"Chatty Charms" Tutorial

("Chatty Charms?" you say. "Really?" Yes, really. I have a penchant for cutesy names. I'd like to say I've struggled with it, but that wouldn't be true. I've merely given in to it-- alliterated myself into oblivion. Oh well. We all have our faults.)

Today, I added a tutorial for "Chatty Charms" to Polymer Clay Web.

You may, perhaps, be wondering what on earth a "chatty charm" is.
Here's an explanation:

Do you have something to say to the world? Feel the need to express yourself? "Chatty Charms" can help you spread the word, leaving your mouth free for other, more engrossing pursuits, such as eating ice cream, smooching, or playing the harmonica. (These are of course only suggestions. If you'd rather whistle, stick out your tongue, or savor some chocolate instead, I won't tell.)

Ideal for beginners, this project relies upon a couple of very basic but versatile techniques. Stamping and antiquing are useful in a variety of other applications, and this is a fun way to familiarize yourself with them both.

Put your monogram on a pendant— create handy label-style keychains— engrave favorite quotations on fridge magnets! Choose words of inspiration, pile on the sarcasm, or opt for something completely off the wall! It's such a simple yet rewarding technique, you'll find it hard to stop.

So as you can see, this probably won't be anything new to people who've been claying a while. It's more geared toward those who are still new to polymer clay. That said, I did try out a couple of new (to me) things, in the process of making the tutorial.

First, I sanded some of the antiqued pendants. In the past, I've always just wiped the paint away before it dried completely. I think both techniques have their merits, but I've gotta say, right now I'm really loving the sanding. Wiping away the paint with a paper towel frequently leads to a vicious circle of wiping too much-- having to reapply the paint-- wiping too much again-- and so on. Since you wait for the paint to dry completely before you sand it, it seems a little easier to remove just as much as you want. (On the other hand, with sand paper you run the risk of scratching/removing some of the texture of the piece.)

Second, I tried using a thin coat of translucent liquid clay over an antiqued pendant to serve as a protection and to increase the sheen. I was very happy with the results-- much nicer (in my opinion) than a regular acrylic finish. I prefer the way the liquid clay feels, and there's no mess with brushes or streaky brush marks. Of course, we'll have to see how well it holds up, but I don't foresee any problems.

Well, that's it for me for today!
Happy claying!

First Button Test -- Results!

A looong, looong time ago ;o) I wrote about the fact that I was learning more about making buttons with polymer clay. Initially, it was to prepare myself for any questions some family members might have if/when I taught them how to make buttons for their quilts. (Still haven't done that. I'll have to check and see if they're still interested.) Now I've gotten more interested in the buttons for my own sake. Actually, I'm kind of obsessed with buttons, for the time being. (g)

Anyway, I made up a few test buttons and decided to put them through some tests. I wanted to see how different "finishes" would hold up through multiple washings and dryings, so I sewed them to a scrap of fabric and tossed them in whenever I did a load of laundry. They've been through many washings and heated dryings, by now. I stopped counting at around ten, but I kept putting them in with the laundry. It's probably more like fifteen or twenty, total.

They've been swirled around in the washing machine and knocked about in the dryer. They've been in repeated contact with regular detergent and fabric softeners (both liquid and sheets)-- but I kept them out of loads I washed with bleach. (The bleach might not have been a problem, but I didn't want to be too hard on them, and bleach isn't something you have to use with most laundry.)

And the results?
For the most part, they're fine. In fact, with one exception (which I'll get to in a minute), they're perfect!

Here they are-- the cleanest buttons this side of the Mississippi! ;o) (As usual, you can click on the photo to see it bigger. It's not a fabulous photo to begin with, but it gets the point across. (g))


Starting with the top left and working clockwise:

1) Plain, unvarnished clay.

2) White clay highlighted with mica powder, then glazed with tinted liquid clay.

3) Acrylic paint crackled on metallic clay. Only the top was coated with clear liquid clay.

4) Acrylic paint crackled on metallic clay. Nothing on top of crackled paint.

5) Acrylic paint crackled on metallic clay. MinWax Polycrylic over the whole button.

6) Acrylic paint crackled on metallic clay. Clear liquid clay over top and sides of button.

I had feared that the unsealed crackled paint might begin to loosen or flake away, but it turned out that the only button I had a bit of trouble with was the one coated in Polycrylic (a product similar to Varathane)-- and even that one isn't too bad (as you can tell from the photo). It just began to peel very slightly on one side. I can think of a few possible explanations for this problem. Maybe it needed longer to dry (or go back into the oven for a little while). Another coat might have strengthened it. Or it could be that it just isn't the best product to use on something that's going to be put through the washer and dryer. I'm not a big fan of varnishes to begin with (I usually only resort to them when I "have" to), so I'm not likely to run more tests with Polycrylic.

Today, I started another test with a few different buttons. I'm curious to see how that'll turn out. . . Two loads in, the "subjects" are still looking good. Who knew laundry could be so interesting?! ;o)

Edited to add:
Treasurefield wondered what brand of clay I used for these buttons. (Thanks for asking! :o))

Oops! That might have been worth mentioning, huh? ;o) I used Premo for all the "regular" clay. The liquid clay I used was Kato brand. I imagine TLS would have produced similar results (as far as durability goes), but I wanted the best clarity I could get-- thus the Kato. (For European clayers or anyone else who can't find Kato-- Fimo Decorating Gel/Fimo Liquid is supposed to be comparable to Kato for clarity-- maybe even better.)

I haven't tried making buttons from any other clay, yet. I would expect Kato to yield buttons at least as sturdy as these. Fimo Classic would probably be fine, too-- but I have to admit that I'm a little wary of Fimo Classic after all the talk (a year or two or three ago? (g)) about the new, softer formula. However, we all know that Premo's been reformulated into mushiness, too, so. . . *shrug* When in doubt, it's always best to run a small test first.

Ten on Tuesday: Ten Ways to Use Alcohol Ink

Continuing on last week's theme of alcohol ink . . .

Ten on Tuesday: Ten Ways to Use Alcohol Ink

1. Faux Stones
Many faux stones (jade, agate, opal, etc.) look best if they're somewhat translucent, but most require some source of color. You can use small pinches of colored clay, but another option is alcohol ink. Because the inks are transparent and vividly colored, they're a natural choice for faux stone recipes. Of course, you can use ink-tinted clay for any other technique you like, as well.

2. Mokume Gane
As I mentioned in (I think) the first of these "lists of ten", you can use alcohol ink in mokume gane with lovely results. Put the ink on sheets of translucent clay in any way you like-- drop different colors and let them bleed together, brush or dab it over the whole surface for a more uniform look, and so on. Let the inks dry before layering the sheets of clay, then proceed through your favorite mokume gane technique. (For a different look, try layering metal leaf between layers of alcohol ink-tinted translucent clay.)

3. Multi-colored Metal Leaf
Composition gold or silver metal leaf are beautiful on their own, but if you'd like to spice things up a bit, you can tint them with alcohol ink. (Alcohol ink will add brilliant color but its translucency will allow the metallic look of the leaf to shine through.) Because the leaf it so delicate, I suggest first adhering the leaf to a clay base. Once it's been smoothed down to your satisfaction, apply the ink in any way you prefer. Let the ink dry thoroughly before proceeding. Metal leaf, whether inked or not, needs to be sealed lest it rub off the cured clay. You can seal it with any clay-friendly finish (Future, Varathane, etc.), or you can protect it with a layer of liquid clay or a very thin layer of regular translucent clay. (There's at least one project that uses alcohol ink on metal leaf in Donna Kato's new book. One great technique among many in that book.) You can also use your tinted metal leaf in mokume gane or crackle it.

4. Ink as Paint
Use alcohol inks to paint on raw clay. They work similarly to watercolors, but because they are alcohol-based, they'll dry very quickly. Thin the inks (and extend your working time) with either extender or plain rubbing alcohol. You can either cover the whole surface or leave some untouched, depending on the look you want. If you paint on a sheet of translucent clay, you can apply the dried sheet (painted side down) to another sheet of clay, encasing the inks. Viewed through the translucent clay, your painting will be softened, but still visible. (See Donna Kato's new book for more on this technique.) You can also seal in the painting with a thin layer of liquid clay or a clay-friendly varnish. (Actually, I'm not sure if it's absolutely necessary to seal alcohol inks at all, but my instinct says it's probably best to do so, especially for something that will be handled or worn. If the piece ever comes in contact with rubbing alcohol, for instance, the color might come off.)

5. Ink as Stain
Stain is thinner than paint. Generally, you can still see some of the original color of a piece after it's been stained. Create interesting effects by using alcohol inks as a stain for cured clay. Apply the ink straight from the bottle for darker color or soften the effect with rubbing alcohol or alcohol ink "extender" or "blending solution" (a product manufactured by the same company that makes the inks). You can also make stains by mixing alcohol ink with Varathane or Future (for a shinier finish). These thin washes of color can be applied in as many layers as you like to gradually build up color on a cured piece. (Be sure to store any leftover "stain" in a tightly lidded container.)

6. Faux Ceramics
I've written about this before. ;o) There are several tutorials online for a variety of faux ceramic finishes. Since the last time I wrote about this subject, I've found yet another version in Ellen Marshall's Polymer Clay Surface Design Recipes (pg. 94-97). The essentials of most faux ceramics are as follows: 1) Make a patterned or textured shape in polymer clay (usually white); 2) Apply a glaze of liquid clay that's been tinted with alcohol ink; and 3) Cure. Here are the tutorials I've found so far: Parole de Pâte version, Christy Sherman's version, and my version.

7. Tinted Transfers
Transform plain black toner transfers with the addition of alcohol ink. (Use them as watercolors, as described in number six.) You can blend them-- or layer them, allowing time for each color to dry between applications. It's best to seal the painted transfer. Use a thin sheet of translucent clay, a coat of liquid clay, or your favorite finish. (Or use the encased toner transfer method I mentioned in the previous item-- the one from Donna Kato's new book. You can also learn about similar methods at Glass Attic.)

8. Faux Stained Glass
With a few products, you can have the beauty of stained glass with much less fuss than real stained glass requires. There are different ways to do it, but essentially, you make your "leading" from regular polymer clay (usually black), pre-cure it, then fill in the "cells" with tinted liquid clay and re-cure. In this tutorial, Barbara Poland-Waters teaches you to make tile beads with a stained glass theme. And in this project by Ann and Karen Mitchell, the faux stained glass is applied to a real glass vase. (Note that in that project, the Mitchells use oil paint to tint the liquid clay. However, there's no reason why you can't use alcohol ink instead. Alcohol inks will increase the translucency of your clay, giving you the look of translucently colored glass.) Faux stained glass would make beautiful sun catchers.

9. Miniature Food
I've mentioned before that alcohol inks are a great product for getting translucent color in liquid clay. Consider alcohol ink for anything that requires color but a certain degree of translucency-- such as maple syrup, soup, and some sugary glazes.

10. Faux Cloisonné / Enamel
Yet another technique combining alcohol ink with liquid clay! Tint the liquid clay and use it to fill in "cells" in a variety of surfaces. Try it with deeply textured clay (raw or cured). For a metallic shine that takes full advantage of the clarity of the liquid clay, line the clay base with metal leaf-- or go over it with a leafing pen. If you prefer, you can combine it with the thicker embossing foil that's available in most craft stores.

And there are other polymer clay techniques that use alcohol ink, too. (You may find some on this page of Glass Attic.) Overall, these inks are a great "extra" to have on your clay table.

Since next Tuesday is Christmas, I'll be taking a week off from Ten on Tuesday. (And with any luck, soon afterwards things will calm down enough that I'll be posting here more than once a week. (g))

In case I don't "see" you all before then, let me wish you Christmas that's merry and bright! :o)

Liquid Clay Info

In case some of you aren't familiar with this particular blog, I'd like to recommend today's post by Chris -- wonderful reading for anyone interested in a comparison of the qualities of different liquid clays-- particularly Kato and Fimo (both of which are much better than TLS, in terms of clarity). I haven't worked with the Fimo gel before, so there was plenty of useful information in there that was new to me.

Those liquid clays certainly are exciting! All the possibilities!

Faux Ceramics Experiments

I wrote earlier about the toner transfers I've been playing around with. One other thing I've been trying is different variations on faux ceramics.

I think I mentioned that I tried the "put tinted liquid clay on beads covered in extruded clay" technique with less than stellar results. (It dripped a bit so that there was very uneven coverage, even though I thought I'd heat set the liquid clay.) I may give that another try sometime, but not for now.

I also tried the "use a black clay base with opaque liquid clay" variation. Again, not the results I'd hoped for-- partially because some of the liquid clay I thought would be opaque turned out not to be. I used oil paint to give it more opaque color, but for some reason it just didn't work that well. Probably not enough paint in the ratio-- or maybe I should have included some white paint. . . I guess that next time I ought to test-cure a little drop to check for opacity. Anyway, the ones I made that were opaque still didn't thrill me, so I decided to go back to the more translucent liquid mixes.

These two were the result of making a base bead (in plain white clay), adding some appliqué flowers (also in white), texturing, and glazing with alcohol-ink-tinted Kato. After curing, I used a heat gun to bring out the shine in the glaze.


I liked the way those turned out, but before I could give it another try, I came across that interesting idea in Tina Holden's blog (which I posted about before). She uses mica powders under the glaze. I'd thought of mixing the powders into the glaze-- haven't tried it yet, though-- but not of just touching them to the clay base. That uses less powder, lets you combine different colors of powder (and gives you more control over where they go), and probably adds more depth to the piece than if the entire glaze is full of mica particles.

First, I tried it on a couple of flat pendants. The leaves are just white clay stamped and touched lightly with a couple of metallic colors of Pearl-Ex. I then glazed the piece with Kato liquid tinted with Lettuce alcohol ink. (All the colors of alcohol ink I mention in this post are Ranger Adirondack brand. I like the muted earthiness of the Adirondack line-- plus, because I can get them at the local craft store, I can use a 40%-off coupon on them. Brings the price down nicely!) The butterfly was pearl clay stamped and touched with duo red-blue Pearl-Ex and topped with Eggplant-tinted Kato. You can't really see the mica that well in this photo, but it does show up in "real life"-- especially when the light hits it from certain angles. (This is one of those times when using a more translucent clay is probably a good idea. I'm not sure how well the mica would show through tinted TLS. . .)

I'd like to play around with this some more, too. Different "themes"/patterns-- different color combinations. Paying close attention to the compatibility of the colors (of the mica powder and the tinted liquid clay) seems pretty important with this technique, since you're seeing the powders through the filter of the colored liquid clay. I don't know if any of the combinations would ever be exactly ugly, but I imagine some are more pleasing than others.

I took the technique one step further and applied it to the flower-appliquéd pendants. (I want to improve my appliqué skill, now. I'd like to expand my repertoire of flower shapes beyond what I've done so far. (g) I have a flower catalog-- I just need to sit down and study it.)

All three (in the photo below) started with a base of pearl clay. The butterfly pendant is duo blue-green Pearl-Ex under Stream-tinted Kato. Because the powder had a blue color, it's more subtle under the similarly-colored liquid clay. I dusted the same powder over the rectangular pendant, but because I used a green liquid clay (Meadow, I think), you can detect more of the powder on it. The heart had interference gold powder (I think. . .) topped with Currant-tinted Kato. Again, the effect is subtle, but it's definitely there.


There are so many possibilities! What am I doing here at the computer when I could be experimenting?! ;o)

What I've been up to, lately. . .

What I've been up to lately (in the realm of clay). . . Quite a few annoying "flops", in varying degrees of floppiness. ;o)

I'll admit it-- I'm impatient, and I have unrealistic expectations. If something doesn't go right the first time, I'm a bit miffed. If it messes up a second time, I threaten to move on to the next thing, never mind the well-known fact that "practice makes perfect", "Rome wasn't built in a day", and so on. If it's something I really want to do, I might give it a third "go"; otherwise, I need to take a breather and come back to it later. These days, I have a number of "come back to it later"-grade projects.

While reading Donna Kato's new book during my vacation, I came across a few more things to add to my "to try" list. I've been gradually working my way through some of those.

The first project I tried (the alcohol ink on metal leaf under translucent clay) kind of flopped (partly because I deviated from The Plan and didn't realize how sticky the inked clay would be, even after a good, long drying time). I have those lemons sitting off to the side, waiting for me to work up the willpower to see if they can be salvaged. (I'm sure they can be, but I'm just not in the mood to clean up messes, lately. As the piles of clutter in the office can attest!!)

The second "Little Project That Couldn't" ;o) was another from the new Kato book. And ok, maybe it "could", but it didn't do it as well as I'd hoped. It was the encased toner transfer project, and this time, my problem was two-fold.

On the first try, I chose a transfer and color combo that didn't work out very well. The colors are ok, but you can't see much of the transfer. It looks almost like some interesting cracklature instead of a transferred design.

On the second try, I took contrast into consideration, so the transfer is alright-- but this time (as with the first try) I had a little trouble with the translucent clay sticking to my work surface and tearing/stretching when I tried to move it (even when I used a clay blade). After all that burnishing to make the transfer, it's no wonder that the clay gets stuck, but it's still a huge pain. Next time, I guess I'll work on a small tile and chill it. . . Then I also had trouble deciding what to do with the sheets of clay. I tried a couple other things with metal leaf and paint-- attempts to dress up an otherwise dull piece-- but I fear I may have only made things worse.

All in all, it took quite a bit of time, and left me with lots still left to do before I'll have anything finished. Not exactly an exhilarating experience, but I have to keep telling myself that I can't expect everything to go smoothly the first time. (If only I were one of those people who truly enjoys a challenge! (g) Instead, I think I really prefer it when things come easily!! Only joking. I guess. . .)


Looking at the pieces again, I think maybe I was too harsh with them. I mean, I definitely wouldn't say they're my best work, but it's not as though I'll have to bury them in the dead of night. ;o) I think my main problem was that I'd looked forward so much to trying this technique, then when I finally was able to, it wasn't the dream I'd been expecting. I do tend to expect things to go more easily than is likely.

So, what else? Well, I tried that faux ceramic tutorial I linked to the other day-- the one that glazes extruded clay beads with tinted liquid clay. The first try was a disappointment. The liquid clay was running more than I'd expected (probably because my bead rack doesn't hold beads on vertical pins, but on horizontal ones). I tried setting the liquid clay with an embossing gun, then put them into the oven to cure properly. Apparently I didn't heat set them sufficiently, as the liquid clay still cured into a slight drip. :o( Fortunately, it was a test run with just two beads, but now I'll have to figure a better way to deal with the remaining "base beads" I made for that technique. (Maybe I'll make another bead rack, like the one used in the tutorial photos.)

So, has anything been going right? (g)
I did go through with a plan to make different pizza toppings, which was fun. I've run into a slight problem with my pizza slices, too, but it's nothing major, and I think I know how to fix it.


I was also pleasantly surprised with toner transfers. I'd been putting them off and putting them off-- partly because transfers in general are such persnickety things and there are about a hundred ways of doing them-- partly because I didn't have easy access to a copier. I finally got around to visiting the Xerox machine at a local library, which wasn't too much trouble (g), and the water technique in Donna Kato's book makes the process much easier than I'd expected. (Yay!)

(Of course, before I could go to the copier, I had to get my "master sheets" ready. That did take some time-- finding images that were in the public domain, arranging them on the page-- and then, when I had ideas for projects requiring specific images, figuring out the basics of Adobe Illustrator and drawing my own vector images. . . Not that all of that is absolutely necessary, depending on what you want to do. It's pretty satisfying to wrestle a new computer program into semi-submission, but it can also be ir-ri-tat-ing!)

Um, where was I? Oh yeah, toner transfers. So I've been focused on those for a little while, now, using them in a more straightforward way-- not in the encased technique. I was heartbroken when a couple of what I'd hoped would be "perfect" pieces came out with bubbles marring them. But oh well. I'm pretty sure I know what went wrong, and I can adjust my technique.

And that's been it, apart from a few other bits and bobs along the way. I don't have many new photos from the past couple of weeks. For some of the projects, I'm waiting until I get it just right (or "right-er"). As a matter of fact, I'm off to test my toner transfer bubble-problem fixer-upper right now! Wish me luck! ;o)

Top Ten on Tuesday -- Tips for Using Liquid Clay with Miniature Foods

Hey there! I'm back home after a long vacation. Not quite back in the groove, yet, but I'm getting there. ;o) My next "assignment" is getting back into the habit of blogging, so here goes!

I've suggested before that someone interested in making realistic miniature foods (out of polymer clay, at least) really ought to get some liquid clay and play around with it. Today, I'll offer a few insights that I've gathered so far in my own experiments with liquid clay in mini-making.

Top Ten Tips for Using Liquid Clay with Miniature Foods
(in no particular order)

1. Often, when working with teensy things, you'll find it helpful to cure them in stages. (That way, you'll have something to hold on to without constantly worrying about leaving fingerprints or completely squashing your carefully sculpted work.) A dab of liquid clay (hereafter shortened to "LC") acts as a glue between cured and raw clay, when you're ready to continue working on a partially cured piece.

2. Adding a little mica powder (pearl is a good all-around choice, but others can work, too, depending on the application) lends a slight sparkle to your LC mixes. This shimmer can be useful in duplicating the appearance of sugary glazes, certain gravies, and so on.

3. Know the properties of different brands of LC and use them to your advantage. Kato and Fimo liquids are clearer than TLS, so use them when you need only the slightest hint of color.

4. Another hint related to the one above-- For more transparent food items (glazes, translucent syrups, jams), tint your LC with alcohol ink, when possible. This yields more transparent colors. (Obviously, you'll also want to use a brand of LC that cures clearly-- Kato or Fimo.)

5. For opaque food items (chocolate sauce, nacho cheese), try oil paint or powdered pigments to add more opaque color. (In this case, you can use any brand of LC-- clarity is not an issue.)

6. While I generally prefer to use cheap mineral oil for mixing my icings, you can always use LC for that, too. Just mix a few drops into regular clay of the color you'd like your icing to be. Continue mixing and adding LC (a drop or two at a time, as needed) until you like the consistency of the mix. (If you get the mix too sticky, you can thicken it back up by adding more regular clay to the mix.)

7. Don't forget that you can combine regular clay and LC. A gravy made of LC can be poured over tiny "meat and veggies" (bits of regular clay in the right shapes, sizes, and colors) to make a convincing bowl of "stew". (Obviously, in this case, you'd want to use your most translucent LC and coloring agent, or else you may not see much of your veggies through the gravy, and instead of "stew", you'll get "weird, bumpy brown stuff". ;o)

8. Pay attention to sheen. Is the food you're imitating matte or glossy? TLS cures to a more matte finish than Kato or Fimo liquids. If Kato is cured at a higher temperature (or hit briefly with a heat gun), it takes on a higher gloss. (Of course, you can always apply the pc-friendly finish of your choice, once a piece is cured.)

9. If you want a "thick shine" on a piece-- more dimension than you can get with Varathane or Future-- you might try a clear brand (Kato or Fimo) of LC. This could be useful for the suggestion of a little water on top of a pot of veggies, for instance. (You could also use epoxy resin for this, but if you're like me, you may prefer to stick with clay as much as possible. I am going to try resin, one of these days, but honestly, I'm a little scared of the stuff. (g))

10. Don't forget your artist's pastels (or other powdered pigments). Those same powders that make your loaves of bread brown so realistically can be applied to cured LC to add a touch of toastiness. (You'll need to seal the powders in with a pc-friendly finish, if the piece will be handled or worn, as in jewelry.)

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I am becoming more and more enamored of liquid clay-- not only for miniature-making, but in other polymer clay projects, as well. The more I see of the stuff, the more amazed I am by the possibilities.

Kato's "New Opal"

It's high time for another post. Let's see. . . what can I post about?

Well, here's something:
I tried Donna Kato's "new opal" last week. I've made the opal sheet, but so far haven't done anything with it, beyond cutting it. The results were somewhat disappointing. Oh, it looked ok, I guess, but it was much more brittle than I'd expected.

First, I had a little trouble getting it off the tile. It wanted to crack apart, until I slid a tissue blade underneath to gently pry it up until I could get a good grip on it. Then, when I tried to cut it, the brittleness/crumbliness made things difficult, too.

It's hard to tell much for certain from photos, but the pictures in the tutorial-- and the fact that in her gallery, she's used this faux opal sheet to cover a slightly curved cabochon shape-- look to me like hers were more rubbery and/or flexible than mine turned out.

I can think of a couple of possible reasons for this, right off-- and there may be even more.

First-- I wasn't using the same type of flakes used in the tutorial. I suppose this might have affected my results in more than just appearance. I have yet another brand of flakes (still not the one used in the tutorial, though) that I can try next time, to see if this makes a difference.

Second-- I wonder if I didn't make my sheet thin enough and/or get my mix right. Too many flakes, not enough liquid clay. Ms. Kato describes the correct consistency as being like oatmeal. Unfortunately (in this one instance, at least), I'm not much of an oatmeal eater, so this was a bit of a guessing game for me. ;o)

The tutorial indicates putting the cured and cut opal sheet on top of a base of regular clay. In this step, you have to choose your clay color with care, because some of the base shows through. Well, with my sheet, you can put it on whatever you like, 'cause ain't nothin' gonna show through that sucker. (To put it elegantly. (g)) This is probably another indication that my proportions weren't right and I didn't smoosh it down thinly enough.

All in all, rather disappointing, though I can still try to use the pieces did manage to cut out. I just was expecting to have so much more control over the shapes I could cut from it. (That was one of the reasons I was so excited by this technique.) I suppose one mustn't expect success on the first try with every technique, and once I get this one "down", I have a few twists I want to put on it.

__________________________

Random bit of nothing:
I daren't be explicit, for fear of inciting "flames". . . and of becoming some milder form of a pariah (though, honestly, some days I already feel like one, in some of these silly groups!). . . but I need a vent for my annoyance, even if it's just a muffled, ambiguous little rant on my own personal blog.

So-- You know how "a little knowledge is a dangerous thing"? Well, "a little knowledge" has got nothing on "a (very) little power". And. . . I think that's all I'll dare to write here, after all. I'm moving the rest of what I was going to say to an even less public place than this 'umble 'ittle blog. ;o)

PolymerCAFÉ -- the summer issue

The latest issue of Polymer Cafe arrived over the weekend, and of course it's been "gone through" several times, by now.

Here are a few things that caught my eye:

Page 10-- the Ranger ad regarding the use of embossing powder with polymer clay. (I have to admit, I like looking at the ads in this particular magazine almost as much as the content, sometimes! As I've said before, I "suffer" from a severe craft supply addiction.) I've been interested in trying out embossing powders with clay for a while, and this ad just puts more fuel on the fire! Clever trick, too, the way they force you to go to their website to find out whether the powders are on or in the clay. (g) I penned in the "answers" in my copy, for future reference.

* * * * *

Inside the front cover-- the ad for Liquid Fimo. It showcases a jewelry design by Karen and Ann Mitchell (the authors of the liquid clay "Bible") and gives the basics on how to achieve similar results. It sounds pretty simple-- just mix the liquid clay with a couple colors of glitter (separately), then spread the tinted clay on a bakeable surface, marble it, bake it, and cut it with paper punches. (You could also use scissors or a craft knife, I'm sure, but if you have the punches, they'd make it even easier.) It's very glitzy, and there's no way I'd ever wear this much glittery stuff all at once-- but scaled down a bit. . . quite pretty! Another thing to keep in mind when I'm playing with the liquid stuff. . .

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Page 13-- a clay tip from Dotty McMillan, explaining how she uses eyelets "to enhance those special beads". Fun idea-- especially for bright, playful beads. Wouldn't look right with much of what I'm currently doing, but still something to remember.

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Pages 44-47-- Lapel Pin Vase. I'm not really the type to wear a lapel pin vase-- wouldn't like right with my casual tops and jeans!-- but I do like the look of it, and this technique can be applied to anything, really-- especially something flat. It's not that different from some things I've tried before, except for the use of the metal leafing pen instead of actual metal leaf. I'm definitely putting this on my "try it soon" list. (More liquid clay projects!)

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Page 48-- "Beaded Extruded Cane Bracelet and Earrings", by Francie Owens. That bracelet is so cute! I love the colors, too. (And it uses an extruded cane-- something I've been wanting to try, now that I have one of those homemade "leverage" thingies to use with the extruder.) I can't really see myself learning the bead weaving part right now-- no time to learn yet another hobby-- but this is one of the few times I've ever felt interested in bead weaving, so good job, Ms. Owens. ;o)

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Page 51-- "In Search of the Perfect Mica Shift", by Velina A. Glass. This is an interesting approach to mica shift. It eliminates the need for making a careful cut to achieve the mica shift effect. Ms. Glass refers back to an article by Arlene Schiek, published in a previous issue of PolymerCAFÉ (Fall 2006, if you're interested). However, she changes something from Ms. Schiek's technique, so it's a bit different. The benefit of this technique-- no persnickety shaving with a tissue blade. Particularly helpful for people who have difficulty making a nice, even slice, or for someone who hates handling those sharp blades. The drawback-- you have to do more sanding. It's definitely a matter of choosing the lesser of two evils. You just have to decide which thing you hate worse, shaving or sanding. (g)