Foldover Bead Necklace with Extrusions

Here is a fun little necklace I just finished.  The polymer beads are simple circles, with a design on one side, solid color on the other, then gently folded so they don't quite meet.  This allows the colors from both sides to show and keeps open a channel for beading wire.
One experiment I tried for the patterned side was to shave slices off an extruded tube, place the strips side-by-side on a backing sheet, and then compress them in the pasta machine.  I really liked the resulting inconsistent striped look.
 Here is a closeup of one bead.

Odds & Ends....

Today's post doesn't have a set theme.  It's just a collection of some things I've done recently that don't really belong to any particular category.  So - here goes!

 This bright and perky set was made from a scrambled cane. The individual pieces are folded in the middle over the buna cord and the whole pendant moves as one piece.

   

 I made these leaves from a series of what I call "wedge" canes.  I love the way these canes meld colors while keeping them separate enough to create a wispy striped look.

 Here is a first-time experiment.  I found the white finished metal filigree bracelet cuff, and decided to try decorating with polymer.  The cane is a compound petal cane, and each petal was placed individually as it was secured to the adjoining petal.  On the inside, there is a strip of teal polymer that is pushed up against the filigree and meets the polymer petals from the top.

This last pendant is convex, with just enough bend to allow the bead strand cluster to swing freely in front. This creates a simple, yet nice bit of motion.

CFCF 2013 - Almost here!

Yes, it's February, and that means the Cabin Fever Clay Festival, known affectionately as CFCF, is right around the corner. I leave in 6 days, and am really looking forward to it!  Not only is it a wonderful conference, I'll get away from the snow outside.  Besides, playing with polymer all day for a week isn't hard to take!

One of the regular practices at CFCF is a bead swap.  Everyone who wants to participate makes several beads of their choice, and then these are swapped with other conference participants. Each year there is a different topic.  This year, Lindly Haunani, the queen of color, is being honored as a significant contributor to the field of the polymer arts. In her honor, the theme is "Love of Color."  Since I love leaves, they seemed a perfect form for this swap.  I used ikat canes for the surface decoration - in, naturally - all sorts of colors.  Here is a snapshot of part of the leaf pile.

Attendees also make a separate, special bead for Lindly, and these beads are presented to her at the conference party on the last evening.  I decided to make a lantern bead in one of my favorite ikat color combinations.  It's a fun bead, don't you think?


Since I'm working to get ready for the trip, there will probably not be as many blog entries for the month of February as there usually are.  In the meantime, use your imagination to picture a woods populated with trees festooned with these leaves.  Fun thoughts on a day when all I see outside is white.

Polymer & Beads - New Pendants

If you've read some of my past posts, you know my first adventures with creating jewelry were with seed beads. I still love beadweaving, and have been playing with different applications, mixing polymer and beads. I'd like to share a few of the most recent pieces.
The turquoise/pink piece to the left was my first one of this design. It sold the first day it was in the gallery, so I guess someone else liked it, too.
For the purple piece, I used a large cane I had made and decorated it with seed beads and glass magatama drops.
The last piece in this posting developed from the edges of a cane I was cutting for a different purpose. It just looked like a flower opening and needed pearls added - so I did.

Early Holiday Porcelain

It's December, and I figured I needed to put together a few pieces for the holidays. I started with some new hollow porcelain pieces which I then embellished with polymer. The porcelain has a lovely sheen to it, which is complimented by the crystals, gold filled, and sterling silver pieces I've added to the simple cable chain.

Must be time for a party!

Lanterns

I promised color, remember? Well, here's some color along with a great 3-D concept I really like. I didn't invent this form - saw something a while back, and decided to give it a try.
These beads take time. First, I had to make canes for the fans or blades of the lantern. These are cut and baked separately. Then a core is made, and the fans are carefully placed around the core, opposites at the same time to help keep things stabilized. After a second baking, end pieces can be added, then all is baked again. The hole through the center can be created when the core is made, or drilled later.

Here is a lantern bead with beadweaving embellishment. The fringe has crystals and seed beads, while the "cord" is made of a light twist of various colored ribbons and string. Other cording could be used, I just liked the way the colors corresponded to the cane colors in the bead.


And of course, I had to make a pair of earrings. Can you guess the color?.....

It's August - and I'm back!

I'm back! Of course, you probably weren't aware I was away. My husband and I just finished cycling - that's right, pedaling with our own legs - up several mountain passes in the Rockies of Colorado. Amazing views, and tough climbs - especially on a tandem. Really beautiful country.

Now we're home, and I'm busy with beads and clay. I'm working up the samples for the various workshops I'll be teaching this fall. I've got the first bracelet made. This is the class I'll be teaching at Nature's Art in September. More photos of other samples will be forthcoming - as soon as I get off the computer and get back to beads and clay! Keep checking back, and take a look at the workshops and classes page for more info.

I also have a loose bead show at the end of the month, so am working away on my polymer. Here's a sample of the first set I completed. I love chrissy canes, and had to try this experiment. I'm really quite pleased with the results. :)

Bargello: A Classic Stitch - in Polymer!

I know it's been a while since I've posted here. My husband and I have been in Europe, bicycling in the Black Forest area in Germany for 3 weeks. It's an incredibly beautiful place, and we had a wonderful time. But there were a couple of things missing...Most of all, we missed our girls. Our three Australian Shepherds are a huge part of our lives. Every dog we met made us miss them more -- and in Europe, we met a lot of dogs. The other thing I missed was creating with clay. A lot. So, now that I'm home, I've been playing and experimenting in my work room - and have a few things to share with you.

First, I'd like to share 2 special beads I made. I'm a member of the Southern Connecticut Polymer Clay Guild (SCPCG.) We have a traveling show which rotates amongst libraries in the state, giving patrons a view into the world of polymer. A call had gone out for new items, so I decided to try something I've never done before.

And here they are. This is a bargello pattern, first developed by Laura Liska. I made one bead with wide stripes, the other with thin stripes, just to see what the effect might be. This is a process that requires specific steps. It took me a while to make them, and I'm pleased with the results. Now I'll have to try it in another color combination. Any suggestions?