2012 Ornament Blog Hop

I have been making ornaments since Halloween! I found a box of glass ornaments at a garage sale. Brought them home and have actually rummaged through my own stash of Christmas decorations to make more. They are all polymer clay. I hope you enjoy my journey. I can't wait to see what all the other artists have made. I'll be posting everyone's links as soon as the list is distributed. Stay tuned...

I am busy making miniature ornaments for my mother's little tree that she displays in her bedroom. I'm having fun trying to stay within the "mini" aspect of this little project. The naked ornaments are 1" in diameter. They look dull because they have not been baked or finished. I am posting this today in preparation for the annual ornament blog hop that will begin December 4, also, my 60th birthday! Anyway my Dec. 4 post will share my entries in the blog hop and all the links of all the other artist's ornaments.

Head on over to see the rest of the festive decorations created by jewelry designers and bead makers. Happy Holidays! Humblebeads Treasures Found Song Beads Viki O'Dell Sue Beads Modern Nature Studio Diane Hawkey Suburban Girl Studio Jen Judd Rocks Ellie's Bijoux Island Girl's Insights Life By The Seat Of My Pants Too Aquarius Shelley Graham Turner Artfully Ornamental Charis Designs Jewelry Harrison Hollow Designs Silver Nik Nats Bead Soup Mix Toodles and Binks Bead Recipes Play Sculpt Live BeeTree by M.E. Billi RS Rothe A Half-Baked Notion

Polymer Clay First Switch plates

I started experimenting with plastic switch plates and polymer clay veneers last month. One of the gallery owners, in Gatlinburg, liked the idea of switch plates when I mentioned to her what I was working on in my studio. I have been taking advantage of free tutorials I find on the internet about polymer clay techniques. I have been learning to make new surface treatments and patterns for the flat surfaces on the switch plates.

This is the first triple slot switch plate I have made. The detail technique that creates the high relief texture is a new technique for me. I learned to make a slice of clay thick enough to serve as a support for the center of each switch plate while they baked. Good lesson for me.

The two single switch plates, each with a monochromatic layered or tiered color surface, is another new technique. I really like it. I'm experimenting with various colors to find dramatic, bold color combinations in the clay "sandwiches" that I make, to create the layered or tiered look. It's a white sheet of clay sandwiched between two contrasting colors. That sandwich is rolled through the pasta machine at different thicknesses, torn and layered on the surface of the switch plate. The tutorial called it a "faux watercolor" technique. This is a surface treatment I can see using and I'm having great fun playing with the color...polymer clay is like art crack. :-)

I'm Out of Ornaments

I received an unexpected email from one of my galleries, "I'm out of ornaments!". So, I search through my own stash of Xmas decorations knowing I had plain glass ornaments to hang on my tree. Of course, the box of plain red ornaments was in the fartherest back stack...on the bottom. Always, right? I commenced making red and green themed canes and ran out of red and green Argh. But I concocted a green and decided to use 'tomato red'. Not perfect but, they were out of ornaments! I work all day and make five new ornaments.

Then I check my email that evening and reread the out of ornaments email. There was a little comment at the very end that said, "I have only one little ginger man left. Great, I should have read a little more carefully...they're out of gingerbread ornaments! So, I have no clay the color I used last year, and still out of red and green. I used the concocted green and discovered a little special effects red stashed away in my fancy clay box. Here is the last two days of polymer clay gingerbread people. Still need to add copper hangers but I'll be going to the gallery in a day or so. Whew!

End of October Projects

Still singing Christmas carols while I work with my Autumn palette. Thought I would share what is finished to make room for all the new projects...ie., Holiday projects.

October Potion Bottles

New potion bottles and autumn palettes. Having a chilly, cloudy, rainy October Sunday. I finally turned on the heating. It was cold this morning. Playing with my clay today!

Sealing Ornaments with Cows

My fingers healed and I have finished sanding the ornaments. Today has been a beautiful day perfect for spray sealing/glossing polymer clay. I noticed as I worked that I had an audience. Somewhat disinterested but watching never the less...cows.

September Photo Shoot

I realized I was creating new bags, see earlier posts, just to avoid the big photo shoot I have, also, been ignoring. So, two new bags later I couldn't justify putting the shoot off any longer. I'll share the new bags in the future and stay focused on all the new Etsy listings I have to create because of the photo shoot.

Here are the first items made with polymer clay and vintage embellishments, photographed and photo shopped. The sunburst shaped fan brooch with a bone face is "Ra". The fan brooch with the bone frog is called "Lily Pad".

Ornaments in the Studio

Getting myself revved up for the Holidays. Found a box of ornaments at a neighbors yard sale and thought I would give them a try.

I only have twelve right now, here is eight ornaments so far.

Nothing is finished but, this is the theme for my holiday weekend in the studio!

Kitchen Table Bags: Making and Bagged

I am using all the leftovers from all the batik bags I have been posting about. So, this is the next, but not last kitchen table project.

I couldn't throw away those gorgeous scraps of high-end upholstery samples and I'm not tired of working with the silk and silver ribbon borders. I plan to use these smaller bags to hold the polymer clay goddesses I have been beading ribbons for.