New Beads on the Work Bench this Wednesday...

I have spent a great deal of this spring creating my own polymer clay beads.

After purchasing Statci Louise Smith's Tutorial, I was bead obsessed.

My beads were everything I always hoped to create....

They are textured and glossy and just the way I wanted them.

Some had a wonderful, primitive, organic look.

But then my friend came for a workshop and brought some of her beads.

They were so different than mine.

  And so very lovely.

So I started playing with different finishing techniques. 

I used one she did but mine did not turn out like hers.

So I tried a few other things.  

I got some neat new looks.

I liked them in the pan.

They sat there for days.

I loved the blingy shine.

Which was so different than my other beads.

I was not sure what they would be.

One afternoon,I sat down and began knotting.

I am a huge fan of waxed linen cord for knotting.

And before I knew it, this sweet beachy wrap bracelet came to be.

Like I said, it is a change from my other beads.

And I am loving it.

I am also loving my hand forged clasps.

I love how substantial they are.

This bracelet is a double wrap.

I have a couple single wrap bracelets that I wear all the time.  

They are actually very comfortable.

What do you make?

Thanks for stopping by....

Workbench Wednesday...

This week I decided to show you one of my actual work areas and what is on it this week.

This is the table next to my spot on the couch.

There's my laptop, my newish wooden unit and the looped beads I have been playing with.

I bought a one step looper, which I love.

I can make my own beaded chains easily.

I made some into chains.

Others are just the beads with the loops on each end, ready to be bulit into designs.

I apologize for the photo quality. 

 It is rather dim and the lighting is not ideal for photography.

The looper is pretty versatile.

I tried seed beads and larger glass beads to play around with it.

 These are not the tiny seed beads.

They are the "E" size.

The glass beads are from one of those glass budget bead containers.

I love those for the variety.

Here are the loopers.

They are supposed to work for wire 18- 24 guage.  

I used 20 gauge.

I wanted to share my new organizer as well.

It holds essentials and some other fun goodies.

I recently splurged and bought some silk strips so the colors are arranged in the top slots.

I have some of my specialty pliers in their own slots.

My tag punch is where I can find it.

And those little glass jars have hand forged steel findings.

I spent Sunday morning hammering them so I could fill all the little jars.

Kleenex, sewing supplies and chocolate are essentials.

There is always a magazine from Stampington in that slot.

Next to the wooden organizer is a little basket with some pliers and clippers.

Behind it, is a poster my daughter bought for me when we went to Lucketts this spring.

It was a great day.

So that is what is new on the workbench this week.

What are you up to?

Thanks for stopping by....

Linking up with these great blogs.

Workbench Wednesday...It Has Been A Long Time...

It has been a very long time since I have done a Workbench Wednesday...

Not because I have not been creating.

I have.

I just have quite a mess going on in my studio this time of year.

Today I wanted to share some of the process of bead making.

First I hand-form my beads and components from Sculpey polymer clay.

Then I cook them in my toaster oven.

Next is the adding color process. 

Sometimes I use dyes.

Sometimes I use paints.

These were dyed.

I did not have any photos of the finishing processes.

There is a lot of steps and layers to the final steps.

Once the beads are done, I keep them in various containers.

First they go in a can or plastic container.

Next I sort them into my printer's trays and shadow boxes.

I started putting them there in the spring last year.

They sit on my dining room table most of the time.

I find just looking at them makes me so happy.

I am known to be a bead hoarder.

I love pretty ones but if I allow myself to actually buy them, I am afraid to use them.

Now that I am making my own beads, I am much better about this.

I know if I use them up, I can just make more.

I am a texture girl.

How about you?  

Do you love color or texture?

I also love beads that are special in some way.

I like to incorporate cool embedded items, new bales, shimmery colors.

I find that when I look at other people's work, I am fascinated by how they made it.

I want to try to get the same look.

I also like to play around while I am working to see what happens.

I am 1 part scientist and the rest artist...

Maybe all artists are more scientific than they think.

Thanks for stopping by...

Linking up with these blogs.

Workbench Wednesday...Shotgun Shells

I have not done Workbench Wednesday for a while.

Probably because I have a dozen projects started and spread out all over the place. 

 Here is just one look at some of what I am working on....

Hmmmm....

Shotgun shells and a heat gun.

You can see I removed the metal parts...

They are below in the basket.

My husband was instrumental in this endeavor....

And some regular brass bullet casings....

You will have to stop back later to see what they all become....

Thanks for stopping by...

Workbench Wednesday... Bead inspiration....

This Wednesday I just wanted to share some pretty bead inspiration from the workbench.

I found these lovely bowls at the thrift store but they were all too chipped to use in the kitchen.

That gave me a great excuse to use them in the studio...

These blue beads set off the blue in the bowl perfectly.

I love all that sparkly goodness.

Normally I am not a bling girl, but I am in love with these...

Thanks for stopping by....

Linked with Old World Patina.

Workbench Wednesday...Something Extremely Rare....

This is actually a post from my on-going studio redo.

I have been busy trying to get it all cleaned up and organized as you know.

Here is a look at the workbench last week:

YIKES!

Wait, there is more...

And more....

and more

and more.

Sigh.

So it has been months of working and then just piling.

Time to get this done.

Even I can't create in this mess.

So on one of the hottest days of the summer so far, I worked and worked and worked.

Lucky for me my awesome husband put up a ceiling fan for me 2 years ago.  

It was not too bad standing right under the fan.

I am pleased to show you the workbench now...

Drum roll please........

Wow!  What a difference!

Of course, just moments after finishing it, I want to create.

Gets me excited to start again.

You can see I was dipping beads.

So enjoy a couple more photos and know a clean workbench is a rare sight indeed in this studio. 

If you are a neat artist, enjoy!

If not, don't worry!  

I am sure by next week there will be some level of chaos for you to enjoy!

Thanks for stopping by...