Pips

More Petal Capped Beads

2012-01-30T06:12:00.000-08:00

I have been really enjoying designing and making my new range of Flower and Petal Capped Beads. Even better, is that you all seem to love them too!

I have just finished another couple of sets and have put them up on Etsy today.

My inspiration came from this beautiful palate by Design Seeds. I have a look everyday to see what is new and always love the wonderful pictures and the breakdown of colours is just begging to be mixed in polymer!

So here are my new sets. Gerbera Petals and Spring Time Blue.

The colours are fresh and calming, reminding me that Spring will soon be here, even if it has been snowing today!

I hope you like them as much as I do!

Have a great week.

Pippa

Flower / Petal Capped Beads

2012-01-13T12:52:00.000-08:00

I am not a great one for New Year's Resolutions, but this year I had decided that I need to make better use of my poor, neglected, Etsy Shop.

Doing a Craft Fair every Saturday certainly keeps me busy with selling and making my jewellery and as a result, very little finds its way on to Etsy due to time constraints. After all, there are only so many beads I can make in a week - let alone make them all up into something special in the way of jewellery.

Thinking about this over the Christmas Holidays, I decided that my Etsy Shop would be better put to use as a place to sell solely beads.

So after much thought, I came to the conclusion that I could easily make 5 more beads each time I make enough for a necklace/bracelet/earrings etc for my Craft Fair and put these extras onto Etsy and hopefully people will love them as much as I do.

So here are my first two offerings.

The first are the Bronze Flower Capped beads, pictured above. As soon as I posted them on Etsy, they sold! Yay!! So I made another set and relisted them. They seem to have struck a cord with people and the photo on Flickr even made it onto Explore - I was just a bit excited!!!!

The second are Petal Capped Beads in a lovely shade of Aubergine with Ecru and palest green/yellow. I love these!!

So if you are looking for some unique and individual beads for your next project, please check them out!

I would love to hear what you think of them and if you would like to these these in any other colour ways.

Happy New Year to you all and Happy Creating!

Pippa

Cara Jane's Sleeping Cat Tutorial

2012-01-11T02:00:00.000-08:00

I was lucky enough to receive a sneak preview of Cara Jane's lovely Sleeping Cat Tutorial yesterday.

Cara first showed these little cats with flowery bottoms that she made on her Blog back in November, to much acclaim! Everyone loved them.

So much in fact that Cara decided to do a tutorial on them and then sent it out to a few people to "test" it for her. I was so thrilled to receive one.

And what a delight it is - great concise instructions, lots of pictures and such a pretty subject!

I immediately had a go and was so happy with the results I got by following the steps.

I added my own little twist in the flower by adding individual petals rather than a cane slice and voila! a little sleeping cat of my own!

If you want to have a go at making one of your own then pop over to Cara's blog where she has generously shared the tutorial for everyone to use!

Thank you Cara - what fun!!

The 2nd Annual Challenge of Colour Blog Hop!

2011-11-30T02:52:00.000-08:00

The wonderful Erin of Treasures Found is hosting this brilliant Blog Hop.

I have never taken part in one before, so decided that it would be fun to have a go and hopefully meet some new people, find some new blogs and generally just feast my eyes on wonderful colourful creations! Not to mention, stretch myself to make something in colours chosen for me!!

I chose Teal, simply because it is always the colour that draws me when I am creating, and this is the palate that Erin chose for me from the fantastic Jessica Colaluca of Design Seeds.

Well, what beautiful colours!! Right up my street!

So after mixing all my colours to as near as I could get to the palate, I got busy!!

Here is my Necklace. My photos are showing the teal as much more blue than green, but honestly is isn't!!!

I made a Leaf cane, using all the colours and then decorated beads using the cane and some little graphic dots of colour in just three of the colours. Hope you like it!!

Thank you Erin for hosting such a brilliant challenge. I was thrilled to take part.

Pippa

p.s. I have tried so hard to cut and paste all the participants links onto here, but for some reason, it just will not work - so please, to view pop over to Erin's blog, they are all listed there!

Getting Busy for Christmas

2011-11-15T08:39:00.000-08:00

I've been busily making stock for all the Christmas Fairs that are coming up. I have 6 between now and Christmas Eve, so you can imagine what my clay table looks like!!

Here are some of the things I have been working on:

Firstly something with no polymer at all! A Bling Ring with 35 Swarovski Crystals - I need to make some more of these, this one sold straight away!

Lots and lots of leafy Bookmarks.

Kaleidoscope Pendant in gorgeous deep purple and white.

Stud Earrings - at last I have figured out a way to make these that is really strong - I always worry that they might break, being so little.

And lastly some lovely ear wires that I got from Ruth and Andy Harrison of A & R Jewellery on Etsy. They are so beautifully made, I added some Mokume Gane Style beads. Simple, to show off the wires!

Are you really busy? I would love to see what you are making for Christmas - leave me a comment so I can come and see!

Have a great week
Pippa

Crackle Beads Revisited

2011-11-08T05:18:00.000-08:00

You may remember from a post back in January that I purchased a wonderful Tutorial by Naftali on how to crackle with polymer clay.

It has been a little while, but I decided to make some more crackle beads on Sunday.

I was somewhat hindered by the fact that I do not have the tutorial any more - we had some trouble with an infected PC a few months ago and unfortunately it wiped all my emails from before April - and guess who had not saved the tutorial and backed it up? Yes that would be me!

So after a couple of false starts, several cups of coffee to try and engage my memory banks and one memorable mess up with using Liquid Polymer Clay instead of what I should have been using (if you want to know then you need to go here to Naftali and buy her wonderful tutorial, I can highly recommend it!), which turned out to be very messy indeed, I finally remembered what I was supposed to do.

Here are the results - I am really pleased with how they turned out! Oh yes - there was also an incident with overenthusiastic sanding and ruining not only one, but two pendants, think I would have learned by now wouldn't you!!

Oh well - as my friend Lisa told me - it is called the "Learning Process" - thanks Lisa!

Well - back to the clay table - hope you are all having a good week!

Pippa

ABS Challenge November

2011-11-03T09:53:00.001-07:00

Here is my entry for the Art Bead Scene Challenge for November.

This is only the second time I have entered the challenge and the first time was so long ago that this feels like the first!! The painting Madonna Pietra degli Scrovigni by Marie Spartali Stillman is so beautiful. It is not very often that I am inspired to make something immediately like this, but I am so glad I had a go.

The lady is surrounded by leaves in the painting and I decided to surround by beads with leaves in the same gorgeous muted shades.

I have had a lot of fun doing this. If you fancy entering this months challenge then pop over to ABS and have a go! Here is the link : http://artbeadscene.blogspot.com/ Good Luck!

Pumpkin Beads

2011-10-26T02:31:00.000-07:00

A brilliant tutorial by Roberta Mohar was featured on Polymer Clay Daily a little while ago to create these lovely pumpkin beads. I had a go this week and was delighted with the results!

These were going to be a necklace first off, but Katie decided they should be a bracelet!! I think she just wanted the bracelet for herself!!!!

These have been fun to do and I will certainly be doing some more in different colours.

It is half term here in the UK - so not a lot of beading is getting done, but we are having fun, walking, baking and generally gathering our strength for the Christmas Term ahead.

Hope you are all having a great week too. Pippa x

A Busy Morning

2011-10-13T05:18:00.000-07:00

I made lots of heart pendants today. My stock is so low that I was getting a little embarrassed hanging the few that I had on my display last Saturday. It look very sad!

So today I made some Mica Shift Hearts with a triple layer. They look quite cool I think! I tried the new Peacock Pearl by Premo, but was very disappointed with the chatoyancy effect. Not enough Mica in the mix. I do love the colour though. So I had to add lots of Pearl to get a better effect.

This chocolate brown mix turned out brilliantly - it was even easy to photograph!

Next I made a couple of swirls - again I am seriously low on stock, but they are not my favourite thing to made, so I keep putting them off, you can see that I only managed a few before I moved on to making some Bakewell Butterfly Beads - they are the ones that look like feathered icing that you get on Bakewell Tarts (here in the UK) or a little like the patterns on butterfly wings.

So now I need to do loads of sanding with my micro mesh and then buff them up ready to be assembled tomorrow. Hopefully I can gets some photos up then for you to see.

Hope you are having a productive day too.

Pippa

Bead Table Wednesday

2011-10-12T02:37:00.000-07:00

I have been looking for a long time at the wonderful array of beads in the Bead Table Wednesday Flickr group and have decided to join in the fun.

Basically every Wednesday, we share a photo of what is on our bead table. Fun right? Lots of lovely beads to admire, covet and generally drool over!! So here is my first offering:

A mass of leaves all ready to be made into my signature bookmarks, some little raspberry coloured berry beads and some Drum Beads, inspired by the Wonderful Klew (aka Karen Lewis). I have been having some fun this week! Need to finish buffing some of them and then get them made up into items of gorgeousness!!

Hope you are having fun with your bead table today - do tell, leave me a comment and I would love to pop by and have a look at what you are up to today!

Pippa x

Quick Update!

2011-10-10T06:20:00.001-07:00

Just a quick post to show you a couple of things I made with the Stroppel Cane of last week.
Am busy today making lots of leafy bookmarks. Hoping to make some Drum Beads inspired by Karen Lewis's amazing work. Will post again later in the week and let you see what happens!

Had a lovely weekend, working Saturday as always, but good friends coming for Lunch on Sunday, we had a great time.

Back to the grindstone now!

Everyone Is Doing It!!!

2011-10-07T02:34:00.000-07:00

Doing The Stroppel Cane!!

Alice Stroppel's wonderful and innovative cane made from all your pieces of scrap cane, was featured on Polymer Clay Daily this week to huge acclaim!! Everyone is doing it and having the "Funnest" time doing it!! You have to give it a go - here is the link http://polymerclayetc.com /be warned though - it is highly addictive! Thank you so much Alice for sharing this wonderful technique with us all.

I have one small complaint about it though. Remember my new studio? (scroll down if you haven't been following).

My Beautiful, Clean, TIDY, Wonderful, Studio? Well, just look at it now!! Scrap Canes EVERYWHERE.

....................EVEN in my "clean zone" for jewellery assembly!!!!!! Alice....you have a lot to answer for LOL!!!

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend. Pippa

A Lot Has Been Happening.... (Picture Heavy!)

2011-09-29T03:03:00.001-07:00

....but not much of it to do with Polymer!

We have been very busy with family visiting from Canada, a Wedding and a Birthday. Lots of time spent catching up, organising and celebrating, which of course has impeded my time spent with the clay.

I had a huge order to fulfil. The largest single order I have ever received. It was slightly stressful, getting it all ready in time, but the customer was very happy with it, which was brilliant!

I am slowly getting back on track with making stock and starting to think about the dreaded "C" word (Christmas nooooo!) and how much work I need to start putting in.

We are having a bit of a heatwave here in the UK - the past couple of days have been beautiful, with temperatures up in the high 20's and it is set to last the rest of the week - not to good for my resolve to settle down in my wonderful studio and do some serious work. The sunshine beckons and my heart keeps telling me to go out and enjoy the sun before it disappears for the winter, so not a lot is getting done! But I reckon that next week when the sun has gone will be a better time to hunker down - what do you think?

It was Logan's 9th Birthday earlier this week and my little man is going through some tough times at the moment, so it was great to have a happy day and see his face light up first thing in the morning when he saw his presents!

Here are some pictures of what we have been up to and next week I will be back to regular posts about Polymer and Jewellery and Work - as long as the sunshine doesn't continue - if it does then I can't be held responsible for being irresponsible and enjoying it!!!

At Lacock Abbey - where they filmed some of the scenes from Harry Potter! This is just down the road from us and my Cousins from Canada are huge HP fans - they could not believe that they were actually inside Hogwarts Castle!!

Me!

Ok - so some work got done! Just a few of the many leaf canes I made for my big order!

I got "Steampunkery" by the wonderful Christi Friesen and Katie made this incredible turtle - my daughter has so much talent - much more than me!

Logan's Birthday - Happy Birthday my Wonderful Boy - I am so proud of you each and every day. You have come so far and we love you so very much!

6.30 a.m. half asleep still, but loving his new bike!!

Logan is a massive Dr Who fan so I made this chocolate Dalek Cake for him!

Way too many candles!!! Birthday Party with school friends!

Birthday Tea (on his actual birthday - the Party was early in the week), with my lovely Mum and Katie and one of Logan's friends.

Make a Wish! (Dalek cake has been demolished by this time - so 2nd cake for the actual day! How lucky is he!)

Action Shots on the Bike!

Hope you all have a wonderful week whatever the weather is with you!

Finished At Last!!!

2011-08-18T04:02:00.000-07:00

It seems to have taken for ever but finally my new Studio Room is complete and so is the rest of the decorating.

I haven't done a huge amount of work in it yet, as we have been away for a couple of weeks down to Cornwall for some well earned rest and relaxation. Bodyboarding, beach combing, eating well and walking lots - a glorious time in our favourite part of the world.

Now we are back to reality, however the children are still on holiday for 3 weeks before starting the new school year and so my work time is somewhat curtailed.

What work I have managed to do has taken place in what I keep feeling is someone else's studio - surely this wonderful space cannot be mine? It is all a little dream like - and I feel like I am playing at being a polymer clay artist rather than actually being one! The work space will need tweeking to get things exactly as I need them, but that will be something that happens over time as I work and get to grips with having so much space.

The HUGE desk is divided into 2 spaces, one for claying and one for assembly and this for me is the biggest and best change. No more having to clear away the clay in order to make up the jewellery. Utter bliss.

The photos show everything, including our newly decorated sitting room and dining area, which lead into my studio room. Everything is looking clean and fresh and new and I love it.

Hope you enjoy the photos and hopefully my muse will want to stay for extended periods of time in this lovely space. I know I do!

We are off to a wedding at the weekend and to see close family over from Canada that we haven't seen for years - I can hardly wait!

Hope your weekend is full of fun too.

Pippa

What a Hoot!

2011-07-06T06:48:00.000-07:00

The latest additions to my charm range!

Wise Little Owl Charms - hope you enjoy them.

They are up in the Etsy shop now - check them out!

The New Range Grows!

2011-06-29T01:44:00.001-07:00

Here are the latest Charms that I have added to my Etsy Shop.

Some Rose Leaves (you all know how I love Leaves!) and juicy Blackberry Charms. These were fun to make.

Hope you like them!

Insanity is only one more Workman away...

2011-06-28T11:48:00.000-07:00

Ok, I realise that I have no justification to complain, after all, at the end of all this, I will have a studio room just for me, (also a sitting room that will be a joy to sit in rather than the somewhat dark cave that we have been used to for the past 10 years).

It will be spacious, it will be to my design, it will have dedicated storage, for the few bit and pieces that my craft requires (ok, ok yes....for the huge amounts of absolutely essential, needed, have to have, necessary, I cannot live without, "things" that my craft requires).

It will be light, it will be airy, it will be nothing short of amazing (in my eyes anyway).

BUT.......I am at the point of meltdown here.

3 more weeks to go before the carpet goes down and then I can start making it into the sort of room I have only glimpsed in half forgotten dreams.

BUT..... I am not sure I will actually last three weeks in a state of normality....well what passes for normality for me. I am going ever so slightly crazy here with how we are having to live to get to that state of Nirvana.

The pictures speak for themselves......

Tiny Charms

2011-06-23T11:34:00.000-07:00

I promised you another post today.

I have been thinking for awhile now about putting a range on my Etsy Shop that is different to my jewellery. I started with buttons and have now got the beginnings of a range of tiny charms.

I have been doing lots of experimenting over the past few months with antiquing beads with acrylic paint with varying degrees of success, well actually rather a large number of failures in fact! I could not get the look that I wanted, most of the time the beads ended up looking dirty rather than antiqued - not quite what I was looking for. I have also been experimenting with sealing the beads. Those of you who know my work, know that I sand everything that I can and then buff my beads and never, ever use glazes or varnishes. But of course, you cannot leave paint unsealed, so I had to find something that would work. I really hate varnishes and glazes, they always "gloop" or drip or just look wrong.

Anyway, to cut a long story short, I eventually discovered a way of sealing the beads that works, gives the look that I want, doesn't drip or gloop and best of all is easy to apply! Phew...breath a sigh of relief!

I have ideas for other charms as well, and also want to start doing some bead sets as well. I might even be persuaded to do some of my cupcake charms!

My daughter Katie loved these little Toadstool Charms so much than she insisted I make her a pair of earrings with the new earwires that I had just got through the post! Here they are, and here is Katie modelling them!

All these tiny charms are now in my Etsy shop. I do hope you like them!

Let me know what you think - I always love to get some feedback from all of you.

I am painting the skirting and doors tomorrow in the latest phase of my studio room - not my idea of fun! Hope you all have a great weekend!

Studio Room Update - But this time with Pictures!

2011-06-23T05:47:00.000-07:00

Seem to have sorted out my camera, so here are some shots of the work so far!

This is the plasterboard waiting to be fixed to the wall for the dry-lining.

This is the view from the sitting room into the studio. As you can see we are working on all areas at once (must be completely mad!)

Here is the dry-lining complete!

First coat of paint on!

Looking into the room with my new chair!

Lots still to be done - but slowly we are getting there!

Have been working on some new things for my Etsy shop - will be revealing all later today I hope.

Enjoy the photos!

Studio Room Update

2011-06-17T12:35:00.001-07:00

The first coat of paint has gone on today - yay!

At last I feel as if the end is in sight. Unfortunately I have no pictures to show you as the camera is having a few technical issues (blurry photos), so you will just have to try to imagine crisply plastered wall where the stone and brick was. Fireplace completely gone. Yellow walls are now "Just Walnut" and the carpet has holes in it where the hearth was! New carpet coming in a few weeks time. I cannot wait!

Have been getting a few beautiful bits and pieces for when it is all ready, like a beautiful ceramic spaghetti jar for my scrap clay (you don't want to know what I was using before!), a wonderful Whale called Noah who is going to sit somewhere in the room and look beautiful and some really lovely curtain material which my friend Rachel is going to make into a Roman Blind for me. *sigh* I wish I could show you!

There is still a long way to go, and lots of hard work before we get there, but it will be so worth it in the end.

Hope you have been having a productive week.

Have a great weekend.

New Studio Room

2011-05-23T11:39:00.001-07:00

This is the start of my studio room! (apologies for the blurry second photo).

I can hardly believe that after working for the past 5 years at my tiny Ikea desk to both clay, assemble and photograph my jewellery I am going to have a dedicated work space. The house looks and feels as though a bomb has hit it, but the excitement levels are running high. I will post more pictures as the work gets done so that you can see how the whole thing progresses.

In the meantime I am claying in the kitchen and assembling in my bedroom. Not a lot of fun, but it will all be so worth it!

I am still planning the whole studio/craft station/storage thing as I go along, and have no real idea of what I am doing! If you have any useful tips, brilliant storage ideas, amazing ideas on how a studio works best then I would really love to hear from you.

Most of all thought, this is going to be fun - hope you will enjoy seeing the room develop as much as I will.

ABS Amazing Giveaway

2011-05-17T08:00:00.000-07:00

One of my favourite places to get some inspiration is Art Bead Scene. I must visit it at least a couple of times a week and love reading about other designer makers and seeing their work. Through this site I have been introduced to so many wonderful artists and had the chance to see a little of their work processes, had a stroll around their studios (one of my favourite things to do!) and generally enjoy myself and wish that I could meet them in real life!

If that is not enough incentive for you to visit then what if I were to tell you that they are having a huge giveaway this week as well!

Here is the link - enjoy! http://artbeadscene.blogspot.com/

I am still here...

2011-05-05T11:12:00.000-07:00

...I haven't fallen off the face of the earth. It's just that Easter Half Term came - two weeks of glorious not having to get up, not having to make packed lunches, not having to do anything much but spend time with the children and paint some chairs. Then we went to Cornwall for the Easter Weekend - and what a wonderful time we had with great weather, great food and the best friends in the world. Bodyboarding on Gwithians Towan for hours, had to be the hightlight of the weekend - sheer bliss.

Then a 3 day week before the big event...... My Birthday, Our Wedding Anniversary and of course the Royal Wedding all on the same day!

So - I am still here - just had some other things going on for a while!

See you next week when all should be back to normal again.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Something A Bit Different

2011-04-08T02:34:00.000-07:00

Just how many different things can I make with the leaf canes that I made last week?

This little "Spring Bouquet" came about without any real input from myself. I just sat at my desk trying to think what to do and the next thing I knew I had this! How exactly did that happen?

A very different style for me - but I like it! Hope you do too!

Have a wonderful weekend - the weather is set to be gorgeous here in the UK!

Fresh New Look

2011-04-01T11:57:00.000-07:00

Do you like the new layout for the Blog? I had some new graphics made for my Etsy Shop by Winchester Lambourne on Etsy :http://www.etsy.com/shop/WinchesterLambourne. I honestly think she must be a mind reader - she came up with a design that was exactly what I wanted, despite me giving her only the very slightest of ideas. It is colourful, fresh, contemporary and I love it. So I felt I had to update the blog as well. It feels like spring, both on my blog and Etsy shop as well as outside.

The rest of my week has been busy making lots of leaf canes in various colourways that I made up into various bits and pieces - I have obviously been needing a little injection of colour in my life after the long winter months.

This weekend is the second Module on Christine's Hollow Bead Course and I can't wait. I have been too busy making stock to practice and play, but am hoping for a bit more time to play next week.

Hope you all have a colourful weekend.

What A Week!

2011-03-25T13:58:00.000-07:00

I have been having such a great time on Christine's course and am learning so much. It's funny, I thought I knew quite a bit about polymer clay, but honestly, the more I learn, the more there is to know it seems.

The other course members are a wonderful group of people. Loads of sharing, not just of our successes but our failures too, which helps everyone to learn and figure out how to do things better. Christine must be online 24 hours a day as far as I can tell, because she is always there to answer questions and offer advice.

I have made up all the beads I have made this week into necklaces or pendants and am happy with the pendants, but not sure still about the best way to string the necklaces. Something will come to me I am sure over the next few weeks.

The bangle was a last minute idea this afternoon. I needed a break from the course and to do something completely different for awhile. Cara ( see previous post) was wearing some beautiful bangles on the PPP weekend and they inspired me to have a go at making one. Really pleased with it and will definitely be making some more of these.

Hope you all have a great weekend.

Where To Start...?

2011-03-23T12:44:00.000-07:00

It has been a full on two weeks since my last post. So much has happened that I am not sure where to start! So...just to be contrary - I'll start with now and work my way backwards!

I am taking Christine Dumont's online class "Hollow Beads" and I am having a Ball!!! We started on Saturday, and of course I was working at the Craft Fair, so had to wait impatiently until Sunday morning to start!

Making my first Hollow Bead (the middle Green and Gold one of the necklace) reminded me exactly why I fell in love with Polymer Clay in the first place. I have not had such a feeling of sheer joy (mixed in with utter surprise) that something that I made turned out so beautifully. I can blow the trumpet for this bead, because although I made it, it was Christine's vision, talent and wonderful teaching skills that helped me produce it. I could not have done it without her. I am just so happy to have produced it.

It is made with Kato clay, which for me, is a thing that I thought I would never happen. I tried Kato awhile back, but found the conditioning so difficult that I almost immediately gave up with it and stuck to my favourite, tried and tested, Premo. I think I have been converted! The new Kato formula is easier to condition which is good, but for the best results it needs to be leached to make it really firm which in turn makes it better to work with. I have rolls of clay in various stages of being leached in kitchen towel all over my work desk and window sills and any other available surface I can find!

I am fast becoming addicted to the Hollow Bead technique and all the possibilities it holds and am very excited to be a part of such a fantastic workshop. I have met lots of new polymer artists and a few old friends. There is a great atmosphere of sharing and encouragement and help - all online! What an amazing experience!

The conversion to Kato clay started started however on the brilliant Polymer Pamper Play weekend, in Portland, which I was lucky enough to attend. We had two fantastic teachers, Carol Blackburn and of course Christine who this time was teaching her amazing Butterfly Beads.

This was the first workshop I have attended and it was with some trepidation that I made my way to the reception area to meet with the other delegates. I need not have worried. I met some lovely people, some that I had "met" online before, particularly the lovely Cara http://surfingcatclay.blogspot.com/, please have a look at her blog - she does the most beautiful work! Some completely new to polymer, who then amazed and astounded me with their sheer talent and ability to take a technique and run with it to a new and unthought of place that was all their own. And obviously a large number of complete polymer addicts like me whose idea of heaven was to clay from 6.30 a.m. until 12.30 p.m. with just a couple of breaks for lunch and dinner (and even then we talked polymer!) One of the best moments for me was being able to look at and hold both Carol's and Christine's creations. I was blown away by Carol's work. Her finish is something to behold and to feel. The attention to detail was astounding. It was a huge inspiration for me. A level to reach for.

On the second day I was lucky enough to see not only Christine's amazing Butterfly Beads, but also her incredible Hollow Beads in person . Words cannot describe how they made me feel. Wonderful works of art. Tactile, Beautiful, they literally took my breath away.

A big thank you to Rebecca and Debbie for organising a wonderful event

Thank you so much - I had a really good time and came home inspired and not a little exhausted!! If you would like to see pictures please have a look here http://www.polymerpamperplay.co.uk/gallery.html. I can really recommend it. Rebecca and Debbie are already planning the 2nd event for next year! Can't wait!!

Buttons and Tags Now Up on Etsy

2011-03-09T01:23:00.001-08:00

Leaf Tags a photo by Pips Jewellery Creation on Flickr.

I have just put some of my buttons and tags in my Etsy Shop, so if you want to have a closer look at them, then just pop across!

Link is on the left.

See you there!

Excitement! (And a little bit of Polymer Pampering to look forward to!)

2011-03-04T11:22:00.001-08:00

It has been a week of high excitement here in our house. Firstly it was Katie's Birthday.

I can hardly believe that she is now 15. I was busy planning a surprise birthday party and inviting her best friends around, all without her knowing. If any of you have children of this age then you will know just how difficult it is to do anything secretively! Luckily she didn't suspect a thing and the surprise was lovely - her face was a picture when her 3 friends arrived!

Lots of cupcakes, balloons, decorations and sparklers! They had a lovely time.

What remained of the week was devoted to making some more buttons. I am pleased with the buttons, I took the ones I made last week to the craft fair and got some great comments on them as well as selling some, so I am really pleased they were so well received. I will slowly build up the stock and see how we go. They are a great way of making use of the end of canes from different projects and I prefer to make buttons with these cane ends, rather than store them away, telling myself that I will use them in another project and then they sit there for months (or years in some cases) and become too hard to use or just never used at all. Doesn't half free up some much needed storage space on my tiny desk as well!

I did make one piece of jewellery this week! One of my signature Leaf Pod Lariats, this one in lovely shades of teal and spring green. Such a lovely colour and just right for making me feel that warmer days are just around the corner! Although it has been so cold here this week that I am beginning to feel like Winter is going to go on forever!

I seem to be making very little at the moment. Days are going by with me only making one or two things (sometimes nothing at all). I seem to be a little in limbo and not using my time effectively. My muse is lurking somewhere and I think I know why!

A week today I will be attending the Polymer Pamper Play Weekend http://www.polymerpamperplay.co.uk/, in Portland and I am getting just a little excited (OK - quite a lot excited actually!). This will be the first time I have attended a Polymer Clay Workshop and the thought of spending time with other polymer clay artists is just amazing. The Internet is a wonderful thing, and has taught me so much about working with this incredible medium, but it is not the same thing as actually learning from two world class tutors! I am hoping to learn so much on this weekend, but most of all I am looking forward to meeting and being with and sharing with other polymer clay enthusiasts. If you are going to be there, then I cannot wait to meet you!

Hopefully, after that, my muse will be bursting with ideas and won't leave my side for the next year or two!

I hope you all have a great weekend.

New Work

2011-02-25T12:01:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to share with you my new range of work.

Tags and Buttons.

The tags were inspired by thinking about Katie's Birthday which is coming up next week.

I was wishing that I could find a really nice tag for her present, that she could keep as a memento. I had the lightbulb moment and have been working on and off on these all week. Of course, it is half term here in the UK, so not as much working on as I would like!

The buttons are just a natural progression - I make buttons to order, but have never done a range of them before. I have made 7 different types this week, but have only been able to photograph 1 set so far. I will try and post pictures on Flickr next week.

I will be taking then to the Cotswold Craft Fair tomorrow and I wonder how they will do. I am thinking of listing them Etsy as well.

If you have a minute, I would love your feedback on them.

Have a great weekend!

Petals and Playtime

2011-02-18T11:17:00.000-08:00

Traditionally, January and February are my play time. They are quiet months at the Craft Fair and so it gives me some time to experiment and play with the clay without having to worry too much about stock levels.

Unfortunately, January was just about wiped out with "burn out syndrome" after the Christmas German Style Market and then I got the flu which knocked me out for about 3 weeks.

So February is almost over and I have not played a great deal.

I have made some petal beads, pictured above, which was fun, but certainly not anything new and then I got the idea to have a go an carving beads and antiquing them with acrylic paint.

I think that maybe I am doing something wrong here.

I have seen lots of antiqued beads, read a few hints and tips on the Internet and have tried lots of different ways of applying the paint.......thinned down, left on and sanded off, applied and immediately wiped off, several coats added and wiped off, different colours applied and wiped off..... I think you get the general idea.

I am not happy with the way the beads look - more dirty than antiqued. I have no idea what I am doing wrong.

Maybe you can help?

Do you have any hints, tips or ideas that you can share here and help me to achieve that antiqued look as opposed to dirty with a hint of desperation!? I would be very grateful!

A Wonderful Tutorial

2011-01-28T08:14:00.000-08:00

There are many tutorials for sale on Etsy for working with Polymer Clay, but the one I bought yesterday has to be simply one of the best!

It is called "Crackling Lentil Beads with Polymer Clay" and is by the Wonderful Janice Abarbanel of Naftali. I have admired Janice's beautiful beads for quite a few years now, and I remember showing one to my daughter and saying to her "How does she do that?" I could not imagine just how such a beautiful bead had been made.

Well, thanks to this incredible tutorial I have now made one of my own - not Janice's standards by any means, but considering it is my very first attempt, I am very, very pleased with it.

That it turned out so well is due entirely to the clear instructions, masses and masses of pictures and all the hints and tips included in the tutorial.

If you only purchase one Tutorial this year - make sure it is this one! Here is the link http://www.etsy.com/listing/65941236/crackling-lentil-beads-with-polymer-clay

Thank you so much Janice.

For those of you who may have been wondering what the large project I was working on, here are a few pictures!

My very talented friend Jo of Muddle House Mosaics and I, rented a Chalet in the Cirencester Christmas Market for 8 days in the middle of December. The amount of stock I needed to make for such a big fair was huge as you can imagine - and I was still doing my weekly craft fair on Saturdays as well! So everything had to take a back seat. If it wasn't polymer - it didn't get done and that included the housework! It was a great experience and I learnt a lot about organisation, working to deadlines and just how much work I can do in a week! However, I was somewhat exhausted by the end of it and am only now getting back into the swing of things.

Looking forward though to another year of claying and learning and sharing it all with you.

Resuming Normal Service

2010-09-10T22:16:00.000-07:00

Well, hopefully something like normal service, anyway.

There has been such a lot going on over the past 3 months but unfortunately, very little of it to do with Polymer Clay.

But, now, with any luck, there may be just a little time to squeeze in a few blog updates. I'm keeping my fingers crossed anyway.

There is a huge, and that is not a word I use lightly, project ahead of me that will be taking up my every waking hour, well almost, and I will write more next week.

Need to go off to the Craft Fair at Cirencester now and work.

Hope you all have a good weekend.

Abundance

2010-05-04T07:46:00.001-07:00

Abundance
Originally uploaded by Pips Jewellery Creation

Spring is everywhere at the moment. The cherry blossom trees are in full, wonderful bloom and the Lilacs are just beginning to put on their glory. Tulips are taking over from the last of the daffodils and early clematis and wisteria are hinting at how beautiful they will be in a couple of weeks time.

When surrounded by all this new life it is hardly surprising that some of it finds it's way into my Polymer Clay!

This bracelet is made of over a hundred little flower buds, just giving a hint of how pretty they are going to be when they are in full bloom. A lovely golden green outer casing with the softest of peach inside.

I thought Abundance was just the right name for it!

Enjoy!

Accent Beads Now Listed!

2010-05-02T13:31:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the short delay, but I had a birthday and a wonderful treat from my Husband of a little time away in a Country House Hotel!

So it took me a bit longer to list the accent beads than I had thought it would, but I am sure you will forgive me!

They are all now up on Etsy if you would like to have a look - just thought I would let you know. Have a great weekend!

Accents

2010-04-27T11:02:00.000-07:00

Over the past couple of months, my Fish and Blossom Focal Beads have become quite popular, both at the Cirencester Craft Fairs and on Etsy.

This is great and it has got me thinking about other styles of Focals to make. Images have been going around in my mind, but I haven't come to any firm decisions yet on what the next series should feature.

What did occur to me though, was that it might be nice to do some Accent Beads to compliment the focals. So I made some! These really were fun to make - I love making round beads - and I have made just three sets, to match three of the remaining Focals that are still on Etsy at the moment. Hopefully, these will be just as popular with everyone.

I have also had a great day, creatively speaking, and have made two new styles of beads. Pictures to follow when I have made them up into 1 necklace and 1 something else - not sure if it will be a necklace or a bracelet yet....will let you know!

Meanwhile, I am enjoying the gorgeous spring weather we are having and looking forward to my Birthday later in the week. The children and Darren are being very secretive!

Hope you are all having a great week too!

Oh My! I'm on Polymer Clay Daily!

2010-04-21T10:08:00.001-07:00

My "Rome I" Necklace has been featured on Polymer Clay Daily! http://polymerclaydaily.com/

I am beside myself with joy and have still yet to come back down to earth from that very high cloud I have been floating around on since I saw the feature yesterday.

For those of you who are new to PCD, it is a wonderful site by Cynthia Tinapple. Everyday she features work by Polymer Clay Artists from all over the world. There is always something new, innovative, groundbreaking, or simply just breathtaking and beautiful to look at. It is probably the best Polymer Clay Site in the World, in my opinion. I have been following it for about 4 years now. It gets better and better each year and is my daily fix for inspiration and polymer eye candy.

When I first started visiting I used to wonder how I would feel if a piece of my work ever got featured - and now I know! I feel very honoured and simply over the moon!

Thank you so much Cynthia for showing my necklace. It has been the highlight of my year (and probably of last year too!).

Thanks to all of you who have left such lovely comments to congratulate me - it means the world to me!

I need to say a big thank you to Deb for getting the screenshot for me. Deb is a fellow member of PCAGOE (Polymer Clay Artist Guild of Etsy) and is a wonderful Artist, person and friend. Her shop is called Renaissance Gal of San Antonio, visit it here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/rengalsa. She is a blogging master and tirelessly blogs about the PCAGOE members and their work, as well as occasionally about her own exceptional work! Here is the link for her blog if you would like a look - I do recommend it: http://rengalsa.blogspot.com/Now I need to channel all this positive energy into something made of Polymer!

New Display for Cirencester Craftsmans Market

2010-04-14T10:56:00.000-07:00

Just thought I would share what my new set up for my craft fairs looks like.

My friend and fellow crafter David made the wonderful shelf unit for me, or as we have to call it "A Display Module"!! This has given the whole display lots more height, which is great for customers, much more comfortable for them to view the jewellery. It has also created some extra space, which is always welcome!

My new Jewellery Busts have arrived and I think they look just brilliant. Made from recycled paper they add a touch of something to the whole look of the table. I think it looks a lot more professional now.

It has been nice to be able to have a bit of a revamp for spring. Now I just need to spring clean the house!

Ups and Downs - seriously picture heavy!!

2010-03-19T14:16:00.000-07:00

Life has been full of ups and downs recently.

I have been very busy with caring for my wonderful Mum, and have had to squeeze about 30 hours of work into a 24 hour day. I am sure you all know that feeling!

But despite the stress and worry of looking after someone I love very much, I have had to work as well. Weekly Craft Fairs are a wonderful outlet and brilliant time to connect with other crafters when you work from home and feel a bit isolated, but I have to say I have been finding it really hard to cope with making enough stock these last 3 weeks. On the other hand - it keeps me grounded and stops me from moping and worrying too much. It makes me work - and I can eventually loose myself in the work and just be.

Happy times also inbetween everything else. My beautiful and wonderful daughter has just turned 14!

Frogs are her "thing" of the moment - so I made 24 Frog Cupcakes for her birthday tea!

We also had a wonderful day out with her best friend and my best friend and went for a girlie day out to London and visited Harrods where the girls got their ears pierced (after nagging us Mums for the past 7 years!).

Life is good - and worrying - and stressful, but I am so lucky to have my wonderful family and my wonderful life, for all its ups and downs.

So anyway - here is what I have been working on.

The picture at the top is a swirled lentil bead necklace with leaf caps. A "happy mistake" was made with the leaf caps - I didn't realise when I placed them that they would all line up perfectly like flowers,but will be making sure I do it again!

This is something I am really pleased with - hundreds of leaves all made into components that interlock. The inspiration came from a little cliosonne articulated fish that my daughter has. Loved making it so much I made a bracelet and earrings to match!

Here are the rest of the things - lots more phot0s but not too much of me whittering on!!

Enjoy!

Fish Focal Beads - Update!

2010-02-08T04:41:00.001-08:00

Swimming Fish Focal Bead
Originally uploaded by Pips Jewellery Creation

Just to let all of you who have asked me, that the Fish Series Focal Beads are now up in my Etsy Shop.

I have added a link to my shop, over on the left hand side, here on the blog, so if you want, you can just click on any of the pictures and it will take you straight there to have a browse.

I will be putting up the listing for the Flower focals and the Tree Focals later today and tomorrow!

Thank you all for your interest and comments on these beads - it means so much to me to get your feedback - and I love comments!

Hope you all have a great week.

Fish, Flowers and Trees - 1 Week and 23 Beads Later...

2010-02-04T07:40:00.000-08:00

My journey into the realms of Focal Beads has taken me by surprise. Having made the first couple of Flower Focals I knew I was hooked, but I have been surprised by how much these little beads took over my creativity for over a week.

I was like a thing possessed! Most of you who know me, know that I am a butterfly, always flitting around from one technique to another, from one style to another and usually when I have made one or two of something, then I am off looking for the next exciting thing I can make in polymer.

Not this time. First a series of 8 Flower Focals. Then I had images of fish in my head and knew that I would have no rest until I had captured them swimming all over my beads and in and out of reeds and weeds.

So several days later I had another series and another 8 Fish Focals.

Then I had images of Birds Flying....unfortunately, these proved more tricky. I did not want a "cute" looking bird and that's what I kept ending up with. Frustrated and surrounded by various canes of all shapes sizes and colours (you should have seen my work table - talk about no room to work!) I decided that the birds were obviously waiting for warmer weather before allowing me to capture them.

By now I would ususally be thinking of the next new project - some Mica Shift maybe? Or perhaps some valentines hearts? I really should be making stock for Saturday's Craft Fair at Cirencester, but no - my muse demanded yet more Focal Beads and suddenly I knew what I wanted to put on them. Trees. Trees in winter against glowering skies, trees just coming into blossom in the spring before the leaves have had a chance to show themselves, trees in all their summer glory - autumn leaves drifting...I think you get the picture.

So 9 hours later I have another 7 Focals with Trees. Phew!

I am so happy with these beads - a completely different style of work for me and it has been great doing them.

Now I can finally start on something completely different - unless of course I do a series of butterfly ones......Hmmmm.!

Flower Series Focal Beads

2010-02-01T11:21:00.000-08:00

I am pleased to present my new Flower Series Focal Beads.

I have had such fun designing and making these. Using the wonderful Donna Kato's Composition Technique I have developed this entirely new series of beads.

Each bead is hand shaped with a variety of skinner-blend backgrounds and then covered on all sides with tendrils, leaves and blossoms. Each one is completely individual and no two are alike.

I have not made a series of beads before and am very excited by them. The ideas for more series are swimming around in my head, and the next series will be fish!

I have a few more colour-ways for the flower beads still to create and I hope that when they are all ready they will be well received at my weekly craft fair at Cirencester. I am still undecided as to whether to put them up for sale in my Etsy Shop or not. I am being asked more and more at Cirencester if I will make some beads for sale and decided that now was the time to do so. Beading and Jewellery making has become increasingly popular here in the UK over the past two years, and unusual handmade beads are always in demand. I would love my beads to become part of someone's design, or maybe to inspire a design because of the theme of my bead - that would be fantastic.

I hope you like them as much as I do.

Carnival

2010-01-16T09:36:00.001-08:00

Carnival
Originally uploaded by Pips Jewellery Creation

I posted this photo on Flickr yesterday and got so many lovely comments on it, I thought I would share it with my blog visitors too.

There are 95 individual beads on here - each of which I hand sanded and polished! It took a very long time as you can imagine, but even longer to put together - 95 wire wraps take forever!!

It is the fullest bracelet I have ever made and I wondered if maybe it was a little too full, but when it is on it looks fantastic and makes such a great sound too!

The technique for the beads comes from Donna Kato's book, "The Art Of Polymer Clay - Millefiori Techniques". I can recommend this book 100% for anyone who works with Polymer Clay - it is a constant source of inspiration to me.

The colours I have used are quite muted, which I wanted because with so many beads I thought that brighter colours would make the overall effect too "busy".

I would love to know your thoughts on this. Would a bright one be something you would like? Would it look good in lots of shades of one colour? How about a sort of rainbow effect, starting with one colour at one end and then working its way round the spectrum to the other end? What do you think - I would love to know!

New Year - New Work

2010-01-12T12:01:00.001-08:00

Sea Pod
Originally uploaded by Pips Jewellery Creation

A belated Happy New Year to you all!

The Christmas period was so busy for me that I did not have time to blog at all, or take photos, or do anything apart from make jewellery and try to fit in all the normal Christmas preparations for the family!

At last, it is January, which is cold, extremely snowy and most importantly a time for a little breathing, calming and experimenting. I have been playing around a little at the clay table and enjoying having extra time to just think and spend some time on the computer and catching up with all my friends on Flickr, who I have been missing like mad. It has been good to start reconnecting with them and seeing all the new work that is emerging in this new year.

This new necklace, which I have called Sea Pod, was a happy accident. I was planning on making one sort of bead, but somehow, it morphed into something completely different, with no seeming input from myself. The clay sometimes has a life of its own and will go it's own way! I hope to take this design further and already have some idea of other things to do with it, as well as make some more like this in different colours.

These pod beads remind me of something that you might find on a coral reef.

I hope that 2010 is a wonderfully creative year for all of you!

Evolving

2009-10-27T03:00:00.001-07:00

Black and White Bracelet
Originally uploaded by Pips Jewellery Creation

I was invited to a friends 40th Birthday Dinner Dance this weekend and the dress code was Black and White.

We had a wonderful time, with good friends, good food and good music. A chance to catch up and exchange news and relax a little in this busy time.

I pondered for a time on whether to get a dress with both black and white in it, but decided in the end that this was a wonderful opportunity to make a piece of jewellery in the theme.

However, after several weeks of trying to come up with something completely new - I was still drawing a blank. Why does my muse disappear at the most needed moments?

So I decided to try something new with an existing design. Here is the result. A faceted silver bead threaded into each cockleshell with looped wire. It took ages to make, but the ends justify the time spent I think. Extra Texture and extra shine and reflected light.

I love it when something evolves!

The Sweetest Thing

2009-09-23T10:50:00.001-07:00

Madame Butterfly
Originally uploaded by beetreebyme

I wanted to share with you all the work of one of my fellow Polymer Clay Artist Guild of Etsy members, M.E. of BeeTreebyme.

She creates the most gorgeously detailed and intricate pendants and beads. This little beauty, titled Madame Butterfly, is one of my all time favourites. I love the colours and the wonderful details in her dress and wings.

This attention to detail is evident in all her work and is quite astounding. From incredible petals, to tendrils of vines and tiny fans held in the hands of her delicate Fairies. Amazing.

You have to have a look at her Etsy Store :http://www.BeeTreebyme.etsy.com and just lose yourself in her garden of delights.

Flowers, fruit, tiny pumpkins and beautiful Fairies all abound there.

Enjoy!

A Little Of What You Fancy....

2009-09-21T08:14:00.000-07:00

...Does you good!

I really felt like doing some Mokume Gane with silver leaf, simply because I had not done any in ages.

Sometimes it does you the world of good to revisit an old favourite and I was really happy with the way these turned out.

Lovely shades of Lilac, Teal and Aqua with the silver leaf just showing through. The colours went really well with each other and after masses of sanding and buffing, the beads just glow!

Hope you all like them as much as I do!

Normal Service Will Be Resumed......

2009-09-06T06:11:00.001-07:00

Curve
Originally uploaded by Pips Jewellery Creation

......as soon as someone sends me a few more hours to add to each day!

Well August is over and the children are back at school again. The house seems overly large (not an easy thing as it is very small!) and very quiet without them.

Now it is time to get back into the routine of work again. Trying to spend more hours at the clay table, get my stock levels up ready for the Christmas rush and trying very hard not to play!

I have needed to develop more of a "production line" attitude to making the jewellery, which I hate doing, but I need much, much more stock if I am going to get through the next four months. I have 19 Craft Fairs between now and mid December - yes NINETEEN!!!

That is a lot of stock! So playing is definitely not on the agenda. January will be a time to have a rest and play with some new designs, but for now I need to just work, work and perhaps do a little more work!

The picture is of my Curve Necklace (more on Flickr if you want to see the matching bracelet and earrings). This is using Dan Cormier's Cutting Edge Technique. The man is a genius in my humble opinion!

Now, must get back to the clay table....

What - No Tutorial?

2009-07-30T04:53:00.000-07:00

Sorry! I know I promised to post a tutorial this week, but I just did not get round to it. Some strange things have been going on with my blog that I have been trying to work out.

Since Sunday I have had over 11,000 new visitors. Now, I think my blog is quite good, well in my humble opinion anyway, but not THAT good. The unusual number of visitors is about 3 or 4 a day, so something was definitely going on! Try though I might, I cannot find where all these people are coming from (although I am pretty sure it is Stumbleupon, but I cannot find the page). So, if you are one of the 11,000, then Welcome, nice to see you here and I hope you enjoy looking around and please leave a comment telling me how you found my blog, I would love to know!

I have managed to get some new work done as well, in spite of all the detective work. I got some wonderful Filigree Wraps from the brilliant http://www.dichro-findings.co.uk/. This has got to be my all time favourite site for wonderful settings, blanks and unusual findings. I highly recommend it to everyone.

Here's what I did with them.

I have also done a little Mokume Gane Technique in the clay and made these double drilled beads. Tricky to string, but worth the effort in the end!

A couple of other bits and pieces too!

So, hopefully, next week will be a little quieter, although the children are on Summer Holidays now so who knows how much I will get done, but I will try, honestly, to get that tutorial up.

We are hoping, crossing our fingers, toes, arms and legs, that the weather will improve soon - for our Holiday in Cornwall.

Keep your fingers crossed for us as well!

A Quick Update...

Thank you so much to the Wonderful Hannah of Spans-Stitchin' who found the Stumbleupon Page that was sending all the Traffic to here. Hannah makes the most beautiful crotchet and sewn items - have a look here at her blog! http://spans-stitchin.blogspot.com/. Now I can stop trawling the web trying to it and get back to claying!!! Many thanks Hannah - you are an absolute star!

Busy

2009-07-17T14:15:00.000-07:00

I have had a busy week.

Lots and lots of beads made!

I am trying to increase my stock levels, so that when the children break up for the summer holidays next week, I am not spending all my time working at the clay table, but will actually have some time to spend playing with them - well, that is the general idea anyway!

Here is what I have been making:

A lovely blue Swirl Ring, a Tile Bracelet in shades of lilac with green leaves and a Leaf Pod Lariat. I have not made a Tile Bracelet for ages and it was fun to revisit this style. I love my Leaf Pod Lariats, but they do take a huge amount of time to make, so I don't do them as often as I should.

The Cascade Necklace is made from Skinner Blend Trumpet Beads from Pearl through to Red. I have made a bracelet also, but this is the first time I have made a necklace to match. I hope you like it.

I am hoping to post a tutorial on Mica Shift Technique next week. It is a favourite with me, I am just hoping that I can photograph the wonderful 3D effect with my not-so-wonderful photographic skills! Watch this space!

Here's what I did...

2009-07-03T11:25:00.001-07:00

Sunflower
Originally uploaded by Pips Jewellery Creation

...with the sunflower cane!

A multi-coloured sunflower necklace. Fun, summery and will go with absolutely everything.

More to post next week on some new beads, but if you cannot wait, they are all on my flickr site.

Hope you all have a great weekend!

Bloomin' Lovely!

2009-06-30T10:07:00.001-07:00

Sunflower - yes I am proud of this one!
Originally uploaded by Pips Jewellery Creation

I am hopeless at making flower canes, usually!

My petals always get squished at the top and my packing is not very good and they always seem to come out slightly lobsided!!

But for some strange reason this one worked out far better than I had even hoped for!

I am so happy with it! It has already been used on some of my multi-coloured sunflower beads for a new necklace today (there is a photo on flickr of one I did ages ago!). They are always popular and I am happy to have loads more cane now to be able to make some more.

I might just have to have a go at some more flower canes now! Any suggestions? What sort of flowers would you like on beads? I would love to hear from you all with your thoughts!

New Beads!

2009-06-19T10:51:00.001-07:00

Malta
Originally uploaded by Pips Jewellery Creation

I feel a little like I have been in the desert for the last few months.

But now I feel as though someone came and gave me a lovely long iced glass of water! That someone knows who she is! The water tastes great and has revived me!

Creativity is a funny thing, it comes along and everything is just buzzing. So many ideas, not enough hours in the day to make them all a reality, so many possibilities, the future is crammed full of things you want to make and want to make possible. Then suddenly, for no apparent reason - gone - all gone. It is the strangest and most disconcerting feeling. You find yourself questioning whether it is gone for good - that muse of yours, fickle thing she is!

Suddenly all is dry and grey and nothing is working. All the excitement, all the possibilities are as if they never were. Not a good place to be.

I hope that I have learnt patience from this episode, because that is what is needed. Patience to know that from somewhere, when you least expect it, and when you are not exactly looking for it, then things will change again.

So, at last....at long, long, last, (it seems like a very long time to me anyway!).....some new beads as promised.

I have lots of pendants, earrings and beads in this series, but only these photographed as yet. I am excited as to where these may take me - lots of ideas running around my head.

It is nice to be back somewhere green again!

Tease!!

2009-06-18T11:36:00.000-07:00

There are some new designs coming - honest!!!

Pictures will be posted tomorrow (hopefully). I have been having fun, fun, fun! It has been so long since made a whole new series of beads and I am very Excited! Can you tell?

Thank you Lynda!

Devotion to Duty

2009-06-14T14:19:00.001-07:00

Me!
Originally uploaded by Pips Jewellery Creation

Writing this blog post is definitely devotion to duty tonight! It is Sunday Evening - I have done two Craft Fairs, getting up at 5.30 a.m. on Saturday morning and getting home at 6.30 p.m. and then getting up at 7.30 this morning and getting home again at 6.30 p.m.

Wonderful husband had made tea for us all, and I then did 2 hours of ironing (well, I think the children would have been in danger of being squashed if the pile had fallen on them, it was that big!).

So, I am somewhat tired, but thought if I did not post even a little entry in this blog then you would all get pretty fed up of popping in and finding nothing new, yet again!

I have a couple of ideas floating around in my head for new styles of necklaces that I am hoping will get made this week and I will post some photos for you when they are done.

But for now....... a cup of coffee and then bed! Tomorrow is a whole new Clay Day!

Compact and Bijoux!

2009-05-27T11:09:00.000-07:00

Do you remember the old chestnut that Estate Agents would roll out in the 80's and 90's? "This lovely studio apartment....all mod. cons..... central location......compact and bijoux!" It would turn out to be a slightly over sized airing cupboard in central London that would cost almost as much monthly as a mortgage on a 5 bedroom property in the Cotswolds! (Lovely, leafy, desirable area in Gloucestershire, in the West of England for all international readers!).

Now the phrase is never used in that context, well not in the Estate Agent's particulars that I read anyway, but is popping up all over the place in connection with beads. In Bath, there is a lovely shop called Bijoux Beads, and I see the word in connection with beads all over the Internet. Of course it is a French word meaning small, compact, neat or little (if my French is incorrect here, please someone correct me!). It fits well in front on the word "bead".

It also fits well as a description of my working area!

A fellow member of the Craftsman's Market in Cirencester, recently saw a photo of my so called "studio area" and was astounded that I could get anything done in so small a space! "How on earth do you manage?" he asked.

Well, it is a matter of having to! I feel very lucky to have a dedicated area to work on - it used to be the dining room table! - at least I don't have to clear away half way through a project so that the children can have their tea! Ahhh happy memories (not!).

It maybe small, it may be bijoux, but to me it is a little slice of heaven, where I feel totally comfortable and have everything around me that I need!

Mind you, that is not to say that I would not like a studio down the garden! The plans for that are just awaiting the lottery win!!

Coral Grove

2009-05-21T06:15:00.001-07:00

Coral Grove
Originally uploaded by Pips Jewellery Creation

I have had quite a few comments on this new style of bangle, when I posted the picture of it first on Flickr.

I did not plan this style at all, it was just one of those "Oh I'll try doing this" sort of moments. The Bullseye Cane had been made for a different project and was just sitting there on my desk and I suddenly thought it would look good on the bangle.

I love textural pieces. Jewellery that not only looks good, but also feels good is a winner in my book!

It reminded me of coral, but the most interesting comment I had was that it looked like "octopus tentacles!" I know exactly what she means!

Wondergirl!

2009-05-19T01:26:00.000-07:00

I am beside myself with pride!

My beautiful, wonderful, talented and lovely daughter Katie, has won the first "Holt's Got Talent" competition!

We are so amazingly proud of her!

Singing on Stage

We live in a small village, not far from Bath in Wiltshire. It has an amazing community spirit and there is always lots going on. We have many clubs and organisations and a very thriving and brilliant Amateur Dramatic Society. They decided to hold a competition along the lines of "Britian's Got Talent" and they had the auditions last week. Katie got through, along with 14 other acts, ranging from pianists, dancers, bands through to singers, with ages ranging from 10 years old right through to OAP's.

Katie decided to sing "Colours of the Wind" from Disney's Pocahontas. She sang totally unaccompanied! She is only 13 years old, but she showed a maturity far beyond her years on the stage.

I have to say, that as her voice rang out over the audience, I got covered in goosebumps and experienced one of the happiest and proudest moments of my life.

Receiving her prize, a beautiful bowl, a certificate and £50.00 prize money.

With the Judges

Well done Katie - our own Wondergirl, because you are wonderful and I wonder how on earth I could have produced such an amazing person!

We love you so very much!

What a Find!

2009-05-11T10:22:00.001-07:00

Marble
Originally uploaded by Pips Jewellery Creation

I am a Polymer Clay Artist. I work with polymer clay and occasionally Art Clay Silver, and I am quite nifty with wire if I put my mind to it, but I am, by no stretch of the imagination, a metalsmith. So, much though I would like to make my own settings for my polymer, the reality is that I can't, not yet anyway!

Trying to find a really great setting to show off my creations is a constant search. I have lost count of the hours I have spent trawling the web in search of good settings/blanks/bezels. Most of them have had to come from Canada or the US.

So to find a really great UK company that have just about every setting I could wish for (over 215 products listed!!), was like a dream come true! Add to the equation, a really lovely lady behind the company, who cannot do enough for you and really goes the extra mile in customer service, then you know you have hit the Jackpot!!

The company is http://www.dichro-findings.co.uk/ and I cannot recommend them highly enough. Beautiful products, fantastic service, speedy postings and the human touch as well.

What more could anyone ask for!

Looking Up!

2009-05-05T12:33:00.001-07:00

Cityscape
Originally uploaded by Pips Jewellery Creation

When I was little, about 8 or 9, I remember there being a craze at school for Erasers. Everyone tried to get different colours and styles and to show them to their best friends and swap them and collect them.

My favourite one (and does anyone else remember these?) were the sort that had a type of building brick around them. As you used the eraser and it wore down, you would remove the brick at the top and restack it on the bottom, revealing more clean new eraser at the top. The bricks were all different colours and I think there were about 10 of them.

This new bracelet of mine reminds me exactly of those, and also of a City Sky Line full of Skyscrapers.

Isn't it strange the places and memories that inspiration comes from?

Peacock Bangle

2009-05-01T08:28:00.001-07:00

Peacock Bangle
Originally uploaded by Pips Jewellery Creation

The other day, my friend Jo from Muddle House Mosaics, came to have a Play with the Clay Day! She wants to learn to make canes so that she can use them in her mosaic work. We had a great day drinking coffee, chatting, and eating the lovely cake she made.

We did actually get some claying done as well, I showed her how to make a leaf cane and I made one at the same time to demonstrate. Hers was really beautiful, she has a great eye for colour and it showed. Considering this was the very first time she had tried her hand at polymer clay, the results she got were fantastic - I could have some serious competition here!

Anyway, I have used the cane I made in several different projects (have a look at my flickr pages if you would like to see more) and had a go at making a bangle. I got these lovely bangle blanks from the US and am really happy with the way this turned out. I will be making a few more of these I think.

Beautiful Birds

2009-04-30T10:45:00.001-07:00

Sage One 1
Originally uploaded by DivaDesigns1

Please let me introduce you to the work of my very special Friend, Lynda of Diva Designs.

This stunning pendant is part of her series of Bird Beads and I think it may be my favourite yet. This newest series of hers has become incredibly popular, not surprisingly and Lynda was recently featured on Polymer Clay Daily.

Lynda has a way with the clay that is elegant, original and always beautifully finished. And I mean Beautifully Finished! We have had many conversations regarding the merits of sanding, sanding and then sanding some more!

Enjoy!

A Rest, A Restart and a Revisit!

2009-04-24T06:24:00.001-07:00

Faux Jade Bracelet
Originally uploaded by Pips Jewellery Creation

I have had a bit of a break from the computer for a couple of weeks, over the Easter Break, but now I am back!

I feel much better for my little holiday, not that I went anywhere, but it was good to try and recharge my batteries, they were running on nearly empty I think!

So we tried to have some family time, and not think about work too much! My contribution to time was to stay off the computer (except for essentials!) The children really appreciated having us all to themselves for once and we had some lovely days out!

It has been back to the routine this week, children back at school, and us back at work, and so to the revisit...

..I have not made any Faux Jade for a long time, but thought it would be interesting to revisit it. Sometimes it is good to go back to basics and do something that I tried way back when I was first starting to work with Polymer Clay. It was very soothing to make something really simple for a change, my hands just knew what to do, while my mind was going down various other routes of things I might try next week.

Hope your weekend is a good one!

Flora

2009-03-27T11:28:00.001-07:00

Flora
Originally uploaded by Pips Jewellery Creation

I think that Spring must have gone to my head this year. I have not created so many flowers since I used to make Wedding Cakes and made them in Sugar Paste!

This bracelet has over 60 little flowers and Ivy Leaves and each one has been individually wire wrapped onto the bracelet links. It took ages, but I am so happy with it, and it sits beautifully!

This is the reason I love Polymer Clay so much. It does not matter what idea/inspiration/brainwave I get in my head, I do not need to source beads, or try and find the correct sizes, or try and match colours. I do not need to spend hours trying to find what I need (I can spend that time making it instead). I do not need to worry that I will not find what I have imagined. I know that my imagination can be made a reality. I can do it all with the clay.

What a wonderful medium!

Blossom Branch

2009-03-19T07:35:00.001-07:00

Blossom Branch
Originally uploaded by Pips Jewellery Creation

At last I have had a little time to play with the Art Clay Silver.

This little brach of blossoms was inspired by a photo my friend Kate from Organic Odysseys posted on our Forum. I had at first, decided to inlay one of the blossoms with Polymer Clay, but that proved a lot more tricky than I had imagined! So the tiny centres of the blossoms are polymer in shades of pearl, lilac and cerese instead. Just that little touch of colour really makes the pendant "pop" and shows off the silver that little bit more.

It is a steep learning curve, making things with Silver Clay, not least because of the short time you have before the clay starts to dry out, but I am enjoying trying things with it. I made a few more dics to inset into polymer pendants as well and will make those up next week. I have a lot of beads I need to make up into a pebble fringe bracelet and a couple of pendants that need wire work and they all have to be done before Saturday so I can take them to Cirencester.

I think I will have a busy day tomorrow!

Ocean Currents

2009-03-17T10:24:00.001-07:00

Ocean Currents
Originally uploaded by Pips Jewellery Creation

Just had to show you my latest pendant.

This technique is called mokume gane. There are many different ways of doing MG, but this particular technique was shared with me by the wonderful Linda of NK Designs, please check out her blog, the link is on the right in the list of my favourite blogs.

She sent me the tutorial last night, and I couldn't wait to have a go at it. I am so happy with the way this turned out and of course it is in my favourite shades of teal and green. Mind you I did do some pink ones as well! I will post those on flickr later today I hope.

So just a huge thank you to Linda - what a great artist and a great friend. Please check out the link and have a look at hers, they are amazing!

Treasures

2009-03-12T13:10:00.000-07:00

It's been a hectic few days for me. Lots of family things to sort and not a lot of time for bead making.

I had a disappointing time with a new style of bead that I spent at least 4 hours on, only to find that I had pierced them incorrectly and they would not string properly. Very frustrating and it wasted time that I did not really have.

So I was really pleased that a pair of earring that I made in a completely new style worked out just how I wanted them to!

I have called them Leaf Flowers and am hoping to make them in different colours and some slightly different styles.

Then yesterday I was so happy to find I had my Monochrome Necklace included in a beautiful Treasury on Etsy, compiled by a fellow PCAGOE team member Chicki. She called the treasury Monochrome, after my necklace, which was a lovely touch. Thank you so much Tina - you made my day!

I have also made a necklace from the Lady's Slipper Beads and love it! Hope you do to!

I have a busy week next week, I will keep you posted - I am hoping some Art Clay Silver will make an appearance!

Lady's Slipper

2009-03-10T10:20:00.001-07:00

Lady's Slipper Beads
Originally uploaded by Pips Jewellery Creation

One of the difficult things in this Polymer Clay Life, for me, is the balance between making pieces for my Craft Fair at Cirencester each week and Creating.

I want so much to create something new, something different, something that pushes the limits. I want to play. I want to experiment. I want to just see where the clay takes me.

Making pieces for my Craft Fair is wonderful work. I hope that each piece I make will connect with someone, that a colour will draw someone closer, that a pattern will intrigue. Often it does. My most satisfying moments are when someone wants to talk about what I have made, how it makes them feel, what they like about it, what they don't like. Making that connection - it's heady stuff.

Creating. It takes time, more time than I have to give, so I have to do it in little ways. A twist on something, looking at something from a different angle, a change of colours, a change of shape. Sometimes I am lucky and inspiration will come all in one go and I have the chance to run with it. Other times I have to be patient. But all the time I try and look at my work with new eyes and hope to see a way to move forward a little.

These Lady's Slipper beads are a twist on my cockleshell beads. Something a little bit different. A stripe instead of a circle. Little steps, building to new things.

How do you make the balance between what you need to do and what you want to do? Let me know, I would love to hear your views.

That Something Gorgeous!

2009-03-06T06:12:00.000-08:00

Just a quick post to show you what I made with the Kaleidoscope Cane of yesterday's post.

This is probably my most favourite style of necklace. These square beads always sit beautifully when worn and the black and white will go with just about anything!

And a close up of the beads so you can see the detail in the pattern.

If this has inspired you in anyway to have a go, then please let me know how you get on! I would love to see. Have some fun!

How To Make a Complex Kaleidoscope Cane in Polymer Clay - It's Simple!

2009-03-05T06:40:00.000-08:00

Kaleidoscope caning is one of my favourite techniques to use with polymer clay and lots of my beads are made using these canes. I thought it might be fun to show you how I make one.

First choose your colours, for this cane I have decided to go monochrome.

Condition your clay really well. You can use a Pasta Machine or a roller or your hands, whichever is easiest for you.

Here are my sheets after I have finished conditioning and I have put them through the Pasta Machine on a medium setting, about #4 on mine.

Next, make some interesting elements. Here I have made a Jelly Roll Cane, a Striped Cane and some plain "sausages". I have a couple of small sheets also.

Then combine them in whatever way you like, I try to keep them in a general right angle triangle shape, loosely speaking!

Then I reduce the cane, refining the shape as I go into a more recognisable right angle triangle - please note that this is not an exact science in my case!

When the cane is about 4 inches long I cut it in half and then combine the two halves, mirroring the image.

Now we have an almost square shape. Reduce the cane again, refining the square as you gently pull, squeeze, tug, smooth or whatever your preferred method of reduction is.

I then cut the cane into four equal lengths and again, mirroring the images, combine the four into one larger square.

One more final reduction and here is your finished Kaleidoscope Cane.

Of course, it does not need to finish there - you can reduce yet again and recombine, change the shape of the cane from a square to a circle for example. Add another cane , or several. Cut the cane in half and then cut lengthways and recombine. The possibilities are endless!

Here are my beads I made from this cane, cut, pierced and awaiting baking!

Now I just have to make something gorgeous with them!

Very Berry

2009-03-05T06:12:00.000-08:00

I finished making two lots of Berry Beads yesterday and sanded and polished them up today.

They take a lot of work, but I really like the graphic element of the black and pearl canework against the soft shimmer of the beads. I have been playing with the idea of doing black beads with coloured canework, but have not tried it yet. Still not sure in my mind whether that would work or not.

Ihave also made a black and white Kaleidoscope cane and have taken pictures of the different stages of construction, which I will post later today - lots and lots of photos, but I thought it might be interesting to show a little of my process in cane making. Be warned though - my cane making is not an exact science, more of an organic process!

Harlequin

2009-03-04T08:02:00.001-08:00

Harlequin Detail
Originally uploaded by Pips Jewellery Creation

I seem to be in a very colourful mood lately, as far as my beads are concerned, anyway.

These bright Mosaic Canework Beads are inspired by the work of my friend Jo of Muddle House Mosaics. I have blogged about her here before and I just love her work. I have been meaning to make a mosaic cane for a little while, and had envisioned it to be in various shades of soft green, but somehow the vibrant colours were just calling to me to use them instead. I am glad I did now, but will still make that soft green cane as well soon, otherwise I will never get it out of my head.

There are some more pictures of this necklace and another square one made from the same cane on my flickr site - just click on the flickr box on the left if you would like to see.

I have also been making some Berry Beads which I hope to finish tomorrow and will post some pictures then.

Polymer Clay Artists Guild of Etsy

2009-03-01T09:04:00.000-08:00

I am a proud Member of the Polymer Clay Artists Guild of Etsy and have been now for nearly a year. Every month we have a challenge, which both members and non members of PCAGOE can enter.

It is great fun and helps to push me to try new techniques that otherwise I would probably never have a go at!

This month the Theme is "Canework". There are some really beautiful and amazing entries. Here are a few of my favourites and I have to say that I am glad I am entering this month, otherwise I would have a very hard time choosing just one to vote for! Just look at the beautiful detail on each of the flower canes on this suncatcher called "Sunshine and Rainbows" by Angela of Polymer Clay Creations. Her Etsy Shop is at http://www.polymerclaycreations.etsy.com/

This gorgeous necklace is by Laurabeestudios. Her Etsy shop is at http://www.laurabeestudios.etsy.com/. I love the delicate detail and subtle aged effect she has achieved.

There are three different prize packs up for grabs simply for voting!! Please come and vote, we love to have lots of votes - it makes everything very exciting and you will be entered into the prize drawings. So please go to http://www.pcagoe.com/, have a look at all the entries, be inspired, vote and then keep your fingers crossed to win one of the fabulous prizes!

Marriage

2009-02-26T11:13:00.001-08:00

Marriage
Originally uploaded by Pips Jewellery Creation

Oh, I have been having some fun!

Here is my first marriage of the two mediums and I am really pleased with it.

An Art Clay Silver Disc, and a Polymer Clay Lentil Bead. I was showing my daughter last night the "magic" of the Art Clay Silver and made this little disc with the intent of putting it somehow with a polymer creation, but had not really planned exactly how it was going to look. Playing around with it this morning resulted in this pendant. I love the swirls of teal and green and pearl, the bright silver and the shine of both elements together seems well balanced to me. However, of course I am biased!

I now have about 6 more discs in the oven as we speak, drying out, and hopefully will have some more pendants to show you tomorrow!

Magic!

2009-02-25T14:38:00.001-08:00

My Very First Attempt!...
Originally uploaded by Pips Jewellery Creation

I know the science behind Silver Clay, but I have to say, experiencing it for the first time was nothing short of Magic!

This little Scroll Heart is my first attempt at working with Silver Clay and I have to say I am really happy with the end result.

Now I need to work out how to marry it with my polymer clay. I have a lot of ideas, but will have to do a little trial and error I think, to see if they will work.

It is very, very different from working with Polymer. For one thing you have next to no time to actually work it, even with the slow drying clay. It is not elastic, as polymer clay is and it cracks very easily as it begins to dry out. The discipline of working with the two clays in conjunction is going to be quite interesting I think.

Can't wait for tomorrow to play again.

Purple Haze

2009-02-23T11:33:00.001-08:00

Purple Haze Pendant
Originally uploaded by Pips Jewellery Creation

After clearing out my Clay Station/Desk/Area - wish I could call it a studio, but not even my vivid imagination can stretch to that - I put all the canes I had dotted about in various boxes, tins, drawers etc, in one heap and sorted through them.

I always keep a little of every cane I make, for future reference, and often to remind me how far I have come since those early cane making days where they resembled marbled messes rather than Kaleidoscope Canework.

Now all my canes are wrapped and stored neatly in one large box. When I say neatly, that is probably using a little poetic licence, but at least they are all in one place now and not gathering bits of dust and debris in the dark corners of my desk drawer.

This cane was one of those happy accidents, not so much an accident, but no planning went into it - just shades of purple and white, bundled together to see what happened. My favourite sort of caning!!

I made it about a year ago, so it seemed fitting to use some of it for a pendant and ring and a pair of earrings, on its anniversary. There is now only a tiny bit left to remind me what it was like!

The Beauty of Blossoms

2009-02-20T07:08:00.001-08:00

Silver Shimmer Pendant with Navy Flowers
Originally uploaded by Linda-NKDesigns

Please take a moment to just enjoy this pendant.

The more I look, the more I am drawn into the depths of it.

The translucent flowers, in particular, call to me. The clarity achieved here is nothing short of amazing. And no, it is not made of glass!

This beautiful pendant was made by Linda of NK Designs, New York, from Polymer Clay and finished with Resin. Linda designs and makes every flower cane and leaf cane and then combines them to make the most stunning pendants.

If seeing is believing, then you must go and see her Etsy Shop: NKDesigns.etsy.com

And if you would like to have a go at making a flower cane like these then have a look at her brilliant tutorial on her blog:

http://www.nkdesignslindariopel.blogspot.com/

Just beautiful!

love grows

2009-02-15T10:57:00.001-08:00

love grows
Originally uploaded by Revonav

Hearts abound this weekend and these are my favourite.

Revonav's stunning earrings in Stirling Silver and 14K Gold say it all for me. It's hard to put into words how David's work makes me feel. Suffice to say that I am usually speechless.

If you are in the mood for being romanced, then go and browse in his Etsy Shop: www.revonav.etsy.com

Hope you had a very romantic weekend.

It May Be Winter Outside......

2009-02-02T09:43:00.001-08:00

Sun Flower
Originally uploaded by Pips Jewellery Creation

.......but in my heart it's spring!

I thought I would show you my colourful Sunflower Bead Necklace to brighten up this snowy day!

I love these necklaces - but it always takes an age to condition all the different coloured clay. I hate conditioning clay - so I put off making these until I have lots of scraps of conditioned clay from other projects!

It makes a change for me to do something with so many colours in one piece. Usually it is two or three at the most. Not sure why that is - just the way the colour calls to me I think!

We have had lots of snow here in the UK today - the most we have had for 18 years. Hope you all had a great Snow Day if you are in the UK - we didn't have much here in Wiltshire, but still managed to have some fun with the Children. Snow Ball Fight!!!!

Made in Lowell

2009-01-30T03:40:00.001-08:00

Hair tie
Originally uploaded by made in lowell

Will you just look at this little bit of gorgeousness!!!

This beautiful Felted Hair Tie was made by my lovely friend Liz who lives in Lowell, USA.

Liz is one of those people you just can't help but warm to. She has a smile that lights up your day - even all the way across the pond!

She is multi-talented too. Not only does she make the most wonderful felted items, like the one shown here, as well as pins and ornaments and cup cake pin cushions, but she is also a very talented Polymer Clay Artist, which is how I got to know her. Her earring are just to die for!

I am the proud owner of a brooch which is just like the hair tie pictured, but slightly bigger. It is fabulous, I wear it on my coat every day and get so many compliments on it. She has such a great eye for colour!

Go check out her Etsy store: madeinlowell.etsy.com - you will find many wonderful creations there. It is a real feast for the eyes!

Quercus Silver

2009-01-29T06:03:00.001-08:00

Sharon's rings
Originally uploaded by Quercus Silver

I just had to show you these wonderful rings by Su of Quercus Silver.

She makes the most beautiful silver and resin jewellery and uses the most luscious of colours in her creations. Among her work are Bangles, Pendants, Earrings, Cufflinks and of course, Rings

The glow from this fantastic Hewn Ring just makes me want to pick it right up from the picture and wear it. I love Emerald Green.

Su is from Bath in the UK, just up the road from me. She explains that Quercus is latin for Oak, which is a symbol of Wisdom, Strength and Love.

Her Jewellery certainly has a wonderful strength to it and is obviously made with a lot of love and attention to detail. As for the Wisdom - well I think that a purchase of one of her pieces would be a very wise move for me to make!

Check out her fantastic work on her Etsy Shop: www.QuercusSilver.etsy.com

Cascade

2009-01-29T05:49:00.001-08:00

Cascade
Originally uploaded by Pips Jewellery Creation

This is my new bracelet which I have called Cascade, for obvious reasons.

This is an idea that has been going around my head for a little while now and I have more plans for it. This is the first step on a journey to get this bracelet exactly as I have envisioned it in my head. It is not there yet, but this is the first step towards the end.

Have to say I love the colours - must stop making things in teal, green and blue, but they are the colours that call to me most. Sometimes I just can't help myself!

My Very Talented Friend

2009-01-28T01:35:00.001-08:00

Little Trees
Originally uploaded by Muddle House Mosaics

These beautiful mosaic trees were created by my friend Jo, of Muddle House Mosaics.

Her mosaics have to be seen to be believed. Such beautiful colours, shapes and such attention to detail and finish. She is a bit of a perfectionist to say the least!

She has created mosiacs for Schools, Swimming Pools (take a look at her dolphins!), gardens and of course indoor pieces as well. My favourite piece was her Mad March Hares - you can see it on Flickr. Absolutely stunning!

I am now the proud owner of one of her trees, a Christmas Present from Jo.

Check out more of her work on Flickr, link above.

No More Promises!

2009-01-27T10:30:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year to You.

I'm not a great one for making new year resolutions, but this is one that I can keep. Not to make anymore promises about how much I am going to blog. Because I will not keep them.

It's not that I don't like blogging - I do - its very relaxing to get some of the thoughts in my head down on paper, it's just that life in general gets in the way of it. I am sure you know exactly what I mean.

I am hoping that if I do not feel that I should be blogging then maybe, just maybe, I will blog a little more!

So, a new year and a few pictures of new things for you to see!

May 2009 be full of creativity and adventure for all of you.

Time!

2008-11-18T10:24:00.000-08:00

Time. Where does it all go? Where can I get more of it? I need more time!

The past few months have been so busy that this poor little blog has been very neglected. Apologies to everyone who has popped in and found nothing new to read and apologies to myself for not keeping up with this, as I promised myself I would!

It is only 6 weeks until Christmas, as my Daughter has just informed me and I am in the midst of my busiest season, with lots of stock to make for the 7 craft fairs I have booked - yes that is 7! So my Season Resolution for between now and New Year's Eve is to try and blog once a week, just a short, sweet blog - about all the new friends and fellow artists I have met in recent months in various on line places.

Readers you are in for a treat! Pictures today are just some of the new work I have been doing!

Green Loveliness from UK!

2008-09-19T08:35:00.000-07:00

I was so happy and delighted to be told by my friend Liz from Made in Lowell http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5005589 that I had made the front page of Etsy!

This is the very first time it has happened and I was just a little over excited!

A big thank you to Knottwood for featuring me in her amazing Green Treasury, featuring some amazing Artists from the UK. I was proud to be amongst such Talent. Visit Knotwood's Etsy Shop here, she has some beautiful items : http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5111001 and also at www.knottwood.co.uk

Thanks to Tejae, Lynda and of course Liz for helping get the screenshot to this page.

Enjoy.

A Whole Month?

2008-09-12T06:07:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe that it has been a whole month since my last blog entry. As my Teachers would have said "Could try harder!"

I have been busy though - some new things to show you all.

First of all I was very inspired by my Holiday in Cornwall. Beautiful Beaches, Dramatic Cliffs, Huge Waves and lots of Beachcombing!

The North Coast of Cornwall is very wild - and I spent ages collecting various washed up shells, bits of pottery and seaglass and lots of pebbles. So of course I had to have a go at making some Polymer Pebbles.
I was really pleased with the results - so many people have thought they are real and are surprised when they pick them up and find they are so light.

I have also been trying to make some organic shapes. I wanted something airy and delicate, which does not break easily. I am not there yet, but found a new design along the way! Not sure about them, but they were fun - and I think they are just a stepping stone to a new path. We will see. Let me know what you think!

I am hoping to get back into the swing of things now that the children are back at School, so I will have lots more to show you and share with you.

I've Been Gossiped About!!

2008-08-07T07:33:00.000-07:00

Now, normally I would be a little upset to find out that I was the subject of Gossip!

However, being gossiped about on CraftGossip is an entirely different matter!

I was thrilled to spot two of my pendants featured there.

If you would like to see them, pop over to http://polymerclay.craftgossip.com/ and have a look.

Thanks for the feature CraftGossip, I really appreciate it!

Dancing With Joy!

2008-08-07T07:03:00.000-07:00

If you haven't already done so, you must visit Kerijoy's Shop on Esty and have a look at her amazing Walldancers. www.kerijoy.etsy.com/

These beautiful Art Dolls are made from Polymer Clay, Wire and Beads. Each one is totally individual and no two are alike.

The sheer joy and exuberance that emanates from these is sure to put a smile on your face. I love the huge amount of detail in each one, the explosion of colours and their serene faces.

Such fun!

If you are in need of a little inspiration this weekend, take a moment to read her profile - truly inspiring.

Win one of my Pendants!

2008-08-05T06:28:00.000-07:00

Please visit the wonderful blog of Ametista!

They have a Monthly Drawing and this month it is to win my Blush Pink Swirl Pendant pictured here.

All you have to do is use this link : http://ametistadea.blogspot.com/ and follow the instructions!

Can't wait to see who wins.

Good Luck everyone!

The Best Of British! My Pink Treasury

2008-08-04T03:17:00.000-07:00

I managed to snag a Treasury last night on Etsy! I haven't got one for ages and decided to make this one dedicated to the UK Sellers. They are a very tallented group! So many beautiful things to choose from.

Please have a look and leave a comment, I would love to hear what you think of it.

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=61104

Many thanks to littlebirdesigns for getting this screenshot for me - have a look at her shop, she has some wonderful items there!

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5159325

She does some amazing Hand Pulled Linoprints - this is my favourite, it is called Washing Day at the Harbour

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=12957485

Thanks Littlebird!

PCAGOE Monthly Challenge

2008-07-31T03:17:00.000-07:00

I am a proud member of the Polymer Clay Artists Guild Of Etsy, or PCAGOE. This is a wonderful group of Polymer Clay Artists who have shops on Etsy are. We get together on line, to encourage, share, chat, show and generally live Polymer Clay.

Each month we have a challenge, which is open to all members and the topic this month is: It's Show Time!

I love the film Splash and this Mermaid Fridge Magnet and Fish Friend is what I came up with for the challenge. A big change from my usual style, but that is the great thing about the challenges. They take us out of our comfort zone and challenge us to try something new, something different. It is a great excuse for letting the whimsy side of me out!

There are lots of amazing entries this month and if you go to our website and vote for your favourite, you could win some amazing prizes. Anyone can vote, so please go and have a look!

http://www.pcagoe.com/

Have fun!

The First One

2008-07-30T01:33:00.000-07:00

Life seems to be a series of things I thought I would never do!
Yet here I am, writing my first entry.

I love this life, I never know quite what I will be doing next.

I look forward to meeting everyone who pops in to have a peek. I look forward to sharing and showing.

This is going to be fun!