New Interchangeable Snap Necklace Styles

We recently added some new interchangeable pendant styles to our Snap Decisions collection.  All of the decorative snap base pendants have our unique "easy clip" for interchanging.  You can clip them onto a necklace chain or onto any of our scarf bails to wear on a scarf.

These new pendants along with our other styles are available in our online store and we will also have them for sale at the Kamloops Craft-a-Fair this Sunday.  If you can make it we would love to see you there.

Our Snap Decisions Collection is also sold at the Silhouette Fashion Boutique.  We are excited to announce that Silhouette Fashion Boutique recently opened a second location at the Village Green Centre in Vernon.

I thought I would share this video that was made by Roxy of Shuswap Events featuring our Snap Decisions Collection and demonstrated by T.J. the owner of the Silhouette Fashion Boutique.

The Silhouette Fashion Boutique has such fabulous clothes with most of them Canadian made.  They are having their fall fashion show at the Vernon store location this Thursday which you need to book in advance.  To see other events and specials, you can follow them on facebook to stay informed.

If you are not able to shop in their store, you can find all the fabulous clothes they carry in their online store.

Lots of New Scarf Jewelry for Fall

Over the past few months we have been working overtime to create some new scarf jewelry for fall.  I have been teaching Linda, our assistant, how to make them with me in a sort of production process and so we were able to create a wide range of designs and have some fun at the same time!  These take a fair bit of work to make but is one of my favorite items to create.  The bails are handcrafted from clay and then we hand-shape sets of clay beads to match.  After baking and finishing all the pieces, they are put together with unique charms and beautiful beads to create a balanced necklace.

Our scarf jewelry is one of our most popular selling items.  We have had a difficult time listing them online as they would sell so quickly.  This time we managed to document and photograph these latest pieces before we take them to our Christmas show coming up in less than 2 weeks.  We will be at the Kamloops Craft-A-Fair at the Sandman Centre on Sunday, November 5th.  We will be in the same location as past years (on the concourse - turn left at the main entrance and down a bit on the left hand side).  If you are not able to attend, we have a wide selection listed in our online store and also adding some select designs to our Etsy shop.

Our new classic collection is in a wide range of fall colors.  You can add one to your own favorite scarf or they can be purchased with one of our soft and luxurious linen scarves in your color choice.

Creating with the Liane CaBezel Jewelry Mold

The Liane CaBezel jewelry mold is another new design from the CaBezel mold series created by Wendy Orlowski.  It doesn't have a hole like in the Holy CaBezel molds but does come in three sizes.  I loved playing with these molds and trying out various ways they can be used with a snap mounted for interchanging.

These are several arrangements out of many that can be made with the beads created from the molds.  The interchangeable beads on the necklace in the above photo were created using the medium-size (center) and small size (outside) in the Liane CaBezel mold.  In the arrangement below I used the large size (center) along with the medium size mold (outside beads).

The arrangement below is a combination of the small size Liane CaBezel mold for the 2 outside beads and the center bead made with the Fab Focals # 2.

I also created a large Liane shape with a curve and really like how it came out.  You can see a comparison in the photo below.  

Bead on the left was baked on a curve and bead on the right baked flat

The curved shape works especially well in the longer necklace design with the chain tassel.

 

And the beauty of it on a snap is that it can be easily interchanged and worn as a short necklace.

  

We create the art . . . 

. . . you choose how to wear it!

Large Interchangeable Snaps in Faux Stone

I really love creating clay designs with the CaBezel jewelry molds.  These pieces were made in our faux red stone and on a snap for interchanging to be worn in a variety of ways.  I filled the center hole in the small designs with a bit of faux white stone to add a bit of contrast.

The new 'Holy CaBezel' jewelry molds come in three sizes.  I really like the variety as even if you created a pendant from them, not everyone prefers the largest size so it provides more options.  Shown below is the smallest size of the 'Carolyn' design (my favorite -- not just because it is named after me!) that is on a snap and worn as a necklace.

Here is the same snap combined with the large size and a small 'Sue' design to create a three piece interchangeable snap necklace.

And a few more ideas as to how to use this size of art bead.  It could be used as bracelet links or in this case a snap added to one of our new wrap bracelets.

It is also the perfect size for adding to a shawl or hair stick.  We make our own clay covered sticks with a snap base for interchanging which are available in our online store as well as several yarn shops that sell our work.

And if you like chunky rings, the small size CaBezel can be worn as one as well.  Having it on a snap allows one to choose the ring base they prefer for a proper fit.  We have a selection of rings with a snap base in our online store.

So even if you aren't into making interchangeable snaps, I hope this can give you a little more inspiration on using the CaBezel jewelry molds created by Wendy Orlowski which are available only at Shades of Clay.

Holy CaBezels in Faux Turquoise Stone

I finally managed to find some time to work up large batches of faux turquoise in various colors thanks to our new assistant, Linda.  I have been teaching her how to mix up batches and create large veneer sheets.  She not only enjoys it (says it is one of her favorite clay techniques so far) but has a real feel for it as well.

I wanted to create some interchangeable snaps combining the faux stone colors along with the CaBezel jewelry molds.  I really love how the two work together so well and will have more colors to share with you later.

These ones were created in our typical Arizona blue turquoise.  I share this clay color recipe in my Fabulous Faux Turquoise tutorial along with how to create your own clay veneer sheets and roll your own faux turquoise stone beads.

These interchangeable snap pieces were created using the Holy CaBezel jewelry molds.  Left and top center is the Carolyn design and on the right is the Sue.  The one in the middle was made using the smallest shape to show you the size comparison.

And here are more in our green turquoise stone.  I developed this clay color later and you will find the clay recipe on our blog here.  These pieces all have snaps on the back for interchanging as well.  I couldn't add the snap onto the back of the smallest size if I cut out the hole so instead I filled it which gives them a unique look.

Left to Right:  Carolyn, Lorraine, Sue -- CaBezel Jewelry Mold shapes

These are all on the same Softglas cord necklace with a snap base.  I show how to make them in an earlier blog post here.  The top set of pendants are the small size with the filled in hole.  The bottom row are the large size with the hole cut out.

And here is a three piece set that I pulled together.  All the pieces can interchange of course and I was just starting to play around with the various shapes, sizes and styles to create different arrangements.

I will share more ideas using the smaller shapes soon and in more turquoise veneer colors.

Interchangeable Beads in an Autumn Maple and Tawny Port Mix

I created a color mix earlier with the Pantone Fall 2017 fashion colors Autumn Maple, Butterum and Tawny Port.  It was a nice combination but I wanted the colors to pop a little more so I recreated the mix again but this time added some black.  I think the new color combo came out richer and is surprising how adding just a little black can create a more dramatic look.

We made these pieces with the Holy CaBezel jewelry molds.  On the left is with the Sue design and the right is Lorraine.  These of course are on a snap for interchanging and will be added to our online store soon.

We make almost all of our focal beads on a snap so they can be worn different ways.

"We create the art ... you choose how to wear it!"

New CaBezel Snaps in Winter Colors

I haven't been too active here this month as we've had our nose to the grindstone -- or more like the clay pasta machine!  Many of the stores that we sell wholesale to turn in their fall orders and it seems September is our month to get them all finished and sent out or delivered.  I am happy to say I see a little light flickering at the end of the tunnel but is still a little ways away yet.  The good news is that we have been making some new creations and will try and share them as they are finished off and photographed.

Here are a few of our new interchangeable snaps in fall colors.  The crimson red and grey are a variation of the Pantone fall colors that also have a more winter feel.  I think, however, they will compliment outfits in black or neutral gray quite nicely.  I used three of the Holy CaBezel jewelry molds for the pendant beads below.  Left to right:  Carolyn (named after moi),  Lorraine, and Sue.  These were all created using the largest of the three sizes in the set.

We recently brought in some new snap base bracelets and will have some available in our online store soon.  Most of these will be going to the Silhouette Fashion Boutique with some other new fresh items for fall.  I am quite excited about them opening another store.  The latest one is in Vernon (Village Green Centre) so our Snap Decisions Collection is now available there as well as the downtown Salmon Arm location.