Rustic Revisited

I think I might have a touch of OCD.  When I find a technique I like, I tend to focus on it to the exclusion of all others.  Earlier this spring it was controlled marbling, and now it is Rustic Beads.  I have been playing with different textures and a few different colors.  Making these beads is so much fun, I just don't want to stop (until Lynda Moseley's newest faux tut comes out, then I predict I will be focus on that for a while ... teehee).

While I am going to post pixs of lots of beads, keep in mind that I have been making these off and on for the last month.  I have thoughts of them being the beads for the PC charm trade on my upcoming Polymer Clay Cruise in October.

My Blue Period

Seem to gravitate to the greens.

Love the contrast of yellow and rust.

Studio TIme Revisited

I had an uninterrupted day in the Studio, exploring the Controlled Marbling Technique a bit more. Still making beads rather than pendants, or other shapes.  I think the main reason I am not making pendants like Lynda does is that I HATE to sand.  Lynda gets her marvelous finish from sanding and sanding and sanding .... I am not that patient.

The tiny yellow beads are from the mixing of the litte bit
that was left over. No wasted clay!

 Lynda does say in her tut that a little clay goes a long way. I made one veneer sheet and got all these beads out of it. This time I ran the stripes vertically rather than horizontally.  Next time I am going to aim for narrower stripes.

I also finished up some beads I started a few weeks ago.  I had a bit of pad left over from the Hidden Magic beads I made. This time I took slices from the side, layed them close together to make stipes.

He DOES listen!

I got the greatest surprise yesterday.  I discovered that my hubbie really is the sweetest guy.  Sure, he puts on the act of being all bluster and macho, but he really does listen.
   I have been having a lot of minor health issues of late.  Carpel tunnel and shoulder/neck pain have really limited my time in the studio.  He noticed that instead of heading straight there after work, as was my usual "gotta destress from work by making something' habit, I was reading, or watching TV or just going to bed.
  He had heard me mention in the past that there were such things as Pasta machines that came with motors.  He researched and ordered me a Mona-sized Altas (180 even) for a birthday surprise.  I was soooo blown away.  I immediately set it up and went to work for the first time in a month.

I got the Controlled Marbling Tut from Lynda at Diva Designs and have been itching to try it out.  I did not have Pardo translucent or the other color she recommends for her base mixed, so I had to improvise.  Just used some scrape clay I had on my table.  This is my first practice piece and I have to admit I am not that happy with it.  I should not have made my two yellow streaks so close together. Live and learn.  I was able to find one brick of the color she uses all the time at Joannes, so maybe able to do the tut as written (except for the Pardo).

 So, I wondered what a bead made from these colors would look like. I cut the veneer in half and made two beads (one of which I promptly lost somewhere in my studio).  This bead I like, so am going to use the remainder of the veneer to make a few more.

A Rocky Path

I finally broke down and bought something off of Etsy.  I have been purposely avoiding it for years.  Not because I don't like it ... heaven forbid.  It is the fear that I will go CRAZY and buy every thing in sight once I discover how easy it is.
    It is taking  lot of restraint to be good ... there are so many interesting items to be had just with a quick click of the mouse.
    I have been able to limit myself so far to a pair of earrings and beads from Lynda at Diva Designs.  I have been following her work for years now.  She was the first follower on my blog when I started it almost two years ago now.  I have purchased several of her very well written tuts in the past, but used a check rather than signing into Esty.  Now that she is a full time designer, it turned out to be better for her monetarily if I went through Esty, so now I have an account. .. so many shiny things.... opps... getting off topic
   This leads me to another Esty purchase I made last week.  One of my flickr contacts is River Valley Designs, and one of the techniques she uses and has written a tut on, is called Rocky Path. I have long admired pieces that she and others have made using Rocky Path and tried to figure it out on my own, with limited success.  So I finally broke down and purchased it. I am in love ... it is a playful technique and I love the serendipity of it - you can't predict exactly what is going to happen.  I love surprises.
   I have made two earring sets so far and would make more today, but I must get ready for the Artisan Show this weekend.

Using Yellows and Orange Inks

Pinks and Yellows

 

My Bowl of Soup is here!

I got home from a very hectic night in the lab, to find that my package from Melissa at the One-Eared Pig had arrived.  It was too dark to take a good pix so I had to wait till daylight to show them off.  Melissa is a glass bead artist, so I knew that I would be receiving something fascinating (I LOVE glass beads - use to make them till my eye went wonky).  And I was not wrong
    She used a glass called Translucent Uranium Yellow to make them.  I am just blown away with the "glow from within" effect she achieved.  This is certainly going to be a challenge for me as these are colors I would never have chosen, but I think they are going to work out well.  You really can't tell from the pix, but the beads have little coppery sparkles inside.  Gorgeous.

And, of course, a Penguin to guard them all.

As promised, here is a photo of what I sent her.

Yes, there are two focals.  After I got done making the blue textured focal (I got the tut for these beads from Lydia at SC Diva), I got to thinking that it was too big. Rather than discard these beads entirely, I dug in my stash and found the Foral Steampunk and the accompanying leafy beads. And of course, some polymer penguins.

The timing for the arrival of the BSBP mix couldn't have been better.  This weekend is the Bead Festival in Tacoma.  I am sure to find some thing to help me complete my necklace or what ever I am going to make from Melissa's goodies. Our reveal day is August 11, which seems like a long time now, but as I am also getting ready for the Clayditeron cruise, it will fly by.  (65 charms made, only 15 to go!!!)

Back to the Big Beads

For a while there, all I wanted to make were the large textured beads I learned from Lydia at SC Diva.  Then  I got interested in another technique and was off in a different direction.  But I could not forget how much I like this look, so when I was determined to stoke the creative flame, I started again with Lydia's tut.  I was too lazy to drag out the photo light box, hence the shadows.

   In making the first ones, I was looking for different color, so I combined violet and gold which gave me a deep burgundy.   When I added my final coating (made from a mixture of liquid clay and black ink), an interesting affect happened.  Instead of a black finish, it turned a golden color.  I was not too happy with this look - too dark for my liking.






I had a lot of  burgundy clay left, which I then lighted up by adding white and a touch of ecru to soften the color.  This color is one I like better.  Hard to believe it is the same base color.

Off and running.  The next color was a result of mixing scrap clay for bead guts.  I liked the soft blue.

Opps, forgot the bead cap on one. 

But when I added the antiquing, it turned it more grey.  The two on the right are made using a very small portion of a texture plate. It is the only portion of the plate I like. I wonder why I ever bought it - might have come in a pack.


I have found another source of inspiration on line.  Artybecca has posted several mini tuts on flickr. I was experimenting with one earlier today and hope to post the pictures later this week.

Lookie at what I won!

I am constantly amazed by the technology available today.  When I was in college ( I am really dating myself here) there was ONE computer on the whole campus.  Now they are everywhere and ingrained into our lives. I can not image a day when I am not on line doing something.  One of the things that I like the most  about computer technology is that I get to meet many people online that I would never have meet in real life. 

One of these people is Lynda of SCDiva.  I first meet her when I started posting to Flickr several years ago. She is a very talented artist who's work really resonates with me.  She was the first person to become a follower of my blog. 

Every month this year she has been having a give away and, of course, I have entered every one and crossing my fingers, hoping to win.  And this month I DID.  Wow... I am jumping for joy. 

These lovely flowers will be winging their way to my home this week.  Aren't they the most delicate beauties? 

Successful Transfers at Last

When I first got into Polymer Clay, one of the techniques that really intrigued me was image transfer.  However,  it was one technique that caused me all sorts of trouble. I tried every method that I could find during my first claying year - all without luck.  I gave up, as I was kinda an instant gratification gal and there were so many other avenues to explore that did work. 

Then,  at one Clay Carnival,  Donna Kato showed me her technique.  It worked.  I was happy - for a brief time. Then, as luck had it, the paper Donna recommenced changed. Transfers using her method no longer worked.  So I put transfers aside again, but the desire was always there.

Lynda at SC Diva has been doing wonderful transfers that I have been drooling over. I finally I gave into my Muse,  broke down and purchased her tut.  Success at last.  I am so happy with my results.   Take a look.

Can you tell I like Cats?

A cat  of a different stripe

And something different

Thanks hugely Lynda!