52 pairs of Earrings #5 and #6 and Macro Photography

I promised to talk more about the Lens attachment I got for my P&S (Point and Shoot) Camera and will do so, but first want to show you my latest earrings for the 52 pairs of Earrings a Year Challenge on Flickr. These two will catch me up. Both are made with polymer clay and wire. The flowers and faux glass pieces are polymer clay.
 

close up of ‘glass’. The frosted look makes these look less transparent, but I’m still happy with the translucency. This photo, and the one above were taken with the ‘Little Big shot’ attachment lens.

These earrings were shot with just the regular macro setting on my Sony This was as close as possible and not quite clear or crisp enough. The attachment really makes the subject look clearer which is hard to do with only a 3.3 megapixel camera. My Sony is 12 years old.  I figure I should still be able to get a few more years out of it and fills my need.

Am also preparing to make more heart pendants. They aren’t just for Valentines. Also shot with the lens attachment. The heart was done with my Batik and Shimmer technique.

The Macro Little Big Shot is worth having and comes in different sizes to fit your camera or even Smartphone. Visit the Blog, lots of info on a page with easy to understand You Tube videos. I’m so happy I have this little gizmo.  I think you will be too. The small price of $19.99 even includes shipping and a great carry case with clip.

Orange Love Affair

I’ve been so busy, but thought I should make time for a small update.
I’ve never been much of an orange fan, orange the colour that is…until it just struck me! It’s such a happy and sunny colour. Our summer has been extremely lacking in sunshine and we haven’t had a day over 19 degrees. All of August so far has been cast over and cool and this is perhaps why I’m suddenly drawn to orange, along with yellow and red (I miss those summer sunsets!)
Here are a few of my latest creations…all orange…orange u glad? (sorry, couldn’t help that one)



Ok…I snuck a green flower in there, but was too lazy to crop.

Springing into Polymer Clay Colour

Here are a few things I've been up to...Polymer Clay Flowers, Hearts, Beach Pebbles and my Batik and Shimmer Jewellery. I'm really enjoying some of the new Premo colours, particularly the Pearls, like Bright Green, Peacock and Violet, although Wasabi is an interesting colour as well.

Romantic Renaissance Heart Pendants, a tutorial in time for Valentines

This is what I've been busy with since breaking my finger. Luckily I had shot plenty of video to edit. It's been only 1 1/2 weeks, but is less painful, so am able to start work again. Am thinking of creating myself a custom splint though for extra support.
Anyway, Valentines Day is around the corner and meant to have this out a week ago, but it's finally finished!

In this lesson detailed step by step will guide you to create a renaissance heart shaped pendant. Tutorial has 51 photos, 49 steps and 18 pages.

Through different stages you'll learn to create:

- A pendant that is textured front and back
- Embed wire for secure hanging
- Shape bezels and edgings for stones and pendants
- Inlay chain and stones
- Form prongs/claws to hold chain or stones in place
- How to texture the bezels
- To apply metallic powders
- Adding other decorative elements to enhance your piece.
- Plenty of tips to help you create a stunning piece

If you want this tutorial, I've listed one in Etsy and several in my ArtFire...I have the links on the right sidebar.

Now why did I delete that Program for?

For some reason I noticed this program on my computer and gave it a try, only to realize that while it was free it came with advertising. All I wanted was to be able and insert photos in a table sort of thing, but it turned itself into a slideshow which I didn't want. I inserted photos and clicked on 'save' (even though I wasn't quite finished) and was taken to a website. Then when it was published it had advertising on it and didn't like because it detracts, so deleted the program...
Just now I go into my Picasa and I see the photo collage there! ohhhhhh...but I have deleted the program and don't know where I had gotten if from, lol. tsk tsk...lesson learned...don't always be in such a rush to get rid of things! I suppose there are other ways to do collaged photos, but this was so simple!...drag and drop into space.
Here is the photo...

Polymer Clay Heart Pendants and Ancient Jewelry Series

This is my 22nd year with polymer clay. Seems like so long ago that I began to work with this wonderful chameleon-like material. It can mimic so many materials, stone, bone, wood, metal... with the exception of one long sought after...truly transparent glass. While we have translucent clay, it alone can't harness the shine. Sanding and buffing translucent clay is an arduous task and still doesn't compare to the silica based glass. We've added resin to this material, but are still limited to flat and level surfaces. Using thick glossy lacquers are limiting in dimensionality. There is still much left to explore and discover.
I've revisited some of my past work again...and returned to metal pulvers and mica's especially for my latest hearts some of which have an industrial steampunk look and also for the Ancient jewelry series or renaissance jewelry.

Polymer Clay Batik Hearts

I had a bit of the purple polymer clay batik sheet left over, so made some matching heart earrings for the necklace I had posted on Facebook 
I felt like hearts today...
Here is another view of it, with a penny for size...

Heart Earrings to match...

Or even round studs or clip ons...

I tried to photograph the hearts above at an angle so one can get an idea of the layer of resin. The hearts are about 1 inch tall. I always make the pendants with my signature flower bails. Some flower bails are larger, either with a larger flower or with a black lava bead added. I sand and buff all my pendants, but the teeny 1/2 inch beads are a bit hard to hold, so they only get a quick little sanding to take the sharp edges off.
The necklace heart pendant measures 1 5/8 inch tall, not very big, but I figured some like smaller heart pendants also, so I came up with these...

And even teenier earrings too...these ones measure 1/2 inch tall and with the onyx and hook 1 1/2".

Polymer Clay Bracelets and Heart Pendants

More Polymer Clay cuff bracelets, heart pendants and matching earrings. I almost didn't get them done because I use my oven outside the house. Promptly, after pulling them out of the oven did I drop them on the boardwalk and they fell in between the crevasses of the boards. After some coat hanger fishing, I got them all back, phew! Now they are assembled and here are some of them...how do you like the color?

Polymer clay stenciled bracelet

Working on more polymer clay hearts for Valentines Day, but also on some bracelet designs. This large cuff is so comfortable. I made a mokume gane design for one side and the other has a stenciled design. It is reversible and slightly oval as no wrist is round. I blended some pearlescent with green and turquoise polymer clay and once again used photoEZ as part of the design. What do you think? Would you wear something like this?
Also made some more hearts and put them in etsy (see my sidebar).

One World One Heart Give Away...

I am getting involved in the one world one heart give away. If you are an active blogger and leave a comment on this post with your email address I will choose a winner on February 12th Pacific Coast time....that is I will draw on midnight February 11th....;)

Artists from all over the world are participating. If you click on the image above you can see the list of bloggers that are giving away a piece of art to participate.

~*ONLY ACTIVE BLOGGERS ARE WELCOME TO PARTICIPATE TO WIN MY OFFERINGS*~
You need to be a blogger yourself, in order to qualify.
Please just leave 1 comment to qualify on ~*THIS POST ONLY*~
(You can comment on other posts all you wish!)

If you also would like to participate just click the photo and find out all about it!

This is what I will be giving away...The Love Bug Heart Pendant.....

Polymer Clay and name that heart!

If the heart is the symbol for love, I have a funny way of translating it. I love to find the humour in things, so I'm giving these polymer clay pendants some funny names. How about a pierced heart, chained to love, love knot, love bug and the dirty heart. Well, the dirty heart probably wasn't what you expected, lol. I had stamped and colored some clay, decided I wasn't happy with it, but when I mushed up the polymer clay mess...decided I like it after all. Now, I need a 'key to your heart'. Yes, I have to fill that empty spot beside the puffy heart.