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??