Monday, October 28, 2013

Halloween/Day of the Dead Blog Hop



Halloween/Day of the Dead Blog Hop
 
My friend Diana P. from Suburban Girl Studios loves Halloween, so she decided to host a blog hop celebrating artist created beads with a Dayof the Dead, Zombie, Halloween theme.  I wanted to join in, so I created my new blog, "Playing with Clay" so I could participate!  Plus, how could I not yet have a blog?  Lol  Too busy making beads, I guess!  Here's how my necklace design came about:
 
My ceramic sugar skull was perfect for a focal pendant.  I paired it with three 14mm black ceramic round beads, size 6 black seed beads, and used 6 jangle spacers from T-beads that has 8 wire wrapped components each.  That's 48 wire wrapped head pins containing crystals, seed beads and metal spacer beads for fullness and the Wow! factor.  It's a cool necklace that has gotten me many compliments when I've worn it.  It's been fun, and I'm sure I'll be participating in many more blog hops and design challenges.  Please be sure to check out other designs from my fellow blog hop participants.
 
 
 

 
Kathleen Breeding http://99bobotw.blogspot.com
 
 

Dianne Miller http://www.artbydianne.blogspot.com
 
Lisa Liddy http://www.lisaliddy.wordpress.com
 
Toltec Jewels http://www.JewelSchoolFriends.com
 
 
Laura Medeiros http://Www.zoeowyn.blogspot.com
 
Veralynne Malone http://www.veradesigns.blogspot.com
 
 
 
Jenny Davies-Reazor http://jdaviesreazor.com/blog
 
 
 

 
 
 
Stephanie LaRosa http://Www.stringaholic.blogspot.com
 
 
 
 

Nicole Valentine Rimmer http://www.nvalentine.blogspot.com

Sarajo Wentling http://www.sjdesignsjewelry.blogspot.com
 
Dawn M. Gallop http://www.flipflopsandpoptarts.com








 


 
 


Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Ceramic Bead Making Class with Mary and Sharon





Ceramic Bead Making Class
 
 
Mary and Sharon came up to my home studio last week from Fort Myers to "play with clay!"  I showed them how to hand form, use rubber stamps, cookie cutters and press molds to create many types of ceramic beads.  I think they made at least 100 beads each, which is great!  Sharon said all her friends and family are receiving ceramic bead jewelry gifts this year for Christmas...Lol  After the beads were fired into bisque, they came back and experimented with underglazes and glazes, paint distressing techniques, as well as low and high fire paints.  Didn't their beads turn out great?!  If you want to learn how to make ceramic beads, I teach in my Port Charlotte, Florida studio, or I can teach at your location with at least 3 students and an available kiln.