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