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.

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.

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.

Southwestern Symbols and Critters!

There are many designs I sketch out and then I make my own stamps. This really makes the work your own. If you purchase stamps from a store the chances are high that many other people have used them. I would like to encourage you to make something your own and use your creative energy throughout the process. Many of the beads I make are two sided and you can wear them either way.

I really like how this rattlesnake came out. I can press the design into the clay with this stamp. I will also be working on some sculpted items as well. The arrowhead has a lot of detail and I really enjoyed working on the Zia and sun symbols. You may have seen the Zia on the New Mexico automobile license plates. I did some research about the design and this is what I read on the Internet: The Zia Indians of New Mexico dating back to the 1400's regarded the Sun as a sacred symbol. Their symbol, a red circle with groups of rays pointing in four directions. Four is the sacred number of the Zia and can be found repeated in the four points radiating from the circle. The meaning of 4 to the Zia: 4 points of the compass (north, south, east, and west); 4 seasons of the year (spring, summer, autumn and winter); 4 periods of each day (morning, noon, evening and night); 4 seasons of life (childhood, youth, middle years and old age); and the 4 sacred obligations one must develop (a strong body, a clear mind, a pure spirit, and a devotion to the welfare of others), according to the Zia's belief. Ah, there is so much to learn about in this world!

Making of the OM Stamp and Beads

Someone had requested a bead with the OM symbol on it. I had wanted to make these for a while and I really like the look of the copal colored bead I've pictured. I have made these to look like wood and also in a turquoise color. Fun project! I've also added a photo of some finished and unfinished beads and stamps. Look hard to find Gumby!