Chokers oven friendly!

Whilst I was ordering some more chokers I saw bracelets the same, nylon coated wire with a screw closure. I am often asked to make matching bracelets for my floating wire necklaces which is a problem as I don't think floating wire bracelets work so I normally add more beads as shown below. I realise as I write this I haven't actually tried a floating bead wire bracelet - hmm perhaps I should. Any other suggestions welcome.

Wire floating bead necklace

Bracelet to match necklace (had to get creative to make the pattern repeat neatly to the size required) on elastic

I wondered if the choker bracelets might be the answer. When they arrived I realised they had a different screw fitting, a textured one rather than the plain smooth barrel and I didn't like the look. My first thought of course was - I'll cover it with clay. But would the nylon coating on the wire be OK? I tested it and the answer is yes! I wanted to try it out so made a quick bracelet - not very happy with it as a bracelet but it's something to work from.

Nylon coated wire bracelet with screw closure (the one on the right on it's own is the covered screw barrel)

I had to make the hole in the beads reasonably large to fit over the screw fixing. They are larger than the covered screw barrel, I was in a rush and not thinking about it too much. It would probably be easiest to make the barrel covering a feature rather than trying to blend it in to the beads. I am not sure how you would secure them? Might try baking some right onto the wire next. You would need to secure at least one at the end or every time you took it off they would go flying everywhere! So something else on my list of things to try....

Beginners workshop

I have just been trialling a beginners polymer clay workshop with some of my friends. I was aiming for them to make a bracelet like this from simple cane slices, threaded on elastic.

We have had great fun and they are all really pleased with their creations but we haven't quite managed to get to the bracelet stage so I either need to find a way to speed it up or make the class longer. I am doing them from home which seems to work out well as we have the space and it's comfortable and I can't forget to bring anything!!! Hopefully I can get some pictures of their bracelets when they have had a chance to string them.

One of the things I love most about polymer clay is that you can learn so much from working with others, even beginners who have never touched polymer clay before can show you a different way of doing things!

Flower charm bracelet

I started this bracelet sometime ago but felt it needed something more, something to brighten it up. I had lots of great suggestions from arty friends and in the end I decided to add the yellow beads you can see to match the yellow of the flower centres. I would have put some little crystals inside the flowers but I had already wire wrapped them onto the bracelet by then and didn't fancy doing it all again!

I will show you my new matching pendant up close tomorrow and I've got some custom orders to show you too.
Till then...
Cara

Made a bracelet with the pearl spliced flower beads

Finished bracelet
Originally uploaded by surfingcat clay

So they have been growing on me and now I love this little bracelet! I hope my friend does too.

I started making spliced flower canes when I watched Cindy Leitz's tutorial

Zebra cane and bracelet

I had a go at the zebra cane from Cindy Leitz video newsletter because I didn't have much time but wanted to make a cane for the PCC forum June Cane Challenge (a good excuse to do lots of cane making). I didn't think I liked animal prints really but thought this zebra one would be a variation on black and white stripes.  I made this cane and decided that I loved it!

I then made myself some beads. I sanded and buffed them today - without the Dremel cause the battery charger is not working :( 

I then spent about an hour trying out different ways to string them (they didn't quite look the same on the stringing as they did in my head). I would do them differently if I did them again. I would make the beads more similar in size. I wanted them to be an eclectic mix just strung together without spacers but wasn't sure that looked right when I tried it. Here is what I ended up with (mark 1 I feel, I feel a charm style bracelet coming on with beads like these and also perhaps another go at one like this but with more similar sized beads). I used up all my cane so I will be making more!

I  must also either select some beads to use with my polymer clay ones before I start making mine or go and buy some beads once I have made them, I never have anything that is just right it seems. I also must spend more money on fastenings. i bought some silver plate toggles which are pretty but the plating is coming of my favourite bracelet already (I have worn it a lot but....). I must invest in some solid silver ones even though they are expensive.

Scrap MG bracelet attempt 2

 I decided to have another go with the Scrap MG tutorial I bought from Tonja Lenderman, you can get yours here. I would recommend it Tonjas bracelets are beautiful and her instructions are clear, a great way to turn a pile of scrap into something beautiful.

I made one before which was beautiful but far too big and then I was careless and broke it. I can't tell you too much about what I did as obviously that wouldn't be fair to Tonja but this time I measured the widest point of my hand and measured the bangle to be the same size.

Starting pile of scrap

The finished Scrap MG Bracelet - the one on top, subtle colours

 I was pretty pleased with how it looked. The colours came out a bit subtle compared to my normal colours but I thought it would go brilliantly with my new grey T- shirt with lots of coloured patterns - very similar to the bracelet. I went to try it on - wouldn't ft! But I measured! I tried again ...

OK so it really wouldn't fit over my hand :(

It was too small and I pulled it apart along the join which I had smoothed over but clearly not well enough. So back to the drawing board with bracelet measurements. I will see if I can super glue this one to give to someone with smaller hands!

I feel a bit like Goldilocks, the first one was too big, the second one was 2 small, lets hope the 3rd one will be just right!

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.