Pantone Spring 2016 Fashion Colors Snorkel Blue and Limpet Shell

Pantone describes Snorkel Blue as marine inspired and from the navy family but with a happier more energetic context.  The name alone implies a relaxing vacation and encourages escape which is what I would love to do with all the snow around outside.  Limpet Shell is a shade of aqua and combines well with the Snorkel Blue.

I played around with my version of batik fabric in clay using these two colors to create a sculpted flower and some beads.

So here are the clay recipes for the Pantone Spring 2016 Fashion colors Limpet Shell and Snorkel Blue using Kato clay.

* Note:  These clay color recipes are created using Kato Polyclay.  Any of the base color "mixes" used are from myClay Color System.

Little Posie Snaps

These are our new little mini flower "snaps" for our interchange jewelry that we are calling our little Posies.  We made a small flower mold to form each posie in a consistent size.  Each flower is individually cut out and then placed on top of a "prepped snap bezel B" (see our tutorial on page 5) that was textured.  A Swarovski crystal was added to the center of each posie.

"Snap" Bracelet

"Snap" Bangle

New Tutorial: Constructing Accent Pieces for Your Scarves, Sweaters & Shawls

I am excited (and relieved) to finally have finished and published my latest tutorial:  Constructing Accent Pieces for Your Scarves, Sweaters & Shawls.  In this 50 page pdf lesson I give step by step instructions on the basic construction of our most popular selling items -- our scarf jewelry and shawl pins.  We have been selling our shawl pins in local yarn shops for several years now and are a very popular item.

Our scarf jewelry is our main attraction in any of the shows we are in.  They are our best selling item and we have made and sold hundreds over the past few years.  My purpose for this tutorial is to teach the basic construction of these pieces so that nearly any technique can be applied and this way you can give them your own personal style.

You are welcome to sell any items that you create from this tutorial, just do not share any of our trade secrets, copy, share or teach from any of our published lessons.

My lesson is broken down into segments with plenty of pictures to make it easier to follow.  There are links throughout for easier viewing on a tablet.

This is a break down of some of the content:

-- The Shawl Pin - Supplies and Determining Size
-- Making the Shawl "Ring"
-- Adding embellishments to your Shawl Ring
-- Making the Shawl "Pin" or "Stick"
-- Adding a Decorative End to the Shawl Stick (3 different methods)
-- The Scarf Necklace - Supplies and Determining Size
-- Making the Scarf Necklace Bail
-- Working with Crystal Rhinestones
-- Making the Beads for the Scarf Necklace (3 different Methods)
-- Assembling Your Scarf Necklace including basic jewelry making Instructions
-- Making a Scarf Buckle in a faux "tooled leather"
-- Making Your Own Custom Texture Stamps
-- Making a Form for Baking the Shawl Pin Rings and Scarf Buckles

Also included is a two page photo gallery for design ideas along with supply references to help you find some of the materials we use such as scarves, etc.

The supplies needed to make all of the items in this tutorial are all easy to find and very affordable.   Most items you probably already have on hand.

I have had many requests to share what we use for the stick in our shawl pins.  We were not prepared to divulge this trade secret of ours but I not only share what the material is but a simple and effect method for covering it with clay.

The tutorial is available as an instant download in our Etsy Shop or in our online store where we will e-mail it out to you (please be sure to give the correct e-mail address and check your spam box if you do not receive it within several hours of paying.)

Batik Flowers for Spring

Here are some more batik style flowers in new color combinations in time for spring. The batik fabric-like pattern is created using a variation of mokume gane that I developed myself.  These flowers are made into buttons and finished in three different sizes as well as shawl sticks for the yarn and quilt shops.

Vintage Inspired Flower Necklace

Here is another necklace I created using my vintage inspired flowers in the jewel tone colors.  The copper and teal combination is one of my favorites.  I've been slowly experimenting with and introducing gilder's paste with my clay and like the effects of the copper paste I used here.

Vintage Floral Shawl or Hair Sticks

Here is a shawl or hair stick version of our vintage inspired sculpted flowers.  So far they have been a real hit with the yarn shops that sell our work and every time I make a batch, we end up selling out.  I love making them in all the different jewel-tone colors.  The centers are from a mould I created from a vintage button with Swarovski crystals embedded into the centers to add that little extra sparkle.

These are available in both the clay covered steel pin or the longer silver plated steel pin which are a better fit for those tighter weave or bulky knits.

These sticks also look great in the hair.  We tested one out in my friend's hair braid the other day.

More Floral Scarf Pins

I've been making more floral scarf pins for the summer.  Other than the sunflower pin, these have the Rivoli Swarovski crystals embedded in the center.

I've also been experimenting with different backings.  I like the clay back with the embedded metal strip but I found that part to be so labor intensive.

This pin has a heavy wire that I embedded into the clay and seems to work rather well.  The way I make my metal wire button shanks (see my Making Beautiful Buttons tutorial) gave me the idea on how to do make and embed these rings.