Gift or Prezzie? Batteries included....

Well, while my work doesn't require batteries, I spent some energy the last couple of days finishing some beadwork for my polymer clay focal pieces. I took some pictures including of some caps I'm making to match the pendants. There is also a picture of some faux bone pieces I had done. I find I make all these beads, pendants and cabs and then don't use them because I always make more, lol. Then they end up in a big box. I've started to sort through and put them up on Etsy, individually and in bulk. Lots to go, but a few up now. Maybe some other beaders would enjoy incorporating these into their work? What do you think? Single or bulk...? Please vote in the poll on the upper left.
Anyway, I'm putting them up pretty cheap, considering the time spent to make these, but I'm tired of looking at them and not getting time to use them! Well, I might as well keep going with my 'Commercial' plug here, lol. I've got a sale happening as well as offer LOW shipping (2 Bucks!) and over $50 includes free shipping. Pretty good, huh? Not done!! lol...I also always include a FREEBIE or PREZZIE!! ok...enough screaming. The prezzies depend on the purchase. The bigger the purchase, the bigger the present. You know what....I don't really like saying 'gift'. It translates as 'poison' in German. I assure you, my presents are NOT poisonous! I guess I like to treat my customers like *I* would like to be treated.Another pendant where I incorporated a hammered swirl.

Waterlily pendant and covered brass clasp.

Chunky Beads and what is inspiration....

These polymer clay beads are a bit out of my normal range. Hard to tell without a scale, but the ones on the purple background are about a third larger than the ones I'm holding below. 25mm to 35mm is pretty big isn't it? Is big in style? No clue, living in the Rainforest here, lol, but then it doesn't really matter as I'm not a trend-watcher either. So, what is the inspiration?! Perhaps I subconsciously pick up stuff from TV....even though I listen more during the day than watch because I work while the boob tube plays in the background. During day-time there isn't much on (is there ever?) except for maybe TV Judges, lol, or digital music. I gave up watching Soaps a long time ago, after 'Another World' left the Air. I think Felicia used to wear Chunky stuff. Being a news junkie, TV anchors may have an influence on me.
Anyway, I guess I go with what comes natural. I always start with 'NO PLAN', then ask myself if I'm going to make a 'pendant', a 'pin', or 'beads'. Something like that and it doesn't always evolve into that 'title'. I take a block of polymer clay, then add this, then that and it just sort of 'flows' and ends up being 'something'. With Beads I tend to have major attention deficit because making more than 10 beads and I start to get blurry-eyed and it takes some effort to keep going.

The large beads are strung with Russian Serpentine and Lava. For the beads in the lower picture, I strung the beads on antique copper chain and with Gold Pyrite Stone beads. That necklace hangs to ones belly-button and can be double wrapped.

So it's not only large pendants I'm working on, but the beads are getting bigger also. The caps are polymer clay too. What should I call these? I'd be pleased to call them something other than 'Chunky Beads'...any ideas?

It's been a heart day at work...

Making Polymer Clay hearts that is. Not the only thing I did, but its been a hard day. Seems this year there is a lot more interest about Valentine's Day. Don't know why, but even I am engrossed in it and hubby is even asking if I'll prefer Hershey or real kisses, lol. (what if I like BOTH! I can't just choose ONE!) Sentimentals aside...
First it was one heart, then another and pretty soon I ended up making small hearts, big hearts, red ones, green ones, multi-colour, stamped, embossed. You know how when you start something you can't stop. Here are just a few of what I've made...made earrings to match too, teeny hearts.

Long necklaces

Decided to make a lariat with the 'mix of green' polymer clay beads. The lariat turned out to be 53" long and actually looks good as a belt too. Most of the beads are polymer clay, but I added Kambaba Jasper, lemon quartz and serpentine to it. Again, some of my handforged steel scrolls add to the element. Finished with some polymer clay snails.

Inukshuks and new beads

Its beadmaking day...inukshuks from polymer clay and other beads and pendants with various inclusions. Now that they are made, assemblage required...almost like 'batteries not included'. Will have to put on my thinking cap. The inukshuks are fine on just simple buna with clasps, but the other beads...

Toggles and Beads

Decided to spend a day making Polymer Clay Toggles and a few Beads. Never could find any pleasing CLASPS to go with my polymer clay work, especially when I don't always want to use metal ones. Sometimes I like the look of a functional clasp in the front that can act as a pendant. Now comes the hard part....trying to decide how to string them, whether to use just polymer clay beads and a few other types of beads or whether to go out on a limb and do something a bit more elaborate which includes wire or wire crochet. Will see. I may do a bit of both. These pics really don't do the toggles justice, but I just didn't have time nor the place to set up my lightbox. My daughter is moving....can you imagine trying to work around piles of laundry? lol

Tomorrow I make some toggles in other shapes...

More Triangle beads

Made some more mokume gane, translucent with red pinata, gold leaf, copperleaf. Made some triangular beads and carved them a bit after baking and giving them a bit of antiquing.

Another Leaf turned...officially FALL

Driving to the next town about 180 clips away is sure an inspiration to create something with leaves. So here is my newest Fall necklace. Copper, variegated and gold leaf in a jade translucent polymer clay that has pinata ink worked in it also. The necklace itself is crocheted and 4 strand braided with recycled glass, semiprecious smoky quartz and other beads. Had this at the market today and it received a lot of oo-ahs. I'm very pleased with this. Too bad my camera doesn't pick up the shifting colours and light which reminds me of ammolite.

Teenier Mermaids

Ok...theses are even smaller than the last. The one on the right is just over 1 1/2inches and the one on the left....well you can see by the Quarter, and her face looks a little too old for her size, lol. The bead holes run horizontally. Made a pilot hole initially and drilled larger after baking. Bill asked if I could make them smaller yet!!! Now there is a CHALLENGE! I'm not a doll maker either, so faces aren't my strength.

Landscape Polymer clay Cabochon

Well, here it is...finished. One of the cabochons from a few days earlier (Scroll down to see two of them). Not too happy with the picture, but too be expected with scans. The problem with scanners is that once you put the lid down...you never know how the fringe or various beads will lie, they usually move. Maybe I should try a box instead of the lid next time (now there's an idea!) My camera can't hold a charge anymore....mental note to add a battery to shopping list.

The clasp is made from endcaps that I covered with faux bone polymer clay and inlayed with abalone shell fragments that are then glued into place with cyanoacrylate. The endcaps I glued onto the 5 mm thick leather cord with E6000. Love that leather cord!! A few years ago I ordered it by mistake, but I'm sure glad to have it now because it makes awesome neckcords that are able to hold their shape a bit.

Mermaid Bead

Bill asked me to make a Mermaid bead. He said I used to make the cutest little mermaids, but guess what!...I don't even remember!! Well, I made this one today. She stands 2 1/2 tall and apparently she is about twice the size than she should be. She only took me 10 minutes, but making one smaller shall prove to be a challenge.