Get To The Point!

Here's a great example of how the "Get To The Point" CaBezel mold has been used.  Deborah Groom posted it on FB. I just love when people share their work!! Thanks Deborah.

I will have a tutorial in the upcoming issue of Art Jewelry Magazine (May issue). The tutorial is for making beads but I've included some components using the Get to the Point mold as well.

My new video tutorial on YouTube

                      Using the All-In-One CaBezel molds to create bezels with texture

I recently uploaded this video to give you a few ideas for using the new All-In-One CaBezel molds. I made the video with my recently purchased laptop so this is my first tute using this method!  Hopefully you'll find the video useful and not too painful to watch. I learned a lot about editing with this video (mainly to NOT say "umm" so much and to limit what I speak about) I also learned that it takes a lot longer to edit down a video than it does to create one in the first place!!!

Hollow lentil bead sucess!

This past Sunday I taught a workshop on how to create hollow lentil beads with a transfer inside. Most of the transfers featured birds so I also showed how to create a little nest with eggs for the foreground.
That's Sandra on the left, She is our newest member. Maybe she'll forward a pic to me when she finishes her bead.  That's Cynthia on the right and her bead is the one in the centre of the collage.  The blue beads below were created by Sandy and her friend Melissa.
I got the great digital art from this Etsy seller kathartstudio. She has a great variety.  Just keep in mind when purchasing that you want to get the largest image possible to suit your needs.  The 2"X2" squares were perfect for these beads.  Some of the art was in 1" squares.  I blew them up a bit but then the images blurred .




I made these two.  I was too busy to finish but hopefully I'll get them done this week.  (the artwork inside the bead on the right came from a different source a long time ago. I believe in giving credit where credit is do so I will try to locate my source and post it)
I'm already in the process of creating the tutorial and I hope to have it listed on Etsy soon!

Beautiful business cards for creatives

I stumbled upon these beautiful business cards today. I'm sure they will inspire someone. Take a peek.
http://naldzgraphics.net/inspirations/60-most-beautiful-and-creative-business-cards-design/

The new Pantone colours (as seen by Carolyn at 2goodclaymates)

I landed on the 2goodclaymates blog today and was intrigued by Carolyn's musings on the new Pantone colours. 
The colours are wonderful and Carolyn gives examples and even some recipes for mixing certain colours. 
She definitely has an eye for colours. 
If you scroll down  she mentions how many of us (me included!!) have our favourite colours and how we sometimes keep using the same ones over and over (yep, that's me too!) Can you say green and turquoise"  Those are the colours that I'm addicted to.  Throw in some metallic (usually silver but lately copper is a fav too) and you pretty well have my colour scheme summed up!

I admire how Carolyn can use so many different colour schemes in her work.
I don't normally make New Years resolutions but this year I have secretly vowed to try to get out of my colour rut. (it was a secret 'til now

I now have Carolyn's Colour Clay System tutorial. It looks pretty epic. I've printed it out (it's over 50 pages) She covers a lot of ground in this tut.  I can't wait to dive in.

Here is some of what's included in her tutorial.
* how to mix clay color recipes and organize them with your own color library system
* how to mix up new colors by making your own Custom Color Wheel Charts
* how to make a Six-Step Color Blend
* a fun technique for testing color combinations I call my Mini-Mokume
* how to make some beads from your mokume

 To learn more go here.

 

Simple little reminders

I just love getting these simple little reminders in my in-box. It can help to ground me and put me in my place! I hope that it can touch someone else in a simple way too.

A Secret Scrolls message from Rhonda Byrne Creator of The Secret and The Power  From The Secret Daily Teachings Today, be grateful. Be grateful for your favorite music, for movies that make you feel good, for your phone that connects you with people, for your computer, and for the electricity that lights up your life. Be grateful for air travel that flies you everywhere. Be grateful for the roads and traffic lights that keep the traffic in order. Be grateful to those who built our bridges. Be grateful for your pet, for your child, for your loved ones, for your eyes that enable you to read this. Be grateful for your imagination. Be grateful that you can think. Be grateful that you can speak. Be grateful that you can laugh and smile. Be grateful that you can breathe. Be grateful that you are alive! Be grateful that you are You! Be grateful that there are two words that can change your life. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! May the joy be with you, Rhonda Byrne The Secret... bringing joy to billions Like Us on Facebook  |  Watch Us on YouTube Visit thesecret.tv  |  Store  |  Contact Us

The new All-In-One CaBezel molds are here and available

Another great tool to add to your arsenal. They are still made from the translucent photopolymer that allows you to see through to your clay for perfect design placement. It’s a definite advantage over rubber.

The concept is similar, but they are a bit different too! For those of you that are familiar with the original CaBezels, you’ll know that one side of the mold is for forming the Cabochon and right next to that is what is used to form the matching Bezel.
With the new All-In-Ones, the cabochon mold is centered inside the bezel mold! This allows for both to be created at the exact same time. Of course that also means that both LOOK exactly alike but it is so easy to change either the cab or the bezel.  I like to add a thin cab made of different clay on top of the one that is already there.  These molds are great for photo transfers too. You no longer have to try to shape a transfer to a curve!

Another thing that sets them apart from the originals is the large bezel.  These were designed this way for those of you that like to create things large, and also so that you could cut the bezel to whatever shape you want.  Leave it large and square if you’re into making tiles (mosaic), book covers, belt buckles, purse closures or large pendants. OR cut them down to the a size that suits. You can add texture to them too.

The 3 shapes that are now available are the  circle , the heart and the square (with rounded corners).

I’ll be recording some “how to” videos to show you how I’ve used them so far.

This collage shows the simple progression:

I sheeted some scrap clay on the thickest setting.

I added some silver guilder's paste.

When it was dry I placed the clay on a piece of paper and then used the new All-In-One mold on top.

Then I added some texture to the bezel with a needle too.

Then I started to shape the bezel.

I could have just rounded off 2 sides but i chose to round off all 4 sides with my bendable tissue blade.

I could have made the bezel round by using a cookie cutter. I instead just used the cookie cutters to impress a few lines. (bake it)

Then i added some alcohol inks to the cabochon. When dry, i added a layer of liquid clay and baked it again.

Then I added some blue alchohol ink around the outside.

That was easy!!!!!

I used a fine spritz of water as a release when needed.
Clean up can be made with mild detergent and water or rubbing alcohol.  But remember, no products containing ammonia please.