Snowflakes in Purple and Testing Mica Powders!

We love the rich jewel tone colors and shimmer effect of mica powders.  One thing we have learned is that the colors in the jar can look real exciting but sometimes don't look the same when applied to the clay and can even be a little disappointing.  One example of this is the new color Magenta by Pearl Ex.  When you open the jar you are greeted with a shade of hot pink.  When you apply it to some black clay, however, it doesn't look pink but instead it becomes a pretty purple!

So this is the powder we used to create the purple background on our snowflake items such as the "snaps" and shawl pins.

Snowflake "Snaps"

"Snap" Necklace with Snowflake "Snaps"

"Snap" Bracelet with Snowflake "Snaps"

Snowflake Shawl Pin in Purple

There is only one week left to receive a free copy of my Snowflake "Snap" tutorial and we still have some snowflake charms in stock.  You can read about our promotion in a previous blog post here.

Mixing Up Mica Powder Colors -- Zircon Teal Blue

Have you found that sometimes you just can't find that perfect mica powder color for a project you are working on?  I have and when I was looking for a shade of teal to match the Zircon colored Swarovski crystals we use I decided to pull out our mica powders and mix some up until I got the shade I wanted.  It is fun to experiment and create new colors this way.

Before I actually started mixing up lots of powders I combined tiny amounts on a piece of parchment paper with my fingers.

Once I figured out the combination, I then proceeded with mixing up my actual recipe.  All you need is a container for your new mix and a small (1/8 or 1/4) measuring spoon.

Measure out your powders and add them to your new container.  I used a metal poultry lacer (bead piercing tool) to level off the mica powders.

The end of the metal skewer works really well for mixing up the powders without spilling and making a mess.

I share this Teal color recipe I mixed up in my new "Snowflake Snap" tutorial.  This tutorial is not for sale right now.  It is a bonus offer and you can receive your free copy plus a snowflake charm when you order $35 or more from our Snap Supplies in our online store.  You can read more about this promotion and find the coupon code in my past blog post here.

Jewel-tone Double-sided Textured Beads

We just finished off a bunch of double-sided texture beads and matching rondelle spacers in some jewel-tone colors for the Jewelry Party this Saturday at the Sewing Basket where everyone will make a memory wire bracelet.

Everyone will get to pick their own beads out in their favorite colors and textures to design their own bracelet.

I noticed that Pearl Ex has come out with some new colors that are suppose to be more bright and vibrant.  I am always looking for new colors and so these should be fun to play with.  You can read more about them here on Wendy's blog who now has them for sale at Shades of Clay.

We work with mica powder pigments quite a bit and in my tutorials, Double-sided Textured Beads, Textured Tubes and More and Make Your Own Rondelle Spacer Beads, I share some tips on working with them.

One thing I do differently now is I have actually mixed some of the colors to create new colors and save them in small jars with the recipe written on in case I need to make more.