How to make kawaii ghost rings + bonus Zero!

So today in the "Clay with me Sunday" there were some cutesies made, a pair of kawaii ghost ear rings and then, while they were baking, one of the subscribers asked if I could make Jake Skellington's dog Zero, so I went ahead and did a charm with him too.

Live today and other stuff

I woke up as usual at 4:30, and by 5:30 had enough coffee in my system to start working. I am finishing the "silver" set with faux malachite that will be part of the faux malachite tutorial that you will be able to find in my online store.

Then I will make the faux malachite necklace tutorial for my sponsors.

Then take a short break

Then get ready for the "clay with me Sunday" live.

After that it depends. I might be falling asleep, or I might be able to still be awake and work on stuff.

I decided to do the enamel tomorrow morning. I am afraid that if I try to do too many things this morning I'll be too tired by the time the "Clay with me Sunday" rolls around.

I promise to write longer and more informative posts next week.

Live today at 9 am

Today I will be doing my monthly "chat with you all" live. I didn't do it Friday because I thought that it would be better Satuday, even if it's the 2nd not the 1st, as more people can participate.

I will tell you all the news then. I'll try to keep it at max 1 hour, hopefully not that long!

If you have any questions before then, please post them in comments here.

The things that make me happy

One of the most important things for me in posting all these tutorials is to see my subscribers "take flight", so to speak.
In  my "end of the month, new month" video that I posted in August, I was talking about how other artists who post tutorials on youtube tell you "I am showing you this, but don't copy me, make your own". And I said that I say the contrary, "copy me. I put this out here for you do make it. Copy exactly what I'm doing until you have the handle on the technique, and then put your own touch on it and develop it further."
This is how you evolve as an artist. This is how the whole art community evolves - by learning the how to's from each other and then bringing it to new levels, adding our own touch.
I am exceptionally happy when I see any of you making something that I have shown in one of my tutorials perfectly. And I am exceptionally happy when I see one of you actually taking it to the next level, and putting your own personal touch. The discovery in art is the "thinking outside the box". It's looking at another artist's work and then your mind starting to buzz with the "what if" possibilities of bringing what you see to a new level.

I had made an applique pendant during my last Sunday's live event. People have posted absolutely beautiful and perfectly made pendants using that technique, some did it at the same time with me, some did it afterwards.

And then Leona shows up. With a totally new combination of colors. It looks so beautiful that it blew me away. The color combination of the skinner blend background and using black for the applique part, make it look like an alien landscape. Leona, thank you for allowing me to start my day looking at something beautiful.

This is Leona's pendant.

I had already been blown away by Nancy's pendant, with the use of dark blue and white gold glitter.

Some beautiful art finds

First of all thank you all for being there for the live event, it was a hoot! I just wish the chat was sound, I wouldn't have so many problems keeping up. It is so heart warming for me to see more and more people coming to be with me, it already feels like a meeting of friends.

Now, on this post, I just wanted to share with you a few of my discoveries I made while searching to make sure that what I intend to present wasn't already presented by someone else.

Now, you probably know more of these beautiful blogs than I do, considering the long break from art I took, but hey! you know what? Think that right now I'm like a child discovering the world. I've been a hermit for quite a few years and lived in pain and sadness, now I'm out and can only marvel at the beauties I discover. So please enjoy with me.

This French artist - she has some of the most beautiful mokume gane works I've seen. Also, the blog is 11 years of work worth. Plenty to feast your eye on beauty. And lots to learn from.

Another artist with beautiful work and she knows Jeff Dever!!! Personally!!!! OMG! Sorry but he is rapidly climbing towards the status of God of all delicate and wondrous things made out of Polymer Clay in my world lol

Also, someone definitely inspired themselves from polymer clay art when they created the print for this dress.

Pretty isn't it? I would love to get clothes with prints from my works! You know my spiral jelly roll mokyme gane technique, wouldn't that one be absolutely fab?

Look at the 3D effect on this! I've been mulling over something like this.

Ok done for now. I'm tired and I think I need to lay down a bit.

For Sunday August 6 live event, necessary

For Sunday August 6 "Clay with me Sunday" live event, please have ready: - 1/4 pack metallic clay of your choice - 1/8 each of 2 colors of your choice. Try to combine the colors for a good effect. Suggested combinations: 1. metallic gold (all except "antique gold" of Premo) or copper or bronze with your choice of (just the first color in list with / sign + second color): turquoise blue/robin's egg/burgundy/jungle green + white; or jungle green/seaglass/sage green + light lavender (get it by mixing 2 or 3 parts of white with 1 part purple) or light pink (recommended 2 parts white + 1 part Souffle "so 80's" or just 1/8 part red +2 parts white). 2. Silver with purple (or Souffle turnip) + either wasabi/pistacchio 1:1 with white or a very light blue (turquoise 1 part to 2 parts white); 3. Graphite pearl with either red + 1:1 mix yellow and white, or purple + lavender (see above) We will make earrings. All that is needed is 1 rigid blade and 1 flexible blade, as tools. See you all Sunday!

Photos - unboxing - more pieces - stupid printer

1. After another unsuccessful couple of hours of fighting with my printer I gave up. I did manage to get it connected to the network but it refuses to print. I searched all the HP support forums and even called. Apparently this is a known issue. Which sometimes gets resolved by turning the printer off for a week and then it might suddenly start printing.
You don't say?
So here's to wasting $17.99 on a new black ink cartridge.

I went ahead and searched online and found a deal at bestbuy, bought a new printer that was on sale for half price for only $22 shipping included. Here goes my oil change for this month. But I need the printer.

Unfortunately it won't be here until Tuesday so I will have to go to the post office. I will go tomorrow though. It's week-end shopping with my best friend and she drives, we can stop first at the post office and that way I don't have to drive myself and be in pain while I'm waiting in line.

So. That got solved. Not the best way (as in printer should have worked and my packages should have been on their way already) but nothing I can do better right now.

2. I am watching two used/refurbished digital cameras on ebay. If I manage to snatch one, it would be wonderful. There are a few tutorials I could make in photo format, both for here on the blog and on the sponsors/patrons group. It would make things way much easier than having to do a video tutorial. Less time consuming and better views on the process, making it better to understand.

Getting ready to tape the tutorials I'm doing today. The one for the real enamels. And the ones for the sponsors. If I got time in the in-between, I might make the itty-bitty caterpillar with a top hat. haha.

3. I've posted the necessary for Sunday's live event. Will make a separate post here.

I'll probably make a post later, besides that one. with some teaser photos ^^

4. I'm hungry. But I don't want to eat so I wouldn't fall asleep lol

Update 1:30 pm

1. I ate. I'm sleepy. Bummer
2. I won one of my bids, so I got a digital camera so I'll be able to post photo, pdf and slideshow tutorials! yay!

DIY Doodle cane necklace - finished piece from live event

Sunday

Well, Sunday has come and is almost gone. I did have an amazing day. I barely started to feel a little tired in the past 15 minutes or so.

Woke up a little after 5 am. Ingested the required insane amount of coffee so I can function - this is no joke. I am one of those rare people who have LOW blood pressure as a norm. Even at 56, I still have low blood pressure. MY normal is anywhere from 100 to 110 systolic and 68 to 76 diastolic. When I wake up it's in the 90s so I do require a large quantity of caffeine and liquids before I can walk and move around without getting dizzy.

After which I was actually able to put together 3 of the pieces that were laying around waiting. Took photos. Only got one of them uploaded in the store for now but getting ready to upload the other two as well. I do think that I will make a video though because on these specific pieces it's hard to get a good photo. And I'm not talking about a photo that would do them justice and show all the nice 3d effects, but a good photo - exactly because of the 3d effects and layers the photos look like if they're blurry! Take a look

You know these from the "3d ripple blade effect" tutorial

This is the "Key to my heart" necklace. It's got a purple cat's eye opal bead and this heart key charm - take a look in the store to see it better!

See what I mean?

Anyway. Also did some varnishing on some focals and beads that needed it. Worked on the new piece with the "barbed" cane and did the last two beads on one of the assymmetrical necklaces. Sanded everything I worked on today (well except for two).

Had the live event - which was a lot of fun. And it looked like everybody was enjoying themselves. The piece I worked on came up cute as a button, but I will not finish it today. In my mind (crazy artist mind) it requires a combo of chain with very large links and smaller (medium) links of various shapes and patterns, to do justice and keep the whole spirit of the piece as it came out. For me always pieces are like they are waiting to come into existence, and I'm there just like some kind of tool who helps them get born. It is true that about half the time I do plan my pieces, about 90% of the time I start with something in mind. But the truth is that about 90% of the time what I had in my mind/planned is not what comes out.

So, here's a glimpse of my work today

From top left going right - 2 beads that just got out of the oven, part of an asymmetrical necklace; beads that got varnished, part of a summerish necklace. New ear rings. A mokume gane abstract pendant; part of another asymmetrical necklace

Beads from today's live even (doodle canes - a symphony in black and white) and beads of the new piece I am making with the "barbed cane" of yesterday's tutorial/ I just finished sanding all of them

A closeup of that long bead. I thought you might want to see it better

Top: set of bracelet, pendant and ear rings that got first coat of varnish, need to apply second coat. Bottom: focal of the new piece. I think I'll call it "undersea lair" haha

As you can see, busy busy. I think I will call it a day though, because of being on the chair at the work space too long, I started to get really bad painful cramps in my back muscles (that area where they took out the largest muscle and the remaining ones can't compensate for the lack of that one). So I learned in the past years to not push it, because if I do, I will need at least 2 days to recover.

There's always a tomorrow, isn't it?

I will probably do the little "top hat caterpillar" tomorrow. I don't have a lot of time, I have the appointment with the orthopedist at noon, and that means that by the time I'll get back home I'll be pooped. Also, if they give me tomorrow the shots in the hands, probably won't be able to do anything anyway.

Tuesday and Wednesday at this point are inter-changeable. It will all depend how I feel Tuesday.

Yes, I will make another piece with the "barbed cane". I always do make a piece with a technique I just made a tutorial of, don't I? *smile*

I will also do the low-temp enamel test and review next week. Hopefully by the end of the week I'll get the ok to post it from the manufacturer. 

Don't forget, Saturday morning CDT (probably 9:30 or so) I will have a live event. I decided to do the "monthly wrap-up and plans for next month) live, so I can answer not just the questions I got in emails and messages, but also live questions. No worries, the Sunday Clay with me is still on.

You all have a great end of the week-end!!!

Sunday - live event and more

Well, I guess I spent most of the time yesterday afternoon/evening napping. After I straightened a little the house, I just couldn't help myself and just kept dozing off for a couple hours at a time, until I would wake up either due to pain or due to certain spoiled brats who managed to "cuddle" (read: box me in between themselves) until I couldn't move. I woke up shortly around 2 am but was able to get back to sleep.

I decided though that until the time comes for the live event, I will not do any tutorials or anything, I really do need to work on cleaning up, and that means finishing some pieces of jewelry, taking photos for uploading, packing them, because being a mild OCD person when it comes to tidyness it started stressing me out the way there's so much stuff everywhere.

As a forewarning, I will do a destash soon. Will make a short video about it and then make a new category in the facebook store. I have loads of pendants and beads all over the place that were made during all kinds of experiments. They look really great and pretty but there are too many of them for me to start setting up with cords and all that. I'd rather focus on making more concept jewelry, and I am sure there are many out there who would enjoy wearing them or - in case they're venue vendors - having something extra to sell, or just keep them to put them together for gifting purposes.

I have about 5 necklaces that all lack one piece in order to be put together. A few pieces that need resining. A few that need varnish. A few pieces that need just that - be put together.

I did start working on the "color theory" tutorial though. It will be mostly photos and narration (of course with making sure the CC is correct).

After the live event, I will bee baking and finishing the piece in a small update video, as usual.

Have a great Sunday, everyone, and see you in a few hours at the live event!

"Clay with me Sunday" live July 16 2017 - let's make a Maori amulet!

For "Clay with me Sunday" live on July 16 2017

Let's make a mother-of-pearl Maori amulet!

The fish hook amulet (hei matau) is for prosperity, fertility and safe passage over water. We will make it out of faux mother of pearl, so please have ready some translucent clay, and either pearlescent clay or mica powders pink, blue, gold, green and purple. If you don't have any of that, you can prepare some faux jade clay as shown in my faux jade tutorial.

Third tutorial ready for upload and don't forget live event today

All right, I got the third tutorial that I had shot right before my fatigue episode all ready and it's uploading now. Should be up in one hour by what youtube says.

Here it is.

Don't forget the live event! Starts in about 2 1/2 hours.

On another note, after the live event - which will get recorded and published on youtube automatically - I think I will not make another tutorial until either Tuesday afternoon or Wednesday morning. My hands are killing me, we keep having all these storms around and that is not easy on me. On Tuesday I see my spine and pain care doctor and I will get a set of my cervical spine shots that usually reduce inflammation on the arms/hands nerves that are severely pinched in my neck, and that makes my hands hurt less and be more "responsive". Depending on how fast the shot works - the next tut will be either that afternoon (I go early in the morning so I have time to rest afterwards) or Wednesday morning.

Managed to get everything resined up last evening. Finally.

Now I need to get some more pretty cardboard to pack the pieces I made that are crowded on the kitchen table.

Don't forget live event tomorrow

At 2 pm. Info both on the "discussions" in youtube and on the facebook page.

"Clay with me Sunday" live this coming Sunday

I will enable superchat so you can ask questions.