Friday, January 27, 2012

Pennant Necklace- diy part 1

I see pennants all over Etsy now days. I thought it would be fun to make jewelry using that theme.

I also used the vintage chain I have been selling in the Hoarders Closet. It is sweet, small, strong, and great to work with.

I documented this one to share with you, because it is so much fun to make and wear.


I made both kids sizes and adult.




You will need:

1 color of Cernit (I used Turquoise and Light Green) You could even make each flag a different color, just have fun ;-D
Clay machine
double ended knitting needle
22 gauge artistic wire in Non-tarnish silver
Triangle cutter in 5/8" size

Round cutter in 5/16" size
Alphabet stamps (I got mine at Michael's)
Flush cutters
Rosary pliers or needle nose pliers
Flat nose pliers
Tiny Chain

1. condition clay and make soft and pliable, roll out in the clay machine on the 2nd thickest setting.

2. I am making the name "Sarah"
Cut out 10 of the triangle shapes.













3. Cut 5, 3 1/2" to 4" pieces of 22 gauge wire with the flush cutters.













4. Place the middle of the wire over one side of the triangle cutter and bend the ends over the edges.











5. Place the bent wire on one of the sides of the triangle. Put the wire down from the top about 1/16".












6. Place one of the triangles over the wire and on top of the triangle on the bottom. Line the two triangles up and press together.













7.  Press the triangles together and focus on the top of the triangles where the wire is.
I like to pick these up and make sure all the edges are pressed together well and the wire is centered and press well at the wire.









8 Do the same thing to the other 4 sets of triangles and wires.














9. Stamp pennants with letters.













10. Press in deeply and firmly for a clear print of the letter.














 11.  Check the edges and make the pennants are flat after stamping.












12. Using the 5/16" round cutter, I cut out 10 circles from the sheet of clay rolled out on the 2nd thickest setting. Roll these into balls.













13. Use the knitting needle to poke the hole in the beads.
Turn the bead over and poke the knitting needle back through the hole you just made to even the holes out on both sides.











14. Poke through.












15. Bake on a piece of corrugated box cardboard in a preheated 275 degree oven for 30 minutes, shut off the oven and let cool in there until you can touch the beads.









Continued in part 2...

Friday, January 6, 2012

I am teaching at Cabin Fever Clay Festival

I am teaching at Cabin Fever Clay Fest in Laurel, Maryland not far from Washington DC. in February.
You can read about my pre-conference and conference classes here

You can sign up here on the registration page
This is the first time I will ever be teaching my unzipped hearts, how to use the zipper mold, how to make the embellishments, stamping both sides of the heart at the same time,  making and incorporating the ring bail at the top and anything else I can give you in the time allotted.



I will not be the only teacher there either, there are many great artists coming to teach at this event and it is the perfect thing to heat up your cold winter. I am so looking forward to this and meeting new friends and playing with old ones...
Here is the line up
Beginning 17 Feb. 2012, we will offer a two-day masterclass with Jeffrey Lloyd Dever and seven full-day workshops with each of the following incredibly talented instructors: Jana Roberts Benzon, Lindly Haunani, Barbara Lewis, Liz Potter Hall, Nan Roche, Marie Segal, and Sarah Shriver.
On Sunday, 19 Feb., the conference begins and will offer twelve unique workshops and nineteen opportunities to get the creative muse working again!  Instructors include: Blair Anderson, Jana Roberts Benzon, Lindly Haunani, Linda Hess, Doreen Kassel, Shannon Nelson, Kathryn Jo Ottman, Lynne Anne Schwarzenberg, Marie Segal, Sarah Shriver, and Laura Tabakman.



I will also be teaching a class on wire called "All wired up"
That is the pre-conference (master classes) all day workshop on Friday the 17th of February.
We start out making a simple flower cane .
I will be exploring all kinds of ear wires and making a simple clasp for necklaces and talking about wire basket weaving and how to incorporate the cane into the wire.

 This is going to be an incredible conference with many wonderful teachers and 20 classes available to you. I am so honored to be amongst this group.
You should come, it is going to be fun and you will have chance to learn something new in the new year.
All of the instructors are incredibly talented artists in polymer clay, metal clay, mixed media, and metalwork.

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Happy New Year... finally!

Well, the new year is here and I  for one, am excited.
I hope you are too.
The year has been interesting.
Thank you so much my dear friends for staying for the year, for sharing your love and your hearts, and for giving me a reason to keep writing.
I am better for knowing all of you!
Thank you!

I have been playing with some new things. New year, new things, I started early. 
I thought these were very fun and I thought you might like to try too.

This is like scrapbooking jewelry... woooooooooooo whoooooooo.
I knew my boatloads of fun with Jodi would lead to something like this.
I also like it because it is one of the bib necklace findings I just loaded in to my HoardersCloset Etsy store here for gold,
http://www.etsy.com/listing/88706811/vintage-metal-gold-tone-brass-bib
and here for silver,
http://www.etsy.com/listing/88644235/vintage-metal-silver-tone-plated-bib



That is the finding right there in the background above with no decorations on it.
I have had these for years and I have added clay to them and that is fun, but this is cool because I can use all of my newly collected scrapbook and paper supplies on these too.

Here is a pic of some of the things I used on the necklace, plus some scrap book paper.
Yes!

You will need:
1 brass or silver tone crescent
Chain necklace with clasp and jump rings
Scrap book paper 
Gel medium- soft gel
1/4" flat brush
jewels and metal bits
glossy accents
scissors
glue
glitter glue
Distress inks
foam applicator
clay pieces
assorted goodies and beads
brads
Distress ink
paper doilies
Glass rhinestones and cabs
Ribbon
Anything else you think might look wonderful on here




I started with one of the brass crescents   














Cut a piece of paper that is bigger than the crescent.












Glob on gel medium, with flat brush, on to the front of the crescent.
















Turn over the crescent and place it on top of the paper.
Pick up the both of them and press the paper on.
The gel will squish out around the edges
Set this aside and let the gel dry for a little bit.







Cut off the paper below the loop on the crescent.















Like so. Do both sides.













After it has dried a little cut the excess paper around the crescent.











It should look something like this.
I go around the edges and press the edges to the crescent.










Now I cover a paper doily with metallic ink and let it dry or heat set it with a heat gun.














Now I distress the edges of the paper on the crescent with walnut stain Distress Ink.












This colors the edges of the paper so they are not stark white besides giving the paper on the front a nice soft antiqued look. I love this ink!!














I love the way this looks.










I place the doily over the crescent to see where I want it to go and then cut a section out.
















Cut a section to go on one end also, I liked it like that.








I put a layer of gel on to the end where I am going to place the piece of doily and then paint the gel on the back of the doily and place the piece where I want it to go.













Place gel on the back of the other piece and place it where you want it.

Put gel on top of that one.










I set it aside and let it dry on the crescent. Because of the curve of the crescent I lift it upon something (scissor covers) so the edges down.













When dry cut, away the excess doily.
Like so.











With Crafter's Pick Ultimate or E-6000 Glue on your bits.












I had to throw in some clay. I only use a little glue in the centers of the butterflies the glue seems to press out to the edges when I press them down on the paper.










At this point I just start filling up the base with stuff, rhinestones, flowers, keys and other assorted things.
I haven't finished this but I will post it when I do.



Have fun with this. I would love to see what you do.
Have a great 2012, much prosperity, health, and peace for us all.
Blessings all over you all.