I've been featured!

Well technically my pendants have, over at the lovely Cindy's blog.

I've had a lot of positive comments from people I've shown them to, and my local bead shop wants to sell them for me!

This is a great example of modification, which has lead to an original technique.

I've seen a lot of polymer clay work with metal leaf and inks - mostly mokume gane but also some funky crackled effects and I think it's cool. And fairly recently I spotted Cindy's take on this, and decided to have a go myself. As I explained on her blog, I couldn't get it right and didn't get the effect I wanted. So I tried a different way.

Here's how my technique goes, very briefly: (Next time I do this I'll be sure to take pictures of the process as I go, then I'll update this post.)

• Roll out black clay on the thickest setting.
• Add metal leaf on the top of the clay sheet. I usually use copper because I like the warm colours.
• Add drops of various colours of alcohol ink and leave to dry. This can take several minutes, I leave it at least 30 to make sure.
• Roll at next lowest setting. Rotate 90 degrees and roll at next setting after that. Some little bits of leaf will stick but that just adds to the effect so don't worry too much.
  
• Lay sheet on a ceramic tile and use cookie cutters to make pendants, disc beads, whatever shape you want. Peel away the waste clay, leaving the pendants/beads stuck down. Make the bead holes now - it's a bit tricky drilling them later.
  
• Bake for 30 mins and cool.
• Trim any rough edges, and add a layer of liquid polymer clay with a paintbrush.
• Bake again, 30 mins.
• Repeat with another layer of liquid clay and bake again.
• Finish with Future/Klear.

So yeah, a new technique that works for me.

Here's the same thing done in silver leaf, with some control over ink placement to create a rainbow effect.

I think modification is a useful creative process. Try a tutorial or a project from a magazine or book then think to yourself, how can I change this? What would make it better, easier, suit my style more? Then play around!

It's only by changing things that you learn how they actually work. And the more you learn, the more potential you have to create something truly unique.