Finally finished that bracelet

Thanks to those of you who commented on my bracelet either here or over at Polymer Clay Central (which you should check out if you haven't already. I only recently discovered it thanks to Anita (again check out here blog if you haven't already seen it http://melobeau.blogspot.com/)).

I tried a zillion things this afternoon, different sized beads, different colours, different combinations. Annoyingly I had been to the bead shop this morning but forgot to take my chip beads with me to try out. I bought some lime green and brilliant blue beads but none were quite right. i tried some copper spacer beads but the chips are fairly translucent and the copper seemed very heavy next to them. I decided that the chip beads needed to be in clusters, they looked a bit weird separated I think.

Nothing said " this is right " to me so I went for quick power nap. Whilst I was napping I had a dream of a snake of seed beads wrapping round my chip beads so took that as suggestion and went with it. Here it is.

Finished turquoise chip bracelet

Close up of finished bracelet

 I added a bit of chain on to make up the extra inch I needed (I have shortened it a lot since I took that photo) and used the spare chip bead to make a little dangly end. I quite like it. I have been wearing it this evening. My husband said he thought it was a bit boring but I don't rely on his judgement on things like these!

So much for just quickly stringing up the few trial beads I made!

PS I ought to add that I have noted how different the colours appear in my pictures - need to sort out the white balance I guess - it's a daytime, night time difference.

Turquoise things and how to string?

Here's the necklace that I have been talking about. You can see the silver flower pendant I made a polymer clay prototype for (still haven't played with my PMC yet).

It is from 'Make Jewellery' magazine issue 4














I started stringing those chip beads with the focal bead I showed you the other day. I find it difficult to see how things will look and have to string up a bit to see. I started off with just the chips but there wasn't enough (the problem of playing around rather than planning!). I then tried putting seed beads between each chip.

At that point I suddenly decided to make it a bit more complex and try multiple strands. I am fairly new to beading, in the past I have mainly made pendants and strung them on cord or a silver chain.

I took 3 lengths of tiger tail and using crimps fixed the focal bead in the centre (I used crimp covers cause I still haven't got round to buying crimping pliers yet). I then threaded 3 different strands with different beads, a mix of chips and 3 different colour seed beads - matt turquoise,silver and a shiny turquoise.

I then tried with 1 strand chips and 2 strands seed beads - didn't like it.

I then wondered if I should just go back to a string of chips with seed beads or silver/crystal spacers. Then I got all indecisive and decided it was time for bed (I am making an effort to go to bed early at the moment in the hope I will be less tired sometime!). So I will sleep on it but any thoughts about what you would do with it would be gratefully received.
Cara

Polymer Clay Tumble Chips

(I really wanted to show you my polymer clay covered Egg (warts and all) I made but the pictures are still in the camera and the camera isn't with me - I'll show you after Easter - late rather than timely but never mind. In the meantime I shall catch up with some other things I have been up to.)

You may recall a while ago I posted a picture of a polymer clay prototype I made for a flower pendant I intend to make in PMC. Here it is again .

I saw a project in a jewellery magazine and it had a Thai Hilltribe silver pendant that looked like this strung with turquoise and amazonite gemstone chips . I suddenly had the inspiration the other day that I could make my own faux turquoise chips. I haven't tried any faux techniques yet, there are several on my polymer clay to do list (which is about 3 pages long ;)

I had some translucent clay out the other day and had a bit left over and a spare few minutes so had a go at making some chip beads just to see how they would work out. I used a bit of blue alcohol ink mixed in and they came out looking quite a lot like the amazonite chips used in the necklace project.

The central bead  was a ball that I squashed and then imprinted with a textured button, a different one on each side. I need to add some sort of patina or something to bring the pattern out, again I haven't done any surface effects after baking so that will be another round of experimenting another day (all tips or ideas welcome for that!).

So I will have a go at the faux turquoise soon and will perhaps make some more of these - just making some variations in the colour a bit to make them look more natural. Think I will just not mix the ink so thoroughly. Then I can string a complete polymer prototype (hmm wonder if I would ever get round to making the real thing...)

Hope you all have a great Easter. I taught my kids (nearly 6 and just turned 4) to sew this week and they love it. They have made presents for everyone from some brightly coloured felt. I have been crocheting (to fill the gaps when I can't clay) chrysanthemum dishcloths for everyone which are probably too pretty for dishcloths but hey...