Monday, February 23, 2015

SWD Polymer Clay Tutorial - Scrap Heart

I have an unreasonable amount of scrap clay that's just been sitting around waiting to be used.  Here's a quick and simple project to take that scrap clay and turn it into a heart.  Use the heart as a pendant or in a mixed media project.   If you enjoyed this video tutorial, give me a thumbs up, comment or subscribe to my channel.  Thanks for joining me in my studio.

Friday, February 20, 2015

Build A Line Challenge from B'Sue Boutiques, Maria Clark of Sweet Willow Designs, Part Two

Welcome to Part 2 of the B’Sue Build a Line Challenge.  My emerging line combines brass stampings and filigree from B’Sue Boutiques and my own polymer clay faux soutache.  Faux soutache is a traditional fiber arts technique that uses colorful braided cords to make intricate and fluid jewelry designs.  I’ve interpreted the soutache in polymer clay which offers endless options for color and design.

I started by selecting a range of brass options that caught my eye and that I thought would pair nicely with the polymer clay.   I had leaves, flowers large and small, filigree and ornate brass plates.  Initially I was overwhelmed as I envisioned using three of the large flowers in a statement necklace.  

Luckily there are three other artists participating in the challenge that live in the Denver area, Lynda O'MaraAlexandra Sefton and Lori Prull Meyer.  Lynda got us all together to talk about what we were creating.  We each shared our progress and sought advice from the others.  This proved to be really helpful to me as the main advice from the others was to simplify my vision.  The relief was immediate.  I don’t have to create wild, large pieces – simple may be better for my style.  Finding myself renewed and inspired by meeting these artists, I was ready to go.


I’m starting at basic bracelets.  I used the brass ornate framed piece as my base, curving it into a bracelet shape.  Using silver Gilder’s paste I changed the color of one of the brass pieces to match a button I planned to use as a focal.








I sculpted directly on the bracelet blanks, cured them and used E6000 to glue the polymer clay to the brass.  The polymer clay does not adhere to the metal so lifting it off is a breeze.  The colors are a turquoise, gold and purple.



In the second piece I created I experimented with a two tone look by leaving the brass its original color and a silver button.  So far I’m liking the initial designs and am starting to generate more ideas for the next pieces.


For 2015 I planned to join several challenges and push myself to try new techniques and explore my creativity.  I’m not sure production work is for me though I’m glad to learn from the talented artists pushing themselves to create a jewelry line.  It’s fun to see where this takes me.

Please take a look at the other fantastic artists participating in the challenge by visiting their blogs below.


Brenda Sue Lansdowne, B'sue Boutiques

Marcia Tuzzolino

Jann Tague

Judy King

Linzi Alford

Cynthia Wainscott

Carole Carlson

Lynn Stinten

Marica Zammit

Catherine Shattuck

Michaele Collie

Mary Craig

Lee Koopman

Erin Whitacre

Monica Casady

Leila West

Cindy Peterson

Leila Belcher

Gloria Allen

Pamela Anger

Tammy Adams

Lynda O'Mara

Elizabeth Hildreth

Dana Hickey

Janet Calardo

Maria Clark

Lori Beekman

Jennifer Kroeger

Amy Jorgensen

Robin Reed

Ingrid Anderson

Louise O'Shields

Susan Killam

Mary Katherine Deis

Nike Bottalico

Susan Bowerman

Kristy Le

Jan Peters

Mitzie Crider

Gina Hockett

Linda Anderson

Alexandra Sefton

Melida Boman

Teresa Shurter

Melissa Latimer

Renee Hong

Nadine Edris

Lori Meyer

Jennifer Merrill Williams

Denise Lussier Poirier

Renee Allen

Autumn Adams

Elizabeth Owens

Kat BarronMiller

Sandra Ballard

Coral Law