My new obsession

I was asked to join a group on Flickr called "Ring a day". The objective is to make one ring each day with material that you can find. Oh, why not, I have been making rings for a while and just figure out how to make ring band from Polymer clay.
I don't do metal clay, I am not working with metal either, just some metal wire, so clay will be my main material. I can sew, knit and crochet, so I will incorporate that skill into my rings. I only made 18 rings so far, but every morning and every night when I have a chance to sit at my work table, I will make a ring first, then something else. I intend to put more creative thinking into each ring and want to see how far I can stretch Polymer clay as my main material. You can view more of my rings at www.flickr.com/photos/polymerclaybeads

Wish me luck, cheer me on, cause this will be a long, long project. I hope I can get through it.

Synergy and Collaboration

As much as I want to attend Synergy II in Baltimore next month, the chance is pretty slim. The ultimate goal is to witness Ford & Forlano new works, of which I can rest in peace after that. LOL, I can't yet but the idea of "Collaboration" between two artists and to collaborate different materials into clay work is not new. In fact, I am practicing it everyday.

First, let me introduce my collaborate partner, Mr. Scott Mizevitz. He is a very talented artist and a very dear friend of mine. We share ideas, lots of ideas of how to work with clay and use it to the limit. Scott's works are so details and he crafts every millimeter of it with his skillful hand and high quality craftsmanship. He takes time looking at every details and it shows. Me, on the other hand, sloppy, get it done fast so I can move on to next project.

Scott is also an antique collectible. He has a house full of art and craft materials which he, occasionally, send some to me. He had taught me to appreciate things that are handmade. A desert plates that was hand-painted by someone years ago. I learn to slow down and take more time with my work and to appreciated my artistic skill. Those goodies that he sent, especially the antique Rhinestones, make me slow down and rethink my works and how to collaborate different materials into polymer clay.

Here are samples of my new works; a series of pin made from different kind of materials, held together with Polymer Clay.

This pin consists of shells and coral pieces I collected while in Phuket Island.

Other pins are made with shells from Florida seashore, stones and some of my beads, rocks and pearls.

Those tiny rhinestones sure add some bling to the pieces.

Every night, I sat down at my work table, arranging and playing with different materials, then I put them together. Each pin has its own story; what it is, where it came from, or what it looks like. I am in the zone, I am in my world and I am in control. Be able to keep my sanity and get those "things" out of my head, everyday, is a good thing.

Metal or Clay

A few years back, when you went through the grocery store check out, you will be asked; "Paper or Plastic?". I found that to be very annoying. Now a day, I like the self-check out lane, where I can use my own bag.

But choosing between 2 given choices is always difficult, Metal or Clay? I like to work with Polymer Clay because of it's versatility and affordable. Still it is consider plastic and can also chip or break easily which require a min. thickness to make the object strong enough.

I like the idea of putting different objects together and create a "collage" pieces. Most artists do that with the help of Metal or Metal Clay. I love clay and will stick with clay. Here are some of a few pieces I made while searching for the right technique.

I used Black clay with a few pieces of antique rhinestone that Scott has given me, a few pearls and some stones that Mo sent me. Then put on the Metallic powder, Gold, Silver or Copper, baked and put clear varnish on top.

So it is clay, that looks like metal. I am pretty happy with the result. They look like antique costume jewelry. But why do I have to make it looks like I was using metal? I decided to leave the Black clay alone, may be clear varnish on top of it, for the shinny look.

And here is my favorite one.

This pin is going to China with Kirsten, Ada's friend. I made this pin using a few shells and drift wood that Kirsten picked up while on her vacation in Florida. A few beads from New Mexico, South African beads from her brother, John. Ada and I will miss seeing Kirsten. She is one of a few friends who visit us regularly.

I'll post more pictures of the pin later. Scott is sending more rhinestones and pretty things. I also put them on the rings as you can see. Bling and more Bling, Scott said. He is also served as my Tech Support since he has more experience and expertise working with clay than me. Couldn't have done it without you, Scott. Thank you.

Woodland Pins

Rings

Benefit Ada

Ebay auction - benefit Ada starts today. We received more than 80 items donated from Polymer clay artists around the world. Kathy Stuart had finally put some of them on Ebay today. Thanks Kathy. There will be more to come but check out http://www.ebay.com/ and put "benefit Ada" in a find box.

Red & Black w/ a touch of Gold and Silver

Thursday nite while I was sitting at my desk wondering what should I make. I had a showed on Saturday and had already put price tags on everything and packed them up ready to go. I went on Face Book, my favorite place to go to talk to my friends, a piece of metal caught my eyes. I used it before and got a good result. may be I should do something. So between typing and chatting, I made these Red & Black beads with a touch of gold mixing with silver. next ting I know, I made enough for a necklace, so I baked them, then strung them and it looks so good. I like it, I like it, so much. I wore it to the show.

I guess there will be more to come, Black with different color because I intend to keep chatting on Face book. I can chart my friends in Thailand, I chat with my nephew and my son who doesn't pick up his phone when I call, and my clay friends who live all over the world. A place where I can complain about my life and someone listen. A place where I can share my happiness and joy, and someone is happy with me. At the show last Saturday, the girls from Indy guild came by to help at my booth. Something about Polymer Clay that make people happy, care and be kind to others.

Red, White and Green

Start out this Holiday season with these tiny snowmen. They are about 1" tall and as cute as they could be. Perfect size for earrings.




Next, I covered the lid of baby jar food with clay and made snow and holiday theme with them.

Next are the Star Holiday Ornaments. With a Festive hat and a few Rhinestones, this turn out to be really cute and fun project.

I also put the white and blue hats on the ornament to cerebrate our Indianapolis Colts Football team. With their 11-0 win, I hope they can GO-ALL-THE-WAY to Superbowl.

The tutorial for these projects can be found at my other blog HERE.

I also will have my only show this Saturday. The Eitlejorg Museum is having a Holiday Market and they are kind enough to keep me on the list. Our local guild will join me there to promote our group. We will launch our first e-bay action on the gifts that have been donated by the Polymer clay artists all over the world. The benefit will go to Ada's fund to make sure that she can have as much Cheerio as she wants.

Where have all the leaves gone?

This is the right side of my front yard. Lots of trees as you can see. They keep the house cool in the summer, but lots of leaves to rake around this time of year. So we just pile up the leaves in the back yard and forget about raking it. There are more trees in the backyard and still some on the trees, so there will be a couple more raking before it's all clean up.

I like to rake leaves and look for the perfect leaves on the ground. I like the crispy and crunchy sound when I step on them. The smell of dried leaf reminds me of the time when I was young. During summer, my dad will take me and my brother to the tobacco plantations around northern part of Thailand. He worked with the Tobacco Company. My kids used to do front flip on to the pile of leaf. Each year, we have more and more leaves, and the tress are getting taller and taller. We barely have a sunny spot on the yard, so not much grass to mow in summer.

And we have 3 doggies who roam the yard. There is a patch of sunny spot near Ada's room. May be we can fence that area away from the dog and we can have a garden for Ada, I wish.

I also make White&Blue beads for the bracelets. The Indianapolis Colts has won all of their games so far, may be, may be, some Colts' fan want to buy a cute bracelet.

My last Dahlia is still blooming. It is small and does not have a perfect form but Scott is jealous. Last month the temp. in Chicago area had dropped down below 32, so Scott lost all of his Dahlia. He was sad.

More time to clay for Scott. can't wait to see what he will WOW us with.

Mushroom

I started making these mushrooms after I came back from the IPCA Retreat in Chicago. The inspiration came from the odd looking stuffs and creatures on Leslie Blackford's table. They are beyond my imagination. Only Leslie can come up with such things.

I start using left over skinner-blend for the mushroom cap, my flower cane for the gill, and I can see endless possibilities.
How about orange-yellow mushroom?












How about Witch-Hat-Halloween Mushroom, with tiny pumpkins. Cute ha!









Then come along Christmas Mushroom, with tiny tree.




Or Easter Mushroom, Patriot Mushroom in July.

Last week at Claypen chat, Jackie asked us to make something for Breast cancer Awareness, so here's my Pink Ribbon Mushroom.

Fall color

I mixed up a plate full of fall color clay and wonder what can I do with them.

Fall color acorns

Fall color acorn earrings.

More tutorials

@ http://www.polymerclaybeads.blogspot.com/

Flower necklace

With the Flower cane I made, I came up with the design of the necklace shown here. I am not satistfied with it yet, so it will sit on my table for a couple of day. But I finished the tutorial for my flower cane. Nothing fancy, but I am sure the beginner would enjoy it.

Here is the link to my EASY FLOWER CANES.

Here are some of the earrings I made using the flower canes. I will post the tutorail about that later.

My first Dahlia

Finally, my first, my very own, Dahlia is in full bloom.

You might have seen pictures of beautiful Dahlias from Scott's garden. Among other things, Scott is the Dahlia Master. This spring, Scott sent me a box of 20 dahlia tubers, so I can plant them in my garden. Unfortunately, my yard is very shady under tall tree's canopy and Dahlia loves full sun. I found a semi-sunny spot and plant 15 of them, only 10 sprout. Gave a way 2 to my friend and send 3 with my husband so he can grow behind the shop. They were eaten by the rabbit along with other flowers

In the box, came a page long instruction, a bag of slug bate and a bag of bone meal. I also got instruction via e-mail, something like the use of Vaseline and tie to the pole, ;), etc. It was a lot of work but something for me to do in the morning after getting out of bed before I go on with my daily routine.

By the time Scott was cutting his first bucket of Dahlia from his garden, I got my first, little, tiny bud. By the time Scott was cutting his third bucket, my first Dahlia is finally bloom. I told him about it and he said YEH! Scott's dahlias was about the size of dinner plate,about 6"to 8" to 12", mine is about a size of Barbie's dinner plate, about 2". I have about 25 buds waiting to open and I hope they bloom before winter.

I also got a lot of inspiration from pictures of the Dahlia that Scott sent me. Two years ago I was lucky enough to get a vase full of flowers from his garden when he came in town. They are so beautiful and so elegant. The form and color of each one are so seductive, I just want to grab a brush, paint, canvas and pretend that I was Georgia O'Keeffe and made those flowers came alive on my painting. Only in my dream.

I put a tutorial about how I made my EASY LEAF CANE on my other blog, and I will show how I make the flower cane later on. This is very funny because I used to swear that I will not make cane. I changed my mind then. LOL

I am in the process of putting those flowers and leaves into a necklace. Will show that later.

P.S. The Vaseline will help prevent some bugs to climb up the plant by rubbing it to the stem, and dahlia plants are tall and slender so they need to be tie to a pole or plant stake, especially when you have a big, giant flowers like Scott has.

My old house

This is the picture of the living room of my nephew's house. He just turns 30. I was taking care of him when he was born until he was 2. I came to US to go to school and ended up staying here for 27 years. I went home every 2-3 years but did not have a chance to spend time with him. Thanks to Facebook, I am now reconnected with my nephew again. He follows our footstep and became an artist, a designer. He designed and built this house on the land behind our old house. Instead of living in the condo, highrise in the city, he choose to live on the ground. You can see through the window, on the background, my old house. It must be almost 100 years old, built with teak wood so it withstand the climate for 4 generations.
You can see more of his house Krit & Mariko's house here. Notice the Japanese influence in the design and the way he left the space for the existing tree. Love it, love it.
Also the dinning table was the one that we used since we were kids.
Next year we will tear down the old house, keep the wood, of course, and build a studio for him. I am so proud of my nephew, and can't wait to see what he comes up with the new addition.
Krit and I had agreed to do corroborated work for Synergy 2 next year. He asked what can I make with Polymer Clay, and I told him that I can make just about anything with Polymer clay. We will see.