Happy surprises and scrap clay

I had a happy surprise this week. Lynda Mosley (aka DivaDesigns) had a article on her blogspot titled "Pay-it-Forward" which I participated in. As a result of that participation, I got this beautiful magnolia necklace and all I can say is WOW! The picture does not do it justice! The pendant features a pink magnolia transfer and has a glass-like finish. I'll be wearing my necklace to our guild meeting tomorrow – what a great Show and Tell! Thanks again to Lynda for a great gift and for the inspiration to add a "Pay-it-Forward" opportunity in my own blog.

Now for the scrap clay.......

I was catching up on some of my reading earlier this week and ran across a follow-up to one of Cindy Lietz's earlier emails. She had used alcohol inks on crackled gold leaf to create a pendant. The follow-up was about making matching post earrings from the "scrap" pieces. This got me to thinking about what I do with my "scrap" clay.

Last Sunday afternoon – as the rain poured down outside – I made a flower cane that was shades of blue to white with the individual petals wrapped in antique gold. This was the first cane I had made in a while and it was a bit wonky (technical term) but it will look great when it's reduced down MUCH smaller and was a great reminder of what not to do (grin)! It also left me with several end pieces that were just too pretty to toss in the "scrap" pile.

After I set the cane aside to rest, I remembered an article in one of the recent PolymerCafe magazines about using fishing lures (spinners) as a backing. I also remembered that I had bought some to try this method with after reading the article. Since I had recently spent some time actually cleaning and "organizing" my studio, I was even able to find them! So, I took the end pieces of the petal canes and mashed them all into a muttled ball, then flattened it enough to run through the pasta machine on the thickest setting. Nice, but let's try it again. Fold, and run through again and some pretty cool patterns begin to appear. One more time, fold, run though and it's just right! I then followed the directions in the magazine (I'll look when I get home tonight and add the name of the designer – I believe in giving credit where credit is due.) Made earrings and a pendant. I used a texture plate to add the finishing touch. The spinners were made of stainless steel so they should hold up beautifully.

P.S. That organizing pays off again! I found the magazine with the article! It was the April 2009 edition of PolymerCafe and the article is "Catching Compliments" by Lela (Lee Ann) Armstrong. I just love the way she thinks outside the box!


Then, as I generally do when I'm working with a nice blend, I made a reel cover with matching beads for the badge-type scan card that I wear at work. We have to have them to get in every door in the offices so it's very necessary to have them handy, but the plain reel on a woven cord that we were given when we moved into the building was just too blah for me!


So from the end pieces of the petal canes, I made a pendant, matching earrings, a reel cover and matching beads. None of these projects takes very much clay but now I have a pendant and earrings I can wear anywhere or a Reel Jewelry set with matching earrings to wear to work! And all from scrap clay! Don't you just LOVE polymer clay???