Thursday, September 3, 2009

Bones and Stones

Now the mayhem and getting ready for the season I love so much begins. I have been waiting for this forever it seems.

Wear a fabulous knuckle necklace, a bone to pick, to a spooktacular evening of elegance ala a stony entrance with appendages dangling from your neck.
*all links in this list will lead to my husbands http://www.clayfactory.net/ store if you are looking for these products*

You will need:

Cernit phthalate free polymer clay 1- 2 ounce package of opaque White, Caramel, and Granite
7/16” round or teardrop cutter
Ruler
Slicing blade
Ne-Opaque Black or brown
Stencil Brush ½ inch round
Bamboo skewer
Old towel
Cylindrical glass jar or rolling pin
Copper wire 14 gauge
Wire tools round nose and side cutters


Mix 4 parts of white to 1 part of caramel until it is one color



 
 
 
 
 
 
Roll out a coil that is 3/8” to 7/16”

Cut in to 2” sections
I use17 sections for the necklace and 3 sections for the bracelet



 
 
 
 
 
 
Place one of the sections on the top of your fingers and roll the fingers over the coil and smash the coil into your fingers


Sometimes I even have to squeeze my fingers down with my other hand to make very deep impressions
Do this to all of the 20 sections you have

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Poke holes in all 17 sections at one end for the necklace




 
 
Cut 2 of the 4 in to 3rds, and 1 of the 4 sections in to 4ths (I show 2 of the sections cut in half I didn’t like them that long and decided not to use them)


Poke holes through the middle of each cut section you have made.

These will be for the bracelet.

Condition the granite clay and roll out to ¼ thick with a glass or rolling pin


Cut out circles or teardrops with the cutter

Roll those in to balls and flatten a little with your fingers
Pole a hole through the center of each one

Bake all of your bones and stones in a preheated 275 degree oven for 30 minutes, shut off the oven let cool.

When pieces are completely cool take the stencil brush and load it up with black or brown Ne-opaque and punch the color in to all of the bones.

Take the old towel and wet it a little and squeeze out the excess.


Wipe off the extra paint and leave the bones looking old and rotten looking.
I have strung mine on to 14 gauge copper wire and bent hooks in each end for both the bracelet and the necklace
 
 
 
 
 

It doesn’t have to be fancy, just loops on each end like the bracelet will be fine.

Wilma Flintstone would be jealous.

27 words of wisdom:

PurestGreen said...

How utterly fantastic is that knuckle necklace. It appeals to my Nightmare-before-Christmas-loving self. Just gorgeous.

Kathndolls said...

I love your method for the "Bones"!! too cute and easy!!! Thanks for sharing!!

Creager Studios said...

OK...so that is probably one of the coolest things I have seen all season...I ADORE that necklace... I might have to try my hand at one.... WONDERFUL Marie...thanks so much for the How-To!!

Such a talented lady...

Hugs,
Jodi

LDWatkins said...

I love them! Neat way to make 'bones'. You are just amazing, my friend.

Designs By CK said...

SpOOky cool necklace!

Also LOVE the witch potion bottle you made for MarZel (Marie). I vant one too!!! '-)

Have a great holiday weekend!

SpOOky CK (-:

Susan said...

What a cute and spooky project. I have glow-in-the dark Cernit that I think I will try. Thanks for another great tutorial. Susan

Cindy Pack said...

LOL! I am so glad to find out those are PC and not real bones! They look real! And were really freaking me out! LOL! These are great! And just in time for the season! :)

Pattee said...

Marie you are so creative!!!
I'm going to try this for my Day of the Dead sculls!
Pattee

Marie S said...

Thank you Purest Green.
Thanks so much for coming over to see it.

Marie S said...

LOL!! Kathi I made a necklace like this in 1972 and sold it. It was one of the reasons I started making jewelry all of the time.
I loved the way the stoneware squished in my hand and came out with awesome patterns that looked like bones. Then I used oxide on them and fired them again, just to see. It was awesome.
Much easier in polymer clay though.

Marie S said...

Thank you so much Jodi, you have made my week.
Thank you!!!

Marie S said...

Thank you so much Lynda!!!

Marie S said...

Double thank yous Darlink CK.
I might be talked in to a little trade!!! LOL!!!

Marie S said...

I think the glow in the dark Cernit would be fabulous Susan!!
How fun!!!
I am going to make one too!!!

Marie S said...

Thank you so much Cindy, that is sweet of you!!
I couldn't believe how real they looked either the first time.

Marie S said...

OH awesome I can hardly wait to see Pattee!!!

Diana Evans said...

Hi Marie!!!

this is fantastic!!! I love the creativity and can only imagine what you will be creating in the days to come!!!

Hugs
Diana

Renee said...

Cool Marie, so many of you love halloween it must be the fun you can have making everything.

Love Renee xoxo

Renee said...

You can start drinking but certainly not start filling. I have enough over here.

xoxoxo

CassyM said...

Those bones are fantastic. You always find a way to do something simply that looks complex, Marie!

Sycamore Moon Studios said...

Thanks so much for the tutorial! I have been doing a lot of clay lately, but it is still a fairly new medium for me. You are just amazing!

gail said...

Hi Marie,,, what an adorable necklace. Thanks for the tutorial. Thats so awesome. I just love halloween!
Thanks for stopping by and leaving such nice words. They always mean so much to me! I know this is going to be a good thing!
Happy Creating,,, hugs, gail

Marie S said...

I have all kinds of stuff running through my mind Diana. The question is though, will I be able to get it all done?

Marie S said...

It for me is one of the best times I had as a child Renee. I just love the fall time, living here where it is hot all of the summer and at the end of summer sometimes the hottest, Halloween was always cooler and there was lots of candy ;-D

Marie S said...

Thank you so much Cassy! What a nice thing to say!

Marie S said...

I think you are amazing Sycamore, your felt pieces are gorgeous, such detal!!!

Marie S said...

Thanks Gail and thanks for stopping by.