More clay, much more clay

I had a marathon week with polymer clay because my husband has been out of town 

and I could leave my work space messy and ready for 4 days in a row!! 

Love it when I don't have to put everything away and drag it all out again the next day. 

Then I had to catch the early sunrise at the right moments to photograph it all.  

It seems like the sun rises faster this time of year- 

the angle is different in my backyard giving my a very short window 
before big shadows start appearing.

I may have to switch to the front yard. 

So, 

here are some of the lovely pieces I created:

I experimented with a new technique called the Stroppel cane 

using different base colors, black, white and gold. 

This is a great way to use up old canes and scraps of clay. 

I also made 3 Mokume Gane buttons for my crochet student to choose from for her felted bag.

What I do with scraps- make beads.

 

Mokume Gane layered on scraps from the buttons

The same color combo sliced in the Natashia Bead technique and then twisted.

I love how this one came out, especially after it is all sanded and buffed. 

These were made with a variation of the bargello technique.

If there is enough scrap clay I make a button.

Chatoyant scraps made this bead. 

Note what polymer clay does to my poor hands- so dry. 

And these were made with scraps from some foiled pieces I worked on 

that are not ready to be seen because they need to be painted first.  

I should be able to post them for  BTW. (Bead Table Wednesday)

 

 I try to make at least one mold each clay session- 

Here is a tiny leaf mold for disk beads or buttons.

I used a leaf button from Walmart and then hand sculpted the surrounding texture.  

I have been extremely productive this month as I get ready for 
The Artist's Boutique I was invited to sell at coming up November 19 and 20th.  
This is a local event by invitation only-
 if you are local and interested in coming shoot me an email. 

I have whipped up 7 more crochet scarves and 4 sets of fingerless gloves.

With my sewing machine I have been sewing twirly tucked organza scarves. 

More pictures of those next week! 
Have a great weekend and enjoy your extra hour sponsored by Daylight Savings Time!! 

Heather-Aquariart

Four Days of Non-stop Polymer Clay

Looking for my Bead Soup?
I am home alone and look what trouble I was able to get into. 

I spent 4 solid days into the wee hours playing 

with this new Stroppel Technique, 

chopping up old canes and scraps and this is what you get.  

Love it!  

I tried it with 3 different base colors; black, white 

and lastly gold which I was hoping might come out a little like 

Gustav Klimt's quilt in his painting "The Kiss". 

Here are some of many creations from this polyholic binge:

This is my favorite piece from the session- It can be either a shawl pin or a hair accessory.

Here is a closer look - it is thoroughly buffed and then antiqued with silver paint. 

A pair of earrings made with trimmed edge scraps from the gold Stropple cane.

A black heart on gold with the Chatoyant- (mica shift) technique.

Ths is a bullet bead - can you see the person standing there?

This was created with Stropple scraps using a mirror image trick. 

Still loving my acorn mold- scraps again.

More autumn leaves. 

Green swirl buttons.

Green blend large button.

Green Swirl Large button.

First Green Blend Shawl Pin.

Second Green Swirl Shawl Pin.

Stay tuned- there is so much more- I just need to photograph all the work.  

Have a Spectacularly Spooky Halloween Y'all! 

Heather-Aquariart

Bead Soup for Beth Bricker

Okay, this is the teaser. 

Beth's Bead Soup is in on it's way to her. 

Meet my Bead Soup Partner caught at a Bead Show.
Beth is on the Right- with the great smile.
Do you think Beads make her happy?  I do.I had fun with Adobe Elements and disguised the pictures I took of her ingredients. I don't think you will recognize anything in this but that is the point. Surprise!!  

Bead Soup a la Jurassic Park for Beth
andI love this one, came out really abstract after about 8 filter effects.

Bead Soup el Cognito

I sent her a really nice clasp, handmade by a favorite etsy artist I will divulge later.

I made the focal pendant and all of the polymer clay beads 

and then poured in a lot of spicy beads to warm it up. 

I am anxiously waiting my ingredients for the Party too! 

(Saturday) 

Okay, that was yesterday, the teaser above, 
(Now you know one of my little secrets, I started to prepare this post yesterday for today)
my husband brought in the mail and 
Guess What?!!@%$&*
My Bead Soup arrived from Beth!! 
(Today- Sunday)
I had to wait until this morning to photograph it all.
Beth was so generous!!
and there are beads I have never ever seen before in the mix! 
This is so exciting.
 I need to take you through 
the visual experience of opening this package of goodies

The mysterious package- I think she discovered that I sew too!  

A kind and encouraging note and more fabric related wrapping- love it!!  

Oh my, very organized, all labeled and carefully packaged!
This is a lesson for me.  I am learning from this.

This is unbelievable!! So many truly unique beads!
I am so wowed by how many I have never seen before.
You need to see some of these close up:

We have mountain sheep here in Nevada but I have never seen
Horn, Antler or Deer Bone beads
in any of all the bead stores here in town
and I have been in them all.
 I love them!  
I think that deliciously nubby big bead is the antler bead,
it is really amazing- wish you could see it from all angles! Can't make a truly tasty broth for the soup without some Bone can we.
Also I have never seen undyed howlite or seeds quite like these. 

There are some really different czech beads too.  I love all the earthy tones.
They are making me yearn for a vacation in the Montana Mountains,
where I could wear a plaid flannel shirt with my jeans like this cloth
and not sweat to death like I do here in the Desert. 

I think she may have figured out some of my favorite colors
with the Mardi Gras beads and the Turquoise.
The Black Tourmaline is so unusual- love the chunky randomness of the facets,
I couldn't quite capture it's true beauty because
I over slept this morning and the sun was already too bright. I love copper and will probably be adding even more to the mix

The Earthy Howlite Focal and a gorgeous Copper Clasp. 
(sorry about the tint, the sun was not cooperating outside
so I moved indoors for the rest of the photos)

Last and most precious,
an alternate Focal; a Rusty Key.  
I found all these ingredients really inspiring and can't wait to get to work. 
Thank you so much Beth for your amazing package of goodies!!
I am going to get started with some wire wrapping,
right now,  with Copper of course!! 
Be sure to come back on September 17th for the Blog Hop Reveal.