Philippine Polymer Clay Guild "Finger puppet Challenge"

For the month of October, the Philippine Polymer Clay Guild conducted a halloween-themed finger puppet challenge.

Philippine Polymer Clay Guild album cover

I was thinking about what character to do for this challenge over lunch, when our black cat, Tonton, appeared at my side, begging for table food.

How can you resist these begging eyes :)

Since halloween is all about witches, ghouls, ghosts, etc. I decided to make Tonton my muse.

Design sketches for my puppet character using Paper by 53 (I love this app!)

Using a metal thimble for the base, I sculpted the cat first then added the broom and the pumpkin on

each side. Here's the finished product:

Feline Familiar by Crazy Notions

I named my piece "Feline Familiar" since black cats are known to be a witch's familiar.

For more entries, visit our facebook page: 

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.561532347234057.1073741830.172264889494140&type=1

Art Bead Scene: October 2013 Challenge

This month, the inspiration for the Art Bead Scene October 2013 Challenge came from a Woodblock Print on Paper by Japanese artist Ohara Koson (1877 - 1945) named "Owl on Gingko Branch (Scops Owl Under Crescent Moon)".



Owl on Gingko Branch (Scops Owl Under Crescent Moon) 1915 by Ohara Koson

 Last year, I made a steampunk heart pendant using metallic polymer clay with other metal findings.



Flight of fancy steampunk Heart pendant

 But I find the colors too safe and bland. So, for this challenge, I refinished it with copper swellegant and patina for the wings and swirls to give it more character. I included brass key charms to complete the look. Here's the final look of the Flights of Fancy steampunk heart necklace now:


Flights of Fancy Steampunk Heart Necklace


It has improved, don't you think? 

Visit http://www.flickr.com/groups/artbeadscene/pool/ for more entries from very talented artists.
 

Philippine Polymer Clay Guild "Under the Sea Challenge

This September, the Philippine Polymer Clay guild revealed another one of their challenges named "Under the Sea". The challenge is to create a project inspired by the sea.



Challenge Cover

 I have always loved ocean-themed pieces. And for this challenge, I decided to go back to something I really love doing - Steampunk! Inspired by Jules Vernes' 20,000 leagues under the sea novel. I decided to do an underwater scene with the Nautilus exploring the ocean floor, discovering the mysteries of the sea.

First, I conceptualized a design for my entry.

Concept drawing of my piece

Then I started doing the elements of the bracelet. I started with a background of foil and alcohol inks and made my own polymer clay bezels. Then I hand-sculpted the steampunk octopus extending his arms all throughout the panel, injected the submarine, and incorporated metal findings with designs of a fish and starfish (I also tinted it with alcohol inks) and watch gears.

Raw panels of the bracelet

I finished the bracelet with a coat of UV Resin then assembled it with glass beads.

I named this piece DEEP SEA DELIGHT.




Deep Sea Delight Bracelet


To quote Jules Verne: "The sea is the vast reservoir of Nature. But at thirty feet below its level, their reign ceases, their influence quenched, and their power disappears. Ah! sir, live--live in the bosom of the waters! There only is independence! There I recognise no masters! There I am free!"

Fortunately, I was one of the winners of this challenge. Ms. Marie Segal, an internationally-renowned Polymer Clay Artist, was invited by the Guild to judge.



Letter by Ms. Marie Segal to the Philippine Polymer Clay Guild challenge participants

 Please visit our Guild's facebook page to view all of the wonderful pieces made by our members at:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.546296788757613.1073741829.172264889494140&type=1

Our little bundle of Joy

The reason why I have been so quiet with my blog posts lately (besides being busy with my day job) is we recently received a blessing from God.

 

Me, my hubby and baby Sophie during our vacation in Coron, Palawan



We're blessed with a little bundle of Joy due on the later part of 2013!

Last Sunday, even it was raining hard in Manila, some of my friends from the Philippine Polymer Clay Guild threw a surprise baby shower for me. My husband was the accomplice. It was held at the Bizu Patisserie in Greenbelt 2, Makati. Here are some of the photos:

 

Group picture while eating

 

Games Galore!





My yummy afternoon tea set



Sponsored treats from our friend





Serving dessert :)



The girls (and kids) of P3 :)

Excited parents-to-be

  

One more picture before going home

Thank you guys for making this a special day for my family. 

Philippine Polymer Clay Guild "Mosaic Challenge"

It has been a long while since my last post. A very nice and big suprise came our way last March that my claying activities took a back seat.

Anyway, please let me share our guild's challenge for the month of July. Our theme was Mosaic.

The guild's album cover

For this challenge, I decided to make a new technique using tinted liquid clay as a medium to "paint" a picture to polymer clay. I was inspired to make a Buddha image for the design of my bracelet bangle from my recent trip to Siem Reap, Cambodia.

Buddha bangle bracelet

When worn

But since you cannot appreciate the design due to the irregular design of the bangle, I decided to make another mosaic piece using a card holder as my blank canvas. This time my design is a koi pond.

Mosaic Koi pond Card holder

But I did not submit this though.

Until my next polymer clay adventures!

Baby impressions

Last month, a friend commissioned me to make a hands and feet impression of her newly-born son. For this project, I used sculpey ultra light clay. It's soft enough to make an impression without having to force the baby's limbs.

I met her at their house to take the impressions, then went back at home to bake it and embellished it some more.



Baby Ryan Karl's hands and feet impressions after baking



Finished!

I added a frame around it then added an oil-painting of the sky and clouds as the background. Then I also added balloons with his name stamped at the sides.

A moment frozen in history! :)

Wedding Cake Topper

A friend's friend is getting married. And what better gift to give is a cake topper to symbolize their new life together. The wedding's theme is peach and beach. The topper stands at about 5 inches high and 6 inches in width. 

I started with the bride, since it was the easiest for me. Using the reference design of the wedding gown the bride will be wearing, I tackled the project head on.

I started with the form and the gown

Back detail of the gown and head ornaments

After finishing the bride, I started doing the groom

And here is the finished wedding topper with the couple's monogram. The base is clay covered with white sand finished with liquid polymer clay.
 

Front view



Back view



Groom's view




Bouquet Detail in pink, peach and beige colors




Bride's view

Congratulations to the soon-to-be newly weds! :)

Globe Ring: Caty Pury

I was commissioned by a friend to make a globe ring with her beloved cat as the subject.



Caty sleeping in the couch



It took me 2 months to start the project due to some personal affairs which made me busy all throughout the holiday season. Here are some of the pictures of the Caty Pury ring in progress until completion.




Starting with the head :)



Unbaked yet



Finished product



Top view



Back portion

And it comes with a packaging like this:



Globe Ring packaging

 More stories to tell on my next blog!

Art Bead Scene: February 2013 Challenge

I'm back!

After months of blog inactivity and a short vacation from claying, I decided to go back to my craft with another Art Bead Scene challenge.

For this month, the inspiration was from Toshi Yoshida's skillful woodblock print "Heijinja, 1941".

Toshi Yoshida's "Heijinja, 1941"

 The flame red focal color reminds me so much of Love and Valentine's day and so as the Cherry Blossoms blooming.

With this I created an asymmetrical necklace using Red and the cherry blossoms as my main focal points. And I named my piece, "Sakura".

The flowers are all finished with alcohol inks, inka gold and mica powders. And I incorporated it with plastic and acrylic beads to complete my palette.

One of the Three Sakura flowers

With the focal bead depicting a Cherry blossom tree

Here is the finished product:

What do you think? 

Happy claying everyone!