Fun.playful summertime solutions

I've listened to different people over time say that they need a good solution for hanging their newly made focal beads or pendants on. 
 There are so many different choices to place around your neck. Cords, chains, ribbons, SoftGlass etc.  The list is indeed a long one.

These are great ready made solutions to help you show off your creations beautifully. They can take on many different moods; fun and playful ,masculine or feminine and even sophisticated. Nothing is easier to use and they are very affordable solutions. The colored ones are yummy!!!!
Self locking rubber cord necklaces
Simply squeeze and insert the plastic tip to lock the cord together. each necklace is 18"
For more information you can go to this page

Hello to everyone
I can't believe that it has been almost exactly 2 months since I've posted here on my beloved blog. Not coincidently it has been exactly 2 months since I made the decision to become the proud new owner of Shades of Clay.

Many of you that read my blog posts are familiar with this Canadian on-line store because it is frequented by many polymer clay enthusiasts. Even though the site is called Shades of Clay it definitely isn't just for clayers. The previous owner, Margaret, has done a wonderful job  bringing in many diverse and eclectic products to appeal to a much  wider audience of artists and crafts people.

As most of you already know, Margaret retired just over 1 month ago and handed me the reigns. It is not an easy task filling her shoes. I found out quickly, just how hard Margaret worked behind the scenes to keep everything running so smoothly.
 I have had an exciting month.  Meeting many new people and also reconnecting with many that I have crossed paths with on my polymer clay journey and it has been such a pleasure each day. I would like to thank all of you that either offered me 'congratulations'  in my new endeavour or welcomed me so warmly.
I have lots of ideas for new products and items in the future.
I am still learning everyday and jumping over new hurdles. I truly appreciate everyone's patience over the last month and if it's not to bold....I'll ask for continued patience as well.
I couldn't ask for a better job or better customers.

I'm going to try to keep up with this blog when I come up with new ideas to share.
If any of you follow me on my  The Art of My Clay FaceBook page then you may want to join me instead on The Shades of Clay FB page now.
Talk to you later when I have more news to share.
If you have questions please feel free to email me here.    
   

This was my last time playing with clay using the Blocks 'n Dots CB mold and the Dragon's Breath texture sheet.
I hope that I will get to play again soon.

More wonderful ideas using the CaBezel molds

So sophisticated and eye catching! Beautiful work by Dorothy and David. Click on their link below to see  more.

http://www.dorothyanddavid.com 

Done!!!

I've just finished listing more products on Etsy!!!
Go take a look 'cause I've listed some odds and ends of the CaBezel molds too!!!!.

Big changes afoot!!!!!

I am so excited, and who better to share with than my faithful blog readers! 

There are some BIG changes about to happen in my life!!
I can't tell you just yet what they are, but soon, I promise!
For now though, I am going to be clearing out some stock that I have on hand.
I don't normally have anything to do with my own sales because  as many of you already know,  Shades of Clay is my one and only on-line distributor of both of my product lines:
My CaBezel molds and my Texture stamps.

However, for a limited time, I'm going to be offering up any stock that I personally have on hand  and  you'll even save on taxes as I will absorb them  for a limited time because

  I NEED TO MAKE ROOM!!!!!!  

Included in this special offering are some photo polymer texture sheets thin enough to go through your pasta machine.
My textures are usually only offered in rubber because it helps me to keep my prices more affordable.
But I got an offer to nice to refuse with this batch of designs. (Without this offer I would have had to retail each design for $18.99 Whoa!!!  that's not do-able)
Once they're gone, they're gone baby!!!

Here is the great part for you!  I'm selling these in my Etsy shop for $11.99 each but if you want all 3 designs  the set is only $29.99! (bare with me, so far I only have the set of 3 listed)

 I NEED TO MAKE ROOM!!!!!!  

So stop by my Etsy shop
In a few days

I'll also have some rubber texture stamps (the first batch that came out just a touch thicker than I wanted them to be which means that you can't put them through your pasta machine but you can use any other method of applying the texture to your clay (like stepping on them) or, you can  just ink them up and use them for the design instead of the texture.

I'll also have some CaBezel molds odds and ends so come by and take a look I'll add more stuff in the days to come.

CaBezel necklaces

Well, it looks like Carolyn Good of 2GoodClaymates has been at it again with my CaBezel molds!!!
I really appreciate the fact that she uses them so often and that she is always coming up with new ideas for them. You can see Carolyn's  original post here.

Thanks Carolyn!! You always use such pretty colors together. 

"ORGANIC"
This is the mold that Carolyn used to create her latest necklaces with.
You can find them here.

An idea for how to use the GROOVY texture sheet.

                                            Here is an idea for using the "Groovy" texture sheet.

I used my pasta machine to get a deep impression. Of course if you don't have a pasta machine you can always put the clay on top of a pieca of paper and place it down on the floor with the texture sheet on top and use your foot to get a deep impression.  Don't forget to mist the texture sheet with water.
There are 2 colors of clay here.  A thin layer of light blue on top of a thick layer of orange. (complimentary colors are a great choice for this)

Once you have conditioned your clays leave the base color on the thickest setting and the top layer on about the 3rd thinnest setting on your PM. Now run the 2 layers together on the thickest setting.

Now, run the clay through your PM on a med-thin setting.  Turn the dial back to the thickest setting and run the clay and the "groovy" texture through. The clay will probably curl as it comes through, so make little slits on the long sides to make the clay lay flat again.

Using a soft paintbrush with  Pearlex powders and maybe even Guilder's paste, start tracing around the outside edge of circles with a mid-tone color, then, use a darker color between the large circles and then apply a very light color (i've used yellow here) to the centre of the circles.  What were doing here is playing up the "op art" illusion.

Now for the fun part.  The clay must be stuck down to your work surface before you begin.
Using your sharpest and thinnest flexible blade start shaving off the top surface a little bit at a time to reveal the orange layer of clay below.  The use of complimentary colors  also helps with the "op art" illusion. The shaving may take awhile because you don't want to go too deep.  I obviously need to practice a bit more!!!

 All of my texture sheets are available here.