obscura

Lots of new beads listed.

 Faceted ones, in a different way.  First set: The top of the large one is carved like a crazy rose.  I incorporated some black and white cane into the teardrops so when I whittled off the facets, it would unveil a seeming whole other layer of teeny facets.  But it's just cane.  I'm really trying to rev up the faceted beads and find more interesting ways to use them, like in the second set pictured-what I call 'facet obscura', meaning only a partial area is faceted.  I like revealing color underneath, and also making patterns with the facets.

I actually took all my regular faceted clay beads into deactivation mode for a while.  They've been really good to me, but I need a break from them for a while.

 I mentioned a couple posts ago that I was experimenting with a new type of millefiori technique.  It's actually a faux millefiori technique, as no cane is employed.  I've used Sharpies in many ways on baked polymer beads since I started making them around 10 years ago.  The clay loves Sharpie.  I've never even considered using them on raw clay, but the other day I tried some metallic dots out on raw clay and was amazed how nicely it took, so I kept experimenting.

You can't really 'draw' with it--you have to use a certain technique, but you can then manipulate the clay as usual and the ink morphs a bit and there is a whole world of potential effects I can't wait to discover.  I stuck with some easy stuff in my first rounds with it.  I like the way it just slightly bleeds sometimes, and almost gets a tie dye effect.  I also like that the printing process leaves some texture.  The pod shaped pair above, and all the sets below are all Sharpie on raw clay.

What else?  I messed around a little with the "about" pages a bit for my shop. I'd like to show my work areas and crazy supply stashes but it's problematic because it's in the basement and there is not enough light to take non-flash photos.  I took some of the "best" ones and just messed around with them in photoshop but they're not good enough to post.  I'll see if my husband has a magical solution for dark basement photos, because I'm not using a flash.

not

                                                                             nope

The about page will have to remain on the backburner for a bit.