More New Things

I have been claying for over 7 years. Don't ask me why, but I have never bought a "how to" book, until now. I finally bought myself "The Art of Polymer Clay, Creative Surface Effects" by Donna Kato. Now I'm asking myself why did I wait 7 years to buy it? I am loving it! I have hardly put it down since I got it. I have been experimenting with all kinds of new techniques, and expanding my repertoire of techniques I thought I knew. The first thing I did was make reverse images of all my stamps and texture sheets. I had never thought of doing that before. You get twice the use out of them all just by reversing them, who knew?

This heart was the first thing I made using my new found knowledge. It is faux cloisonne. It was made using one of my newly made reverse stamps. I used pearl-ex mica powders and gold acrylic paint and finished with a layer of liquid polymer clay.

The next thing I tried was a technique where you paint on transparent clay with alcohol inks. Then you put on another very thin layer of trans. On this layer you add gold leaf and stamp images with more alcohol ink. Then you add another very thin layer of trans to seal it. This barrette and bangle were made with this technique.

This tile bracelet and necklace were made by stamping black clay with a reverse stamp and then painting the raised areas with different colors of acrylic metallic paint. Then I flattened the sheet out and made tile beads. There is a method of making the beads in the book that is much easier than I had been doing. The beads have a coating of liquid polymer clay baked on the protect and give it a great shine and dimension.

I've already ordered my next book. Hopefully it will be as fascinating as this one.