Creating & Bits of Whimsy

Creating is a process of continual self-discovery. The mediums I use give me such wonderful opportunities for creating and exploring, and learning something more about myself. Sometimes, I have a notion and set about making it. Other times, a piece evolves as I work. And sometimes, something just sort of "happens." That's what happened with my "Bits of Whimsy" pieces.
A short history: About 3 years ago, I attended a PMC certification training weekend. One of the other participants was Nina Briggs, an artist who makes incredible porcelain clay pieces. Nina was exploring the possibilities of incorporating PMC in her pendants. I became fascinated by her porcelain, and, eventually, she taught me how to make hollow porcelain pendants. [Mine look nothing like Nina's. Visit her web site at www.slsstudio.com to see her lovely work. ] I made a zillion pieces, incorporated a couple of them into beadweaving pieces, and then set them aside.
Last week, that all changed. I was re-arranging my workroom, and ran across the porcelain pieces. As I held a couple in my hands, an idea formed and I moved them to my table. I set about making a couple of petal and leaf canes and, before I knew it, these little woodsy, vine-garden pieces started emerging. The porcelain forms the base, polymer the leaves, flowers, and tendrils. On some, tiny seed beads or heat-set crystals add sparkle and color.
The first friend I showed them to said, "They're so whimsical!" She's right. Often, my pieces are structured with clean, clear lines. These pieces are different from my "usual"...they're more playful and light.





Creating and self-discovery. What fun!
They make me smile. I hope you enjoy them, too.

Peeking Inside Hollow Lentils

Oh, yes!!
I love the whole idea of "peeking inside" a bead. If you scroll through my past postings to August 18, you'll see I was playing then with a "peek inside." At that time, I used filled shapes covered with mica shift. The openings in the top of the lentil shapes revealed various inclusions, such as crystals and enamel flowers.
During the past couple of weeks, I decided to give hollow lentil beads a try. These are incredibly light weight, and allow a different method of opening to the inside. Here are some of my new pieces. The two on the left are hung on wire chains. Directly below, peeking inside these three pieces reveals glass pearls, a crystal, and an oval-cut stone.


The bottom photo shows something else new. I decided to see how things would look if the front section was larger and more open. This also gave me the opportunity to use some liquid polymer pieces I made. I love the effect they create in these focals. In case you're curious, the middle piece is a hollow lentil with mica shift veneer.

Tear Away Technique

What a great way to make textures and designs on your polymer pieces! I'd first learned about the Tear Away Technique in a metal clay (PMC) workshop. Celie Fago was given credit for inventing the technique which allows one to create textures from black and white drawings - either your own, or from the numerous copyright free publications available. The process uses polymer clay to create the textures. The texture is transferred paper, and then is used to texture the PMC. The finished silver pieces are lovely and unique.
However- drum roll! - the applications of this technique don't stop there! I'm sure other folks have discovered this, too, but it was a revelation to me. I looked at the polymer piece left after the paper texture was removed and realized that the design in the polymer could be enhanced with paints or other colorizations, and the polymer could then be used in other ways, such as in jewelry.
So, I went on a binge making tear away papers for PMC and then using the polymer pieces for pendants. Had to share the results! Yes - one of the pieces does not use the tear away texture. It's just based on an extruded cane.

More 3-D

I'm really enjoying the feeling of manipulating the clay into little floral shapes. Here, I started with a Skinner blend-shaded bull's eye cane to create these calla lilies. Love the intensity of the color!

And I'm still on a bit of a rose-roll... I decided to try a different sort of pin, so purchased some stick pin backs, and set to work. After making a couple of wild roses in matte colors, I decided to see what would happen if I tossed in some embossing powders. I think the result is quite festive - what do you think?

Roses for the Holidays

Roses are one of my favorite things to make. Perhaps it's because they're my "birth-flower" or the fact that roses come in a myriad of colors, or maybe it's just that they're fun to make. :) Whatever the reason, I enjoy making them and putting them in different configurations. The other evening, I was playing with a bit of clay, making it into a square....which became a rectangle...which became a pointed rectangle....with a twist. Suddenly, it seemed I had just made the perfect vase to hold a single rose. I custom mixed some mauve tones, and here are the results.
These first ones have a matching tube in the back to hold a chain. I'm also experimenting with pin backs. Here's a photo of a green/red/white rosevase from the back. Notice the pin back is hidden by a leaf.




This last photo shows a pendant hanging from black wrapped wire.

Of Brooches and Bangles

I'm sure many of us are in the same boat. The holidays are approaching, and you're either ramping up for shows, ramping up for gifting, or just ramping up. ;) Recently, I've had requests for bangle bracelets, so have been making a few. Some I've made smooth, which means the size is set. I've made others where I sized them. The need to be able to size a bracelet, and then make sure the place where the ends join looks nice, is one of the issues polymer folks face. You can, of course, cut the bracelet, and then wrap the spot where they join with more polymer. Another solution is to use commercial tubing cut to an appropriate length. PMCers can make their own fine silver tubes, and really make a statement. I decided to try something from the seed beading world. I created bands of seed beads which are woven around the polymer bangle, hiding the join area and adding some sparkle and - I think - a bit of class. The example above shows 3 bracelets with seed bead closures, one with none.
I've also been making some bracelets using brass channel bangles and inserting polymer canes. I've had some requests for classes for bangles, so will be teaching classes in both techniques. Details and more photos are on the class and workshop page.
The other thing I've been playing with is brooches. I've never made pins before, and found myself wondering if a particular piece should be a pin or a pendant...So I purchased some of the pin/pendant convertible closures, and each of my pieces can be either a pin - or a pendant! I agree with Arlene Harrison who had seen these at a Klew workshop - they are a nice, nice solution. I particularly liked this one:

Fall - Flowing & Floating

I've been having so much fun! This all started out as a fall flower cane - at least that's what I had intended...I loved the colors I was mixing, and began playing around with them. This "flowing" background developed as a result. The background seemed to be begging for little floating flowers, so I had to oblige. The round and oval pieces are pendants.

I plan to turn some of the rectangles into pins, or pin/pendant combinations. Not completely decided on that one. What do you think?

Fall Leaves...

I love leaves. I love their shapes, their textures, and their colors - especially the colors they wear in fall. Recently, I ran across some leaf pins made several years ago by Mike Buesseler, and decided to create my own version.

These pieces are such fun to make! I used Skinner blends to form the base. Real leaves were impressed into the background using a roller. I used various types of texture devices to secure the edges of the leaf. The texture was also used to add interest to the rest of the background. I used Pearl Ex Powdered Pigments to add color and shine to the background. The leaf was then removed, and the resulting tile was placed on a complimentary background. The photo shows some pendants I've made with matching bails.

I also made some changeable pin/pendants. The finding on the back has both a bail for a chain and a pin backing so the wearer can decide which style works best. Don't you just love versatility?!

Oooo - That Liquid Polymer!

You may have figured out by now that I like to experiment. I've really been enjoying the liquid polymer and then had a thought - what would happen if I mixed in some powders? How would it change the look? Sooo...I mixed in some glittery embossing powders from Judikins and I love the results! Here are examples of my first efforts.

Oh - you'll also notice I had to try gold, too, so got my hands on some gold-filled bezel wire for the edgings. The gold is quite elegant. Here's a close-up. Hope you can see the glitz and some of the depth these pieces have.

Of course, since I like to experiment, and I love the mica shift technique, I decided to combine the two. Here's my first piece.
Since the liquid polymer piece is different on both sides, I had to make the main piece reversible, too. What do you think?

Torn Paper Watercolor Technique

Here is a great technique - easy to do, and so variable! I love making the sheets, tearing them up, and combining the pieces to create color-collages. When the torn sections are rolled smooth, the look is really wonderful. You can use the sheets and torn bits to decorate almost anything - jewelry, as I have here - or objects such as boxes, or bowls, or tool handles, or whatever you wish. Here are some of my latest pieces. The pink pendant below is reversible to a blue torn paper collage on the other side.
These earrings show two different color
paths for fall foliage collages.
This pendant has larger pieces of the sheets on one side, torn bits on the other. Not only is the whole piece reversible, but each section can be rotated separately so that colors from both sides show.

Exploring Liquid Polymer

This is such fun! I like trying new processes, and I've just started exploring liquid polymer. I decided to try an idea that comes from Bettina Welker of Germany. I wanted different colors, so experimented with mixing my own colors using alcohol inks - also a first time venture for me. I think the colors came out beautifully.

These pendants are incredibly light weight - you don't even know they're around your neck. I love the way the translucent base makes the colors almost glow. Here's a close up - hope you can see what I mean. I textured the fine silver edging strips for contrast. The strips add some structure and support to the liquid polymer, as well as some interest.

Another feature is the process makes each strip 2-sided so you have the option of using a more detailed, matte side or a more blended and shinier side. On top of that, even the finished pendants have 2 sides, making them reversible!

Here are two photos of the same pendants - side A and side B.

More Mica Shift: A Peek Inside

As you may have guessed, I really love the effects one can achieve with the mica technique. I decided to try something with a little more contrast and a different focus. It's a bit like taking a "peek inside".

In some cases, the "found" object led the way to custom color and design. In other cases, the clay determined the piece inside. Here are a few more: