Posts
Family.
Fun.
Fabulous…..
...food
Festive.
Flippin’ hot (39.7 degrees).
Full-on fans and air con.
Felt the need for a mid afternoon nanny nap.
Merry Christmas to you all.
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Friday, December 24, 2010
Christmas
Merry Christmas everyone. I hope yours is full of fun, family and food. It will be 38 degrees (about 100) here in Perth so we will be dining inside with aircon full blast eating a cold lunch. Far too hot to cook turkey and ham with all the trimmings.
Enjoy your day and have a safe and happy Christmas…..until next Year………Davinia
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Burnt Offerings
Well it had to happen some time I suppose. My first (and hopefully my last) tray of scorched and burnt beyond rescue polymer clay. I was given a little convection oven a couple of weeks ago that had hardly been used, and as it is the same make as my bigger bench top oven, Delonghi, I trusted it would keep the temperature at a constant level the same as my bigger one. Well I was wrong. I could have cried, so much time and effort went into these pieces and look at them. Ruined!!!!! Wah.
The pieces that look like a caramel colour were actually white before I cooked them. And the one in the middle of the picture above was an ecru colour with a black stamp. Well that bubbled up like volcano lava.
Maybe I can paint some of them. But most are beyond rescuing me thinks.
These earring were so pretty once upon a time.
Well here’s something that doesn’t look like it was rescued from a house fire.
The pendant was made in a faux jade class with Pam a couple of weeks ago. I had a different pendant on this necklace but was never very happy with the way it looked so I removed and replaced it with this new one and I like it. In fact I love it and the faux jade technique, of which there a few, is such fun because there are so many shades of jade from emerald green right through to light almost translucent. You can use embossing powders and alcohol inks and several other inclusions to get the colour you like. Definitely a technique I’m going to explore more. You know me and green!
The other beads are olive jade (the light green) and the darker green are Nephrite. Lovely gunmetal silver chain and lime green glass chips.
Well is rubbish pickup day tomorrow so I may as well go and turf out my putrid polymer and go back to the drawing board and my old reliable oven.
Note to self: next time you smell a peculiar odour emanating from the kitchen, investigate!
The pieces that look like a caramel colour were actually white before I cooked them. And the one in the middle of the picture above was an ecru colour with a black stamp. Well that bubbled up like volcano lava.
Maybe I can paint some of them. But most are beyond rescuing me thinks.
These earring were so pretty once upon a time.
Well here’s something that doesn’t look like it was rescued from a house fire.
The pendant was made in a faux jade class with Pam a couple of weeks ago. I had a different pendant on this necklace but was never very happy with the way it looked so I removed and replaced it with this new one and I like it. In fact I love it and the faux jade technique, of which there a few, is such fun because there are so many shades of jade from emerald green right through to light almost translucent. You can use embossing powders and alcohol inks and several other inclusions to get the colour you like. Definitely a technique I’m going to explore more. You know me and green!
The other beads are olive jade (the light green) and the darker green are Nephrite. Lovely gunmetal silver chain and lime green glass chips.
Well is rubbish pickup day tomorrow so I may as well go and turf out my putrid polymer and go back to the drawing board and my old reliable oven.
Note to self: next time you smell a peculiar odour emanating from the kitchen, investigate!
Technorati Tags: polymer clay,faux jade
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Pesky Parrots
See these little guys? Cute aren’t they……wrong. These little blighters have been coming into our garden for the last few years and eating our figs. I hear them in the morning and I fly out the back door and wave my arms and yell things like…yeh, you better fly away you little buggers. I used to get the hose and squirt them but with the drought and all, wasting even a single drop of water is a crime against humanity, so now I just jump around like a demented diva and yell stupid things at them.
A few years ago after having decimated the figs and eaten all the other neighbours fruit they were still hungry so they perched on my basil plants which were going to seed and proceeded to strip them of all the dried seeds.
And as I stood there watching them it occurred to me if I caught one, killed it and cooked it I could name the dish Pesto Parrot.
But then if I was quick enough to catch one (highly unlikely) how would I kill it and then I’d have to pluck it (guess I could use the feathers for jewelry ha!) and the worst part would be taking out it’s gizzards…eweeee.
So needless to say the thought of catching, killing and cooking a parrot was just a brief moment of madness.
A few years ago after having decimated the figs and eaten all the other neighbours fruit they were still hungry so they perched on my basil plants which were going to seed and proceeded to strip them of all the dried seeds.
And as I stood there watching them it occurred to me if I caught one, killed it and cooked it I could name the dish Pesto Parrot.
But then if I was quick enough to catch one (highly unlikely) how would I kill it and then I’d have to pluck it (guess I could use the feathers for jewelry ha!) and the worst part would be taking out it’s gizzards…eweeee.
So needless to say the thought of catching, killing and cooking a parrot was just a brief moment of madness.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Foils
In my last polymer clay class with Pam she showed me quite a few different techniques for image transfers and towards the end of the lesson we had a quick play with foils. Lots of things can be done with foils from getting a nice crackled antique look to imitation dichroic (sp) glass. Not being a big fan of dichroic glass I decided to play around and see what else I could come up with using these different coloured shiny pieces of plastic.
Pam gave me a small piece of black foil to take home and I’m afraid I’ve fallen in love with it. The pieces below are white clay covered with black and I really like the sort of scratched and slightly mottled look. They make me think of photo negatives…….don’t know why.
So the one pendant that I loved the most became this necklace.
I’ve also branched out and made some brooches using my stampotique stamps. Love these gals. They’re so kooky and out there.
She’s my favourite.
Not the best picture…sorry. Stamped on to a denim coloured clay because I think they would look good with jeans and shirts.
Just another necklace with a crescent shape that I stamped with script and added the wings.
The days just seem to be flying by. I’ve started a bit of Christmas shopping already and over the next few days hope to make start on the Christmas cards. It’s such a busy time and I always like to try and get to the shops before the school holidays start because it’s bedlam by then.
Pam gave me a small piece of black foil to take home and I’m afraid I’ve fallen in love with it. The pieces below are white clay covered with black and I really like the sort of scratched and slightly mottled look. They make me think of photo negatives…….don’t know why.
So the one pendant that I loved the most became this necklace.
I’ve also branched out and made some brooches using my stampotique stamps. Love these gals. They’re so kooky and out there.
She’s my favourite.
Not the best picture…sorry. Stamped on to a denim coloured clay because I think they would look good with jeans and shirts.
Just another necklace with a crescent shape that I stamped with script and added the wings.
Friday, November 19, 2010
Op Shop Prop Shopping
Try saying that ten times really, really fast.
Now I have market stall I’m always on the look out for interesting props. And because it’s an outdoor set up I have to be mindful of the wind which seems to blow at the rate of knots every Saturday morning.
Yesterday after dropping a whole lot of stuff off at my favourite Save the Children Fund op shop and buying some used books (they have the best priced used books and it’s all set out like a library) I decided to take the Op Shop Route home.
These cute things, I have no idea what they were originally for but I know from the packaging they are from Ikea seemed like the perfect little stand to hang bracelets from……
….and earrings.
Last week we had a new lady Kathy join us on Saturday morning selling a range of bric-a-brac. I pounced on this wrought iron basket as soon I saw it. Great for earring packages.
Of course it will be filled to the brim on Saturday.
And how cute is this! A tiny little dress form covered in fabric and just perfect to drape a bracelet around the neck.
During the week I also made a sign. Good old Cuttlebug letters cut out of wallpaper, glued on and some pretty stamping around the edges.
Each week I seem to end up taking more and more stuff with me. Soon I’ll have to buy a Kombi van just to get it all there!
Now I have market stall I’m always on the look out for interesting props. And because it’s an outdoor set up I have to be mindful of the wind which seems to blow at the rate of knots every Saturday morning.
Yesterday after dropping a whole lot of stuff off at my favourite Save the Children Fund op shop and buying some used books (they have the best priced used books and it’s all set out like a library) I decided to take the Op Shop Route home.
These cute things, I have no idea what they were originally for but I know from the packaging they are from Ikea seemed like the perfect little stand to hang bracelets from……
….and earrings.
Last week we had a new lady Kathy join us on Saturday morning selling a range of bric-a-brac. I pounced on this wrought iron basket as soon I saw it. Great for earring packages.
Of course it will be filled to the brim on Saturday.
And how cute is this! A tiny little dress form covered in fabric and just perfect to drape a bracelet around the neck.
During the week I also made a sign. Good old Cuttlebug letters cut out of wallpaper, glued on and some pretty stamping around the edges.
Each week I seem to end up taking more and more stuff with me. Soon I’ll have to buy a Kombi van just to get it all there!
Thursday, November 18, 2010
A Challenge
I’ve just entered a challenge over on Love My Art Jewellery. It’s a particular colour combination of lovely autumn tones.
I’d love some autumn weather right now. It reached about 37c today and tomorrow is going reach a sizzling 39c. Oh joy! It’s our first burst of hot weather for the year and I’m already over it.
The aircon in the bedroom will be switched on tonight…..
…and more than likely tomorrow too.
Head on over to Love My Art Jewellery and check out the colours for the challenge and then head over to the flickr group and see some of the other beautiful entries.
I’d love some autumn weather right now. It reached about 37c today and tomorrow is going reach a sizzling 39c. Oh joy! It’s our first burst of hot weather for the year and I’m already over it.
The aircon in the bedroom will be switched on tonight…..
…and more than likely tomorrow too.
Head on over to Love My Art Jewellery and check out the colours for the challenge and then head over to the flickr group and see some of the other beautiful entries.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Clay and Stamps………
…….a winning combo.
Do you like these? I have to say I’m a little in love with them at the moment. Pearl clay is just like it’s name, a creamy colour with just a slight sheen to it. Very carefully applied this gorgeous swirly flourish stamp to the clay (sometimes the stamp can slip and I end up with a double image) and then baked. Added a gunmetal chain and toggle and clasp with eyelets to strengthen the holes and hey presto!
A similar one but round and with an antique brass coloured chain. Fairly long so it can just be slipped over the head.
This pendant is about 4cm in diameter.
Ok….this is not for the faint hearted. Huge black enamel chain with gigantic links and a large (almost 5cm diam.) pendant. It’s long too. Are you brave enough to wear it?
Actually I just tried it on again and it looks pretty good. Even with my daggy around the house T shirt and old tracky daks with the bleach stains and several different coloured paint splashes on them.
Anyway I’ve put these up on my Artfire store hoping they eventually go to a good home.
Do you like these? I have to say I’m a little in love with them at the moment. Pearl clay is just like it’s name, a creamy colour with just a slight sheen to it. Very carefully applied this gorgeous swirly flourish stamp to the clay (sometimes the stamp can slip and I end up with a double image) and then baked. Added a gunmetal chain and toggle and clasp with eyelets to strengthen the holes and hey presto!
A similar one but round and with an antique brass coloured chain. Fairly long so it can just be slipped over the head.
This pendant is about 4cm in diameter.
Ok….this is not for the faint hearted. Huge black enamel chain with gigantic links and a large (almost 5cm diam.) pendant. It’s long too. Are you brave enough to wear it?
Anyway I’ve put these up on my Artfire store hoping they eventually go to a good home.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Can’t Think of a Title
Bought a new Krafty Lady mold the other day it’s about 2cm in diameter and I really love it. Very antique button look to it. Hope to make some earrings with these over the next few days. I’ve already glazed some. The cream with a brown glaze that has settled into cracks and crevices very nicely and just a clear glaze for the others.
I got very annoyed with these two pendants. I was trying to do swirl
beads and they just wouldn’t swirl properly so I had a little tanty and just squashed them flat out of sheer frustration and you know what?…..I quite like them. Have no idea what I’ll end up doing with them yet.
Below is one of two similar pendants. Just plain white clay that I hand stamped and attached to a brushed silver chain and clasp. The other one has matt black chain.
Think I’ll put one on my market table and the other in my Artfire store.
Tomorrow is my first job for over a week so the last few days have been all about the clay. I’ve got another bunch of pendants and earrings in the oven at the moment. Once they’ve cooled down I’ll have a look and see if they’ve turned out as well as I hoped.
The kitchen table is all cleared off now in readiness for number one son to cook dinner tonight. What’s the bet it’s some kind of pasta dish?
I got very annoyed with these two pendants. I was trying to do swirl
beads and they just wouldn’t swirl properly so I had a little tanty and just squashed them flat out of sheer frustration and you know what?…..I quite like them. Have no idea what I’ll end up doing with them yet.
Below is one of two similar pendants. Just plain white clay that I hand stamped and attached to a brushed silver chain and clasp. The other one has matt black chain.
Tomorrow is my first job for over a week so the last few days have been all about the clay. I’ve got another bunch of pendants and earrings in the oven at the moment. Once they’ve cooled down I’ll have a look and see if they’ve turned out as well as I hoped.
The kitchen table is all cleared off now in readiness for number one son to cook dinner tonight. What’s the bet it’s some kind of pasta dish?
Friday, October 29, 2010
Bling Rings and Things
Made a few extra things to put on my market table tomorrow. Half a dozen rings in various metallic colours with a Swarovski crystal set in the middle. I love this particular mold, it’s from Krafy Lady and is about 1" in diameter.
I decided to make some rings because last week some sweet little 12 year old girls were looking at my jewellery and they kept placing all the pendants on their fingers imagining what they would look like as rings. So I have them to thank for the idea.
I dusted them all in Perfect Pearls to get the metallic finish and then varnished them so it doesn’t rub off.
I’m also trying my hand at designing different looks to attach to cufflinks. These are very small, just under 1/2” and think they’re maybe too small for some buttonholes. But I have some larger blanks on order which I think will work better.
I’m keeping my fingers crossed that it’s not windy tomorrow. The last few days have been so blowy with several huge gusts of wind and it’s just not conducive to having an outdoor market. As you can imagine things blow over and my props get blasted off the table if I’m not vigilant and then I’m scrambling around picking everything up off the ground. Not a good look!
I decided to make some rings because last week some sweet little 12 year old girls were looking at my jewellery and they kept placing all the pendants on their fingers imagining what they would look like as rings. So I have them to thank for the idea.
I dusted them all in Perfect Pearls to get the metallic finish and then varnished them so it doesn’t rub off.
I’m also trying my hand at designing different looks to attach to cufflinks. These are very small, just under 1/2” and think they’re maybe too small for some buttonholes. But I have some larger blanks on order which I think will work better.
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