Our guild has a quarterly Clay Day and I finally got to attend one. Usually I have to work till midnight the night before and just can't get up early enough to make the 30 or so mile drive worthwhile. I actually had a 3 day weekend made the most of it. Saw the new Wizard of Oz movie (midnight showing opening night - stories of Oz were always my favorite books as a child and that love still continues). Saturday was spent making beads and talking with friends at Third Place Books. Afterwards, I got to visit with my kitties (pardon ...not "mine" anymore... now part of the Maria et al family) in their new home. They certainly did not take long to move it and make it their own. Running around like they owned the place.
Clay Day was very inspiring. Maria was working with translucent clay, so I got out the inks and colored a some clay too. I had a new "skinny" border texture sheet that I used to get the crosshatched look.
 |
| Not Antiqued |
 |
| Antiqued |
I decided to play a bit with controlled marbling (a la Lynda Mosely). When I got done and looked at the veneer, I was not all that pleased with it. To tell the truth, I was trying to do it from memory and think I missed a step or two. Rather than wad up the clay for bead guts, I sliced it into strips and made beads. I found a rolled cane in my tool box (heavens ... I don't even REMEMBER making it ... wonder how old it is?) I reduced and added slices to the striped veneer just for fun. I really like the final look of these beads.
 |
| Colors used: Wasabi, Fuchsia, Ecru and white/ |
When I got home, there was more experimenting to do. I had some tinted translucent clay left over ... humm, wonder what will happen if I marble it and use it as a veneer. As you can see, it is really hard to see any variation in color between the different tinted clays.
 |
| Found a different bulls eye cane to use for detail |
 |
| The tints show up a bit better in these longer beads |
I am not giving up on this idea. I have a weekend coming up and more experimentation to do.
If I am not playing with the kittens that is! Only two left but they are sooo adorable, and such a distraction.
 |
| I hope that Tofur keeps his blue eyes. |
 |
| Zinger waiting patiently for the door to open. |
I'm so jealous... clay fun and kitten fun at the same time!
ReplyDeleteAmazing shine on the... Kittenses, eek!!
ReplyDeleteThe beads in the "not antiqued" photo remind me of some candies I used to eat as a child--cannot remember what they were called.
ReplyDeleteI know the candies you mean, but can't remember the name either. They kinda remind me of gummy bears.
ReplyDelete