Halloween Black Cat Necklace to Brooch Jewelry from Polymer Clay

Of Halloween ghosts and goblins........ black and orange cats. Halloween merchandise in already in stores so I thought it was the perfect time to create an orange and black  Halloween cat pendant necklace that converts to a brooch. He's crafted from artist-quality polymer clay and decorated with *canes. His "cat like" eyes are made from a "brain cane" and he has brush bristle whiskers.  There is a innovative finding on the back that allows it to be worn as either a brooch or a pendant. His devilish smile reminds me a lot of one of our beloved black cats who used to take great delight in welcoming Trick or Treaters. The piece  was a featured item September 16, 2011 at CraftGossip.com 

*Caning is a labor-intensive construction technique borrowed from glass making similar to making jellyrolls where colored rods of clay are laid horizontally forming a complex pattern from which a thin slice is cut allowing the pattern to be seen.

Halloween Cat shown worn as a necklace pendant

Halloween Cat shown worn as a brooch

This Halloween Cat comes with clever finding that allows the piece to be converted from pendant necklace to brooch.

This versatile feline is also available as a magnet

                                  All the Halloween goodies are for sale at MelodyODesigns at Etsy

Hamsa with Monarch Butterfly + Sunshine theme from Polymer Clay

I designed this new Hamsa wall hanging for our new home. If you'd  like one for your home, one last copy is available for sale at MelodyODesigns at Etsy

This Monarch Butterfly and Sunshine themed mosaic hamsa wall hanging was made as a belated housewarming gift for OUR house. It is 5 1/4" long and was created entirely from artist-quality polymer clay, glass seed beads, and "aquamarine", "topaz" and  "ruby" antique glass jewels that were so generously shared with me by polymer clay artist and clay pal, Scott Mizevitz, who got them from his grandfather's new old stock.

The hamsa or hamesh is an ancient Middle Eastern amulet symbolizing the Hand of God. In both Jewish and Islamic traditions the hamsa hand is thought to be a powerful talisman believed to bring it's owner happiness, peace, luck, health, good fortune and prosperity. In the Jewish faith many people believe the hamsa pendant symbolizes the "Hand of Miriam", the sister of Moses and Aaron. In the Islamic faith, the hamsa hand can symbolize The "Hand of Fatima", daughter of the Prophet Mohammed. Hamsa hands frequently contain the symbol of an eye which is seen as powerful protection against the "evil eye". It is often hung at the entry way of a home.

Click here to see my blog post about another Hamsa I made as a house warming gift for a friend whose house burned down that incorporates antique nails found in the ashes :Jeweled Mosaic Hamsa