Sue Beads

It's time again for the Art Jewelry Elements monthly challenge, and this month, Jenny Davies-Reazor provided us with the component!  She made these amazing escutcheon molded polymer clay pendants, with a word saved inside with resin!  She made this one especially for me, as I am having a few health issues of late.  I always forget to take a photo before I start working on the piece!

Mine was in colors of olive green, verdigris and blue.  I love it!  As I didn't have any beads in my stash to really match well with the pendant, I had to go to Michael's to find something.  I found these blue/green glass rounds and they really went so well there was no way I couldn't purchase them!

 Then I looked down and saw the buddha head beads!  I knew I had to have that as well! 
 I used a turquoise teardrop from my stash as well as titanium hematite beads I picked up at Bead Fest and had the bottom done!
 I've also been dabbling in kumihimo lately, since I won an amazing prize p…

I've not been blogging or checking blogs or much of anything since probably the beginning of October.  Even really before that, with getting ready for Bead Fest and ArtBLISS and another bead show I did.  But my boyfriend's father fell and became ill in the beginning of October, and sadly passed at the beginning of December.  Then there were the holidays.  Then I got really sick with what I think was pneumonia.  I am still really tired, having been given blood pressure medication due to my thyroid issue - I'm wondering how long the fatigue will last before I get used to it.  But I've been slowly working on polymer clay, as you may have noticed, simple things, not very complicated yet, as I really don't have a dedicated work space for this.  My kitchen table it covered with polymer stuff!  But I think these rustic word beads turned out pretty nice!  You can get them in my SueBeads etsy store a little later today!

 I also added more ammonite connectors, this time with…

I posted on Tuesday over at Art Jewelry Elements about what I have been working on since the beginning of the year.  I'm excited because I've been incorporating lampwork tools with polymer clay to come up with some pretty cool beads and connectors!  Here's a sample of what's going into my etsy shop today!

This month, it was Rebekah's turn (Tree Wings Studio) to provide the Component of the Month!  I was excited about this because I almost immediately knew what I wanted to use with the bead I received. 

 I chose this olive green one with white and copper dots!  Look at the texture on the side of the bead - I really nee to know how she did this - it looks like stretched taffy! 

 I had purchased these chunky pearls at a bead show here in Pittsburgh a few months back, and I was so glad I did!  They go perfectly with the bead Rebekah sent me!  I also used two copper lantern beads I had left from a Bead Soup a while ago. 

 I did NOT, however, have the perfect clasp to go with it, and while I want to make one, I decided to look on etsy and see if I could purchase one.


I found this great toggle clasp from hummingbirdsupply on etsy and this it goes perfectly, with the dots on the clasp.  The only thing that might not work is if it's too antiqued, which I can change, of course, or just g…

Every year for 3 years now, Sally Russick has hosted an ornament swap.  I have participated each year and it's always so thrilling to get a work of art from someone else to put on your tree.  This year was no exception.  In fact, I received TWO works of art from Patti Vanderbloemen.  I had the pleasure of finally meeting Patti in person at ArtBLISS this year, and she's as wonderful in person as she is on-line!

 This first ornament features Patti's wirework, meant to look like an actual round ornament, and I'd say she did an amazing job!  She used a focal from Donna Millard, who makes the most wonderful lampwork beads!
 If I wasn't lucky enough, she made me another ornament using a set of clay beads from Gaea.  She made this one to fill that "empty" part of the tree you always see after you're done decorating!

I did want to specifically show you her wirework in these ornaments because it's amazing.  Her work always looks so rich and perfect to me i…

Heather Powers of the Art Bead Scene hosts an Ornament Blog Hop every year!  I try to participate, and though it's last minute (story I'll tell you about another day) here I am! 

I made an owl based on a tutorial from Heather at Humblebeads.  I have dabbled in polymer and taken two classes with Christine Damm (who is the most generous person and enthusiastic teacher) but never made a 3-D item (aside from a heart that I really liked that sold!).  So it was time!

I made the polymer owl and painted it.  I tried to crackle it, and wasn't thrilled, so I baked it again to heat set the paint.  Big mistake.  Or so I thought.  After I took it out of the oven, it was gummy.  But I let it sit for a while, and it got less gummy.  So when it was not gummy anymore, I sealed it with Renaissance Wax.  And then it got gummy again.  But just for a little bit.  And now it's not.  I don't know if it will last, but at least I finished it, right?  I used three felted beads I bought fro…