Turtle Jewel Pendants

It’s been a busy summer, but I’ve been itching to write another tutorial and must say this one has been a long one in the making. Between computers and lost photos (even though I have an external hard drive), too complicated, but I finally got it done. These can be interpreted any way you like, into a tribal kind of pendant or more classy. The facial features like eyes and beak can be left off for a more serious look or you can add comical Muppet-like eyes for fun.

This tutorial consists of 61 steps, 23 pages and 58 photographs.

This lesson is a detailed step by step how to create a turtle with a textured back with an inlaid polymer clay bezeled or rimmed stone. Slowly but surely (turtle pun) you will learn how to build the head, body, legs and tail, then assemble, sculpt, texture the front and back and turn the turtle into a adorable wearable pendant. You can also choose to create a larger version as a decorative ornament. Give your turtle land or sea legs or a metallic or faux bone body.

I’ve listed this in both my Etsy and ArtFire shops.

Surf's up! and no bones about it...

 My husband is busy creating with some surf board pendants I'm making for him. I like the swirl lentil bead method for these although a few Batik and Shimmer resin pendants are being worked in.







I'm also working on a few bracelets with various methods. This one is faux bone, but it is missing some colour. Am thinking of adding some turquoise to it, probably some beads from the copper links, not sure yet.

Polymer Clay Tutorial - Imitative Aged Bone Carvings by Tina Holden

I finally published the Imitative Aged Bone Carvings Tutorial for Polymer Clay enthusiasts.
This lesson is broken down into 6 parts. Learn by detailed step by step to make molds from objects and then create cabochons or pendants simulating antique ivory/bone carvings with realistic cracks and a worn appearance.

Some very basic materials and tools are required, i.e. no hard to obtain materials.
Even though the detailed photographic instructions should make this even accessable to a beginning clayer, I do recommend some knowledge in how to condition clay. If you need help with this, check my tutorials in the above tab.
Steps are broken down into these parts:

~Choosing an object and making a mold
~Creating a mold
~Mixing the ivory or bone clay color
~Making a copy from your mold
~Antiquing and cracks
~Worn and aged look

Tutorial is very detailed with 48 photos, 42 steps and 16 pages. Get it on my ArtFire or Etsy.

Polymer clay in Imitative Ivory

Ancient carved tiles and cabochons anyone? Well, I made these from Polymer clay in an Imitative Ivory technique. I'm currently making molds for these as well as have put up a few of them on my Etsy shop.
Oh and am working on a couple of tutorials for something like this. Am hoping to get a free video up too and don't know when or how yet...as soon as my larygytis goes away...it's been a long lasting bugger.

Sunsets and Polymer Clay Parody

It's still Thursday and am having a good ol' time trying to think up names for my newest polymer clay creations.

I haven't been too successful, either the names sound fruity or nutty. Mango and Grapes for Oranges and Purples...there is the fruit again. How about "Out of my mind", since I designed those things,  but in the end everything seems to sound like a book title to me. Have to have some fun, right? lol
My husband says "So what! why does everything have to have a name?! Can't you just sell it?" I suppose he's right, but if someone asked me..."Remember that orangey bracelet with those tiles and the swirl on top? or the purple shiney tile bracelet with those gold veins and tigereye imbedded?" Long names, yikes. I need reminders. I suppose I could assign them numbers! That's all one does for consignment sales. So how about 2025...sounds like a vintage year for a wine, lol. That's the Parody for today. So here is what I've been up to.

Saffron Sunset Pendants, some with true American Turquoise

Cherokee Purple Bracelet with Tigereye

and maybe this one...Golden Veridian (Green Blue) with Turquoise

Well, it's not the name that counts, only what it looks like, right? I'm pretty happy the way these turned out...All that is left to do is figure out how to string the pendants and earrings.
In other news, surprise surprise, I'm working on another tutorial...or two...but in the meantime I've also been creating some more molds which I'll be listing in ArtFire. I've also created faux ivory tiles/pendants that I've begun to list in my Etsy shop...Have a look on the right side bar...here are a few that will be going up...