Studio Time: I can't stop playing with clay!

A gratuitous cutie pie picture. This little stinker is SO cute in person, but she doesn't photograph well. She always turns away...but this is about as good as it gets with her. She's recently groomed. I took her for a walk on Lantau where I used to live. She used to do the walk easily, but she's gained weight over here since I don't walk her as much. I had to carry her up the first hill. Then I thought she was going to do the lame foot excuse. She finally settled on the "sit-down-strike" and we finished with me carrying her for a while and her walking a little bit until I was dragging her, then I'd carry her some more, until another sit-down strike. Little Chunky Monkey. Makes for funny stories to tell. We both need more exercise!





Seriously, I can't stop playing with clay. It's always rolling around in my hands. I have 100 things to photograph, blog about and post up in my shop, as well as give away. :-)

I don't know how to describe these necklaces. They have an African tribal feel with the rustic, imperfect beads, in super colorful combos. Whenever I make a pendant or set of beads, I finish off the scrap clay by making small beads or colorful scrap color clay. It's so much fun! I have an orange necklace (below) and green one (waiting to be photographed).

Here are the matching earrings to the above necklace. Also, regarding the background, I did some color collages as part of my "homework" from the Polymer Clay Color Inspirations book. I'm experimenting with them as backgrounds to my jewelry. At the moment, I'm liking them, but I also toying with the idea of creating more solid color palettes so the background isn't distracting.

Lastly, here is a gorgeous necklace and earrings that I'm going to try to pry loose from my hands...it's SOOO southwesty, which makes me happy, thinking of Texas and my southwestern friends. It's comprised of natural (unpolished) barrel turquoise, sterling silver beads, and red-dyed coral rounds. One long necklace and matching earrings.

I hope my fellow migraineurs are faring okay (Lori P. and Mandy S.)...my treatments (between western and Traditional Chinese Medicine) are slowly improving. But, it takes a LOT to get the energy back. Then it's just sweltering hot here, too...it's hard to tell which is draining my energy, my health or the heat...so I live indoors most of the time (hence, the dearth of walks for Miss Molly). But, in spite of it all, I'm going nuts with polymer clay. I've been reading a few books from Donna Kato and another one by Carol Blackburn. I'm really happy I started with the Polymer Clay Color Inspirations so I can get my own color palette and not be dependent on what the manufacturer creates. I get a pretty consistent palette, too. Then the Carol Blackburn book has been taking me through basic bead making. So, I'm getting mature color combos and cool beads.

I'm seriously missing glass and still not sure what I'm going to do about lampworking. I guess that's still on hiatus...I'll live vicariously through all my glassy friends. :-D

Happy creating, y'all!