Neu! - metal, metal

Posted on May 22, 2013 by admin

They’ve been a long time coming, but I finally have a huge new batch of beads to share with you all, which I’ll be listing this evening. Before now, I’ve never really bought into any of the specialist products that are available for claying. One of the good (and very handy!) things about poly clay is that you can often get away with using things that you happen to have around the house. However, this year I resolved to start branching out a bit and to try some new materials and tools. When I came across this patinating and colouring system a couple of months ago, I thought, ‘Oooo, that’s for me!’ It’s not really readily available in the UK - there’s one place that stocks some bits of it, in a pretty spasmodic way. So, part of the delay has been down to waiting for parcels from the States - and, of course, waiting for customs to do their infamous handling of them. It was all a bit pricey but, once I started, I couldn’t resist stocking up on the whole range.

It’s quite a time-consuming process, to use the stuff. I had planned to write more about it here but I’ve been sleeping really badly, and I don’t have it about me today to stick too many sentences together! So, I’ll keep it brief. You start off with a clutch of regular baked beads, and you apply a primer, then a number of coats of a metal paint, either iron or copper or brass or bronze or silver. The paint contains metal particles and a binder and so when it drys it actually forms a thin layer of metal (neat, eh? - I thought so!). The paint also includes an acrylic element which adds strength to the metal coat and stops it flaking or cracking, etc. Once you’ve built up this metal base and whilst your top coat is still a bit wet, you set off the oxidising process. And then you wait… and wait… ….but it’s worth it. You can achieve various results, depending on which patina solution you use: beautiful, glowing verdigris bloom, rich crusty rusts, and lovely thick, dark grunginess. And it doesn’t have to end there, because you can also apply dye oxides to colour the patina. This looks particularly lovely with the verdigris patinas because the bloom just makes the colours glow. Once you’re done there’s still a good bit of waiting to do. You need to leave it another 72 hours to let all the metal and patina and dye set. The dye is absorbed(?) - probably not the right word - by the metal, etc., so it’s not going anywhere, which is quite smart. Anyway, I’ll quit with the waffle and share some of the results.

And as you might guess, it’s not just polymer clay you can use this stuff on. I’ll also be listng a small number of patinated vintage chains and components, and a few other metal based bits. There aren’t many of these bits but I’m planning to get some bigger numbers made up soon.

And if you’re not liking the metal, don’t worry. I’ll be stocking up all the old favourites as well.

I’ve tried to think of everything! I’ll be listing all the above and more between 6-7pm this evening. I’m afraid that I am going to have to charge a bit more for the metal-ly pieces to cover all the additional costs, etc. I hope you’ll think they’re worth it. I can’t wait to get some more made up so I can use them myself! But not today - today I’m just going to have a nice, quiet bead - all very still and gentle - and sit it out until I can crawl back into bed…

Small parcels of wonder…

Posted on April 21, 2013 by admin

Oh dear, I’ve been a bit remiss here. I haven’t written a post for a couple of weeks. I haven’t been idle. I’ve been working with some new materials, on a new batch of beads. It’s quite a time-consuming process, but a very fun one and I’m quite consumed with it. But, more of this anon. With no new makes to share, I thought I’d offer a little view of some of the new beady goods that have arrived from others in the last month or so. It’s been a time of holding the purse strings quite tight, and a lot of my funds have gone on tools and bead-making materials. So, post days have been fewer, but all the more treasured for it. One of my new favourites is Happy Fallout. Although, I’m really quite sickened that I didn’t come up with the text technique on these palimpsest beads.

Here’s a few more beauties:

I’ve been a fan of Jo Lucksted‘s ceramics for ages. I’ve used her buttons in several pieces but she doesn’t usually offer beads for sale, so these had to be had.

Aren’t they marvellous? I shouldn’t really look when Petra updates her shop but I find it hard not to - and harder still not to spot some needful thing. These are just some of the latest additions to my Scorched Earth collection.

I just love that pale lavender colour. And that’s why I had to bag this clasp, a combination of Rebecca Anderson‘s wirework and Bo Hulley‘s ceramics, from The Curious Bead Shop.

I have Rebecca to thank / blame for the next acquisitions. I risked the customs trap to get these marvels (and a couple of clasps) from Amanda Davey. And, yes, of course I got caught.

I’d had my eye on that tatty lace pendant for some time. It’s going to get a simple treatment - and it’s staying with me.

I got another customs hit when I received a parcel from Tree Wing Studio, but I’ve wanted some of Rebekah’s aster beads for ages, so it was worth it. I got them in three different colours, along with some other flowers. She also, very kindly, popped in a free owl.

I’ll leave you with these beautiful glass oil drums from Helen Chalmers. Expect to see them in earrings very soon!

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Since last time

Posted on March 20, 2013 by admin

It’s been over two weeks since I last blogged. Tsk tsk… I’ve had some distractions - visiting London to meet my new nephew being the one of the pleasanter ones. There have also been new beads and some new jewellery designs. I planned to say more about a number of these things than I will do here, and I will say more in time. Perhaps it’s the impact of listening to George Osborne’s voice for 54 minutes, but I’m feeling a little short on chat today!

I’ve made quite a lot of beads recently. I’ve been wanting to try some text-y beads and charms for a while now. I made a bit of an error before I started, when I ordered my stamps. As I often do when I order things online, I failed to consider how large the letters were. Once I opened them up, I realised they were quite large. I had planned to put little phrases on things but with these stamps I’d be limited to very large pendants if I did that. So, I opted for single words. The matter of what words to use is something I’m going to come back to. Briefly, for now, I picked words associated with intimacy and constance - fitting for jewellery, I thought.

I was anxious with these that they shouldn’t end up looking like Swoondimples rip-offs, especially as the font on the stamps looks very similar. I hope I’ve avoided that - please do say if you disagree! It becomes quite hard to tell once you’ve looked at something and fussed over it for some time. There were quite a number of attempts that ended up in the dud tub, but I’m fairly pleased with this handful. New, smaller letter stamps are on order.

I also got some new birds and houses made. A number have sold but these are still available.

I also finally got around to sending some new stock to Big Bead Little Bead. There are more houses there now, along with owls and hedgehogs.

And now for the new jewellery. Hopefully, I’ll get these listed on Etsy shortly.

(bronze clasp - TheaTOO, ceramic hoop and cap - Scorched Earth)

(ceramic button - Scorched Earth, polymer slices - me) pale bird bracelet

(ceramic bird - Blueberribeads)

I had to use that Blueberribeads bird to justify getting some more, this time in grey.

I got a bit behind with the AJE earring challenge, so I had to make up several pairs.

(lampwork dahlia beads - Ciel Creations, lampwork headpins - Earthshine Beads)

And I finally got a pair made with my own beads. These pods are also available in the bead shop.

I’ll leave you with one last pair of earrings. No art beads, just lovely czech glass and some vintage, antique silver hoops. I’ll be back soon - I have Bead Soup Blog Party pics to share.

New Beads

Posted on March 3, 2013 by admin

The new beads are all listed in the bead shop. There are a number of new designs. I’d had some of them in mind to make for some time, including these pods. One pair is ‘side-drilled’ at the back of the pod, so they’ll drop down nicely when strung. They’d be great focals in a row of dainty beads. The other, smaller, pair, with central holes, are perfect for earrings - I’m planning to make a pair shortly.

I also made some pod bead sets.

I’ve been thinking about making some bead sets for a while now. As well as these pod sets, I wanted to make some focusing on colour combinations, using palettes I particularly like. I had to include those faded shades, which I wrote about recently.

And yes, there are yet more pods in there - I think that set is my favourite. Recently, I’ve been looking out for different types of rings and hoops. I’ve started to use them a lot because they’re so versatile - as connectors, in toggle clasps, as a base for pendants, as an eye for hook clasps. They also look good when you knot off them. So, I wanted to try making some myself. I’ve long admired/coveted Paper Statement bangles, so they provided some inspiration for these. The first ones turned out larger than I’d planned, but they could be used as pendants or focal connectors.

With a bit of playing about, I managed to get them down to a smaller size.

I’m going to make more of these to use myself. They’d work well in bracelets, I think. They look quite clean and crisp. You’d get a nice contrast if you mixed them with some aged chain or dark oxidised wire. With the remains of the green-blue blend I made these spine beads.

Again, they’d look good pointing out of a row of dinky beads.

What else is there? Well, I thought I’d better top up the old favourites.

There should have been three two-tone pairs but the black one was too small to match, which was quite annoying because these pairs seem to be rather popular. There are new weathered houses and smaller hedgehogs too.

Then there’s these cane slice sets. They’re very simple but I like them. Again, they’d be good in a knotted bracelet.

I also listed a couple of older designs. I came across a box of beads I made some time ago - I’d forgotten all about them.

I only have a limited number of these, so if you want some snap them up now.

Finally, there’s also some new pendants.

Phew! That’s a lot of new beads. No wonder my hands were in a state. If there’s anything you fancy, here’s where you click to shop!

Late present and AJE earring challenge

Posted on January 20, 2013 by admin

There’s still a lot of snow on the ground. Dexy remains unconvinced.

The snow coincided nicely with the arrival of a late Christmas present. With some money I received I treated myself to a Gaea Beads gift certificate. I had been wanting to try them out for ages and there’s such a wide selection on the website I knew I’d be hard pressed to pick just a couple. So, my gift allowed a bit of a spree.

Lovely, yes? I particularly like the faceted heart, the polka dots and the textured peanut. Rather stupidly, I didn’t think to order any pairs, because they would come in handy right now. I’m taking part in the Art Jewellery Elements Earring Challenge. Today is the first reveal day. So, here’s what I made. I used a pair of beautiful ceramic buttons made by Jane Lidbetter and available from Big Bead Little Bead.

I do like the way the czech glass spindles pick up the pattern painted on the buttons. There are heaps of folk around the globe taking part. There’s also a Pinterest board where a number of participants are sharing their earrings. It’s time I went to pin mine.

Snowbound

Posted on January 18, 2013 by admin

It’s been a day of almost solid snow. I’ve been finishing off beads to put in the bead shop on Etsy, just in time for a sale this weekend. Just enter the discount code SNOWBOUND to get 20% off. There are several new designs. I’ve made some sets of smaller monaco leaf beads.

And there are now mini owls as well

with some in two tone pairs!

And here’s a simple pendant that turned out nicely.

So, stay in, keep warm, and bead shop. And don’t forget: SNOWBOUND…

something to do with your hands

handmade jewellery, handmade beads

Tag Archives: new beads