Monday, June 25, 2012

Hand Sculpted Southwestern Polymer Clay Focal Beads




These beads were entirely hand sculpted by me with an ivory blend base.  All the little piece were hand cut out and placed on the bead.  The spiral in the center was made with a stamp I hand sculpted.  These beads were shaped, baked, stained, sanded through four grits of wet/dry sandpaper, stained, heated again and after cooling, buffed to this shine.  There was quite a bit of labor and time involved in shaping the beads.  The details are all drawn freehand by me with a needle tool.  These have a Native American and Spanish Colonial feel to them.  They have been crafted to look like they have many years of stories to tell.

Monday, June 11, 2012

Trucks only!!!

I took this photo earlier today and this just looks like a pile of truck tires! The double wide bracelets are so chunky and I just love how they came out. I love the camper colors usually, but I love the hot pinks and greens here. Thanks for looking!

Sunset Spin Bead Bracelet

I can call this a sunset bead or I could call it my faux copal amber. I think either description works. I'm posting this because I really like how the colors came out. The spiral can represent your journey in life and some Native Americans believe the spiral is a water symbol. I pressed in some leaf designs on the back and I drew in some accent lines to define the areas where the colors are different. I call these spin beads because you can wear them either way. A little more fun and why not enjoy two different looks for the same money!

Nice Shine on that Faux Turquoise!

This is a faux turquoise bead that I made. I want you to see the recessed areas and matrix so it looks real. I do not use varnish on my beads like some people do. I used four grits of wet/dry sand paper on this bead, cleaned it and used a jewelers wheel to buff it to this shine. I added some darker clay to this bead and you can see some flecks showing.

Friday, June 1, 2012

Polymer Clay Diver Down Beads and Shark Jaw Knot Bracelet

I had the idea to make some diver down flag beads. These are supposed to look like black coral, red coral and ivory. I have hand etched or carved in some designs to add texture. I sanded and buffed these to a nice shine. The paracord knot is called a shark jaw and I have seen it referred to the piranha as well. I think it works well with the ocean theme.

About Me

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I enjoy silversmithing, making jewelry, beads and working with paracord. I sculpt in polymer clay and desert themes are my favorite. I'm always looking for ways to incorporate the beauty of nature into my work. My work has been published in a large book called "1000 Beads," Lark Jewelry and Beading, 2014. I have sold beads through the Glendale Bead Museum Shop, a gallery in Tucson and www.wearartbyjulie.etsy.com. I'm an artist currently showing my jewelry at the Shemer Art Center in Phoenix, AZ.