I haven't done much claying lately. Been so busy trying to get boxes into the house and stuff put away. Also trying to organize the studio more. I think that is going to be a constant effort but have a good semblance of organization now so have some time to get some claying done. Working on Christmas gifts and hope after the new year to hit it hard and heavy, teach some classes and really do this thing I love doing.

I have been on an optimal health program since June and have so far lost 74 lbs. I still have a ways to go but the increased healthiness and energy is why I have been finally bringing in and unpacking boxes. I love how good I have been feeling and get up early even when I stay up late. Don't take naps any more either. More time to clay!

These bangle and earrings are the only things I have done for awhile but that is just temporary.

The two on the right are new ones. The other I remade after she accidently broke the original. I really felt bad for her. She insisted on paying me again, and I actually was able to super glue the other one so it is usable. The earrings were for fun. These photos aren't on great backgrounds but forgot to do that before she took them so these are just on my work table.

This one is from my Christmas ribbon candy clay and I thought it would be a fun bangle. So it is a Candy Bangle.

With Christmas almost here I wanted to try something I might actually wear myself. The earrings are hollow so will not be heavy when they dangle. The backs are stamped with snowflakes so as the earrings turn they still look nice. I may decide to try to sell them, though. 

Hope you all have a wonderful and Merry Christmas and that the New Year will bring many blessings!

Linda

Fall has arrived and the nights are cool and days are warm and pleasant. I guess I could grow to like this. Flowers still blooming and trees haven't really started turning yet.

Haven't been able to do much clay for awhile but ready to get started and hopefully will be able to set up some classes and have people coming in to clay with. I really miss that and my good friends Colleen and Marta that used to come almost every week. And Judy came for a long time then had some challenges that kept her away. Susan came once a month for Guild. I would like to activate our Guild again and meet once a month for that.

Meanwhile, here are some things I have gotten made.

For Valentine's Day I made lots of Heart Pins. Some I posted earlier, but here are my favorites (with the Houndstooth design and their little red buttons) and a few others.

Some bangles I had fun with. 

A couple of pens and a few Pin/Pendants and Earrings. I even did a little Shamrock lapel pin for my hubby to wear while he was out on the truck. After all, he needs his green, too!

And my latest fun earrings. I saw something like this online so had to make some with the mini Oreo cookies.

 

So hopefully now I will get some good stuff made. After all, Christmas is coming FAST and I need to make some gifts (which won't get posted until after, of course) but some other cool projects to get done. Have a great week and I hope to be back soon.

Loving my day today. Windows open with a slight breeze. Able to sit at my work table and look outside and enjoy the beautiful weather.

I've been neglecting to do some sanding and polishing of several pieces I have had for quite awhile. I have several heart pins and odds and ends that I am now working on. Have projects for jewelry that I need to finish as well.

I also have some pics of a few other pieces I have made and not posted so here goes.

Heart pins

My Blue Pear is hollow and made by shaping a lump of clay until I was able to make the shape, then trap air inside it and seal it. It was a fun project and didn't start out to be a blue pear but that is what developed.

And finally a new little box I made using a rock to make the shape. It started out all black. I made all the little swirlies and balls, etc, from extruded clay ropes (like you would get from a garlic press only we have a tool for this). Then I brushed on mica powders to make the wonderful color, baked it and finished the cut and took it off the rock. It's MUCH lighter now. I think I may make legs for it to sit on but haven't decided just how I will want them to look. Maybe curls of clay to match the top.

By the way, the little fish pictured at the top is also made over a rock, then cut off.

That's it for today. Will be busy the next few days with hubby coming home and weekend and all so see you sometime next week, hopefully with some new projects. Have a great weekend!

Hi out there. As you can tell, I'm not really good at this blogging stuff but need to work at it, especially now that I am able to do clay again. I went many months without because everything was packed up for selling our house and buying a new one. Then had to wait for studio area so I could unpack stuff. Studio still not finished but at least able to do some claying while the finish work slowly gets done.

I had done some fun things before packing but never posted them so will add pics here of some of those things. These were some Christmas gifts.

This project was a blast, too:  It's my Fairy House made over a peanut butter jar. You can put a battery powered tea light inside and it makes a nice glow in the windows and the skylights.

A little girl's favorite is made on a five inch round mirror. Figuring how to photograph a mirror was challenging but parchment paper cut to fit works great.

Deorative Baby Shoes are about 3 inches long. The tag is for birth information. 

What started out to just be a "metal" egg became my own creation that I call Greneggs.

And a most pleasing transformation for a young lady! What a delight it was to make this.

I enjoyed doing these and have lots more in the making. My head is so full of ideas. Now to get some more things made and keep up this blog. Until next time, enjoy something about every single day. Praise God for all He has done for us and continue on your own wonderful adventure story.

For January guild we decided to try a "hammered metal" technique we read about in the new Polymer clay magazine "The Polymer Arts." If you haven't seen the magazine check it out. You can subscribe for a paper copy or a digital copy.

Anyway these are the things I came up with and it was a lot of fun exploring a new technique.

I would also like to let you know about a great club that Trish Hodgens does called PolyClayPlay. As a member you get 12 projects a  month to do. There is a challenge every month that you can also enter for prizes and she has a store where you can purchase your clay things at a discount for members. We also have a Yahoo group that is fun because we get to "visit" with other clay friends and encourage each other in our endeavors.  Check out the club at the link below.

Until next time, let's get claying!

www.polyclayplay.com

Clay Guild for February

February Clay Guild was kind of small...only two of us meeting to take up the challenge of making some things with only Green, White and Black clay (with the allowance of translucent clay if we wanted-but I didn't use it.) so Colleen and I set out to see what we could do.




These are some pins Colleen did with her results.



We tried several different things. I did a Mokume Gane cane but haven't figured what to use it on yet.


Then I twisted some logs of the colors and tried cutting into them at different levels of twisting...




This shows a very early cut and then a much later one with the things below in the middle of that.





So we had a great time and I am excited to see what I can do with some different color combinations.

Well, this started out as just a regular blog but I have decided to showcase my clay adventures from now on. I have really been having a great time. Have met some wonderful new friends online and have also started a local polymer clay guild for the Treasure Valley. It's great fun to share and learn together.

My latest ventures have been lots of heart pins and some neat chocolates. There are some cool new things out there to try so I'll be plenty busy for quite some time.