New Southwestern Sedona Navajo Horse Ornament for Christmas 2016

New ornament for 2016 from MelodyODesigns at Etsy

My new horse ornament for Christmas 2016 is a design based on traditional Navajo horse-painting. As with the other Southwestern Sedona ornaments in my collection these are handmade with artist quality polymer clay and contain a touch of "magical" real powdered Sedona Red Rock. Some of the designs are painted on with tinted Liquid Polymer Clay using a "spent" ballpoint pen that no longer contains ink. The mane and tails are accented with a dusting of Mona Lisa copper metal powder.

 

 

Santa's Arizona Workshop full of Southwestern Sedona Ornaments

Here in sweltering Cottonwood my studio is jam packed with ornaments and has a kind of Southwestern Sedona Christmas in August Santa's Workshop look to it that's colorful and FUN!

A lovely gift shop/gallery called Dragonfly Local Art in Old Town Cottonwood is now carrying my ornaments, both the Southwestern Sedona Ornaments (that have a touch of Sedona Red Rock Dirt) as well as the colorful Cat and Dog Collection. So, I've been very busy creating stock for the 3 shops that carry my ornaments, as well as for my own online shop. 

Earlier in the summer my husband and I began working together with Ann Metlay of Adrift Wood Assemblages to design and create a natural wood display "tree" for the ornaments. Built on a base of a gorgeous handmade walnut Lazy Susan made by Paul's Specialties, it revolves to make for a visually attractive 360 degree display area.

So, if you get to Old Town Cottonwood, Arizona stop by and say hi to Kathleen and Cynde when you're on your way to visit the locals wine tasting rooms or eat at one of the many excellent restaurants. If you can't make it to Cottonwood right now I invite you to visit my online shop MelodyODesigns

My Favorite Polymer Clay Tool: 1/4" acrylic rod for smoothing

This 1/4 (6.3mm) diameter acrylic roller is my favorite polymer clay tool. I use it all the time for adhering and smoothing applied cane slices and appliques, as well as for general all around smoothing of clay surfaces. I love it so much I dubbed it the "Magic Wand" for Carolyn Stearns when she used to sell them.

This cool little acrylic smoothing rod is so useful I feel quite sorry for any clayer who doesn't have one in their tool stash yet. After losing two of the PC suppliers who used to stock them, I asked Rob at Polymer Clay Express if he could offer them for sale. He agreed and is now stocking this Little Acrylic Rod Treasure. You can select the size from the drop down menu, as they also offer it in the 1/2" size.

After sharing the photos (above) of the "Magic Wand" being used to smooth a cherry and make the edges even on a Sedona Red Rock Disk Ornament I thought I'd also share photos of the finished products. Both the Faux Bakelite Reproduction Cherry Jewelry Collection and the Sedona Southwestern Red Rock Disk Ornament and Jewelry Collection are available at my MelodyODesigns shop at Etsy.

Faux Bakelite Reproduction Cherry Jewelry Collection

Sedona Southwestern Red Rock Ornament Collection

MelodyODesigns Faux Bakelite Cherry Necklace Customer Appreciation Day Part 5, Nozomy

Valued Customer Nozomy looking vintage glamorous in her Faux Bakelite Cherry Necklace from MelodyODesigns at Etsy

Anita (the "Melody" in MelodyODesigns): I'm so blessed that I have the most special of customers and they are what drives my passion for my business. I recently found a wonderful and unexpected gift waiting for me when I happened to visit the blog of a lovely customer named Nozomy who had purchased my Short Stem Bakelite Cherry Reproduction Necklace a week earlier. She had enthusiastically written about her experience, complete with awesome photos. It was such a kind and thoughtful surprise that really made my day and still causes me to smile when I think about it. To read her "Cherry Story" in its entirety and see her photos of the experience, please clink Nozomy's tumblr blog.  I really love it when I have the opportunity to interact with customers. It fuels my creative juices and the Internet has made it possible to have contact with customers from all over the world.

The following is Nozomy's story in her own words of how her love affair with Bakelite jewelry began.

Nozomy:
"Essentially I love sparkly things as the many other girls do, but my only problem is that I have metal allergy. So I can never wear fashion jewelries, and had been wearing only silver, gold and platinum jewelries for decades. I am Japanese and I become obsessed with kimono which is Japanese traditional clothing 5 years ago, and then I moved to the US, next thing I fell in love was vintage fashion especially 40's and 50's is so fascinating. I started buying vintage dresses, purses, shoes, hats... but sadly never the fashion jewelries."

"One day, I found plastic-look fashion jewelries in a show case, and learned the word "Bakelite". I thought it was way pricey for the plastic, but now I've learned the value. Also I found out that there is Bakelite reproduction, they are more affordable and in perfect condition. I did a lot of research, and finally I found my dream cherry necklace on Etsy and that was made by Anita! I am looking forward to this coming summer to wear the cherry necklace and my summer cotton dresses!!"

Anita: As I read Nozomys blog I realized that she is a talented artisan, creating LOVELY, unique, and special crocheted and knitted fashions and accessories from her own designs that bring to mind vintage times gone by. I asked her about her pieces.

Nozomy:
"My grandma taught me how to crochet when I was 7 or 8 years old. Since then I have been keeping the hobby: I think I really like to knit and crochet! I came up with an idea to make crocheting accessories about 5 yeas ago, but I wasn't really serious and I made a couple of little flower earrings and I was done. I reconsidered to make them again 1 year ago, and then this time it came to real."

"I made earrings, hair combs of white flowers, strawberries and hollies for Christmas. All hand crocheted and starched. I made the pattern by myself. Everything is original and I don't think there'd be anything similar around the world."

"Also, these days I have been trying out vintage patterns, I especially love lace gloves because they are so pretty!!"

Nozomy: "I hope to own my shop selecting my original accessories and vintage pattern gloves/purses/hats in the future."

Anita: When Nozomy is ready to launch her shop, the info will be posted on her tumblr blog and I will also edit in the URL link here as well. I hope it happens soon, because I think her lovely, unique and special original design creations will attract many happy customers to her shop.

The seven pieces of my Faux Bakelite Red Cherry Jewelry Reproductions Collection are available at MelodyODesigns at Etsy

If you haven't already seen them you might also enjoy reading:

MelodyODesigns' Faux Bakelite  Cherry Jewelry Customer Appreciation Day Part 1

MelodyODesigns' Faux Bakelite Cherry Jewelry Customer Appreciation Day Part 2 

 MelodyODesigns' Faux Bakelite Cherry Jewelry Customer Apreciation Day Part 3

MelodyODesigns' Faux Bakelite Cherry Jewelry Customer Appreciation Day Part 4