More Art Clay Silver jewelry

I finally got my pieces back! These were the projects I submitted for certification.

We were required to create originally designed pieces - meaning something you didn't copy off a book or someone else's work. I planned to create yet another cupcake-themed collection, an easy way out. But in the end I challenged myself to come up with something different.

We were required to use syringe type art clay for one of the projects. I'm not particularly fond of the Secret Garden brooch, but my first attempt - a key - broke many times while I was refining the edges before firing. I did not have enough silver left to create another key, so I had to make do with the little silver I had. I like how the lettering turned out though - it's really tiny!

The Onyx pendant is one of my favorite pieces. We were required to set a natural stone, and I chose Onyx for its understated elegance.

The last piece is a cupcake solitaire ring, blogged about here: http://beadlady.multiply.com/journal/item/145/The_cupcake_solitaire

More French-inspired jewelry

Polymer clay and brass filigree pendants.

Comes with a raw brass chain.

P450 each

---

All reserved already. yay!

The Secret Keepers

Don't let this cupcake fool you. It's not just a regular polymer clay cupcake.  Find out what it is!  Click here.

French-inspired clay jewelry

If the Moroccan-inspired jewelry were simple clay medallions set on brass filigree, these new French-inspired pieces feature photo-transfer polymer clay tiles wrapped with filigree.

At first, I came up with simple photo-transfer tiles, like the ones I used to make when I was starting out. But I found them boring, and I wanted something new this time.

I decided I wanted them to look like delicate vintage cabs and cameos. The challenge was to make the tiles look luxurious, and it's hard to do that with polymer clay.

I set them on brass filigree, like what I did in the Moroccan collection, but the tiles looked out of place. So I tried something different - wrapping them in filigree instead of simply setting them on top of it. I think I finally got the look I was going for.

More Moroccan-inspired necklaces

New stuff for the Moroccan collection, plus a few key necklaces.

One-off

No name for these pieces yet.

P450 each

New brass rings

Last 3 pcs.

P150 each

Lampworking: making glass beads

Here's another project I've taken on those months I've gone MIA.

Remember early this year, I posted a hint here that I was working on a new material? hihi. Well I actually started lampworking.

Lampworking is an ancient art form. It is the art of melting glass on a flame, and manipulating it using gravity and tools. It became popular in Murano, Italy in the 14th century.

Early lampworkers melted glass using an oil lamp, thus the term lampworking. Today, it is called flameworking, as we now use a torch.

I bought the glass way back in January 2008, but only got to work on them February 2009. lol.

It's so friggin scary and exciting, it's like my own private roller coaster.

I never thought creating a glass bead could be so complicated. I'm still a long way from creating decent beads.

Anyone else into lampworking? I'd love to exchange notes, I badly need guidance! I suck!

Will blog about this when I have time. (Adding it to the long list of things I need to blog about. When will I blog again, I wonder. sigh)

Before you ask, i'm not selling yet. I'm still waiting for my kiln, so I can anneal the beads properly. Without proper annealing, the glass could break easily. So my beads have been patiently waiting for 7 months.

Watch out for glass cupcakes! :)

The cupcake "solitaire"

Just wanted to share.

I had so much fun working with silver* today! 

This is the first time I am opening my toolbox after the silver class. Sometimes, it's hard to work alone.  Especially when you have so many questions, no resources available on the internet, and your teacher is in Japan. lol.

So today, a couple of my batchmates and I got together in my still-unfinished studio in Cubao Expo, to try and work on our thesis projects (lol, more like assignments for Level 2 certification, actually).

Here's one of the projects I was able to finish today.



We are required to create a simple ring with stone setting, carving, and oxidizing.  And it should be a perfect size 13. 

I came up with a simple solitaire, but instead of a diamond, I made a teeny tiny cupcake with a synthetic pink stone (cherry) on top.

It sounds and looks so simple, but it took me the entire day to finish a single ring.

I was totally stuck on the design, I couldn't translate my ideas into something tangible, so I resorted to my time-tested favorite.  Sigh, I know, cupcake again??

I promise to do better next time.  In the meantime, I am enjoying my first ever silver cupcake. 




*eco-friendly, recycled silver! from film!

Entomology

New stuff I'm working on.

Wooden butterflies hanging from a sterling silver chain.

Will be available exclusively at:

Ichigo Boutique
Greenhills
When: Mid-March (will be announced here once available)

Baubles Bangles and Beads booth
Rockwell Bazaar
When: March 13 - 15

Open for pre-orders. Only very limited pieces available. P650 each, for pick-up at the Rockwell Bazaar only.

Something new in the world of clay

I went crazy and decided to do embroidery on polymer clay! Nightmare for my fingers, but it's worth it.

My fellow artists at the guild (PCAGOE) tell me they haven't seen anyone else making these before. To be sure, I searched all over to check if I might be unwittingly reinventing the wheel - that would suck. But I think I'm in the clear, yay! (All I found on the net was bead embroidery, but they don't look anything like these)

Started with simple back-stitching on flat clay clouds last September for the Candy Fair. This month I decided to go all out and do traditional embroidery, ala-Mexicana.

I have more pieces cross-stitched with hearts and words, will post pics after I recharge my cam.

Blogged about these here: http://beadladyangeli.blogspot.com/2009/02/something-new-polymer-clay-embroidery.html

Not for sale. yet.