ORIENTAL FEEL

 

 

Hello dear friends!

I’ve entered 2016 full of energy, inspiration and with a lot of wonderful projects. One amazing thing is the fact that I enrolled in the Polymer Clay Adventure (Online Art Retreat) so I will have a year full of inspiration and lessons taught by artists that I admire. Thus I don’t have any other option, but striving for the best version of myself, being in good company:)

And it only gets better, as I bought the ticket for the EuroSynergy Conference in Bordeaux and I count the days till this event. It is a dream come true and I feel blissfulness just by thinking I will attend the Polymer clay event of the year this summer. 

As I seem not to be very able to organize my time very well (I hoped that I would post more often and I didn’t), I also take up Kater’s Acres challenge and commit to work with polymer clay and post a weekly tutorial. So I said it and therefore I will have to do it. #2016PCchallenge This is the link to the Challenge in case you need a motivation to be more organized when working with polymer clay: http://katersacres.com/polyclay/2015pcchallenge-polyclay/2016-polymer-clay-challenge/

Before passing on to the tutorial, I want to thank drowningwings.wordpress.com (https://drowningwings.wordpress.com/2016/01/07/3-days-quote-challenge-3/) for the nomination for the 3-day quote Challenge. 

Rules for the challenge:

• Thank the blogger that nominated you.
• Share one new quote on three consecutive days on your blog. They can be from anywhere, anyone or anything.
• On each of the three days, nominate three more bloggers to carry on with the fun! No pressure; nominees are free to decline.

My nominees are:

Carolina from http://yesterdayafter.com/2016/01/20/the-warrior-necklace/ You’ll love her unique jewelry pieces! 

Nima from https://nimasonti.wordpress.com/ You’ll find inspiration to create! 

Ordinary Woman http://aboutordinarywomen.com/polymer-clay-woodland-candle-holder/ You’ll find beautiful polymer clay tutorials on her site (and she already started the #2016PCchallenge – so we’re on the same page!)

One last thing: I wanted to thank my friend, Gary Gautier, for the book. Anton [my son] loved it!  Thank you, Gary!  http://www.garygautier.com/

And, finally, the tutorial:

Materials and tools used: scrap clay, red polymer clay, dark blue polymer clay, light brown polymer clay, pasta machine, filigree brass components, liquid polymer clay, a blade, wooden stick, metallic acrylic paint, craft knife, varnish. 

1. I started by rolling a ball of scrap clay. 

2. I flattened it by pressing on it with a plastic box (any acrylic bloc would do). 

3. I am preparing the pieces for the bead. The center part made of polymer clay and the bottom brass filigree component. 

I used liquid Fimo to glue the smaller filigree brass component on the top of the flattened bead. 

4. I trimmed around. 

Using liquid Fimo, I glued the resulting cabochon on the larger brass filigree component. 

I like the effect of the colored scrap clay showing through. 

5. I prepared a stripe of polymer clay to make the side of the bead. 

I trimmed off the excess. 

I textured the sides using the non-cutting side of the craft knife. 

6. I am adding stripes of blue polymer clay to create a pattern.

I textured them as well.

7. I rolled a log of red polymer clay. 

I cut little pieces and I rolled them between my hands into oval balls. 

8. I created a design and then I pressed down the clay oval beads, using a wooden stick (the clay from the oval beads would stick to the clay showing through the filigree). 

I did that all around and then I decorated the center with blue polymer clay. 

9. Using Liquid Fimo, I attached a crystal rhinestone in the middle.

I pressed on the crystal with the bottom of the craft knife to press it down and capture it between the blue “petals”.

10. For some of the beads, I added bronze metallic acrylic paint for a shinier effect (with my fingers) and then removed the excess paint using baby wipes. I put some on the crystal rhinestone to tone down the color. 

11. Be careful to center the bead to the brass filigree component from the bottom of the bead. 

12. I put them in the oven according to the clay manufacturer’s specifications. 

13. I varnished the petals (especially those painted with acrylic paint). 

As always I’m glad to hear from you and I thank you for reading my posts and for sharing your impressions with me!

My best to you!

Mihaela