Oriental Cuff..

I tried using the metal leaf that I purchased months ago from Genty's Clay Creations. It was really fun to use! I experimented also with alcohol inks. I made something oriental looking. I'm getting hooked on making cuffs nowadays! I'm planning to make another one using a different technique again:) Here's the oriental cuff..

I used a metal base inside the cuff. It's very sturdy and a bit adjustable:)

Pls. visit my blog tomorrow. I will post a how-to tutorial again! See you and have a blessed Sunday!

Conditioning Crumbly Clay...

I have a small plastic bag full of crumbly clay. I made a mistake of wrapping them with wax paper before our stuff were shipped out. So when they arrived a month after..the wrapped clays were so crumbly! All the plasticizers in the clay where gone. I have to revive them again so that I can use them. I'm really a scrooge when it comes to clay LOL! I always see to it that I don't waste any. It's also my way of helping Mother Earth.:)

I just want to share with you how I revive old and crumbly clay. I don't use clay softener or liquid clay to make them soft and come together. I don't like the mess that it creates..the color of clay staining your hands and the squishy/mushy feeling LOL!:) Here's what I do..

Tips:

1. As for the color combination that you want to make. It's nice to follow these color mixes. (this is from Donna Kato's Millefiori Techniques Book)

2. You can also use scrap clay as long as it is still fresh! What do i mean by fresh? It is still easy to condition and still soft!

3. flatten, add crumbly clay, fold and then flatten again, add crumbly clay, fold, flatten...you have to do this over and over again until you see that the two types of clays are mixing well together. It is less messy if you do this with the roller instead of passing it through your pasta machine already. I really don't like clay crumbs falling everywhere!! LOL! When you see that you can already pass it through the machine with no crumbs falling then go ahead use it already :P

Hope my tips can help you say hello to your crumbly clays again! :)

Challenges..

It's so nice to join groups that share the same love that i have for polymer clay:) These groups have monthly challenges that can really test your creativity and can keep you up on your toes in thinking of designs that follow the theme of the challenge.

Clay Friends had their own challenge for this month...and its all about using the Mica! Sadly, I didn't get to join this one. But I love all the projects that they made:) You can check out all the entries here.

I joined the challenge in P3 or Philippine Polymer Clay Guild. It's called the Pinoy Challenge! You have to incorporate indigenous materials in your clay project! I chose sinamay and this is what i came up with..

I was supposed to make a necklace using the petals..and it was supposed to be gumamela..but at the last minute i changed my mind! LOL! But I'm happy with what I made. (detailed pics here) I think using sinamay as a base for your cuff is nicer than using metal cuffs because its lighter and cheaper. You can also bake that medium with your clay. So there's no risk of your project getting burnt. Thinking of making another one..:) Pls. watch out for the other works of the guild members..they will be posted soon on the P3's Facebook Page.

There's another challenge that Im thinking of joining and it has Cirque Du Soleil as a theme! I'm sure as soon as you read the topic...you're mind is already thinking of circus designs...right?!? Wishing that I can think of a design soon!

Now off to finishing that tutorial! :)

Have a good week everyone!

Varnish Bottle..

When my claying and beading stuff arrived, I needed a new bottle for my varnish because I can no longer open the cap of it's original container. It became sticky and the cap just got stuck to the rim :( Luckily, the cap has a spout, so it's still possible for me to transfer the liquid to a new bottle. Luckily also, I kept the vinegar bottle I bought a month ago. I loved it's unusual shape that's why i kept it. The opening of the bottle is also wide enough for the paint brush that I use in applying the varnish.

I can't just use it as it is..I needed to decorate it with what else...but Clay! LOL! I looked in my clay boxes and found my scraps. I also found some polymer clay canes that I made before and was planning not to used them anymore and mashed them together when I thought..why not just use this canes in decorating the bottle. So here's what I came up with..

See..it has a nice shape right? :)

I used the mica shift technique for this..

Left side..

middle part..

right side..

Lesson learned..always keep unusual shaped bottles and never say goodbye to your scrap clay canes. Lol!:)

Finally i had the time to make the rose cane that Jen of Purpleluggage taught me before we left. (thanks again jen! ) Here's what I made..

I will make more soon. Now back to taking care of Liam and then back to my working table!:)

Loving Catchy Crafts...

There's a craft store near our place called Catchy Crafts! It really is a haven for craft addicts like me! (photos grabbed from their blog)

a wall full of Stamps!!!

lots of papers and there are so many designs of chiyogami/japanese papers

Some more stamps at the back...

and lots of craft punchers. cuttlebug stamps, embossing powders etc..etc..!

Sadly they don't have polymer clays available there, only scrapbooking stuff but still there are lots of "scrappy" tools you can use with clay such as stamps, alcohol inks..etc etc..!

Of course..I won't go out of the shop without anything in my hand LOL! I think this is the 5th time that i've visited the shop..always going home empty handed but today's different...today's the big Purchase day!! :P

So these are the things I bought...

alcohol inks!! excited to use it!
tried this yesterday! I will post pics of the charms i colored with it.
STAMPS!!! yahooo!:)
card stocks...I'll be using it as backgrounds for pictures.
chiyogami paper!! they are so pretty!

Now off to experimenting with them...have a good week everyone!:)

mica shift..

First time to play with clay using this technique! It was really fun to do:) I used the ff.: sculpey texture sheet, i mixed gold sculpey3 and brown Nendo clay.

starting to shave off the elevated parts..

starting to see the image..

tadah! flat and i can see the stamped image clearly!

Cut a portion of it and put it on a setting..still thinking of just making a clay frame for it..

I love how the image shifts with the light! It's so pretty in person..I still don't know how to take a picture of it properly..will ask hubby.

Now I'll try to use other stamps and other colors of clay. I think this technique is very nice to use in designing compact mirrors and lockets!:)

Have a good week everyone!

when the crafting and claying bug bit me...

I wasn't prepared because I have nothing to tinker with! It was really frustrating! I was like an addict who badly needed to sniff..not any bad substance but the smell of baked polymer clay! LOL!

I was so inspired by the works of my fellow clayists belonging to the Philippine Polymer Clay Guild. The Challenge last month was to make something using clay and trash...it was aptly called Trash to Treasure! All of their works were really something you'll forever treasure.

You can look at the entries here.

3 entries with the most likes will win. The 3 winners were..

Jen of Purpleluggage (1st prize)

Jhoi of Enjhoi with Clay (2nd prize)

Melody of Crafting Time (3rd Prize)

Looking at each one of them added more fuel to the fire!! Lol! So many ideas entered my head but i have no materials to use. :P I was really itching to make something! First i thought of learning how to knit..but after watching tutorials about it...I felt that it wasn't for me. So when Liam and I went to the library..i saw a book about making your own fleece monsters (which I'm sure Liam would love to play with)! After reading the book...we went straight to the craft store to buy thread, needles, stuffing and felt! I asked Liam what monster does he want me to make first and he answered Rufus! After making one, i was hooked! I made 5 monsters..here they are...

I'm happy because Liam was really happy playing with them! He still sleeps with the little star monster that he calls "Berry"!

Now my clay and tools are already here and with so many ideas and projects in my head..i don't know what to make first! Finally, I've decided to start with the tutorial that I've been thinking for a month already! Hopefully tonight the claying bug will bite me again so that I can start making these projects.

So hello clays and beads....we meet again!:)