Polymer clay UV gel lamp and cabochons

It is summer, but unfortunately this season we've experienced a fairly cool and wet summer due to El Nino which means very little sun. This means I can't cure my Magic Glos unless I have a lamp. I've found an economical one online, for $25 including shipping, sent from the UK, Sisi-business on Ebay. Am quite happy with it. What I like about it is that it has an off/on button and no timer. Most other ones I looked at on Ebay have either a 2 or 3 minute timer with automatic shut-off which means you'd have to reset it a few times. If you decide to order one, make sure you get the North American plug-in.
While on the topic of curing UV gel, I've found that when applying Lisa Pavelka Magic Glos on Polymer Clay pieces that the gel would always recede or pull away from the edges. I'd then have to apply 2 or 3 more coats or layers to fix and even then I might miss part of the edge. This would use more Gel than I'd like. Frugal me, the gel is fairly costly at approx. $9 an ounce. Apparently it is now available in 6 oz bottles too which will serve me better since I like to use it a lot, lol.
I've finally found a solution to avoid the 'pulling away'. It's so simple I wish I had discovered it sooner! By applying the Gel first around the rim of the piece and curing it, the gel won't recede.



Then I apply the second layer, filling the center of the cabochon and around the edges again, giving the piece a 'domed' appearance. Cure a second time. Afterward a little sanding around the edges will fix any rough edges. I'll show you tomorrow what I do with these pieces...

Beading amongst Chaos

It is time for some beading and assembly.
I have various things on the go and its hard to decide from day to day what needs to be done next. I wish I had done a few more polymer clay focal pendants before starting on assembling.

Right now I'm working with my recycled glass beads and my stuff is everywhere. I don't know about you, but for me it is impossible to create unless I have a lot of things available to me visually and I mean a LOT. I have drawers full of supplies, but what good is it when they aren't right there to say...oh yes, that colour would go nicely with this bead.
When I need to clay again, all of this has to be cleaned up.

So this is what is on my desk right now...My teeny work surface, but its enough for assembling one thing at a time...

And this is what is on one of my little side tables (I have two others)...wire, cord, beads, ultrasuede bits...

This is what I finished today...some necklaces

some lariats...

Closeup of a recycled glass bead...I got these from Africa...

Close up of one of my polymer clay sea urchin cabs...

Imitative Beach Pebble Tutorial - Part 1

I'm pleased to announce that I can finally offer you a tutorial for imitative beach pebbles. With only a few colours and tools you'll be able to create a range of beach pebbles that'll fool the naked eye. The only deception is their light weight. Inspired by real beach pebbles, in this lesson you'll recreate veins, textures and ocean tumbled forms. Create stones of any size or shape, and then drill them with ease. Part 1 will show you how to create 4 types of basalt rocks, 2 with 2 techniques of achieving quartz veins (one slightly cracked, one banded). One black basalt rock with different shading, cracks/marks that enhances realism and one with a quartz inclusion. Lastly some red Jasper with inclusions and some tips and tricks to make your pebbles stand out.
Pasta machines for this project are entirely optional.

This tutorial is packed with 63 photographs, 22 pages, and 55 steps of instructions. Available on Artfire.

Part 2 and 3 coming soon...

Which one or ones are the fakes??

Pebbles and almost every stone

I've made a few Pebls again. Should you wonder what Pebls are, they are Polymerclay evolved beach-like stones. I came up with the name for a swap I hosted in 2007 for Clayamies. You can have a look at the pebble bracelets here.

What have I been up to since last posting (besides family visiting, beading, claying...). I made a few Pebls for earrings and necklaces. Incorporated a few in my Picasso pendants, black wire frames that I hammer into shapes and then wire up with gemstones. These have become quite popular sellers for me at various galleries and shops. One customer couldn't resist and had to purchase two! When I created custom earrings for her and went to meet at a local gallery, she couldn't decide and took a few pairs as well. She insisted I get them into the bigger cities and she's going to show off hers. lol...I love customers that are enthusiastic about my creations.

Here are 3 styles of pebls, gray rocks with 'quartz' veins, red 'jasper' and "garnet schist'

Add a black "Basalt"...

Almost every Gem I could muster, Lemon quartz, topaz, amethyst, rainbow flourite, turquoise....I think I'll call this pendant...

"Almost every stone"

I finally started a video for the Pebls, but will continue with it this coming week.
I've had a few requests on how I create my banded rocks with the quartz inclusion. Videos aren't easy to shoot, especially when I'm my own artist, director and camera person. You may catch me with my finger on the 'remote', lol. I can see that editing is already a daunting task since I'm so 'picky'! I'll give it a shot, pardon the pun, but may also turn the tutorial into a photographic one, like I'm used to doing. The plus with video is that I can show some of the trickier aspects without producing a flip photo-style book. I'll be aiming for 5 or 6 styles of Pebls.