The theme of the month for Art Elements’ March design challenge is “nests.” Even before I signed up to participate I knew I didn’t want to make a typical bird’s nest for my design. I’ve made wire-wrapped nests with bead “eggs” before, including as a component in a spring-themed necklace for a past Art Elements design challenge. They’re plenty of fun to make, but I wanted to try something new for this challenge. Continue reading
Category Archives: Polymer Clay
Flower Necklace and Earrings for ABS Design Challenge
The inspiration image for the Art Bead Scene design challenge this month is a watercolor by Marianne North titled “Red Water Lily of Southern India.” North was a biologist and botanical painter of the Victorian era. Continue reading
Black and White Earring Design Challenge
The theme for this month’s We’re All Ears earring design challenge is “black and white.” I made a batch of black and white components using silkscreening and polymer clay. I turned some of those components into earrings for this challenge. Mostly not in the way I had initially planned. Continue reading
Magpie on a Watercolor Sky Necklace
Last week I showed you some polymer clay beads I made using the watercolor or torn paper technique. Today I turned one of the pendants and some of the beads into a necklace. Both the beads and the necklace were inspired by the same design challenge on Art Bead Scene this month. Continue reading
Exploring the Watercolor Technique for Polymer Clay Beads
The assortment of beads and pendants I made using the watercolor technique.
I tried a new polymer clay technique this month: the torn paper or watercolor effect. I was inspired to make beads and focal components using this technique and the color palette for the February Art Bead Scene challenge. Continue reading
Chandelier Earrings Design Challenge
Some early examples of my chandelier earring designs. I was a little obsessed with Bali silver filigree stations and Swarovski crystal beads. So much sparkle.
The inspiration for this month’s We’re All Ears earring design challenge is chandeliers. As in, those light fixtures that hang from the ceiling. Chandelier is also a type of earring, along with drops, dangles, and studs. Before I show and tell you about the chandelier earrings I designed specifically for this challenge, let me share some of my earlier designs. Continue reading
Pantone’s Ultra Violet Inspired Earrings
The inspiration for the January We’re All Ears earring design challenge is Pantone’s Color of the Year for 2018: Ultra Violet. Pantone describes Ultra Violet as a “blue-based purple that takes our awareness and potential to a higher level.” I’m not sure my earring designs for this challenge are consciousness-altering, but I did feel extra creative working with this color. Continue reading
Paisley Lizard’s 2017 Year in Review
This is a before/during and after of the craft room in my new place. Things were stacked in boxes for too long, as often happens when trying to decide where to put them.
Here we are at the end of another year and I’m rounding up the highlights of my creative journey for 2017. One of the biggest things that happened to me in 2017 wasn’t exactly creative, but it had a huge impact on my creative output. I moved mid-year, and misplaced my creative mojo in the process. As a result, I didn’t get around to making as many new things as I had planned, and I also neglected my blog more than a bit. Continue reading
Something Fishy for Art Elements Ornament Challenge
When I saw that the Art Elements team chose ornaments as their theme for the winter design challenge, I signed up right away. I was already planning to make some, and having a deadline never hurts when you tend to procrastinate as I do. Continue reading
Evolution of a Custom Order
When a friend asked if I could make a crib mobile for her son’s room, I was willing to give it a try even though I’ve never made a mobile. She shared some photos of the nursery, which has a Calvin and Hobbs theme with birch tree silhouettes on the wall. She didn’t want anything too cutesy because the plan was for the mobile to be part of the room’s decor beyond the baby years.
This was the sketch of my original plan for the mobile. I used the same pan pastels to color the sketch as I planned to use on the mobile.