Sometimes as designers we search for inspiration. In this era of technology, we can spend hours wading through Pinterest, tutorials, You Tube and more. We hope to gain inspiration from other artists to create something in our own style.

I was lucky enough to attend a workshop in Bristol this year with 4 amazing polymer clay tutors and around 50 other participants. Our tutors were Bettina Welker (from Germany) Donna Kato (from the USA) and Claire Wallis and Cara    Jane Hayman from the UK. 

I love working with polymer clay as it is an extremely versatile medium. You can make imitation gemstones, textures canes and very geometric designs. It can be used with other media too, I have recently combined it with sea glass and given it a metallic finish. In Bettina's class we made a very versatile textured pendant, which had the versatility to become a lariat necklace. Donna Kato taught us how to make inlaid and carved cat pendants which were really cute and fun to do. Both Claire and Cara Jane taught us how to make rings. Claire's ring was a faux boulder opal and Cara Jane's was a turquoise and wood effect. Both looked amazing ! If you do get chance to take part in a fave to face workshop, do it! There is a great camararderie and ideas fly about to give you several lightbulb moments. Most of all enjoy your art/craft 😊

It must be that I am getting older but 2014 just whizzed by. I hope this year doesn't do so fast! I have had a great year, spent time with friends and family, had some fantastically successful craft fairs and some not quite so good.
I have learnt a new set of skills by attending a short morning workshop with Melanie Muir who is a polymer clay artist based in Nairn, Scotland. I hope that by getting so many helpful tips and advice from Melanie that I have nailed the Mokume Gane technique to use in my handmade jewellery.
I have plenty to look forward to in 2015 too! Firstly I am having a weekend to the place of my birth, Manchester, going to the theatre, having dinner with family and much more. the weekend after that I am off to Bristol to another polymer workshop. People attend from different parts of the world and I am sure it will be fun. I will keep you updated nearer the time
In the summer, my husband and I are going to Paris. I have already rented an apartment and I will be looking for more and more inspiration.
I have sent out a newsletter with a 20% discount off my website today and if you pop over to my Facebook page, there is a 10% discount for everyone else. Offer open until 5th January 2015

 

Today has been a wee bit of a groundhog day. I have made a bracelet bar from polymer clay (mokume game of course!) and wanted to add a bracelet of seed beads. Oh well it was one of those days where I kept threading and re threading the beads as I kept dropping them. I also successfully made some bead cone caps too! I hope it was worth the hours I spent on it!!!

Well this is what all my work over the year has been for. I have had a great year and explored my craft more thoroughly. Over the years my jewellery has developed from the simple stringing of beads to the more creative aspects of jewellery making. I seem to be working between two mediums at the moment from fine bead work using teeny tiny seed beads, where my reading glasses are a most, to exploring the possibilities of using polymer clay. I am attempting to make polymer clay canes which are sometimes not THAT succesful as I am a tad impatient. If this is a medium you have considered working with, why not join the Facebook Group 52 Weekly Cane Projects ? This group feature a cane each week and you can join in or not, it is up to you.

Here are some canes I made

I have also been exploring using the polymer clay canes in different projects, apart from jewellery and you can now find ballpoint pens on the website. I have also been making some polymer clay cuffs and bracelets and necklaces

In addition to finding me on Facebook, you can also find me on Twitter and Google+ If you have bought jewellery from me, I would appreciate a review on Google plus

Ahhh well it is the eve of the craft fair, I have lots to do. The bags are packed and I am ready to go....almost. Dont forget to check events out on the events tab here on the website