Lentils

No, not the kind that you eat--those are beans!  :)

I've been experimenting with polymer clay (when HAVEN'T I been?)  and, despite seeing all the tutorials on unique swirled lentil beads I hadn't come up with one of my own.  So today after my L&D staff meeting, I decided it was time to try.  Lacking a bit of blue clay, I used Premo! turquoise and Sculpey III yellow to create a malachite-inspired lentil bead.  Of course, dummy me...I swirled my bead into my (dirty) desk and it picked up all the little paper and dust crumblies.  Ugh.  Guess that's what wet sanding is for :)  Here's what they looked like straight out of the oven:

Not too bad for a first try.  I couldn't find quite the right combination I was looking for, but the colors were bright enough for me without looking too realistic. I'm going to start trying some caning so that I can create a layered bead--possibly with some transparent Fimo and flowered shapes.  Not that that has anything to do with malachite, but you never know what you could make!

Another thing that's been stacking up is my growing collection of earrings and bracelets.  I've been accumulating the beads and findings that I like for months, but I've made achingly little progress in the way of actually MAKING things until the past couple weeks.  Now I have a variety of drop earrings made with a multitude of materials: pearl, tensha, ceramic, crystal, jade, quartz, marble, onyx, and soon to be many more if I can keep up the pace.  Here are quite a few that I've made in the past week or so:

I've decided that it's time to start making Christmas gifts.  It's a little more than two months away, but if I'm doing anything with clay or paint it'll take a while. So, for anyone who reads....what are YOU wanting for Christmas? :)

Spruce up the Shop!

So I finally got around to re-listing items in my Etsy shop, which you can visit by clicking on the banner below.

Yay!  I tend to forget that it's even there, much like this blog.  My lovely aunt claimed the wire-wrapped moss agate earrings I made, but everything else has made it into the shop.  I'll continue to update as I make more jewelry :)  Here are some of my favorites:

Feel free to stop by and support my Etsy shop :)

New Works

Hello again!

Clearly, this "blog" thing is for the birds...my birds, anyhow (seeing as I lack any and my husband says no, haha!).  I can't seem to keep it going without extended absences that annoy the crud out of family and friends.  But, I continue!

Here are a couple things straight from the camera that I've been working on in polymer clay.  I've been experimenting with techniques in 3D, such as stamping, embellishing, layered mokume gane, etc.  and also with 2D techniques such as washes and application of surface treatments like Pearl-Ex and acrylics.

These guys are a few beaded-jewelry works that I've done recently.

Here, also, is a preview of a manga I am working on for someone in Michigan.  The character's name is Keihana.  She is a student in a rehabilitation school called Junction, where the students are taught to vent their anger from different parts of their lives away from their loved ones and into controlled fighting matches with individual, customized weaponry.

Recycling Roses

No, I'm not going crazy and attempting to use rosebuds in my jewelry. Though, that gives me an idea about pressing small flowers and encapsulating them in resin...

Ahem. Pardon my random trains of thought. :)

BUT--continuing on the upcycling trend, I've made a new set of earrings that follow an elegant vibe.

Version 1--Long Elegance

This pair of earrings was the starter piece of the collection. It started out as a project for a "bunch"-type earring, but when the beads just didn't lay right, I tore everything apart again and reconstructed them from the beginning. And voilá--a new kind of elegance! Long, delicate and prim & proper, these can be worn to church, prom or any dress-up function. The texture of the rose paper makes these pop and will be certain to gain compliments. They almost bring back memories of Grandma's old trunk full of jewelry.

Version 2 - Cheeky Elegance

This pair of the collection was a spin-off of the original "Long Elegance" earrings. Adding a whimsical silver and several pearls to the mix, the beads were shortened to allow the pearls to bounce the eye down the earrings and end at a full-bodied rose texture that still spells "formal".

Version 3 - Playful Elegance

An ode to the original starter idea for this collection, this pair of earrings stars two altered grape-bunch clusters of rose paper beads and pearls, and a large freshwater pearl balances in the middle of each to give it that final touch. The chunky silver beads on the ear wires gives it that playful note, while the rose texture and pearls keep the feminine side alive.

All of these compose the Rose Blush Collection. You can visit my Etsy site (see the link on the side toolbar) to view more pictures and purchase any of this set.