Anita's interview article in Making Jewellery Magazine on sources of inspiration in making jewelry

I was so honored and thrilled to receive a copy of the February 2013 issue of "Making Jewellery" last week and find an article that featured me and my jewelry. "Making Jewellery" magazine is based in the UK. Kira Withers-Jones had interviewed me last fall about what inspires me when I create a new jewelry design. My husband Sy’s photography makes it all come to life in living color. The article involves some text and well as showing pictures of the jewelry piece and pictures of what inspired it.  (Some of the showcased pieces are available at MelodyODesigns at Etsy)

I thought I'd include some of the item/inspiration photos from the article here on my blog as well, so you can see them full size and also show a number of item/inspiration photo pairs that didn't make it into the article because of space constraints.

Monarch Butterfly and Autumn Leaf Necklace was inspired by...........

Autumn in the White Mountains of eastern Arizona

Stylized floral necklace was inspired by........

the gorgeous embroidery on a vintage circle skirt

Monarch Butterfly and Pink Poppy collar style necklace was inspired by.......

this beautiful pink Shirley poppy that grew in my garden for years AND also by......

 this lovely vintage Japanese fabric

Faux Red Rock and Turquoise "Tribute to Sedona" Necklace was inspired by....

Gary Austin's Mesquite Burl and turquoise Inlace Pot and by.....

Bell Rock Sedona, Arizona

 I wanted to mention that this week I set up a number of Social Media pages and I'd love to invite you visit them and "Like" or "Friend" or "Whatever" them if you do. I'll do my best to return the favor.

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Autumn Leaves Monarch Butterfly Necklace from Polymer Clay

Autumn Leaves, Monarch Butterfly and ladybug necklace from Polymer clay. 
This necklace currently for sale at MelodyODesigns at Etsy 

"Autumn, a second spring where every leaf is a flower." Albert Camus

I love to pick colorful autumn leaves to press, but the colors of THIS polyclay version will never fade. The leaves and acorns are made from PREMO polyclay using vein impressions made from real leaves and a mold made from a real acorn. The leaf color formulas contain some fluorescent clay to make the colors “pop”. All are tinted with a powder made from crushed soft artists pastels before curing. The butterfly wings were from studio made polymer clay canes*.

The  butterfly has a PC body, wire antennae, and seed bead eyes. The butterfly wings are attached to a  thin black butterfly-shaped aluminum sheet that allows the wings to be repositionable. The individual components are attached to a collar made from sewn macramé cording. The ladybugs were made using PC and acrylic paint. 

*Caning is a labor intensive construction technique borrowed from glassmaking similar to making jelly rolls 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. See a photo of raw Monarch cane below. Each tiny component of the entire complex Monarch butterfly is made by laying individual long rods of clay lengthwise and bundling them together with other tiny rods, so the Monarch image you see is actually made up 100's of tiny rods of clay.

A special thanks to Leigh Ross who, with husband Stephen, runs the Delphi newsgroup PolymerClayCentral. Her excellent leaf tutorial originally inspired me to make polymer clay leaves many years ago and got me excited about working with PC. Her lovely work and wide body of  PC knowledge continue to educate and inspire new generations of PC fans.

The "made from scratch" caned Monarch Butterfly is adhered to a thin aluminum backing so that the wings can be repositioned.

Un-reduced Monarch cane  made from old  PREMO polyclay

           

The Monarchs have landed in Cottonwood!

To see the Monarch Butterflies on a Blue Morning Glory necklace please click here:

Cottonwood Aspen Leaf Necklace from Polymer Clay

This shimmering and sunny Cottonwood or Aspen leaf necklace and matching earrings are available for sale at my on-line shop MelodyODesigns at Etsy 

I'm thrilled and honored that my dangling yellow autumn Cottonwood (or Aspen Leaf) necklace made from polymer clay has been featured in "PolymerCAFE" Magazine (Vol. 8 No. 5). Made as a tribute to our Cottonwood, Arizona home, it was my hope to try to capture the sparkling shimmer of the leaves dancing in the breezy sunshine of the Verde River Valley. I saved my favorite leaves that I picked up when we were hiking in Dead Horse Ranch State Park to use as models for the necklace leaves. The necklace also honors the similar aspen trees I loved when we lived in Colorado. The boogieing whimsical ladybugs were added to bring good luck to wearer and just because I love ladybugs.

The entire faux enamel necklace is handmade from polymer clay to which many layers of Kato Liquid Polyclay, Genesis heat set oil paints and mica powders are applied. Each layer is heat set. The veining is made by applying individual tiny lengths of brass wire to one layer of uncured Liquid Polyclay. The leaves each received several coats of water-based varnish after them were cured and each coat was heat set. The tiny ladybugs are constructed from polyclay and liquid polyclay and then painted with acrylics. The chain is constructed from 6/0 and 8/0 lime green Czech glass beads.

Necklace featured in PolymerCAFE Magazine

 

Cottonwood Leaf Necklace from Polymer Clay

We recently moved to Cottonwood, AZ and this is my tribute. Thin layers of a mix of Kato Liquid Polymer Clay, Pearl Ex and Genesis heat set oil paints were applied to cured PREMO poly clay leaves. Each layer is set individually with a crafter's heat gun. Veins are individual tiny lengths of 24-26 gauge brass wire laid onto 1st liquid PC layer. 4 coats of glossy Varathane were applied with a slightly moistened makeup sponge. Ladybugs are made made from PC and painted with acrylics.

For an updated post on this necklace when it was featured in "PolymerCafe" Magazine Cottonwood Leaf Necklace.

This shimmering and sunny necklace has been newly re-designed and is available for sale at my on-line shop
MelodyODesigns at ArtFire.  There will also be matching dangling pierced earrings available just as soon as the special surgical steel earwires I ordered arrive, sometime around July 2, 2012.