Woodland glade

I've had this pendant sitting around since last year.  It is actually made from translucent polymer clay which I colored with a variety of inks after I fired it.  I didn't make a mold, instead I took an impression from a carved wooden box.  Last weekend I got around to wiring beads and made this necklace with crystals, gemstones, Czech beads, and anything else which appealed to me.  I set out to make it very long, but after wearing it once this way I shortened it to about 17in.  Now I have enough left over to make a bracelet.

no, that's not silver - I used Beadalon German style wire

a little work

polymer and silver art clay from the same mold

silver art clay from my mold below

the mold

I made these pieces last week when I made the peacock pendant.  I have been carrying around the silver floral in my pocket all week as if it were a lucky charm.  I still haven't bedazzled it, but I think I know what I will do.  My mold and the polymer pieces are coated in some mineral powder.  Mostly this is for release purposes, but I also like the way it looks, which is not like these photos.  With super-macro they appear to be covered in powdered sugar, but in reality it is a bit more subtle.  I still want to get out the alcohol inks and play around.  They also need to be buffed a bit.  I have found that denim works the best for me.  Unfortunately, usually this means that I rub the polymer pieces against the leg of whatever jeans I am wearing at the moment.

the peacock in good light

Roll it, stamp it, bake it

My love affair with stamps began many years ago, but it was only in the past three that my collection has grown.  I started stamping my students' papers as I went around the room to check their warm-up work.  It was intended as motivation - to get them to hurry up when I started making my rounds.  It has worked splendidly and they even started buying me stamps and stamp pads.

I brought them home to clean them after students used them in a preposition activity.

I started playing with polymer clay last fall about the same time I picked up seed beads.  I'm not really sure what was happening in my mind, but I know it had something to do with frustration at not being able to buy beads where I live.  Yes, yes, I buy lots on the internet, but there is something about holding them in your hands, seeing the color, texture, size, and weight that is essential to me.  I thought perhaps I could make some of my own beads when I needed something in a particular size, shape, or color.  Needless to say, during the school year I have too many irons in the fire and not nearly enough focus to really explore any medium.  Here is a little peak at a few of the things I've made with pc and with pc and stamps.

 This is white clay with polyclay glazes to look like a tile.

 A little distressed.  It has a hole at top and bottom for links.  Need to add these.

 Little birds with a polyclay glaze and some extra distressing and splotches of color.  

 I made the stamp for this one with an impression from a picture frame.  It is translucent clay and ink.

A poppy in need of some more detail and a clear glaze.

 A bee experiment with glaze.

 A mold made from a stamp which clearly I must clean.