Ahhhhh......

done.

Salvage works!

Well I thought this blog was about Polymer Clay! Yes, yes it is supposed to be my journey. I have been on a detour of sorts I suppose. I did finish this clay piece recently and love how it turned out.

Confession: The faces are made of clay, but actually I created them a couple years ago! I had formed a whole batch of these guys with my new mold maker then forgot them in the oven. Fried faces! So they sat for quite some time. Last summer I collaged them together thinking I might salvage the mess and make a brooch. Still not happy with the results so there they sat, staring at me just begging to come alive. Months went by then inspiration finally hit a couple weeks ago. I applied a patina look with acrylic paints. A little copper here a little turquoise there... wow, the results were happy! I finished the back, still intending a brooch but at the very last minute decided hmmmm.... no this is a pendant. I inlayed a tunnel across the back and gave it a final bake. The stringing came out of nowhere, it just seemed to call for a natural look. The multi strands of leather coupled with the Salwag nuts compliment the colors just right. Bringing in metal elements of copper was the finishing touch. I am completely satisfied with the end result.... 2 years in the making!

2009 Your Designs Rock Contest

I entered the yearly "Your Designs Rock" contest put on by Rings & Things. The winners were announced last week, and..... drum roll...... the winner is....... "not me!" But hey, that is okay! I had a great time designing my entries. I have never entered a contest before so it was really exciting anticipating the outcome. Above is "Spring Bling", my entry in the Crystal and Glass Category. I submitted 3 entries in three different categories. Quite a bold step especially considering I really have not alot of experience beading. So now I wait for January, maybe my entries will grace the pages of the 2010 R&T catalog. Meanwhile, here are my other two entries:

You really need to click on each picture to get the 'full size' view, details!

Where oh where has my little blog gone?

Oh man I have neglected my blog AGAIN! Maybe blogging isn't for me? Once more I will try to post something more often. Last fall I ran acrossed a sale on Etsy. A gal was completely unloading her gemstone beads. The prices were incredible and although I dont do a whole lot of gemstone beading, I could not pass up the savings. So I bought a heap of genuine stuff. Then it took me a good six months to gather knowledge in materials and techniques, I wanted to create some really 'nice' pieces. So this past weekend I finally took some pictures of my recent results.

Above is a long and chunky jasper mix chain. It comes together mid-chest with the ends creating a tassle effect. The brass Chinese Knife Money charms tinkle against the stones. This necklace makes a huge statement, really a fun piece. I must confess, I am not totally happy with it at this point. While it is long enough to fit over my head - I want to remove the big white stone in the back and replace it with a large brass closure. I just have to find the right set. I imagine a couple of large brass hook type closures but haven't run acrossed the perfect choice yet. Might have to settle for a toggle clasp I found at Rings & Things. What do you think? (420)

I Wrote a Book!

Alaskan Cruise...

The Inside Passage...

By For Yaeko & Family

Book Preview

My mother in-law took the family on a 10 day cruise thru the Alaskan Passage last summer. I put this book together as a thank you to her and a way to remember the wonderful time we had. It was fun to make, although really time consuming. I have often wanted to actually publish something and it is on my list of things to do. This is the first step I suppose!

I have another book that hasn't been uploaded to Blurb yet. The 'soon to be released' book (haha, really pushing myself here!) chronicles the first couple years of my work in polymer clay. I plan to keep it handy at art shows, and it will proudly sit on the coffee table between show dates. It is a neat way to show past work and items that have sold. Personally, it has become my treasure chest of accomplishments. I foresee a collection of books published one by one as I journey through one inspiration after another.

I suggest everyone download the Blurb program and try a book yourself! It is a great gift if even to yourself. My mind is full of ideas! My grandmothers recipes, those 100 year old photos stored away safely in my living room trunk, maybe a childrens book showcasing my own grandchildren? What about all the pictures of flowers I take every summer.... hmmmmm, endless possibilities. Have fun!

BEEN BEADING

I am not much of a 'beader', the whole process is a huge challenge for me. I can spend an hour just staring at the beads spread across the work table. I sting something, take it apart, add or take away... it just doesn't come naturally for me. But then there are times when I feel the desire to really make an effort and just create something beady.

I started with a Magnolia leaf created with polymer clay. The leaf turned out nice although not nearly as detailed as the Joe Pye leaves I prefer. The resulting brass chain necklace is fabulous! I moved on to a couple of pieces not using polymer beads or pendants. The multi-stranded blue necklace isnt quite finished. I am browsing catalogs for just the right bail to hang a swarovski cosmic ring. Simple but stately.

I just finished the bracelet.... which I adore! I stepped out there and used an array of fall colors. It turned out eye catching, just a grand piece! Click on the picture (please ignore the fuzz and dust accumulated on my display bust, agh!) to delve into the details.

Not sure what is next on my pallette.... maybe a matching necklace for the bracelet? Seems like the perfect color collection for Thanksgiving.

"Once upon a midnight dreary...."

Halloween is my favorite holiday of the year! Creative inspirations abound, and I tell you what... ANYTHING GOES! I've been making these cute little charms and attaching them to treat bags. Each bag has an Edgar Allan Poe quote attached, very gouly indeed. I've made cats, and mummys, ghostys, skulls, witches hats and even a witches shoe!
Our costumes this year are adorable.... The Flinstones! We got together with another couple so we are complete, Fred & Wilma with Betty & Barney. Yesterday I made Betty's hairbow, bracelet, earrings and an oversized gawdy ring. All using polymer of course! It's been such fun. Now I've got to sit down to put together Wilma's hair 'bone' stick, necklace, earrings and maybe an anklet.

hmmmmmm, "...while I pondered weak and weary." In the meantime (what am I talking about? It's such a busy week there is no 'meantime'!!) , stay creative and get ready for an awesome and artsy HALLOWEEN!

What's on my workbench?

I have a hard time coming up with things to write about, an even more difficult is taking the time to post. My studio is a humongous mess, yet I carve out a small space to continue creating. I have many different projects going at once. Ideas well planted in my imagination just waiting to become reality along with small inspirations which surprise me as they come to life. I looked across my workspace and I thought to myself, there are so many stories splayed out here - on my worktable, in plain site, stories waiting to be told.

(Click to enlarge and see a really big detailed shot!)

Clockwise from top: A mixture of green beads, then a collection of golden amber. When I am tired and uninspired I string beads and make lanyards for my work ID badge. It is a challenge for me as I dont have that natural knack with beadwork. I find it tedious and somewhat boring, but it does give my mind time to think and I usually come up with some 3 demensional idea waiting to be born in clay.
Tools.... scissors, blade and my favorite sculpting tool - a bristled paintbrush.
Pending pendants.... My sister had some knots made of ceramic which turned out beautiful. I recently created some smaller knots with polymer and sent them to her. I thought why knot (not haha) hide a small face in these knots? Hey it turned out great! There is also a re-creation of my Asian Script Plum Blossom choker, and at top an Asian Script medallion pendant. I've been working with ivory/bone lately. It started a couple weeks ago when I mindlessly sat down and rolled out two dozed bone beads. Fun!
Klimt stamp... last Friday my son was showing his artwork at Spokane Art Supply. I attended the reception (he is quite amazing if I do say so!) and while there found a 4-sided Gustav Klimt stamp. I had to have it and really cant wait to work with it!

So there you have it.... well you have a snapshot anyway. Around the edges and out of shot are so many more happenings. Like I said, my studio is a huge mess, and this is just a glimpse! Next week the view will change and more ideas will take their place in the middle of my glass top creative space. Thanks for letting me share!

Holding Out

I really HAVE been claying this summer! Take a look at my Flickr to see what I've been keeping from you. Summer is over, which dismays me to no end. I worked in the yard like crazy.... planted bushes and trees, tended perennials and grew some veggies. Went on a cruise to Alaska, beautiful! And beleive it or not, we experienced 80 degree sunshine every single day of that cruise. The locals said it was absolutely unprecedented weather, lucky me! I painted the deck, built new steps, hubby built a new shed. It's cute and looks like a cottage - love it! My sister came for a visit, we set up at the Garland Street Fair. 104 degrees that day, yikes! Slow sales, but hey I was with my sis and we had a good time. She was interviewed by channel 24 (KQUP? I think) anyway, talked about emerging indie artists and what it takes etc... The documentary should be out in November I believe. She did a great job and I cant wait to see it. (After the whole HGTV thing last year, I was not up for another minute of fame. And being the shy girl I am, I ran like the dickens from the camera!)

If you looked at my Flickr page, you can see that I am still not centered. I am so not afraid to try new things, in fact I crave new techniques. It is quite evident in my work, my style is just not defined. Never would you say.... "Oh look that must be a Lori piece." I go off in many directions and everything looks different. Hmmmmmmm.... not sure if that is a good thing. I had a gallery owner look at my work last year, she said I was "All over the place!" She said I needed to focus on one thing, like my leaves.
I needed to keep doing them, lots of them. Then show them, sell them, post them.... make myself known and then one day someone would say "Oh look that must be a Lori leaf, it looks like her work." I suppose that would be nice, but I just dont think it would be all that much fun. I think I will stick to my eclectic mish mash of anything goes. At least for now anyway. (318)

Life is Grand, Love is Real,

and Beauty is Everywhere.....

I fell asleep on the couch last night at around 7pm. Needless to say, I was up and chipper at 430 this morning. Deciding to take advantage of the morning sunrise, I grabbed the camera and tried to capture the dawning light. Great results! Color takes on a diffent value in the misty morning. Mother Nature plays tricks on my eyes and her flowers seem to glow an irredescent hue.


Pimento Yarrow, my favorite new perennial (right). And deep red tea roses (above) have overstepped boundaries in beauty!



PC update: As this blog is supposed to follow a polymer clay journey, I am currently attempting a second leaf cuff. So far, so good. You never know when your creations are a fluke to have turned out so well, or is it something you can actually acheive time and time again? (255)

Leafing Large!

Odile Gova of Ontario, Canada creates unique, one of a kind, hand casted sculptures. These leaves are just beautiful! And check this out.... they are concrete! I tried my own version using a giant rhubarb leaf this last weekend. Once cured I painted it and wah lah! My own leaf! Of course, mine is not nearly as scruptious as Odile's. She has the process down pat, even sharing tutorials on her Flickr Site.

Thank you Odile for the inspiration!

Meanwhile...
This is how my leaf turned out... seeing it up close next to Odile's inspiration leaf, I think I need more shading.... back to the pallette! (249)

Do Over!

Overs! Overs! I call overs! Isn't that something we used to chant as a child when we messed up then wanted another try? Well, I seem to remember something of the sort. So I am calling for 'Overs!' with this blog.

My original intent was to 'journey' through my years (a whopping two or three years, woohoo!) as a polymer clay artist. I started off nicely enough... then lost my place in time, got caught up in the present..... and so much for blogging!

I'll giving it one more try. This time just staying with whatever has me currently in kahoots. I haven't been claying much lately, although Cynthia Tinapple at Polymer Clay Daily has kept my faithful attention and inspiration honed. Today I actually received a mention on her blog! I am humbled to say the least. (More like peeing my pants happy dance!) Her post on creative PC cuffs got my muse going and the result (pictured above) has piqued her interest. (243)

Fall 2006

At this point I was still using inks and paint to add color to my creations. I joined other local artists and crafters at a holiday art fair to sell my works. The weekend was a success and lit a fire of inspiration within me.

My first show! I was excited, and my nerves got the best of me. I hyperventilated and dropped things, shook like an earthquake... I just wanted to run away. It was hard work, just the preparation pooped me out. I didnt have any pro-displays so I ransacked my home and came up with an earthy, eclectic feel to my area. I included items from my sister and a friend split the fee's. Between all of us, we had a blast and it was profitable for all. Doing this requires that you really have your ducks in a row, there is alot to think about. It is more than just setting up a card table and demanding a price. I'll leave it at this for now, someday I'll write a book detailing my experiences. Here are a few of the items I created for the show....

SUMMERS END 2006

The leaf impressions I had done intrigued me, so did the stamping. I started making pendants. Still struggling with color, I tried inks and colored pencils.

Using the internet, I searched keyword Polymer Clay and was overwhelmed by the list of resources. Discovering The Glass Attic was like opening the encyclopedia of clay! Glass Attic introduced me to polymer clay artists with incredible talents. The works of Donna Kato, Maureen Carlson, and Sharon Cipriano floored me. I had so much to learn!

A real turning point in my clay journey was discovering Etsy. Etsy is a community of artists, coming together to sell their art. I knew I wanted to be a part of this movement! Inspired by the shop creations, I (prematurely) opened my own online store early in the fall of 2006. I immediately sold the Green Koi (pictured center above), but really hadn't mastered my clay techniques. The ball was rolling, and gaining momentum! The next couple of months brought much joy to me as I uncovered the many beautiful techniques possible with polymer clay!

Like a Rolling Stone

SPRING & SUMMER 2006 By now I was clay crazy! The more I played with it, the more versatile I found it to be. My faces were time consuming, and my imagination was going faster than my hands could work. I went to the craft store to check out the clay supplies. I found face molds and shape molds, scrolly molds and ethnic molds. Needless to say, I was all about molds! I literally ran home to experiment!

For some reason, the colored clay hadnt caught my eye yet. I was imagining the play-doh-looking kid creatures and wanted a more complex finish (little did I know....). I kept trying to use flesh, ivory, white and translucent then add paint to it. I tried acrylic, stains, inks, powders.... everything imaginable. I discovered that rubbing a baked piece brought out a shine, then sanding it before buffing brought out an even higher sheen. I inadvertently mixed some scrap and ended up with a marbled effect, which stunned me. I made a little flower, then started impressing leaves.

My sister then introduced me to rubber stamping. Of course I applied it to my new addiction... clay! Lo and behold, I was completely taken by the results! More visits to the craft store and I bought a pasta machine and starting covering vessels and candles with clay. I bought a clay/stamping kit. Away I went, stamping and baking. The tutorials included in the kit referenced a website. That's where I launched into the REAL clay world, the internet! I discovered the possibilities where endless!

I tried new projects, read the facts, found new methods.... I was consumed by this art. I just hadn't found my niche', polymer was wonderful but what on earth was I going to do with all these clay tidbits?

The Old Iron Gate

EARLY 2006 More than a year had passed since my first clay creation. Hurricane Katrina had ravaged New Orleans and Mardi Gras was approaching. I was so inspired by the strength of the people living amongst the ruins of their city, preparing for a celebration of life. I had some old iron finials I had collected to top off birdhouses I make for the garden. Using the finial, I mounted a polymer sculpture of a womans face. She is painted, crackled, glossed, adorned with string and fibers. Her blank stare reflects her loss, yet her expression conveys the strength of her determination to overcome. I named her 'Mardi Gras'.

Click image for full view.

The Long & Winding Road.....

FALL 2005 Now hooked on clay faces, I couldnt put down the little wads of smushy stuff. My next face emerged somewhat theatrical looking. Still, his expression was so realistic and mesmerizing! I couldnt picture him as a Santa, but still in the holiday spirit, he became the first in a series of "SnowPeople". I entitled these creatures with the thought of a snowball formed in your hand, then magically taking on life. Have a look:

Click on Images for Full View

We've all got to start somewhere....

DECEMBER 2004 I will begin my blog with my beginnings in polymer.... it all started at a Christmas party given by my close friend and artist Kathy. Her house was decked to the nines with trees and lights everywhere! What caught my eye were the realistic looking Santa's she had perched here and there. I couldnt figure out how the heck she made these creatures! She told me to get some clay, the kind you bake in the oven. I kept thinking "you mean that stuff kids make blob monsters with?" So, I set out to make my own Santa. He is somewhat raw and unfinished, a little out of proportion here and there.... but I was thoroughly pleased with his outcome! And, I was hooked on polymer clay! Here he is, 'Father Christmas' December 2004:

Click image for full view.