Crackle and Shimmer

I was going to post yesterday, but we ended up having an incredible hurricane with gusts of more than 100 km/hour winds which did a bit of damage to roofs and properties in our neighbourhood. The storm took us by surprise in how it picked up so quickly and fortunately our damage is minor. I tried to get photos while we were on the beach, but my video camera decided to have a hissy-fit and froze. Maybe it was scared of the storm, because it works again.

I made up necklace with one of my new crackles. First Batik and Shimmer and now Crackle and Shimmer. I made a few variations by combining with other techniques. I then applied resin and sanded the pieces. Not quite sure when I’ll have the tutorial ready, but I’ll announce it here. Right now I’m working on another one. 

52 pairs of Earrings a Year

I am so glad I was alerted to this the 52 pairs of Earrings a Year Challenge on Flickr. As I mentioned in my last post, I need to get back into finding some time for  creativity instead of just producing the same things over and over. Earrings are one of the fun things I like to make, so it was natural to join up.

This is my first pair. I wove some Japanese cube beads along with purple triangle beads. I make these little polymer clay flowers which I sell on Etsy.

Is it possible? part 2

I don’t like Glossy items for some projects and there are times when I want to preserve that Matte natural look that Polymer Clay has after curing. Here is the piece of lighter clay I wanted to share…If you look closely…you can see the channels that the cracks make in the clay. Remember that this clay is just as soft when it comes out of the package.

By now some of you have an inkling of what I did here (I emailed you) and there is one other person I can think of and he probably knows what I’m talking about, lol, but I’d love to hear some guesses… Wanna guess?? Would be so interesting and might spark further experiments…

I’ll play a bit more today and will share with you on Sunday…

Anything is possible…

Or so the saying goes when one looks positively at things.

I’ve had a lot of things on my mind as you know from my previous post, so haven’t been able to produce or be very creative. But it’s been since November that my muse went on vacation and has left me sitting in my studio with piles of ‘to do’ lists pinned on the board.

I’ve made a few ‘little’ things but nothing substantial and this bothers me. I’m supposed to work on some orders, but you know, I’m tired of making things that I’ve been steadily producing since 2000. That is 12 years! You can say that I’m just bored with it and am procrastinating badly, but what to do when the shops keep asking for the same stuff! because it sells! I want to sit and design something new, something 2012! Maybe something Mayan tribal with an Oceanic flair, lol. …but…mmm….this years trend are layers of chains, roses and flowers…and my muse calls me from overseas and says ‘chuck that thought aside, create your own trends’.  Artists are supposed to do this, right? I might use some of that Pantone Tangerine Tango tho and I envision some Coral, Carnelian with hints of Rose quartz and Tiger eye…but I digress from what I really want to tell you!

So, this afternoon I sat playing with some surface treatments as I’m also supposed to work on some buttons and while this clay sheet is a little dark, I think I’ll be able to reproduce this with a lighter colour. I had a scrap piece of green clay with copper and gold flecks in it, rolled out flat, sitting in front of me at my desk. As I stared at it, and it, at me in return…the question popped into my mind “Is it possible?…”

Is it possible to create a crackle on uncured clay without the use of metal leafing? without a 2 part crackle medium? without heating the clay and causing it to crack? without Future Floor polish which takes so long to dry?? mmm…

YES! it is!

…this is the result. I’ll share more soon…