EAR WARMERS AND HALLOWEEN JEWELRY

Even though I live in Arizona it gets cold here in the morning.  Today it's 58 but in no time it will be in the 90's.  But, in the winter, mornings are pretty cold and when I play golf I take the golf cart and my ears get cold or when I walk my friends dogs my ears and forehead get cold and then I get a headache.  While I was down with my foot surgery I decided to make myself an ear warmer.  My friends saw them and asked if I could make some for their grand kids back home in Wisconsin.  We are meeting for lunch today and they are leaving to go back in a week so I had to hustle.  They all have handmade buttons. The dog and duck button have been altered slightly.  Most of them are from polymer clay.

This is a Green Bay Packer ear warmer for my friends grandson.

I was sewing the buttons on with Nymo thread because it's so strong.  One night we saw Buster running around with something hanging out of his mouth.  We chased him around the house for 5 minutes before we finally got him.  He took the thread off my table and there was a needle on it.  The needle was hanging out of his mouth.  He had swallowed the thread.  I pulled on the needle and got the thread out.  When he was little he would get in the garbage cans and take the dental floss and eat it.  He also loves Fireline so I can't leave that out when I'm beading.  Most cats like yarn, NOT HIM.  He's going to drive me to drink.


CLAY CAMP

This is the first time in 8 years I've missed going to camp with my clay guild.  That foot surgery really did me in.  I'm just now able to put shoes on and not for long.  The nerves are still making sure I know the foot is there.  My friends have been sending me pictures and it looks like I missed a great time and a lot of great demos.  Hopefully, I'll be able to make it next year and things stop breaking on me.

HALLOWEEN JEWELRY

My niece goes to a lot of dress up Halloween parties so I thought I would make her some jewelry.

The bracelet was done with Kumihimo.  Now I only have 12,000,000 Megatamas left to work with.

MEMORY BEADS (Continued)

I made this cross for my brother in law from the rose petals from his mother's funeral.

I embedded the petals in pearl clay.  The Celtic cutter is about 4 inches long so I laid sheets that I textured on the top and bottom before I cut through it to make it thicker.  I baked the cross and then made the base the same way.  I embedded the cross in the base with a generous helping of Genesis to make sure it stuck and then baked it.  It's antiqued with gold iridescent paint.

I made a stamp on the back that says 1913 to 2014.  It's very tiny and I had a little trouble with the paint in order for the numbers to be seen.  You can see the rose petals in the clay in this picture.

I put the petals in a glass jar and they sure do have  strong odor.

The lavender beads in these bracelets are made with translucent clay and rose petals.  That's the color that the clay turned from the rose petals.

MEMORY BEADS (CONTINUED)

 These are made with white and pearl clay and green alcohol ink.  They also have the crushed rose petals in them.

These are made with pearl clay, the crushed roses and cranberry alcohol ink.

I used some of the pink beads to make a Shambala bracelet.  I promised I would make at least 20 items with the rose petals and I'm trying to make different pieces so each one in the family can take their choice of what they would like.  This has been a challenge.

This is a key chain/purse bling and I used one of the pink rose petal beads with some great white caps but I can't remember where I got them.  I think Michael's but not sure.

This is a polymer clay cross that I had made and it has glitter and resin on it.  Can be a purse bling, key chain or wall hanging.

This silver bezel has white clay with the rose petals in it and resin on the top.  The white cord is made using Kumihimo.  

It's pouring here in Arizona so taking pictures is difficult today.  I usually use natural sun light.  I bought one of those picture taking set ups but the little lights that go on the side are so hot I'm afraid they will cause a fire.

I had to put a picture of Buster on here.  He loves this afghan and on this day he took a four hour nap with his foot sticking out.  He cracks me up.

More to come when the sun comes out.