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...

Marie-tangle beads part 2

This introduction is from part 1 continue below for the rest of the instructions.

I like these, they remind me of Zentangles, but I thought I would call them Marie-tangles, because they are not drawn on, but stamped.

Also, I am anything but Zen most of the time, especially when I am writing the tutorials. When I am creating new stuff, I am all over the place, trying a million things at once.

This is a very old technique for me, using black ink and off white clay, but now, including a stamp that probably was a Zentangle before there were Zentagles, is how these came about.
From part 1

You will need:

Cernit in Caramel, black, and Opaque white
Pearl-ex stamp pad- black (Jacquard has discontinued these stamp pads ;-( I am using Clearsnap/Color Box Ancient page and they are perfect for this. More intense color and they dry on the surface of the clay too, you need that to make the beads and handle them before baking)
Stamps- Jumbo Miro Background
hand 150-002K
Fantasy Flower 2 - lg 260-001L
The stamp I am using is a very old molding mat from Color Box. It looks just like a busy doodle! The other stamps will work as well.
Or you can find your own stamps, with lots lines for this.
Clay Machine
Clay Slicing blade-SB
knitting needle pointed on both ends
5/16" round kemper cutter

Ink up the stamp with the stamp pad. I stamp the pad on to the stamp several times to build up the ink and make sure I have covered all of the lines.

Here is the pad all inked up. I have a small thin piece of packing foam under the stamp here. You can also use a folded old towel if can not find this sheet foam.
This way when you roll the clay tube rod over the stamp, the stamp is flexible and will stamp and mark the whole tube.

Place the rod or knitting needle with the clay on it on top of the edge of the stamp.
If you are using something smaller than these molding mats, then you only want to work with smaller sections of clay tube.
Roll the tube forward by holding the ends of the knitting needle.
You only have to roll forward an inch or inch and a quarter to cover the whole bead.
Do not pick up the bead to check and try to get it back on the stamp in the right place. This is one time deal.
If you screw it up, mash up all the clay and start over again.
It will color the clay, but you can use it for scrap or bead cores.

Here it is covered.

You can see how the ink is pulled of the stamp better here.

Here you can see the slight over stamped area.
















I use this ink because it dries on the surface of raw clay. When the ink is dry I take the bead gently off  the knitting needle, cut them to the size I want. I cut the long one about 2 1/2" long and bend it gently in to a curve.
The others are 3/4" sections and 1/4" sections. The straight beads can be cut after they are baked while the clay is still warm with the clay slicing blade.

Stay tuned for part 3

Marie-tangle beads

I like these, they remind me of Zentangles, but I thought I would call them Marie-tangles, because they are not drawn on, but stamped.

Also, I am anything but Zen most of the time, especially when I am writing the tutorials. When I am creating new stuff, I am all over the place, trying a million things at once.

This is a very old technique for me, using black ink and off white clay, but now, including a stamp that probably was a Zentangle before there were Zentagles, is how these came about.

You will need:
Cernit in Caramel, black, and Opaque white
Pearl-ex stamp pad- black (Jacquard has discontinued these stamp pads ;-( I am using Clearsnap/Color Box Ancient page and they are perfect for this. More intense color and they dry on the surface of the clay too, you need that to make the beads and handle them before baking)
Stamps- Jumbo Miro Background
hand 150-002K
Fantasy Flower 2 - lg 260-001L
The stamp I am using is a very old molding mat from Color Box. It looks just like a busy doodle! The other stamps will work as well.
Or you can find your own stamps, with lots lines for this.
Clay Machine
Clay Slicing blade-SB
knitting needle pointed on both ends
5/16" round kemper cutter

Mix 1/6 of a block of caramel with one whole block of opaque white until it is one color.
Roll out the clay in the clay machine.

Double for thickness and press together the two sheets.

Cut the one end closest to you at an angle that leans in towards the surface,

Leave about a 1" on the surface of the doubled sheet and cut down leaning out at the bottom.

Trim off each of the ends of the strip of clay.

Notice the trapezoid shape of the sheet.

Top edges are angled towards each other and the bottom edges are angled away from each other.

Press the edges together around the rod or knitting needle.

Match the seams together.

Pinch the edges together and smooth out the seam with your fingers.
I also knock the clay loose from the metal rod by twisting the clay the opposite way from the rod.
I do not grab with just my fingers, but I use my palm clenched gently around the clay to do this.
The clay will break loose from the metal and then you can roll the rod and clay on the table to smooth and elongate the rod of clay.

Stay tuned for part 2...

Summer Solstice- part 2

For the runes stones above you will need:
Pinata inks
Cernit porcelain white 2 ounce block
Clay Blade
Pasta machine
Ne-Opaque White
Rune Stamp 246-001k- http://www.eragraphic.com/
Glass Gems Clear- got mine at the local craft store, 3$ a bag
Decorative bag to hold them- local craft store
Here is the other link for how to color the clay
http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2009/06/lapis-lazuli.html

All of the supplies in bold print can be found in my husband's store Clay Factory
http://www.clayfactory.net/


After the clay is colored. Condition and roll out the colors in the pasta machine on the 5th thickest setting.


Cover the glass tablet and pinch the edges of the clay down.






Fold the other end of the clay over the glass stone. Trim away the excess so the seam on top matches. Pinch the clay together and smooth.

Smooth all of the seams and roll very gently in your palms to smooth.
Lay the rounded side of the stone down on the rune you want to stamp and roll it a little from side to side to imprint the rune.

You may have marks from the rune next to the one you impressed on the stone, you can smooth that away with your finger.
Lay on your baking cardboard and bake in a pre-heated 275F degree oven for 30 minutes, shut off oven and let cool.
Antique with the Ne-Opaque white.
You can find that at this post.
http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2008/10/lumiere-as-antiquing-medium.html

craft & a cocktail (with the craft whore) celebrates summer solstice with special guest ALICIA BRANDT
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8R7FE_0cMs
Disclaimer: there is some language in this, so if you tend to be offended, don't watch.

Summer Solstice- Rune tiles and beads

Summer solstice the longest day of the year

from Science world http://scienceworld.wolfram.com/

Awed by the great power of the sun, civilizations in the northern areas have for centuries celebrated the first day of summer otherwise known as the Summer Solstice, Midsummer (see Shakespeare), St. John's Day, or the Wiccan Litha.

From http://www.chiff.com/

I love Runes. I like the way they feel and look and it brings me back to an ancient time.

I like pieces of polymer clay that look like they have been dug out of the ground or are replicas of a time gone way by. My pieces have been a reflection of that. I used to call my creations "Ancient Myth with a Modern twist".

These do have the modern twist.

I love letters and words also so this is just the ticket for me. If you have noticed I have been focusing on Pinata inks and this is a continuation of that too.

I also LOVE this lady's stamps. ERA Graphics
She has a rune stamp 246-001k

here is the link to her site, http://www.eragraphics.com/

Please tell Roberta I sent you. She is a talented artist and a nice woman trying to make her way in the world, just like me and I am sure, also a few of you!

It is also an Angel stamp company.

You can get stamps unmounted.

You will need:

Porcelain White Cernit

Pinata inks of your choice

5/8" round cutter

Lumiere or Ne-Opaque acrylic in the color/colors of your choice

Rune Stamp 246-001k from ERA Graphics

Products in Bold print are available from Clay Factory http://www.clayfactory.net/

1. Color your white clay with the ink.

You can follow this post http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2009/06/lapis-lazuli.html

as a matter of fact I am going to use some of the Lapis Lazuli to make some of the runes.

When your clay is colored with ink to the shade that you like, remember they will darken after baking so 3- 5 drops is great for most colors, but I probably used 15 for the Lapis Lazuli,

2. Roll out your clay on the thickest setting in your pasta machine and double the sheet to get a thicker sheet or roll out by hand to about 1/4" thick.

3. Cut out round shapes.

4. Roll into little barrels.

5. Cut the stamp into rows of Runes this way.

6. Press the little barrels on to the rune. You are pressing to make the impression not flatten so use a gentle hand.

If you get a little heavy of hand, recondition the clay and do it again or press gently with you fingers on the sides to push back in to a square shape. You can "drill" the holes with needle or needle tool before they are baked or drill with a small bit after they are baked and cooled.

7. Line up on a piece of cardboard and bake in a 275F degree pre-heated oven for 30 minutes. Shut off the oven and let cool.

After they are cool antique with the Lumiere or Ne-opaque

Here is how to antique your baked pieces. You can see the results of the different colors of Lumiere and Ne-Opaque above.

http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2008/10/lumiere-as-antiquing-medium.html

If you like heavier runes you can cover small light colored river stones or glass pebbles with the Pinata colored clay and stamp, bake, and finish by antiquing. Coming next post.

Product Review and Giveaway: Lisa Pavelka Signature Series

Ok we have another awesome giveaway by FaveCrafts.com

You have to just love this place with their great give aways and projects. Join them!

And besides they are all so nice. YAY!!! I love people like this. Thanks you guys for all your generosity and thanks Lisa Pavelka and JHB for yours!! Oh baby do these look like fun! Would you look at that zipper? Get on this now, the deadline is April 3rd.

Signature Series

click on this and read the review by Maria and leave your reply to be entered in to this awesome contest for these wonderful products to play with.
Posted by Caley on March 26th, 2009 at 11:42am
The Lisa Pavelka Signature Series JHB International includes a variety of tools for polymer clay: Border Molds, Texture Stamps, Craft Foil, Magic Gloss, Embossing Cutters, and Claying Around DVD.
Product Review By Maria Nerius