BUT…the recipient isn’t allowed to take it home until we have a class in June! (Sorry, lovey! You’ll just have to “quality control” it in the store!

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Impression Glazing Polymer Clay

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However, I had problems with them bubbling when I went to heat-set the glaze on top. Maybe I need to sand down the polymer bases so that the paints adhere better. I almost think that this technique won’t work for a class setting, there is too much drying time involved. But if I use tinted liquid polymer clay, we speed up the process alot.

Anyway, here’s two versions of the picture, one with flash, and one without:

I’m very proud of myself. I got over my fear of my Dremel, and now I can just make a pendant and worry about making holes afterward. Yay for me!

I think I’m going to finish the big green/coppery one. The rest will probably be abandoned.
The next question is: what to do with my abandoned/orphaned beads????

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Painted Pendants of Polymer Clay

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Your fairy is called Tangle Elfwitch

She is a cheerful sprite.

She lives at the bottom of tangled gardens and in hedgerows.

She is only seen in the enchanted moment between sleep and waking.

She wears tangled dresses of multicoloured petals. She has delicate green wings like a cicada.

Get your free fairy name here!

Most folks who know me know that I have rather, um, tangly  wavy hair, (hmmmm) and my house - especially my studio and my dining room table- lend toward great disorder! Maybe there is some thing to this!

Get your fairy name and leave a comment. Maybe we’ll do a challenge!

This post is from: Craft Test Dummies

I Have Fairy Name

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I was checking out the polymer clay titles, and ran across “Faux Surfaces in Polymer Clay” by Irene Semanchuk Dean. I had been oogling this book over at Amazon, but I balked at the $28.00 price tag. I found it at Half-Price Books for only $6.98! Whoo-hoo!

I had a chance to pour over the book with a hot cuppa on Mother’s Day, and the book is worth full price. Irene gives “recipes” for bone, Balinese silver, ivory, abalone, leather, marble, and agate, among others. She also then provides a project to try for each recipe, with no duplications. The pictures area lovely, and the directions seem clear.

I don’t get to my studio for a few days yet, but I’m inspired to get to playing.

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Half Price Books = Happy Crafters

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BUT IT WAS CANCELLED!

“Due to lack of interest.” Really? Come on! The cruise wasn’t even set to sail until October… but it’s canceled already.

I’m so bummed.

I do have one silver lining, though. I’m going out west in June to take a weekend workshop with Julie Picarello. She’s fabulous…

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Mother’s Day Disappointment- Polymer Clay Cruise is Cancelled!

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Mother’s Day really snuck up on me this year. Lucky for me, I’d gotten started on Mom’s giftie… can’t share it with you YET, as our Mother’s Day celebration will be delayed a week or two. And I purchased some hand-made goodies to give out, but I had to resort to (GASP) store-bought cards. Yipes.

However, I did get to make one special gift that I can share. My BIL enlisted my help in making a special Mother’s Day bracelet for my sister. Her baby son will turn one in a few weeks, so this is a special time for her. I designed a bracelet using sterling silver alpha beads, Swarovski crystals in his birthstone color, and sterling spacers and clasp. Love it! Hope she does, too.

This post is from: Craft Test Dummies

Mother’s Day Bracelet Gift

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The bag has 3 pockets built in, and I use the really stiff Peltex 72 (fusible on both sides) for the interfacing. This bag stands up all by itself!

I have to admit, I think it turned out well… I added the 3 Swarovski buttons on the front for a little bling. Folks who know me know I LOVE Swarovskis….and a little sparkle never hurts!

Now I’ve got the hang of them, I think I’ll be making more….

This post is from: Craft Test Dummies

Nana’s Got a Brand New Bag

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I really lucked out two years ago, and ran across a sale on the suncatcher forms. They are glass, shaped like stars and circles, and already have a hole drilled in the top. They were on discount at Pat Catan’s, so I snapped them up. (My motto is buy now, figure out what to do with it later!)

I smeared a thin layer of liquid clay on the glass, and then used black Premo that I extruded for the “leading”. I baked this first step to make sure it would stay put without distorting. Then I mixed up my LQ and alcohol inks (I used Pinata, but you could use Ranger) and filled the areas using a toothpick. Remember, Kato liquid is runny- so you have to be careful. Really TLS would be easier to manage in this application, and I think I’ll use that in the future. So I filled up the little areas, and baked it again.

The treble-clef example I did on memory glass, and made a “frame” from another piece of extruded clay.

The “forever” hearts piece was done on white clay instead of glass, but constructed the same way. I added some micro beads for interest, and then framed out the piece with extruded clay. I added about 3 more layers of liquid clay to fill the entire frame, and made it look more like it was under glass. Fun!

(I’ll be teaching this technique at Stamplistic in May 2008. For more information, check out my “Craft Classes with Jenny” link.)

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Playing with Liquid Polymer Clay- Stained Glass

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Let’s start with the “Eyes of God” or Ojos de Dio…

• Basic instructions using yarn and popscicle sticks can be found at AllFreeCrafts.com. Nice, simple instructions, and of course you can gussy them up with feathers, yarn streamers or beads.
• For the “delux” version, try Jay’s Ojo instructions. These use a different weaving technique and really are a version of a mandala. And you know how much I like those! The pic at the left is one of Jays. Gorgeoso, no?

Next, let’s consider the Pinata!

• Family fun has nice step-by-step instructions with pictures. They do a “hot air balloon” version. Cute!
• I like the star shape for a more traditional Mexican look. And there’s NO WAY I’d be banging it up with a stick… but that’s just me. I’d keep it for other Mexican-themed parties. But that’s just me!

How about some festive shakers for the kids? Kaboose has a quick-and-dirty styrofoam cup version that will keep the kiddos entertained for a while….

I’m also a fan of tin ornaments… Enchanted learning has one for making moons and stars out of aluminum baking pans. For more on tin crafts, see my previous post here. PS…that Enchanted Learning link also has some coloring down loads, word-searches, etc. Lots of goodies there!

Lastly, I am a jewelry fanatic, so why not make up some kickin’ Our Lady of Guadalupe jewelry? I saw her everywhere the last time I visited Mexico. Download some images, punch them out into 1″ circles, and then use some Paper glaze to mount them inside of a bottle cap. When it’s dry, use a nail to make 2 holes at 9 o’clock and 3 o’clock, then use some jump rings to attach them together. Add a clasp, and you’ve got a cool bracelet!

I’d be remiss here if I didn’t mention the Crafty Chica, the diva of all things Latina. Check our her site, too, for many crafty ideas!

Lastly, Martha Stewart has a craft-of-the-day on Picado Papel, or paper cutting. This would also be a fun and simple craft for a kid’s room. Kind of like making tissue-paper snowflakes!

Viva la fiesta!

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Cinco De Mayo Crafts

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And isn’t Flock fun?

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Crafting a Great Picture (and Kid, Too!)

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