5/16/16

More bead making

I used much of what's left of my dark beads here:Soil and Sacrament. Dark rustic choker with polymer clay art beads and tourmaline gemstones. Handmade artisan necklace
Soil and Sacrament.
Those Chunky garnet tourmalines were part of Kathystash. Also a long Gobi Desert Agate and an awesome tassel from TeapotandTelephones' shop.

I even show three ways to wear it. That side one works because the stones are heavier than the polymer.
Nephefliad- Sterling silver and turquoise artisan earrings with art beads- rustic assemblage jewelry by fancifuldevices
Nephefliad
I made these with two of the special sterling bits from Inheritance Haul, as well as lampwork and my own polies.
Citrus polymer clay art beads- three (3) large wheel handmade artisan crackle beads in bright yellow and orange by fancifuldevices
Citrus
I put more of these up, which I now call my Citrus series.Citrus polymer clay art beads- three (3) large cubic handmade artisan crackle beads in bright yellow and orange by fancifuldevices
Citrus
I'll proly never sell any since I had to make them pretty expensive because of the time they took to make.
Crushed Bouquets- rustic polymer clay connectors. Earring pair. Two (2) handmade artisan art beads
Crushed Bouquets
I was actually able to sell a few of these, mostly to the same lovely lady who gave me the idea to put them up for sale in the first place. It literally hadn't occurred to me. I thought I'd just make like a million different things with these. Then this gal convoed me about them and I was like, with the time it took to make I'd have to charge about $15/pair and I can't see anyone paying that. And she was like "I would!"
Broken Rainbows- rustic crackle polymer clay art bead set (6)- handmade artisan beads- dusty blues
Broken Rainbows
All the different bits have a series name now. Like these are broken rainbows.

I put glass paint in the cuts.
Broken Rainbows- rustic polymer clay art beads set (4) handmade artisan crackle beads by fancifuldevices
Broken Rainbows
The wheel above has been back-painted with black.
Broken Rainbows- rustic crackle polymer clay art bead pair (2) in rectangular cubes- handmade artisan beads- lavender, violet, plum, purple
Broken Rainbows
Back-painting is what I call painting then spending five hours removing the paint in all but the crevices.
Broken Rainbows- rustic polymer clay art beads- pair (2) cubic handmade artisan crackle beads in periwinkle blue by fancifuldevices
Broken Rainbows
If anyone knows a real actual term for that, please let me know.
Broken Rainbows- rustic crackle polymer clay art bead set (6)- handmade artisan beads
Broken Rainbows
Here, all these were back painted.
Fractured Stones- rustic crackle polymer clay art bead earring pairs (4)- handmade artisan beads- grey and pink
Fractured Stones
It's an amazing technique, brings out ten times more detail than you could see before.
Fractured Stones- rustic crackle polymer clay art bead earring pairs (4)- handmade artisan beads- grey and pink
Fractured Stones
If I ever manage to sell anything in this Fractured Stones series I'll have to make extra sure I'm packing and sending off the right ones.
Fractured Stones- rustic crackle polymer clay art bead earring set (5)- handmade artisan beads- grey and pink
Fractured Stones
Small beads are harder to make in polymer, since your hands are your main tool and fingers are clumsy, lumpy logs. So yeah, no lower price for smaller beads like in Czech glass.
Fractured Stones- rustic crackle polymer clay art bead earring pairs (4)- handmade artisan beads- grey and pink
Fractured Stones
But I find smaller beads more useful, more in keeping with regular sized jewelry, so I make the effort to make them.
Crackling Embers- rustic polymer clay art bead set (6)- handmade artisan beads in mustard
Crackling Embers
Ok, these, are quite different. They take much of their color from glass paint.

There are so many things to try! I came up with all the above by blending together several different techniques from several different tutes. Polymer clay rewards experimenting rather a lot.

I still haven't listed these.


I was going to make Them into earrings like this doodle but then I realized I could just sell them as-is as a set of earring pairs or earrings almost ready to go or something... Like, I already put a bunch of work in, you do the rest. That could appeal to crafty etsy types? I'm just way backed up in my regular studio stuff.




Here's a bracelet connector that was a conglomeration of failures.
It has a wire base within and was baked in two stages...

But if you're wondering why it has a weird yellowish edge happening, yeah. I'm wondering too. So I either get rid of that or add it to the center. Good thing I went through the trouble of taking and editing all these pictures for no reason!
I kept some babies to make something finished myself. Here's what I have so far:


I figured out how to make a four-strand flat braid:

This is before treating it to my technique of tightening it up by getting it wet then running it over an open flame. But I did add a bunch of alcohol inks to even out the color. Here's the back without that, see?

I was about to list these:

But then I decided to make something with them instead.
And I never showed y'all these:

Which I haven't listed because I've been needing beads to go with a bunch of brownish things lately so I'm hoarding. The two lone beads in the middle I totally forgot to pierce before cooking.
Anyway, that's what I've been up to.
Thank you guys for your sweet comments about my beads. It was a real moral booster when the price makes a lot of sales unlikely. Especially Fade and Remain who wrote, "Those beads are everything. Forever and ever amen." I love you! She also asked for a tute. Sigh... OK... if you're talking about the brown ones, they came about because I failed miserably at this--when I did the one thing she clearly stated not to do, which was to use translucent pardo clay, cuz it'll turn your colors to mud. So then I back-painted with pale gold paint after those were a terrible failure. So there's your tute?
barkpost  animated lol animated gif funny gif

So much for my plans for shorter blog posts with more updates. I don't have the patience or wherewithal to plan that much.
Give it back, you little jerk. [video]

When your short friend tries to start a fight. (via blakebb)4gifs:
“Did you know you can get free drinks at this bar? Well, toucan. [video]
”4gifs:
“ No ball for you. [video]
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4gifs:
“ Dogs have fun with play tunnel. [video]
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1 comment:

Penelope said...

Ok you there listen up - here's a free lecture on pricing confidence. The first thing I want you to do is get into your head the mantra 'my customer has more money than I do'. While it sometimes might not be true, it is a lot easier to remember than 'my customer has less talent than I do and/or a lack of inclination to learn and chooses to spend their money on mine because they have different priorities than I do'. It's like... when I go out for dinner I don't get salmon because I can make that (brilliantly) at home, I get curry or a really good steak, because I'm not good at those.

Then also consider your polies are like miniature, globular paintings, they are entirely unique in the world and they were made by a famous person.

Now a bonus lecture on fail: you gotta remember that when an artist fails, what they're really doing is learning - 'fail' is just another word for 'experiment yielded unexpected results'. If you didn't like the results, now you know what not to do. If you accept experimenting as a part of what you do (and I know you do) then expecting certain results from any untested activities is the only wrong turn.

There's your tutorial! You broke my heart with that sloth guy - his face! Poor devastated slo-mo. But then I cheered up with the dog tunnel.