Wire-Wrapped Pendants

I can hardly believe we are already into October. OOPS! Wait! I am getting a day ahead of myself. Oh well. My goodness how time flies. Before we know it, Christmas will be upon us, and then a brand new year.

I had a lot of fun today. Here is Georgia this weekend there was a bead extavaganza and I just had to go check it out. I got some great buys on beads, but the best part is that there happened to be a class on wire wrapping so I had to go to it. The instructor was great and i was able to have some one-on-one with her. This is what I made in the class: I chose this beautiful black onyx capachon because I had made a pendant for my sister on her birthday and my Mom mentioned that she would love to have a pendant with a black stone. Just so happens, her 76th birthday is next month, soooooo...... The class was a real eye oepner and I learned a lot about wire wrapping.

When I got home I was so excited that I decided to make another, so that I could cement the instructions in my brain. I had a beautiful amythest color cats eye cap, so decided to use that. Here is the result: I want to get really good at this so will probably try to make s couple a week. I think I will put this one on my etsy site and see if it sells.

whimsical Dragon

Ok, so is this little guy too cute for words or what? I had somuch fun last night creating him. I found a tutorial (duh, so what else is new? LOL) and I decided to give him a try. I call him "Dath" and I just love him. He is the first of what will become many I hope.

I actually have someone who wants to buy him, but I don't know if I can part with him just yet. You know how it is when you create something fo rthe first time. I can't remember where the tut is that I used to create him, but eventually I will find it. I am not crazy about the clay I used, but I will know next time.

Pencil Holder

It has been a bit since my last post, but I had made this pencil holder so I could always have my grandbabies with me while I work. It was a lot of fun to make. I used transfer papers I had purchased from Lisa Pavelka to add the pictures of Payton and Emily and then some molds from sweetbrier studio to put the embellishments on it. Kinda looks like the kids are under a palm tree, doesn't it? LOL

I decided to go ahead and enter it in a pencil holder challenge at polyclayplay. Didn't win anything, but was able to show off the best little grandkids in the entire world. I love Trish's challenges, as they make me think a bit and try to get some imagination in my brain. LOLOL.

Cuff Bracelets

Ok, so now I am into something new. I saw a link for making cuff bracelets and decided to give it a try. Here are two of the results of that challenge. I used polymer clay canes on aluminum armatures to give them strength. Actually on the purple one, it used a brass armature so it is really strong.

I want to make more of these. The black one is a thinner bracelet and I like that as everyone is different in what they like and do not like. At any rate, ti was fun and I plan on making a lot more of these. I also listed these o Etsy to see if anyone else likes them. We will see. :-)

Lutore, Bringer-of-ashes

OK, now this is definitely a first attempt. I have been wanting to make dragons for a long time. I am so into the Renaissance period that anything to do with that period is where my head is at. I wish I was talented enough to make some faeries, but hopefully that will come.

I found this tutorial the other day to make dragons from scrap clay
and decided to give it a whirl. Of course my dragon is a far cry from the tutorial's wonderful examples, but by doing it I can see where I need to make adjustments. I call him Lutore, Bringer-of-ashes. I am pretty excited that I was able to get this far and by making him I can see the mistakes I made and will be able to fix them on my next attempts. I guess everyone has to start somewhere, right. The tutorial was great, but when you are not a person who sculpts, it is hard to make sure that all the proportions are correct. One thing I have never professed to be is an artist, that is why I value anyone who has that skill and who teaches people like me. I loved doing this and plan to not give up.

Swirl Bead Crazy

Ok, so I have to admit that ever since I learned how to do swirl beads from Trish Hodgens and our Poly Clay Play club, I have been going swirl bead crazy. I made these a week or so back to use as pendant focal beads. I haven't finished them but wanted to post the results. This technique is so danged addicting that I want to do it all the time. I also purchased a color mixing e-book on etsy the other day and wnat to do a lot of color experimentation. Since I do a lot of wire wrapping, I will probably be going insane with these beads. LOLOL

Flower Pendant

Well, it has been a while since I wrote. Between being ill and just life in general, I have not been able to do much. I have done some new projects lately. Actually a lot of first attempts that I want to post here.

Working with Polymer clay has been such a wonderful experience for me and has given me a relaxing way to explore my creative posibilities. I am not beyond trying something new, even if it doesn't turn out, so tutorials are my way of learning. this pendant is one of those first attempts. I saw a tutorial from the infamous Donna Kato. This woman is clay personified! I am in awe of her and her work. Anyway, I was browsing and found this tutorial and wnated to give it a try. The tutorial called "Floral Polymer Clay Pendant" was on the Carol Duvall show. I want to make many more of these and vary the technique. I love this and can't wait to do more. I have enough of the canes used to make severalmore for Christmas presents.