New Polymer Clay Pieces

After what's felt like an age of not using polymer clay, I finally got it back out tonight. I was a bit apprehensive because I just keep getting moaned at for using the oven. However it's only a low heat, and for a short time. I don't even care anymore. I put down a holding deposit on a rented house on Thursday. I packed up loads of my stuff yesterday. Just need my application to be passed and then it's go go go! Cannot wait to be using my own oven, when I like.
Starting to hate working with red clay. Have found I'm making sure I use it last of all just so it doesn't spoil any white or light colours I might be using in other pieces.
Tonight I made an ice cream charm with the help of a tutorial that was posted this week on Deviant Art.
Found this quite difficult to do. The overhang of the ice cream scoop was a bit difficult. Also found myself covering up the lines I'd made on the cone as I was going along, quite fustrating and fiddly. The scoop top is a bit out of proportion but maybe that give it a bit of charm. Was fun to do and I'll try again, I'm sure.

Then I moved onto some apples and valentines cupcakes. This was where the red came in. Making the round apple, I ended up with very red chalky palms. If anyone knows a good way to avoid this, then please let me know. Wire wool seems to remove it pretty well after. My hands have never felt so soft from so much washing up liquid too.

Someone left me a tip on my DA page about the cupcakes and that the bottom should be a bit narrower to make them a bit more realistic. Used this on the ice cream too. Works, sort of.

Not sure what to do with the red apple yet. Necklace or single earring to rebel a bit. Haven't got time to pick up a charm bracelet this week. It's either panto, work or something else. I do like a busy life but I like one with time to do things and go places.

Becoming more confident at mixing colours now. Maybe the mint green could have been a bit more 'mintier'. I don't know.

The tin of odd, sods and charms is getting fuller now. I can see how some people end up with lots in a small amount of time. A few afternoons here and there certianly boost supplies. I shan't be setting up an Etsy or Folksy shop anytime soon though. More time needed for that.

Shades of negative

I'll be the first to admit, I was never an A star student when it came to art at school. I find it incredibly difficult to be neat with my lines and logical shading. But I'm willing to keep trying. Back then, I'd just do what I could and make do. I remember one horrendous class where we drew fern leaves.I kept taking it back up to the teacher for 'analysis' and she'd tell me to go and sit back down and try to make the leaves look like they were coming off the plant more. (If I find that sketch book in the move next month I'll let you see) Part of my problem is that I'm a little heavy handed in basic outlining. I feel that if I can't see it then I can't work out how to shade it.
But I've kept on trying and these are just some of the little sketches I've done so far.

If anyone has any tips on decluttering a very small room full of junk, then they would be very well received. I just can't work out how to sort it out without crying or/and running from it, screaming.
There's just so much of it. Twenty one years worth of books, photos, clothes, writing paraphernalia oh and maybe some action figures from a certain scifi drama.

I do need to get the polymer clay out again soon, but part of me wants to wait until I'm all settled in a new house with very little distraction and a cooker to use as I please. Sounds like heaven, right now.

Star Bakery

I want to share a little secret with whoever should read this. Star Bakery. I can't think of a better way than to use their own words to describe them:

Star Bakery is a Nottingham based bakery offering made to order cupcakes, cakes and cookies. We specialise in creating bespoke design cupcakes to compliment your party or any other special occasion.

We offer a free design service and cupcake samples for wedding consultations. We also offer delivery and a set up service to help take the stress out of your event.

Why not send a box of cupcakes to say 'Thank You' or 'Congratulations'? Our gift boxes are the perfect way to treat anyone with a sweet tooth!

Sounds just scrumptious. The photos look fantastic. I just think decorated cupcakes are the best thing since sliced bread. Sometimes it's easier to use a sponge base as a canvas for creating something epic. From pink little swirls with silver balls to ladybird celebration cakes, it's all just adorable. Such amazing pastel coloured icing.

If someone was to give me a single cupcake in their little giftboxes, I think I'd marry that person right there on the spot. Remember a cupcake is not just for birthdays!

You can follow them on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook They also have a Flickr page. Their social networking dedication is something that deserves to be rewarded. Keep up the fantastic work guys.

Flower prints and Watercolours

I have been quiet for a few days but that's down to panto rehearsals and sorting out a new place to live. Finally, I have enough for a deposit on a rented flat or house. So at the moment most of my spare time is taken up looking for places and furniture to go into it. A few people have said they have stuff that I can have such as crockery, bedding, seating and a microwave. Am also on the look out for scrap bits of fabric to make cushions and throws for sofas.
There have been a few moments where I've been able to sit down and pick up a pencil or paintbrush and these are the results.

They aren't exactly masterpieces but I'm becoming less afraid of just sketching random things.
When I'm all moved into somewhere I'll be able to sit down and do polymer clay again. Haven't made anything in ages and I could do with some extra pennies from it. Nothing amazing just a steady bit each month.

Such a shame I've not got one follower yet. Though Google Analytics tells me that hundreds of people have read the blog so far. Just need to change my layout a bit and make it a bit more readable.

Want for today?
from richtungsblog/

Rose Stencil

Just another quick post of something I've been messing about with. Am currently playing Rose Red in Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs. So have become very obsessed with Rose patterns on clother and painting them.
Have had a long day of promoting panto and doing some scene painting. OK, it was just using magnolia emulsion on the scene flats. But at least it's something
So tonight I've been looking for rose stencils just to fill my new sketchbook. Crudely copied via my laptop screen.



This is really just practice for making my own at somepoint, to use on soft furnishings and walls. But I need to work on getting them accurate.

Cutting and Pasting

Felt a real need to actually make something tonight but couldn't get motivated with polymer clay. So I found an old copy of Vogue and some glue. I ripped a few pages and set it out on a tile and then just stuck it to Watercolour paper. Had no idea what to make it look like and was slightly distracted by Silent Witness on the television. But this is what I came up with. Some sort of torn apart wall art.


I was going to add glitter glue but thought that might be a bit too much.

Am currently in nesting mode as I'm trying to rent a flat near where I live. I just keep seeing bedding and soft furnishing that I want. However I need to stop and try and find a cheaper way of doing that.

I also need a declutterer. My room is turning into Aladdin's Cave.

What's going on in the room downstairs?

In my dream house (which I will go into more detail about at some point) I would have this in my hallway.

by swanketyswank

Waking up at the start of the end of the world.

So just before Christmas, I bought some Polymer Clay. And some tools (knives, yay!) to use with it. I spent a lot of my time on Deviantart in 2009 looking through tutorials and pictures of what people had made with it. Put it off for ages and instead made a huge load of cards and other little things.

In November I lost my favourite Grandmother. Sorting through her mountains of craft stuff, I must have inhaled some 'crafting dust'. Totally overnight I found the confidence and motivation to have a go. What's the worst that could happen, eh?

So I started with some brown,red, translucent and silver. I did a lot of bookmarking and watching Youtube videos. It was then that I began on cards first just to get into a Christmas mood. I forgot to take photos of those but everyone at my office got one and there was a lot of postive feedback from them.

One night when I'd got everything together I began to roll. I did forget to condition the clay enough and wasn't sure how much to bake at once. I hope also one day, to own a pasta machine cause I can't roll evenly to save my life.
My very first make were these earrings:


They're not very realistic but they do look a bit festive colourwise.

I then decided to add my second make in with my secret santa present for a girl at work. They went down a treat. Silver presents 'wrapped' in red ribbon tied in a bow at the top. She loved them and so did a few others. And why wouldn't they?

Then I began messing around with modelling it into other things. Such as Rudolph here
and our Mushroom Friend
I can see me needing glasses soon with the really tiny stuff and the macro setting on my camera is pretty poor. I have a Light Box on my Amazon Wish List if anyone is feeling generous. Where I'd put it, I don't know.
I've now made doughnuts, beads from bad canes and then a bracelet that was just pretty random.

There are other random pieces and they can be found in my Crafting Set on Flickr

First things first.

I need to work out what I want from this blog. But I have no idea what exactly I do want.

- It needs to be mainly about handmade crafts.
- It could blog the progress of my handmade crafting.
- It could just be full of prettiness.
- It might have a few cats.
- It might have a plea for crafting help.

Right I'm just going to sit and see what happens then. I've looked through so many great design and crafting blogs this weekend that I feel pretty negative about making something just as good.

Ones people should read are all listed down the right hand side of India Knight's blog, which is just full of very pretty and great designs.

I think my next post will be about polymer clay. I finally began to us this a few weeks ago and so far I've had a lot of fun, but there's a long way to go with it. Hoping to go to a class at The Bead Shop in Nottingham next month to learn a bit more about making beads with them.