How hot is it????

It's been so hot here the past few days!  (more than 34') that even my candles couldn't handle being under the gazebo! Thank goodness it's not quite so hot today but I don't think my candles will make a recovery!

Another beauty

This bead was made by  Barbara Colautti,  one of our Southern Ontario Polymer Clay Guild members .
She pays so much attention to detail when she works and the finish on all of her beads is impeccable!
(She's very fortunate to have a husband that does all of her sanding and polishing for her! ) I wish that you could feel how smooth this bead is.  She sells her work at various shows in Ontario.  A few of us are in the process of trying to convince her to open up an on-line store so that more people can see her work .  (hint, hint Barbara)

Barbara used the Circle All-In-One CaBezel mold along with her faux ivory technique to create the lentil bead.
For the centre she used the Feather Boa  texture sheet.

Polymer clay meets home decor!

A few weeks ago I decided to make some changes to our bedroom.  I started by painting the walls a soft warm grey. Then i purchased some new floral bedding, made some Roman blinds and then i needed some new throw cushions.  I love making pillows because the options are endless and this time i decided i needed to add some big buttons.  Nothing in my button stash was big enough so i decided to play around with the All-In-One CaBezel molds.
These are my first attempts!  After using the mold on white clay i decided that for both of the shapes i wouldn't keep any of the bezel (or frame) i just just cut around the outside of the cabochon.  After I baked them, i applied some Guilder's Paste to the surface (i used the one called "patina") When that had dried i sprayed them with a coat of Preserve Your Memories II (PYM II), waited a while and sewed them on!

Some shining examples

I was surfing around this morning and I found these.  More beautiful work by Carolyn Good!  I love to see what others do with the CaBezel molds.
Send me some photos of what you've created with any of my molds or texture sheets and I may put them on my blog!

 All of the large focals were made using the "3 Fab Focals 2" mold and the side pieces below were made using the "Lemon-Egg" mold.

I'll be releasing 3 more shapes for the All-In-One line VERY soon!!!!!

Another "How to" video

I've just finished making another video to give you some ideas for using the Heart shaped All-In-One CaBezel mold!
I hope that I've improved since the last video.  Please feel free to give me some feedback.  Let me know if there is anything i can do to improve .  Is the video too detailed?  Too long?  Have i missed anything?
Perhaps you've seen something that I've created on my blog and you'd like to see how i made it??
 Let me know!! Email me here.

You can watch the video here and you'll also find it on my YouTube channel with the rest of my older slideshows and videos.

A sculpting workshop with Kate Church

I just spent an exhilarating 3 days doing an intermediate doll workshop with Kate Church.  If you aren't familiar with her work you can take a peek here.  Her characters are full of whimsy and joy and I always find myself being drawn in for closer examination when i look at one of  Kate's' sculptures. Kate is quite the character herself. Not the boisterous over-the- top or get- in-your- face type though.  She is quietly interesting and intriguing.  Just like her characters' smiling faces draw me in, so too does she. She tells interesting stories as she shows us her methods for  sculpting.  She uses her own face to demonstrate the different planes etc , even pushing her own skin with the handle of a small paintbrush to demonstrate where the clay needs to be pushed or pulled or tucked!  Her methods are unique and simplified and one where there are no mistakes.  If you've made a mistake, Kate has a solution!   An endearing and kind woman.  If you're looking for sculpting workshop i would highly recommend one of hers.  She is teaching in Haliburton this summer. (I'm almost tempted to sign up again!)  If you've never experienced the camaraderie of a workshop filled with woman that all share the same interests it's a must for you.

Here is Kate:                                             another  one of Kate's sculptures

I didn't get anything finished but here is look at 2 of the heads i  started. 

 Here are the same 2 heads with some added detail (still unfinished) and a few other sculpted body parts.

Romantic at Heart

 Lately I've been playing around with steel and making my own links and clasps.  I have a long way to go but I  sure am having fun learning. (If anyone knows of a workshop available in the Ontario area for working with steel let me know.  I'm up for the challenge)
There is something truly rewarding about taking a dirty piece of steel and forcing it into new shapes and then pounding on each and every link with a hammer on a steel bench block! (actually though I could do without the noise !)

I wanted to see what I could come up with using the A-I-O Heart mold. (I'll do a quick video soon to show you that part of the process.)
I also made all of the charms from scrap clay and then included some of the glass dangles from a old broken chandelier. (I'm so glad that I kept all of the interesting bits when the light fixture broke (probably 5 years ago!)  I've gotten used to the odd looks from my family when i stash things. I know YOU can relate right?