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Fun with Beads... Polymer Clay and otherwise...

I had some fun this past week making an eyeglass holder necklace for my sunglasses.  It seems that I am always taking my sunglasses off and popping them on my head.  I promptly orget about them and then I bend over... and off they fly!!  So after the ten millionth time that this has happened, I decided to make some colourful beads, combine them with some seed beads I have had kicking around forever and see what I could come up with.   Here is the result:


Judging from the compliments I've received this past week, they are a hit with lots of my friends and neighbours!!  And since, they work so well with my sunglasses, I decided to make a (more subdued) strand from seed beads and little pearl beads for a friend who has a birthday coming up.


Last week I promised to upload the other necklace that I made with the European bead (otherwise known as Pandora beads) style...



And I have saved the best for last.  Here is the watch band that I made with "circus" colour beads I "cooked up".   I just love it... and according to my hubby... it is so ME!


It's been a busy week playing with clay....  I've been having way too much fun.... LOL!!

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend,

Sharon

A Passion for Purple...

I love purple and I love green.  These two colours find their way into a lot of my creations.  Mind you, I am rather fond of the combinations you can get in what I call "circus colours" too... greens, reds, purples, oranges, yellows.

This past week I had fun creating in both of these palettes in polymer clay.  I have been experimenting with making large (over an inch in diameter) hollow polymer clay beads.  I like that big, chunky look but an oversize bead made entirely from clay would end up being quite heavy.  So I decided to experiment.

I dug around in my stash and came up with some small Styrofoam balls and covered them in clay.  As the clay baked, the Styrofoam held the shape long enough so that the bead didn't collapse.  When the bead was "cured", the Styrofoam ball  had shrunk down to just a tiny ball inside.  It makes for a stunning focal bead!!  Cut the Styrofoam ball in half and you can make a half bead as well.  Give an "organic" shape to some larger flat discs, cut out graduating sizes of smaller discs and you have the makings of an interesting necklace...


I've also wanted to try out making some large, layered beads and some European beads with the large holes in the centers.  However.... I tried at least five times to upload the photo and it just doesn't seem to want to!  So perhaps next week, the 'Net won't be quite so temperamental and you will get to see it along with a watch band I made.

Till then, have a fun week,

Sharon


A Mixed Media Bunny tutorial

Happy Easter everyone! 

Last week I promised to show you the bunny I was hoping to work on this week for Easter.  Since it turned out to be so darn cute and easy to make (less than an hour), I decided I would post the pattern and write up a little "how to" for you as a little gift from the Easter bunnikin!

So let's get started... and take a peek at what she will look like once she's finished.  She is about 8" tall and is a "stand up" bunny that you could put on a windowsill, a table or tucked away in a niche.  She's a real cutie!!


Here's what you'll need for supplies

piece of heavy cardboard 8-1/2" x 11"
Modge Podge or other white glue
Brown ink pad and a piece of polyester batting
about a yard of 1" pink wire edged ribbon
a cluster of small silk roses
something "fluffy" for her tail - I can never remember the name of that furry, fluffy stuff :)
box cutter
scissors
bunny pattern
white paint or piece of decorative paper

Cover one side of your cardboard with decorative paper.  Alternatively, you could also paint it white.

Here's the bunny pattern.  Just click on the link to download it to your computer.  Print it out, glue it to the other side of your cardboard and then cut it out.  Using the box cutter to lightly go round the bunny will make it easier to cut out with the scissors.  

Ink the edges with your brown ink and a piece of polyester batting.  The batting will create a softer outline.  Glue a small piece of the white fluffy stuff to her tail.

Make a stand for the back of your bunny from the leftover cardboard and glue it to the back.

Tie the ribbon round her neck. In the knot (before you make the bow), place the cluster of roses, knot it and then tie a bow.  That's it!  You're done.  Stand back and admire your cute bunny!

Hoppy Easter... may the Easter bunny bring you lots of chocolate!!

Cheers,
Sharon