Saturday, June 25, 2011

Sedona Arizona Red Rock Bead Necklace from Polymer Clay

Sedona inspired red rock southwestern bead necklace with a bit of "magical" Sedona Red Rock Dirt in the matrix.

These beads were designed in honor of the Sedona, Arizona area where we live. My husband and I love the red rocks and often hike in them. The beads are designed to look like they are crafted from red rock, but are made entirely from artist-quality polymer clay with the addition of a tiny bit of "magical" Sedona red rock dirt embedded in their matrix.  They are textured using coarse flint sandpaper.

Each bead is decorated using appliques crafted from a mix of PREMO and Kato polymer clay in homemade molds and adhered to the bead using a mixture of Translucent Liquid Sculpey (TLS) and Clay Softener. Tiny colored details are painted on using a mixture of TLS, Genesis heat set oil paints and colored mica powders. The tip of a "used up" ball point pen refill and also the nib of a Micron .005 pen are used as the "paint brushes". The turquoise tube spacer beads are made from a mix of various tints of turquoise clay formed around a knitting needle, cured and then cut apart.

They make a wonderful way to remember a Sedona vacation! Click here to see the entire "Southwestern Ornaments and Jewelry Collection: MelodyODesigns at Etsy
Roadrunner and prickly pear cactus red rock pendant necklace.

Kokopelli playing hearts from his flute red rock pendant necklace.

Black horse and saguaro cactus red rock pendant necklace.

Coyote howling at the moon red rock pendant neacklace.

Butterfly and prickly pear cactus red rock earrings.

Dragonfly and prickly pear cactus red rock earrings.

Hummingbird and prickly pear cactus red rock pendant.



 

Monday, June 13, 2011

Pink Poppy Polymer Clay Necklace and the fabric that inspired it

Pink Poppy and Monarch Butterfly Necklace inspired by Poppy floral designed fabric

I love to re-construct new clothing from vintage fabrics. I purchased a vintage dress in a VERY large size that was made from a lovely Pink Poppy and floral design fabric and re-made the fabric into a new skirt. Then I set out to try to capture the essence (though not the actual color palette) of the fabric's stunning floral design in PREMO poly clay.  Some of the flowers were tinted before curing with Sennelier and Unison artist's pastels that I made into powder by grating with a knife and were applied with a paintbrush. The ladybugs were made with PC and acrylic paint. Click to read info about the  caned Monarch butterfly

The individual components were attached to a collar base made from hand-sewn macramé cording.
Pink Poppy Floral Fabric that inspired the necklace
Pink Shirley Poppy from my garden that served as inspiration for the poppy on the necklace.

Entire Pink Poppy Ensemble
For a post about another necklace that was inspired by a textile, this time a vintage embroidered skirt, please click. Some of my other butterfly jewelry is available for sale at my online shop MelodyODesigns at Etsy