Thursday 29 May 2014

Swirl beads, jewel enamel powder and bracelets

 I really enjoy working with polymer clay and am constantly finding new techniques which I just have to try.  The swirl bead was new to me, as was using jewel enamel as a glaze, which gave a look of enamel.  The swirl techniques worked better on some than others but it was a good way to use up some scrap clay and the end of a striped cane I made some time last year.
 Here are my beads, ready to go into the oven, with a top layer of the jewel enamel.
 This is what they looked like once cooled.  The jewel enamel has given a glaze to the top surface.
This is my favourite as the swirl worked well and the blue translucent polymer clay I used for the base has silver foil running through it (a bit of gold also got in there!)  This is a technique I shall use again...
 The macrame bracelets were commissions from a work colleague who loves pink, but wanted a delicate pink. I used crackled quartz, rose quartz and star rose quartz to create these and made two different sizes so that she could choose which one fitted her best.
The flash has washed out the delicate pink, but this combination works well, I think.

14 comments:

  1. Lovely bracelets!! Fantastic work :)

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    1. Thanks, Mii. I really enjoy making the macramé bracelets and they are very easy to wear too!
      Best wishes
      Ellie

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  2. Your favourite is my favourite too Ellie. Very pretty and those are my favourite colours.

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    1. Thanks, Anne. I love all the blues - especially teal/turquoise. I am going to practise a bit more with this techniques and have discovered a couple more which are new to me as well. Three guesses what I'll be doing in the next few days...
      Best wishes
      Ellie

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  3. Wow, those look beautiful! Thank you for sharing! Chrissie x

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    1. Thanks, Chrissie. I need to make lots more and then make them into jewellery so that I can wear them. I have also had an idea about incorporating polymer clay and felt in some jewellery too.
      Best wishes
      Ellie

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  4. Gorgeous makes, Ellie! have a lovely weekend! E x

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    1. Thanks, E. I really enjoy experimenting (or should that be 'playing'?) with different techniques and seeing what the end result will be. I am thinking about how to incorporate felt and polymer clay into a piece of jewellery too...
      Best wishes and have a lovely weekend too.
      Ellie

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  5. Wow, you make such pretty creations with the polymer!!
    Those colours and swirls are beautiful... Keep on playing ;-)!
    Love from Mirjam.

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    1. Thanks, Mirjam. I shall definitely keep on playing. I have a couple more techniques to try too...
      Best wishes
      Ellie

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  6. This is beautiful! I love the pink, it is so delicate xx

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    1. Thanks, Chel. The rose quartz is a beautiful colour - and does go well with other tones, particularly greys and other neutrals, so it is a versatile gemstone too.
      Best wishes
      Ellie

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  7. Yay! You got the swirl to work - and it looks really beautiful! Well done. Really looking forward to our polymer clay play day number 3 next Saturday. :-) x

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    1. Thanks, Cordelia. It was a bit hit and miss, but I got there in the end. I have got so many ideas I want to try out on Saturday - don't know where to start - I want to do them ALL! Really looking forward to a whole day playing with polymer clay.
      Best wishes
      Ellie

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