Monday, November 22, 2010

Works in Progress Owls & More

I made several more wire pieces that will become either pendants or brooches. 

Click on the photos for a closer look.

I will add a pin back to this little guy. I made the wire owl first then pressed it onto a textured polymer clay sheet that I highlighted with PearlEx powders. I used an Exacto knife to trim off the excess clay. After curing I usually seal PearlEx pieces with liquid Kato but this time I used Future. 


This one is fairly big, it measures 2 1/2"x 3 1/2" across.  This was made in two sections which I secured together with glue and wire. My muse and I are still trying to decide how to finish the necklace.... maybe with copper chain, cords or  beads or a combination of materials.  


This is just a funky doodad, not sure how I will use it. I am tempted to try and sell some of my wire doodads as decorations for hats, purses, belts hair clips etc.  



The vintage 40's plastic button was the inspiration for this one, it is a pretty peach that goes well with the orange beads and amber wire. I used light amethyst wire for contrast. I used 28 gauge wire over 18 gauge wire, it has a tighter weave than the ones I made with 26 gauge wire..... I like the look so I ordered more 28 gauge wire from Parawire.  I am such an impulse buyer, I can't resist shiny objects so I had to have every color.

This one is made with brown wire, yellow glass square beads and a couple butterscotch buttons from the 40's.  It will be a brooch as soon as I figure out how to attach the pinback. 


I will be doing turkey day things the next few days,  if I don't have time to post again before thursday I wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving 

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Wire Jewelry & Polymer Clay Beads

It's been a while since my last post, I've had a cold plus we took advantage of the warm Indian summer weather and cleaned out the garage.  It was crammed full of stuff and the squirrels had a field day with the stuffing in the old couch and the boxes of magazines and books.  For little critters  they sure can do a  lot of damage. The garage is looking pretty good. There are still several pieces of furniture that will go to auction.  Once it's done Roger will have a place to store his vintage Mustang and his motor cycle. 

I've been mostly working with wire. I made lots of doodads and some necklaces. Here are three necklaces that I finished.

Click on the photos for a closer look.

The first one is made with blue and gun metal grey wire and blue square beads. It's quite large but I like it. 


The second is my favorite. I use 18 gauge amber wire to create the design and then wove in amber,  brown and bronze 26 gauge wire. The center is a metal button set with pearly gold stones. I made a coiled wire bail and strung the pendant of jasper beads and used brown glass seed beads for spacers. 


The third is gold and sea green wire set with a vintage celluloid button that I've had lying around for a very long time.  The button is missing a couple rhinestones but  it still looks pretty good and the "well loved" look is in right now. There is a little dragonfly bead on the wire.  The chain is made from matching wire.



I used one of the pretty coasters I got in the coaster swap as a background for this large wire bow doodad.   I like the way it looks on the coaster so I am going make a large tile to mount it on and make it into a large medallion style pendant.  According to the experts large is in.  I am going to do the same with more of my wire pieces.


This pendant has a wire frame with a polymer clay center.  Heather thinks granddaughter Amanda might like this one.



Plaid polymer clay framed with amber and sea green wire. 


The last couple months I have been using only Pardo Art Clay but since it doesn't come in metallics I got out my Kato clay to make these textured beads.  The difference in conditioning is quite striking, I had to get out my hammer and pound the clay before I used the pasta machine.  I still like Kato, it doesn't change color while curing, but oh the smell!  The Art Clay doesn't smell at all but Kato sure does.  I've always been a little allergic to it and it did make my eyes itch and my nose run.  

I mixed silver and blue to get the color for these beads. The design is the same on both sides. 



I added a little red to gold Kato for these beads. The design is on both sides.


I made more wire things but I want to mount them on polymer clay before I take photos. I'm working on an owl necklace that I really like.  I hope to get it done today so I can show it to you.

Thanks for stopping by.