Believe it or not, as long as I've been working with clay, I haven't really done much with kaleidoscope canes. After the free tutorial of craft.edu today, I thought I'd give it a shot. I'm happy with the results. I've made some coordinating lace canes and we'll see what comes of it. :)

Well, since it's been almost a year since I've worked with polymer clay, easing back into it has been sort of painful. I started making some simple things.

Thankfully, when I quit working with clay, I stopped abruptly so I have things in many stages of completion. There is nothing worse than doing one repetative action for hours on end like sanding or wire wrapping. I made my first color palette last night. I based it on a lovely John Waterhouse painting called "Ophelia." He always picks such lovely, rich colors. This is the painting I used.

Okay. It's been a year since my last post, and what a year it's been! Here are some photos of me at a craft show over the summer.

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Handmade Wedding

My Gran and Me on Our Wedding Days

Inked Beads

It took over a month of trial and error before I made this technique work. The technique itself is quite simple and really rather soothing. Watching colors blend is a joy. Yeah, sometimes some truly horrendous mixing happens but it's all in good fun. I'm so pleased with this series, I think that I could spend the rest of my life just making this type of bead.

A new adventure!

I bought a soldering gun and some metal working supplies. I'm scared to death because I'm probably going to maim myself using them. I manage to cut myself with clay blades constantly so add in some hot metal, caustic chemicals, sharp metal bits and filings and I'll probably be in the ER before the week is out. lol

BIG JEWELRY

I'm a sizable girl - 5'10" and built rather "sturdy" so I love big jewelry. My mother is very petite and a lot of my larger jewelry looks ridiculous on her. These pieces really stretched the bounds of large. They are solid pieces of clay so they are pretty heavy.

I've been trying to replicate some of the domed pieces that I've seen people do. Figuring out how to make them hollow has been quite a trial since I really want to lose some of the weight that these pieces have. I really liked the textures I accomplished on the orange, teal, and stone colored pieces. The first photo was crackled acrylic paint on a deep purple color. Overall, I like the pieces and design. I just wish I had been able to make them a little lighter in weight.

Carved Flower Pendants

I began creating these necklaces, and then consulted on how to do them more effectively using RiverValley's tutorial. I really liked how these turned out. I was able to create many different looking flowers using simple shape cutters and textures.

I textured the pendants using etch and pearl tools and needles. I then antiqued the pendants using burnt umber paints. They are strung on twisted nylon cord. I'm trying to learn restraint in my jewelry creation. My step-mother always told me "less is more" but I've been reluctant to believe it. :)

Taking Time to Grow

I took some time this winter to grow as an artist. I stopped worrying about producing. I stopped worrying about finishing projects. I tried new techniques. I tried tools, mediums, and products that were new to me. I took the time to make color triangles with Maggie Maggio's book "Polymer Clay Color Inspirations: Techniques and Jewelry Projects for Creating Successful Palettes." I started looking at things differently and analyzing who I am as an artist.

The first series I'll talk about is the simplest. I took a shade I liked, in the first case purple and the second a deep fuchsia. I played with hue saturations and values in these exercises.

I used simple patterns to create faux texture on each bead. I made several of these necklaces using the same canes. I liked being limited in my color palette because it gave me room to explore pattern and how it could be used. Using one hue as my baseline, I was able to see more clearly how tones play off each other to create an overall color to each bead. I really enjoyed how they turned out. I like the chunkiness of the pieces. The color is light and springy without looking like easter candy.

I made several pieces using this Mokume Gane block. This one is by far the most interesting but the simpler pendants with just the Mokume Gane are really quite lovely.

Moving Forward and Upward (hopefully)!

I've been working my behind off trying to increase my inventory.  I also did some serious re-evaluation of some of my early works.  Many just weren't up to snuff and needed to be destroyed - couldn't stand to look at them.  The goal (cross fingers) is to be prepared to hit the craft shows come autumn.  At the rate I'm working, this is a feasible plan.  I just need to keep my focus and not get frustrated when trying new techniques.  These are some of the new pieces I've been churning out. 

RE-BITTEN!!!

I'm pleased to say that the polymer clay bug has re-bitten me with a vengeance.  I've churned out about 20 pieces from beads that had been sitting around looking at me for months and I've got about 5 more series in the works - some baked, some tumbled, some polished, some waiting to be made into jewelry. 

I'm really excited about the things that are in the works.  I've got some faux raku, faux agate, and some of the torn watercolor paper technique.

Also trying my hand at some molds with pleasing results.  There were some beads I saw at Michael's a few months back and I just couldn't leave without - a lovely Asian-type flowered cab.  Can't wait for the clay to cool down so I can figure out what I'm doing with them!

Hot Weather + Polymer Clay = Unhappy Clayer

Hey guys.  I haven't been doing a whole lot lately.  Greatly unhappy with my results with the insane heat we've been having in PA.  Finger prints galore, sloppy canes, and molded pieces that only look slightly like what they should look like.  Despite my general unhappiness with my attempts, I have been working on a huge pink flowered series.  I have two sets completed and several more in the works.    The two completed sets are pictured minus the matching earrings.  Some of the incomplete pieces are pictured below.  I'm pleased with the results.  Much more bright and cheerful than most of the work I've done thus far. 

July Challenge - Faux

I have participated in the monthly Polymer Clay Guild of Etsy (PCAGOE) contest.  This month's theme was "Faux."  Here, at my blog, Vixen Blogspot, you can see the creation process.  Here at my Flickr site, you can see all my jewelry from the series and here is my Etsy shop where I sell my jewelry.  Here you can go vote in the Monthly Challenge and with your vote you are entered to win free stuff.  Be sure to list the way you found out about the contest as either VyaKyasha, VixenJewels, or VixenJewel's blog.  I really appreciate it if you would support me in doing what I love most in life, creating art.   Please do not vote multiple times for my piece or vote multiple times at all.  Don't even feel obligated to vote for my piece at all - I didn't.  lol THANK YOU!!!

Inspired By Fabric Monthly Challenge Results!

Go check out the PCAGOE Monthly Challenge results!  The contest is over and my piece based on my father's circa 1970s shirt won first place, as voted by the general public.  A million thanks to those that went and voted.  I'm very proud and pleased.  Thank you all!

PCAGOE Monthly Challenge (with prizes for people that help with the judging!!!)

I have participated in the monthly Polymer Clay Guild of Etsy (PCAGOE) contest.  This month's theme was "Inspired By Fabric."  I chose to create a line of jewelry based upon a circa 1970s ugly-ass shirt of my father's.  Here, at my blog, Vixen Blogspot, you can see the creation process.  Here at my Flickr site, you can see all my jewelry from the series and here is my Etsy shop where I sell my jewelry.  Here you can go vote in the Monthly Challenge and with your vote you are entered to win free shit.  Be sure to list the way you found out about the contest as either VyaKyasha, VixenJewels, or VixenJewel's blog.  I really appreciate it if you would support me in doing what I love most in life, creating art.   THANK YOU!!!

Last of the Challenge Pieces

These are the last of the Inspired by Fabric pieces.  I'm anxious to move on to something else - a little burned out on these colors and patterns.  I still have loads of beads and large sections of cane but 7 sets of jewelry on one theme is more than enough. 

First three pieces completed of my Inspired by Fabric series

I've completed the first three pieces of a series inspired by a shirt of my father circa 1970s.  I'm very pleased with them.  And all those beads that I made - I ended up making even more last night because the ratio of beads was terribly off compared to what I needed.  I also created a few more pendants so there are more to come.  :)

My Building Blocks for the Monthly PCAGOE "Inspired by Fabric" Challenge

Those of you that read my blog regularly know that I chose to base my project on my dad's vintage 1970s shirt.  I am now in construction mode.  All my baking and buffing is complete.  I took some snapshots of my components.  The lighting in my computer room is poor but I was far too lazy to go down to the Lair to use my lightbox.  The textures may be a bit obscured and the colors aren't as true as they will be in a light box, but you will get the idea.

Some pendants.  All the parts that are different patterns are separate and movable.

More pendants above and accent beads below.

Now comes the fun and frustrating part of putting these pieces together.  :)