wire

I like working with wire. In college, I made pins that bare people name, in cursive, using a toughest wire to bend. The kind that dentist used to make braces for people with crooked teeth in the old day.

I stumbled upon a artist who used steel wire to make her jewelry. I like the way it look, so I gave it a try. These wires are tough but forgiving at the same time. Much easier to work with, but my fingers are stronger from working with clay. Not as soft as Artistic wire and the price is just right. You can get them from ACE Hardware Store. I used it to make my rings and ring blanks too.

So I decided to coil it up, made the links, loops and jump rings. My finger tips hurt for a few days, but I really like the result. I decided to dangle small, little beads on it.

I went back to get more wire and found a smaller gauge. Perfect. One of the ring I made last year, I lace the thinner wire through the bigger wire. I like the look and always want to explore more with this form.

I played with the wire and came up with this idea of making a frame and fill it up with clay. Not a new idea, but it will be different look.

Here's one I fill up with a piece of Mokume gane.

Pretty, I like it.
What else I can do with it? Stay tune.

Ideas

People often asked me where do I get my idea from, especially when they looked through my ring trays, and found out that I had made 365 rings last year, and finished the "Ring a Day" project. The ideas are all around me, some are in my head, some are things I've seen on "Bing". Some ideas came when I look at the magazine, got WOW from other artists' works. My head is full of ideas. I can used one everyday as long as I can think, and if I don't use it, my head will explode.
Last week my son came back from college, so I went to see Harry Potter with him. He didn't let me buy a big bucket of popcorn with extra butter and extra large drink, but that's ok, I still love him. While watching the movie, I had this crazy thought of how each wizard carry their wands. Since the young wizard now wearing tight clothing, not long and oversize robe like the older one. Hum, how can you keep the long, sharp, deadly object in your pocket? Harry even pulled one out while he was sitting on the bed.
Ok, I admit, I am a little bit crazy sometime, but it gave me the idea of how I should make these " Magic Wand" bracelets that wrap around the wrist and ready to be used as needed.

Design is the problem solving, and I think I have solved the problem well this time. Have fun with your crazy idea, don't be shy.

Ponsawan Blend

If your passion is Polymer clay, first thing in the morning, after your first cup of Joe, you turn on your computer and check out Polymerclaydaily. Every time I see my work featured there, I fell like I just won a lottery.
This time Cynthia gave the title "Ponsawan Blend" to me. I can't help but laughing. This blend, I have to say, I dreamt it. No kidding. I was planning a bead making class for members of Indiana Bead Society at their monthly meeting which means we will make some beads, baked and they can take the beads home within 2 hour. A few of them took a workshop with me before, most are clay virgins. I want them to make beads using blend sheet, but learning skinner blend is a class by itself and I only have a few pasta machines. So I went to bed worrying and the clay fairly came and told me to simplify the blend. The idea is to line up the color from light to dark, overlap them a little bit, fold and run the sheet through a pasta machine. With a few run, the sheet will be blend, almost perfectly.
The class went well with the help of Le Ann, Kathy and Ann. I divided them into 3 groups, 3 tables with a few pasta machines and each of us take turn teaching different technique at each table, then we rotate. At the end of the night everyone went home with a handful of beads.
I am using the blend to make these mini roses, you can see the tutorial at http://www.polymerclaybeads.blogspot.com/

Here I used the petals to make a cute flower for clip-on earrings.

Pebble-like beads

Back then when it seemed like everyone was making Pebbles, I was hesitant. You see, when they were so worried about who made it first, who was the originator. After all, we just copy of Mother Nature.

My goal this year, with the TADA365 Group, is to make a Collection of Jewelry and my theme is "Lush garden". I am working on elements and things that we will find around the garden. I wish to have a small garden in the backyard where Ada and I can enjoy it together. This way the jewelry that I sell will be more meaningful to me and my customer.
I gathered few stuffs together to use as inclusion; real sand, embossing powder, diamond flake and salt. I rub the salt into the beads to get extra rough texture and poked a few holes. I really like the result.

Fimo translucent clay gave out flakes or bubbles, so they look different. I like the Pardo translucent the most and I only have 1 box left, help me.

I decided to try Inka Gold paint from Viva Decor. The result is different kind of color, more metallic look, but yet, earthy.
So, here's my take on Pebble -like beads, and more colors to come. They are fun to make :)