New Earrings

I came across these cool bezel style stainless steel post earrings that came in various sizes.  I got them with the intention of using them for filling with resin but discovered they also work well with clay as the bezel has a lip on the edge which prevents it from popping out.

These earrings are now available in our online store in a variety of colors and in 3 different sizes.

If you would like to make your own earrings, I have some blanks listed in my jewelry supply section.  I have a limited amount right now with more on the way.

Playing with Resin

I am taking a break and visiting family for a few days.  It is nice to get away but the weather is much colder here than at home.

We now have more of our new blank snaps with a bezel frame in stock.  These are flat inside so don't need prepping with clay first before filling.  They also work well with other mediums like resin.  They are now available in 2 sizes, the larger 20mm and now also the slightly smaller 18mm.  I like both sizes but the smaller one sometimes looks nicer in the framed pendants and other findings and doesn't overwhelm them.

I have been experimenting with different ways of filling these snaps using resin.  The resin I was using before was a UV type.  I like this resin as it cures under a UV light and only takes about 20 minutes.  It does tend to get a lot of bubbles, however, and some are not visible and can later rise to the surface during the curing.  I found it is best to let them sit for a while and then pop any bubbles that show up before putting them under the light.

I recently tried the Art Resin from Shades of Clay which I found to be very easy to use.  You just need to let it sit longer (over night is best) to harden but is so worth the wait as it is a very good quality resin.

Shades of Clay also carries some cool inclusions to go into the resin if you are looking for something different other than clay.  I just had some of the German Glass Glitter in silver which is in the red snap below.  The red color is from alcohol inks added to the bottom of the snap before adding the glitter.  Resin was added over top of that to create a glass-like finish.  The teal and green snap at the back (top) was created using the shredded type glitters and alcohol inks with mica flakes create a faux opal effect in the snap on the right.

For the snaps below I baked thin sheets of crackled clay in the bottom of the snap and then added the resin on top.

And the other day my friend, Joanne and I were playing with the clay circles cut out in the Pantone Spring colors to create various retro canes.  These clay logs shown here give an idea as to how the various colors were stacked and inserted into the extruder to create the pattern.

I baked some thin clay veneer sheets in the snap and then added the resin on top.  I love the glass-like finish on these and the resin  magnifies the pattern.

Christmas in July Special

I know it is hard to think about Christmas in the middle of summer. Here in our area we have had extreme high temperatures and with several major forest fires in the distance, we are almost wishing it was winter!  But if you are making items for  Christmas gifts or to sell at your Christmas shows, now is the time to start if you haven't already.

We are having a limited time special to go along with your creating.  With a minimum purchase from any of our supplies in our online store, you will receive a credit to use towards any of our tutorials.  The amounts that you will receive are based on your total purchase which is listed below:

Purchase $50* total from our supplies section:

Receive a $10 credit to use towards

any of our tutorials!

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Purchase $75* total from our supplies section:

  Receive a $15 credit to use towards

any of our tutorials!

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Purchase $100* total from our supplies section:

  Receive a $25 credit to use towards
any of our tutorials!

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* (Order total is after any discounts
or coupon codes that have been applied)

-- No coupon code is needed -- 
Special applies to anything in our Supplies Section

** That includes all jewelry making supplies
and even buffing pads! **

A coupon code to be applied towards
any tutorials of your choice will be sent directly
to the shipping e-mail address that is provided
after your order has been processed.
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We are now stocked up on lots of supplies and have put together some new kits in our Snap Supply Section!  We have also brought back our Snowflakes in a Snap tutorial but in a special package so you can start making your own snowflake designs early this year!

We have other new kits listed including one for rings, earrings and much more!  See all our snap supplies in our snap supply section in our online store.

Snap Base Ring Starter Kit

Snap Base Earring Starter Kit

So shop early while we have lots of inventory and get a head start this year with some extra savings!

Shop Now

Snap Jewelry DIY Findings Update

When I first came up with combining the interchangeable snap jewelry idea and polymer clay, I approached Wendy at Shades of Clay about carrying some of the snap components.  She loved the idea and it was nice to have them available to purchase through her website instead of just through us.  We did a lot of research into finding supplies that were good quality and that would work best with the polymer clay and I also published several tutorials with lots of tips on working with these findings.

Things have changed over the last few years and while we have expanded our snap components, Shades of Clay has decided to go in a different direction and not carry them anymore.  (You can read her blog post about this here.)  Wendy has been very supportive and we plan to still continue on with bouncing ideas back and forth for inspiration.

Oh, and by the way, did you know that Shades of Clay now also has a blog?  You can follow it here.   They have some cool free tutorial links and one of them is a video Wendy made about the buna cord and o-rings.  I found this video very informative and some of her ideas are so inspirational!  I really like the softglass cord and joiner charms that go with it but if you are looking for different thicknesses and cord that isn't hollow, Shades has buna cord in several sizes.  I haven't tried the really thick size yet but I love how Wendy hid her clasp in this bracelet!  You have to watch the video to find out!

Bracelet created by Wendy Orlowski

Shades has also added some exciting and cool artist materials plus other brands of clay such as Fimo.  I love how we can buy almost everything we need for our clay at one place that is right here in Canada and at very comparable prices!

You might also want to sign up for her newsletter so you can get in on any new product announcements and specials they might have.

And by the way, I am not promoting Shades because of any kick-backs or pay for advertising.  I am just a happy customer and want to show my support for my fellow Canadian friend, Wendy and her fabulous shop! 

Our New Scarf Clip Findings Arrived!

We are very excited that we finally found some new findings to create the scarf clips!  They are not quite the same as the original clips we used in my tutorial I shared a few years ago but are a little easier to work with.

I will be sharing with you very soon on how to work with these new clips and add your clay designs to them.  In the meantime we have already added them to our online store in the jewelry findings section so they are ready to purchase.

And remember that our buffing pads are on sale until the end of December.  We are donating a larger portion of the sale to the Samunnat project until then as well (you can read more about that in our last post here.)

If you are looking to purchase some of our finished scarf clips, we have some new designs added to our online store.

Snowflakes in a Snap Tutorial

It is that time of year when we are busy creating items for Christmas shows.  Our snowflake snaps last year were a popular item and are in the process of making more as well as in some new colors.

If you are interested in making some interchangeable snap jewelry either for gifts or to sell at the craft shows, now is the time to stock up on your supplies.

We are also offering a free pdf copy of our tutorial, "Snowflakes in a Snap" plus a bonus snowflake charm with a minimum purchase from our DIY snap supply section in our online store. **

This tutorial is not for sale but only available as a bonus gift with the minimum purchase of snap supplies.  And don't forget to sign up to our website for additional offers or discounts.  We promise we will not share your information to anyone else and you won't be bombarded with a ton of e-mails. 

** If you already received my tutorial and snowflake charm last year, we will send you a free snap ring base and snap pendant instead.   See the bottom of our page for more information here.

Working With a Blank Flat Snap to Create Interchangeable Jewelry

In my tutorial, Creating Interchangeable Polymer Clay Jewelry, in a Snap!, I show how to work with a blank metal snap that has a bezel frame.  Recently we have come across some new snap findings that are instead flat.  These work really well for mounting onto irregular clay shapes or larger designs.

Larger Textured Designs Mounted on Blank Flat Snaps

Textured Snaps and added to a Snap Base Necklace, Snap Base Bracelet
and Multi-functional Brooch (Sweater Guard)

These snaps are available in our web store along with other snap base supplies for interchangeable jewelry making.  When working with these snaps, prep them first the same way as the Snap Bezel A (see page 4 of my tutorial - Part 1).   Cut a thin clay circle that is the same size as the inside of the snap.  Apply liquid clay first into the snap and then add the clay circle working it under the folded metal edges.  Make sure there are no air bubbles trapped underneath or polk them with a thin needle to allow the air to escape.

The snap is then ready to be mounted onto the back of your clay design.

Back of Snap Design

I love working with these new flat snaps and finding more uses for them all the time.  These larger snaps work really well on the simpler or plainer snap bases without adding too much bulk or thickness.

Shawl/Hair Sticks with Snap Base and Larger "Snap" Art Beads

From Art Deco to Art Nouveau

I have been sorting and cleaning up more of my "scrap clay" piles and creating new designs from them.  All of our clay "left-overs" go into containers that are either sorted by color or color combinations.  I had picked out enough combinations that I thought would make some good Art Deco patterns using my new technique that I now have published in a fun and easy tutorial.

When I mixed up one of the combinations, I was quite pleased with the results and how the overall pattern was much softer and had more of an art nouveau look rather than the brighter art deco.

Teal and lime green are two of my favorite colors and when I saw the results from this batch, I had to make a set of snaps for myself to wear!  The cool thing about this technique is that you can make up lots of beads, snaps and even buttons to create a coordinating theme, yet each pattern is completely unique and one of a kind.

If you look closely, you will see there is some mirror imaging involved.  If you are one of those who can not slice your clay perfectly even or have one of those expensive or fancy slicers, you do not have to worry about that.  We do not have a cane slicer of any kind and slice all our canes by hand.  In my lesson I have some tips on how to create perfect mirror images, even if your slices are not all evenly sliced!

You can now purchase some of our best selling findings like the gorgeous rhinestone ring with the snap base (above) and snap base pendants and bracelets (below) in our snap supply section of our online store. But hurry if you want some as we only have a limited supply and will be several months before we can get another shipment in!

And don't forget to use the coupon code to receive a discount on your total purchase from our online store. 

Just a Happy Customer

Here in Canada we don't have too many places we can purchase our jewelry or polymer clay supplies.  It is difficult at times to order south of the border and even though there are companies that offer huge discounts, the cost in shipping and U.S. currency exchange can end up being more in the end.  We are very fortunate to have Shades of Clay as our major supplier of Kato clay as well as so many other tools and items at a very reasonable cost right here in our own country. Even though they are more than 5000 kilometers (3000 miles) away from us, they are still a Canadian company and we don't have customs and high shipping costs to deal with.

Shades of Clay has been around for quite a few years and last year Wendy Orlowski took over the company from Margaret, the previous owner.  Wendy continues to give the same excellent service and is working even harder to build up a wider selection of cool items for us.  The latest news is that they will be bringing in some of the Pebeo Fantasy Prisme paints and zentagle markers which I am very excited about.

So why am I telling you all this?  I am not being paid to promote Shades, but just a happy customer and wanted to share that with you.  We are also both Canadians and therefore we like to support one another.  It is wonderful to find a supplier that you can work with directly and can supply so many items that we need.

Anyhow, I cannot write a blog post without showing you at least one picture.  Here are some new flip flop sandals we are working on for this year.  The flowers are from the new canes I showed you earlier (you can see them here).  Since we live at a beach (lake) and there are many lakes with beaches surrounding us, our flip flop jewelry is generally a big hit at the summer shows.  We decided that this year was time to come out with a new look and this is just a sample.  The cords on these pendants are a type of "buna" called "softglass" which is available here.

It is already warm here and is nice to be wearing summer clothes and flip flops again!

Christmas Wish List

I'm running low on supplies and is almost time to order more.  While browsing through my favorite sites I couldn't help think about what I want to add for my Christmas wish list for this year.  One thing I am in need of is a new pasta machine.  Mine is pretty much worn out and I want a really good one this time and possibly with a motor.  I don't mind cranking my machine manually but with the tendinitis in my shoulder, a motor could be quite useful for conditioning large batches of clay.

I was really drooling over the new "Dream Machine " and if it is such a good machine as they say, then is probably worth the money.  But if I want a motor for it, forking out another $375 is a little difficult to swallow.  I think I will probably stick with a good Italian made pasta machine, with or without a motor, for now.

Then there is the question as to where to buy.  I like to buy from Canadian suppliers whenever possible, however we don't have as much selection here as in the U.S.  Fortunately we have Shades of Clay which is a main supplier for my Kato clay and gives fair prices when ordering large quantities as I do.  They also have some other neat stuff available so it is like visiting a candy store every time I go to their site to place an order!  So what other things are tempting me?  Let's see....

How about some new discs for my extruder ---  or an extruder adapter that makes a hollow core ---

Maybe some of Lisa Pavelka's craft Foils  --  I could experiment with making faux dichroic glass.

Liquid Kato -- in different colors.  I use a lot of this in the clear but never tried any of the colors yet.

Some Kemper cutters -- can't believe I still don't own any of these yet!

And of course there is a whole lot more but I will have to stay focused for now and not get too carried away!  I will let you know later what I decided on!

In the meantime, what is on your Christmas wish list???  Would love to hear about it....