Globe Rings

Between my erratic schedule at work, planning for the renovation of our new house, doing challenges for our polymer clay guild, compose layouts for the Global Pinoy Bazaar creatives for our guild and orders from clients, I managed to create these little creatures. I admit, I'm not so keen in making miniatures so this posed a challenge for me. But because of my hoarding syndrome (of materials and settings), I was forced to try my hand in getting out of my comfort zone.

Inspired by many things, but mostly of fairy tales, here are some of my globe rings:

Tea Party

The Shoe house

The Princess and the Pea

Caterpillar

I still have more settings for this, so I've got to go and create some more! :)

Philippine Polymer Clay Guild "Artist Trading Card" Challenge

This post is long over due already. But nevertheless, let me share with you my entries to our Guild's Artist Trading Card challenge. The challenge is to select a polymer clay artist, interpret their style via the ATC. My theme for this is fairy tales:

1. Once Upon a Time - (inspired by Ms. Laurie Mika) One of my favorite adaptation of the classic fairy tale "Cinderella" was "Ever After". Using Da Vinci's painting, I created a framed design utilizing the mosaic technique.


Once Upon a Time


2. Part of your World - (Inspired by: Mandarin Moon) Want to live under the sea? With all the corals and sea weeds? This is my adaptation of "The Little Mermaid", mandarin moon-style.



Part of Your World

3. The Princess and the Pea - (Inspired by: Ms. Sara Jane Helm) Ever slept on top of hundreds of mattresses and still not be comfortable? Such a princess indeed! Ms. Sarah Jane Helm's works on polymer clay quilts is the inspiration to this artist trading card.


The Princess and the Pea

Until the next P3 challenge!


SHAKE IT! Salt and Pepper Shakers

During my wedding preparations, I wanted to give handmade gifts to my principal sponsors. I chanced upon these egg-shaped ceramic salt and pepper shakers in a home store and a light bulb lit in my head!


Here are some of the salt and pepper shakers I made:

Kitty Cats

Pigs going out

Owlies

Watch out for more of these. I may be selling them through my Etsy account, whatcha think?

Changes in my life

At long last, I'm back from the grave! LOL...

Actually, the reason why I have been so quiet in the past 2 months is because I just got married to the most wonderful guy. He's responsible for building me contraptions of some sort to make my claying sessions so much easier. We have been in a relationship for nine years and to celebrate our ninth anniversary, we got married! Here are some of our wedding pictures:



Me and my husband



Our wedding cake baked by my sister.
The clay cake topper was a gift from ourtalented friend Rochelle Diccion of Little Rock

Photo op outside the church

Our wedding invitation done by me

Despite the fact that our wedding ceremony is not perfect. And things did not go according to plan, the most important thing is that we were able to say "I do" in front of God, our dearest friends and families.

We thank all of the people who helped us in the preparations, all of those who attended and to all those who sent all their best wishes.

And now, another chapter in my life is beginning...

Mrs. Pepper - A Work in Progress

I am sorry if I haven't got the time to blog about my claying adventures this past few weeks. I have been busy preparing for a special moment in my life and it's driving me crazy!!! I also decided to make handmade souvenirs for some special people who will be celebrating it with me. Well, good luck to me...

On to my topic...I have been an avid fan of Ms. Doreen Gay Kassel's works and hoped that one day I could try and make something, even remotely, similar to hers.

This week, I bought some egg shaped ceramic salt and pepper shakers in Living Well and decided to make creatures of fantasy out of it. Well, it did not turn out the way I was envisioning it. I did try and make a Doreen-creature but I was inspired by my ginger kitten named Tuki. I decided to make him my muse.

It's still a work-in-progress but I love how it turned out. Although I still need a lot of practice in sculpting.

Mrs. Pepper (front view)

Mrs. Pepper's rear side :)

Oh, I also bought myself a new coloring medium which I used with Mrs. Peppers. It's a bit expensive but definitely so easy to use!

Now, back to my creative hole! :)

Swellegant Experiments

What is swellegant?


These are cool collections of metal coatings, patinas and dye oxides developed by Ms. Christi Friesen. (For more information, visit http://store.cforiginals.net/swmecoco.html)


I waited two months for these and it's all worth it! Although me and these babies are in the "getting to know" stage in our relationship. Nevertheless, here are my initial experiments using the product:

BEFORE : I made this focal bead using white clay then bake

AFTER: I finished it with Brass Metal Coating and Rust Patina

BEFORE : Sculpted wings in silver clay and mica powder

AFTER: A coat of Copper with Carribean Blue dye oxide

Can't wait to try more of the combination possibilities between the metal coatings, patinas and dye oxides. I will be posting more soon! This is truly a swellegant product!

Art Bead Scene: April Challenge

This month, the challenge for the Art Bead Scene comes from an inspiration of a painting by Boreas by John William Waterhouse named Boreas (For more information on this challenge, please visit http://artbeadscene.blogspot.com/2012/04/april-monthly-challenge.html).

Boreas by John William Waterhouse, 1903
Oil on canvas
68.8 x 94 cm

With this beautiful painting, I decided to make a bracelet. Using polymer clay and filigrees, I created a focal bead with a blue background and white miniature daffodil flowers.

Work in Progress: Focal Bead

I also made lentil swirl beads reminiscent of the flow of air blowing through the blue veil of the woman in the painitng.

Work in Progress: Lentil Swirl Beads

String them all together and this is the result:

"Daffodils" Bracelet

When worn

Key Chains

Last week, I made these key chains for a client. She said that it will be a gift for her parents.

Bride and Groom Key Chain

The bride

The Groom

I had fun creating these two! :)

More Carved Cuff Bracelets

I can't seem to get enough of the carved cuff bracelet tutorial of Ms. Rocky Villegas-Antonio. Last weekend, I decided to try my hand in creating cuff bracelets.


For my first creation, I used the leaves and vines push mold. I just read the Percy Jackson book series so I was very much inspired by Greek mythology in naming this piece. I called it Demeter's Garden. I used translucent clay with alcohol inks and acrylic paints.




On my wrist :)



Closer view of the front detail



View from the side details

For my second creation, I named this Monoliths. I used the Tribal faces push mold to form the black clay and finished it with inka gold cream paints.




On my wrist



Front view detail



Left side view detail



Right side view detail

 Would be making a lot more of these over the Holy Week vacation!

Black and White Bead Challenge

The Philippine Polymer Clay Guild had our first challenge last year. It was a swap challenge wherein we have to create a bead using black and white polymer clay. These are the beads that I got:

Different kind of beads from the fabulous clay artists of our guild

Today, I had the chance to string some together to make it into wearable art.

I made a bracelet from the beads of (From Left to Right):
Reizl An Carpio of Xander's Gift Shop, Paula Esguerra of Kinkclay Arts, Mary Ann Limjoco-Decastro,
Gin Rose Caballero of Aquamaze,Ling Buhay of Thought of You
and April Grace Bola of Shape n' Bake 

Necklace from the beads of (from bottom to top):
Angeli Del Rosario of the Beadlady, Melody Manalaysay of
Crafting Time and Jennifer Cruz of Purpleluggage

I still have some stash left and will transform them hopefully soon! 

Art Bead Scene: March Challenge

This month, I am entering another piece to the Art Bead Scene March Challenge. And for this challenge, inspiration from one of Van Gogh's paintings:

Street Scene in Montmartre: Le Moulin a Poivre by Vincent Van Gogh

Oil on canvas

34.5 x 64.5 cm.

Paris: February-March, 1887

Getting the color palette inspiration from the Art Bead Scene blog, I decided to make earrings for this entry.

Victoria

All items are hand made with polymer clay and metal findings and filigrees by me. These earrings are fit for a queen.

Hope you like them.

Saturday Claying Day

I have been a very busy bee today and finished projects. I also got the chance to try out Ms. Rocky Villegas-Antonio's Carved Cuff technique. Since I only got 3 sets of push molds, I tried to maximize what I have. (Note to self: Hoarding of clay supplies should include more push molds hahaha!)  I used translucent clay, applied with alcohol inks, then added patina after baking. 


And here's the finished item:

"Tribes" bracelet

On my arm :)

Although I should have used less alcohol inks. Oh well, maybe next time.


Here's the link to the tutorial so that you can try it out:


http://theclayingmommy.blogspot.com/2012/01/tutorial-carved-cuff.html

TV stars for a day

Yesterday, me and a bunch of my clay buddies, were fortunate to be included in a TV segment for a show in a local network. The segment was all about the rising polymer clay craft here in the Philippines and how easy it is to make a business out of it even in the comforts of your own home. I was joined by fellow Philippine Polymer Clay Guild artists Melody Felipe (Purplenook) and Roselle Cruz (The Clay Artist).

Here are some screen shots of our TV shoot:


Playing around before the arrival of the TV crew (From Left to Right: Jessica Hernandez of Johz Co. Clay, me, Rochelle Diccion of Little Rock and Roselle Cruz of The Clay Artist)



Melody Felipe of Purplenook in action!



Taking a "Chicka" break



My turn on the spotlight



Interview portion



Demonstrating a flower tutorial



Outdoor shots with our products

You can watch our episode via this link:
 

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/video/113545/ang-paggawa-ng-fashion-accessories-na-gawa-sa-polymer-clay?ref=vid_item_title

Workshop Alert!

Have you ever been consumed by creativity but don't know how to start? Would you like to learn a new craft for your personal hobby and for your business eventually? Then please join my Extensive Basic Polymer Clay workshop this March 17, 2012 at the Beadlady Craft Studio, Cubao Expo, Quezon City. Please email angelisartbeads@gmail.com for further details.