up leaving this post for later, later became later, and the day passed by without me even noticing it.  I fell asleep soundly asleep as if I had accomplished all my goals yesterday.  Now, I cannot sleep anymore, a perfect time to finish this review and post it.  Here it goes:

If you want to see beautiful creations, free tutorials and tips, visit Tina Holden's Blog: http://beadcomber.blogspot.com/.  She's a Polymer Clay Artist from Canada, and her creations are stunning!

She features her creations, tutorials (some are free), tips and great posts in her blog.  My favorite Tip/Tutorial is the one for a Handle Accesorie for the Makin's Extruder.  It sure saves my hands from a lot of painful extruding.  She explains how to make this handle that makes extruding more easy and pain free.  If you have a Makin's you want to have this handle too.

My favorite technique tutorial is Imitative Ceramic Tutorial.  This tutorial shows you how to make a polymer clay pendant or bead with a Faux Ceramic Look.  It's simple to follow and well explained.
I was talking about displays for earrings a few days ago in a previous post.  Gues what? She has some cool ideas of Mini Displays for Earrings and Rings that I had not seen before.

She also showcases a lot of her wonderful beads in her blog.  I am sure do not want to miss them.

To enter my giveaway of a Polymer Clay Pendant and Beads CLICK HERE for instructions.

This is what I've been up to...

After my many hours inside a car due to my recent travels, I have finally been able to sit on my working table and make some beads.

Here they are awaiting to be baked.

These next ones are a set of rondelles, rounds and top drilled heart bead/focal. 

This one is a beige, green and orange heart pendant and polka dots beads.

Aren't they all cute?  I reserved a set of beads fro something I want to make.

Giveaway Prize in My Mailbox

This is the lovely polymer clay face cab that I won at Kokopelli Design's giveaway.

She is encouraging and giving me support to venture in my first beaded cab.  I'll let you know how it will turn out! 

There are two techniques that I see myself learning with this cab.  Just have to choose one.  Bead weaving and wire weaving.  I have seen beautiful things with both techniques…. Hmmm… tough decision.

Copper and Polymer Clay

I had a cane with 3 of these squares left.  I started just making earrings, and then thought: why not make a pedant set? I got busy, but.... no copper terminals in my travelling stash.  Thank God there are beadstores everywhere.

You can see I am still haveing light problems... should have brought my lightbox with me, and a lamp!

The set is made of copper wire, fire polished glass beads, bronze tone stringing wire, metal Chinese coin and copper findings.

Don't you just love these little Chinese coins?  I do :)

I promise to start working on the Challege Swap materials from now on... I'll be posting as I make'em

My baked, antiqued and sealed PC Creations

First I have to say that I was not using my regular oven because I am out of town.  This toaster oven burnt some of my beads.  Some were badly burnt, others just a tiny spot.  So I thought that the best way to deal with this was antiquing.  It went well for some of the pieces.  I must admit that I am not happy with how they all turned out.  For these unlucky ones, I have a sale.  The sets are 6 beads, 2 of which are burnt.  I am selling them only at the cost of materials.

I will start posting the more lucky ones (I do not have good light here also):

I think this one looks good.  I did not intend on antiquing it, but I think it gives it an interesting look.  The heart is reversible, it is actually the same decoration on boths sides, but you do not have to worry if it turns.  You can also choose the side you like best.  This baby pink set is contrasted with chocolate brown and some white, blue and chocolate brown flowers.

I also like how this set turned out.  The pedant is drilled on both sides on the top.  It is a light blue antiqued clay adorned with beautiful cane flowers.

These are the unfortunate ones.  I tried to give them a dirty antique look.  Too dirty? Maybe I should have just left the 4 big ones and the 4 medium ones that were ok, as they were.  But what is done is done.  I am not the only who wishes she had a time machine to go back and fix things, right?

Waiting to be Baked....

This is what I have been working on these past few days.  I know, I know.... you cannot see the pendants under the beads yet, but I promise to make detailed pictures once they have been baked, sanded and sealed.

I am quite happy with my production.  I still have some more ideas in mind, but I have to get busy with a repair (I will be posting it later/Correction: Already packed it and forgot to take pics) and the Challenge Swap Natural Materials Kit.  Ohhh... I almost forgot my mom's Tree of Life Pendant.  I do have quite a few things in my "To do List".

My Bead Production

I was asked to make some Polymer Clay beads similar to the ones I used for My PC Necklace in the summer issue of Stringing Magazine.


This is what I came up with.

Here are the beads for the necklace in close up

and for the bracelet:

and Earrings

Matching Earrings for Polymer Clay Necklaces

I previously posted some polymer clay necklaces.  I made them thinking of a friend that has metal allergies but annother friend took them home with her.  I have made her matching earrings.

http://imaginativejewelry.blogspot.com/2010/04/polymer-clay-more-from-vault.html

I need Opinions

I want to do something with this Polymer Clay Pendant.  Any ideas?

The hole is 2mm wide, so my idea of using 4 or 6 strands of leather is not going to work.

I would really love to hear what you might do with it?

I Have been busy with this: Part 7/7

Do they remind you of confetti?

I Have been busy with this: Part 6/7

My first experiments with Klimt Canes.  I need to buy another clay extruder that I can extrude using electricity.  I almost left my plams and hands stuck to the extruder.  But it was fun!

I Have been busy with this: Part 5/7

These pendants were made using a similar technique as the one used for the Belt Buckle bracelet.

I Have been busy with this: Part 4/7

I love these.  I am planning on making them with other backgrounds.  I bet the red ones will look great!

I Have been busy with this: Part 3/7

Do these seem like Chinese Beads?  It was not my original intention, but I like them.

I Have been busy with this: Part 2/7

Here are similar beads to the ones I uploaded yesterday.  These are not made in pairs, they are one of a kind, and bigger: Aprox. 24mm

I Have been busy with this: Part 1/7

I have been making Polymer Clay Beads this weekend.  I had some Summer Colors Fimo Clay that I received as a gift, and decided to put it into good use.

I will be uploading all the pictures throughout the week.  Here is the first one.

Polymer Clay Tags

These tags are easy to make.  I had lots of fun.  I just bought a few stamps, and let my imagination roll!!!

I sent them as my contribution to the Spring Challenge 4 in Beading Daily.  http://www.beadingdaily.com/forums/t/6043.aspx?PageIndex=1

I will try to post some pics of the great bead stash I got for the challenge.

Polymer Clay Flat Squares

These are made of polymer clay and silver plated chain, wire and clasp.

Tip: They are reversible because the squares tend to turn, so I had to rebake them with some cane slices on the back too.