Polymer Clay Initial Monogram Pendants

New stamps and new designs. I'm ready for the new year:) I am addicted to making monogram pendants. Combining paint with the clay makes for wondrous new creations...

Merry Christmas...Happy Holidays:)

Hoping everyone is enjoying this holiday season. The New Year is quickly approaching. As usual, I have tons of promises to myself for the new year....make more clay objects, learn new techniques and mediums and find more time to 'create'. I'm hoping I'll be able to achieve a few of these goals as the days seem to zoom by faster and faster:)

More Holey Hearts...

I've been making a lot of heart shaped pendants lately. Trying to come up with a few new designs before Valentines Day arrives. My Holey Hearts pendant design is one of my most favorite designs. There are so many possibilities for them and they are so versatile in how they can be strung. They look great on silk, hemp or leather cording. Simply tie them onto your cord and it's ready to wear.

Beads are drying....

Sometimes it feels like it takes forever to get my polymer clay beads ready to sell. Kneading, rolling, stamping, baking, painting, drying....whew! What a long process. But, before I start feeling sorry for myself I remember what my fellow ceramic clay artists go through to complete one tiny bead. From getting a perfect consistency in their clay to firing, and glazing and re-firing. What an ordeal....all for that perfect tiny bead:) I admit I am fascinated with earthen clay and hope to move towards working in this medium one day. Until then I will be happy rolling out my polymer clay and learning all that I can about this art form. I stayed up late last night forming these beads that are now drying this morning. I've found it more efficient to get my bead designs formed up the night before so they are ready to bake and decorate as soon as I come back to my studio.

New Designs...

Been busy experimenting with new forms of clay. I love polymer clay and the possibilities are endless with it. However, my fingers have been busy playing in earthen clay lately. I've found a new source of creativity.... self drying clay. Not the kind that is made of paper but real clay. It feels the same as clay that must be kiln fired except it air dries to rock like consistency. It's very versatile and easy to work with too. These little angels are some of my newest air dry designs.

New Bead Designs

I have been totally consumed with making new bead and pendant designs this week. Busy, busy, busy little bead studio....the clay's a flying LOL.

Angel Sprites

I have been working on some angel sculptures for my etsy shop. Here is an example of a finished piece. I like to work in a folk art style and that is what is reflected in each of my 'angel sprite' designs

Polymer Clay Spirit Dolls

I have recently added a new line to my polymer clay designs...spirit dolls. These little dolls are so fun to make and the sky is the limit. I use a bit of my mixed media artistic insights to embellish each one after I have stamped and baked it. Each Spirit Doll symbolizes an inspirational message she was created to deliver:)

Polymer Clay Snowman Pin

New holiday pin designs.

Hibiscus Pendant

This was a fun and easy pendant design I finished up this week. I found a gorgeous hibiscus rubber stamp (it was even on sale) and I had to have it. I used premo sculpey and loved it. This is definitely my clay of choice now:)

Polymer Clay Kokeshi Doll Pin

I formed this pin with Sculpey III polymer clay. After I baked it I painted the details and added a cute little faceted heart.

New Pendants and Earrings

I have been busy stamping up my clay pendants with some of me newest rubber stamp images. The more I read and search about polymer clay on the web the more great ideas I come across for creating unique jewelry. I must say that I have fallen away from traditional beading material now and become immersed in the world of mixed media jewelry design. The possibilities are endless. I have discovered that Sculpley III does not my first choice of clay for making my earrings and pendants. After reading an article by Cindy Lietz (beadsandbeading) on the hardiness and strength of different brands of clay I have a better idea of which ones to use for my jewelry design projects. These are a couple of my newest mixed media designs.

Video Tutorial Earrings With Polymer Clay

Maneki Neko Polymer Clay Beads

I love those cute little lampwork glass figurine beads of various characters. Beautiful birds, fish, faces, cats, dogs the supply is endless. Here recently I discovered some cute little beads on etsy called Maneki Neko beads. This means 'lucky cat' in japanese. They were so adorable I just had to see if I could recreate them in polymer clay. Here's my first attempt. Now that I've made one I have a million ideas in my head of how I want to make an entire series of them now. They are quite addictive:)

New Lotus Polymer Clay Pendants

Here's a couple of my newest polymer clay bead designs. I used a mold for the flower pendant and I hand carved the line sculpture into the other pendant. Next, I used alcohol ink and liquid pc for the glaze. Re-baked and wella...

New Polymer Clay Beads

I am trying my hand at sculpting some of my own original beads now. Of course, mermaids were my first endeavor. Fun, whimsical mermaid beads what could be better. I used pink shimmer sculpey clay to form them. Next, I grabbed my sculpting tools (an old pencil, pen and a pair of scissors) and started sculpting. I think I need to invest in more practical carving tools though it make may the task at hand a little simpler. These are some rough, preliminary models but I think with a little work I can come up with the 'perfect' mermaid bead LOL.

New Bead Designs

I've been inspired by my Beady Muse and she's ready to make beads. Here's what she's come up with lately. Round, flat and in between there's clay and paint flying around everywhere. I've converted my mixed media studio into my bead studio. Packed away my canvas and paint brushes (well not all the paint brushes...saved some to use for painting beads of course). Mixed media art is so me. I have a hard time focusing on one medium for extended lengths of time. So, combining several hobbies into one is perfect. With polymer clay you can sculpt, paint and bead all at one time. What could be better.
Here are a few of my latest creations with clay. Simple pendants with a faux finish resembling tile pendants (oh to work with ceramics, if only I could afford a kiln...sigh). Versatile focal beads as a point of interest for a chic necklace design on chain, string or ribbon. Elegant yet simple is my motto.

Beads of Clay Slideshow...Beautiful Bead Creation

New Polymer Clay Bead Designs

This past week I've been concentrating on working with my clay trying to churn out some unique pieces to add to my jewelry designs. Here's a couple of pieces that I've come up with so far. The owl bead was hand formed and sculpted. I used a pc tool and an old pen that no longer writes to add the intricate carvings for the face and body. The pendant was formed by cutting a circle shape with my clay cutter. Then I stamped it with one of my fav rubber stamps. After baking I used acrylic paint to add highlighs and lowlights. The bird pendant was varnished with Sculpey Glaze. I don't think I'm going to varnish the owl. I like the earthiness of the matte finish on him.

Varnishing Your Polymer Clay Beads and Pendants

After taking a year off I've once again picked up my clay and am back at the drawing board. This pendant was created with white Sculpey clay. I then stamped it with a rubber stamp, baked it and added paint to enhance the stamped surface. My past experience with varnishing my clay pendants did not turn out so well. I have tried many different types of varnishes from store bought clay varnishes to clear finger nail polish (which does NOT work). My varnishes always left my pieces sticky. I found an excellent link on how to varnish your polymer clay beads and pendants JaedWorks. For this pendant I want a natural matte organic finish with no gloss. I am going to try some of the suggestions by Jaedworks and see what happens.

Grand Opening New Bead Shop

Grand opening of Mermaid Beach Bead Studio on etsy. Stop by and take a look I am selling handmade polymer clay beads, pendants and jewelry designs. Check it out at Mermaid Beach Bead Studio

Seashell Boxes

I've been working on a few seashell projects lately with boxes, frames and mirrors. Here's a few samples of what I've been doing. FYI never use hot glue as an adhesive for your seashell art. I like to use something very permanent like Surebond Clear 9001.