African Trade beads-part 12 Shinning Star part c

This is the 3rd installment of the shinning star cane.
You can find part a here
http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2011/05/african-trade-beads-part-12-shinning.html

You can find part b here
http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2011/05/african-trade-beads-part-12-shinning_18.html


You will need:


Clay Machine
Clay slicing blade-SB
Red Cernit
Yellow Cernit
Blue Cernit
Opaque White Cernit
Green Cernit
Porcelain White Cernit
Ruler if you need it
Middle cutter in the Makin's clay Star set M36006
Knitting needle 3 to 4mm

All links above lead to my husband's on-line store the www.clayfactory.net
Thank you so much for looking.



This is the picture and the instructions from the last part b http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2011/05/african-trade-beads-part-12-shinning_18.html

Trim off the excess, if there is any.

Take the conditioned blue clay and roll it out in your clay machine on the thickest setting.
Trim the leading edge of the sheet for a straight edge. Lie the cane on top of that edge.
Trim the side to match the size of the cane length.

Roll up the cane in the sheet and then roll the leading edge over on top of the sheet on the other side of the cane and gently make a mark on that sheet.
Cut with the clay slicing blade just inside of the mark that you have made. Roll the cane up in that sheet. the edges should meet up.
You do not have to smooth and mess with the seam more than pressing the edges together.

Roll out some of the conditioned yellow and fold the sheet in half to double the thickness.

Do the same thing with some of the conditioned red clay.

Cut the yellow sheet to the width of the cane center and then use the yellow sheet to measure the red one.

I added more of the porcelain to the green here. I used the same mixed that I used in this cane here
http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2011/04/african-trade-beads-part-11.html

Double the green clay as you did with the red and the yellow and then cut to the same size as the yellow and red sheets.

Trim the end to the other sheets.

Trim the sides to match those edges.

The piece that you see trimmed off is the folds of all the sheets. I did this so I have a straight edge.

I then made my first cut which is about 3/16" in thickness.
Cut down and drag the blade forward with the clay piece against the blade and on it.

Use the slice to measure the width of the next slice and then drag the blade forward again and stick the next slice to it. Measure and cut again. Do this for about four slices or more if you can
;-O
It is not required though, you can add one section at a time. ;-D

Lay the slices in the repeating pattern against the cane center. Wrap around cane.

If this is what you end up with match the bottom edges of the slices together and then...

Turn the cane on its side and press the two matching slices in to place.

Press a little waist in to the cane by squeezing with the your thumb and forefinger and then turn a little and squeezing again.

Turn the cane and press moving upward in a circle a little press at a time.
See the center of the end of the cane moving out, this is right.

You can squeeze like this too, turning and squeezing to the end of the cane.

Turn the cane over and start in the middle again and work your way out to the other end of the cane.

When you have reduced it this way to half of the diameter it was, roll on the surface of the table of work surface.
If the cane looks rough on the outside like this you have probably done a good job and the inside will be nice and straight.
When you roll the cane you will start in the center of the coil and roll with both hands all the way to the tip of your fingers and then all of the way back past the palm of your hand in one smooth move while moving your hands away from each other.
Remember to move slowly and to make sure the cane rotates over 180 degrees when you roll. Do not make short movements it will not make a smooth coil, it will put in little dents from your fingers. The movement is smooth and fluid.

Roll down to about 3/4" and roll the blade and the cane forward at the same time to cut in the center.
You can refer back to the other canes in this series to see how that is and the description that comes with them.

Tah Dah!!! Stars.

14th giveaway- Unzipped heart with a bee

As I promised, this is the 14th give away.
Unzipped heart with a bee. The piece of lint that you see has been removed ;-}

What is in your heart?

Unzip it to find the busyness inside you.

This polymer clay heart is an intention pendant to remind you that Busyness is not all there is to life. 

The pendant has handmade bee and it is hidden slightly behind the silver zipper.

We could all use a little reminder now and then that busyness is not all there is to life.

There are two gold stars “screwed” to the sides of the larger ivory heart. It is washed or antiqued with brown acrylic paint to give the appearance of an older relic.

There is a large copper ring in the top of the heart from which hangs a 36” piece of brown satin cord. It will hang about 16-17 inches. The cord is easily removable if you wish to add your own chain or cord.

The heart is 2 3/4” high by 1 3/4”wide and 1/2” thick.



It will come signed and dated on the back. If you wish to pass it on as a gift, I can even add a small sentiment if you wish.

 
 
 
1. Reply to this post only. (This is the only thing you really have to do to get an entry.)
 
For extra entries:
 
2. If you blog about it and provide the link in a comment, I will give you another entry.
You have to let me know.
 
3. If you put one of the small pics in your side bar and tell your friends and leave it here in another comment, I will give you another entry. You have to let me know and comment.
 
If you go to my Etsy shop and tell me which piece you like best and why in another comment, I will give you another entry.
My shop addy is http://www.etsy.com/shop/mariesegal
 
That is 4 entries that are available. 
 
This is open to all, even international readers.
This giveaway will close on August 8th, 2010, Good luck my pretties.
I adore you and you are perfect!

Sidetracked and stuck

I have been side tracked and I am stuck here for a bit.

I hope you don't mind while I work this tangent out!

Oh Geesh, this is fun!!

4 1/4" x 3 1/4" mounted on wood