Well, I finally got a barrette made with a herkimer diamond. I am pleased with how it looks but the Herkimer did crack a little in the process. The crack is hard to see but it is across the center of the stone and I am very aware of it.
I will find a glue that works with the Herkimers and the polymer clay. That way I can design the barrettes and then add them to the clay after baking.
I have many questions about using the gems that I found in North Carolina and the Herkimer Diamonds. I need to do some resource before I include them in barrettes.
I have questions about how well the stones will handle the heat if I bake them with the polymer clay. I know that some gemstones will change colors under heat but I am not sure of how high of temperatures need to be. I am not sure how to attach the gems after the clay is cured. I need to find glues that won’t discolor or harm the stones or clay.
I do plan on experimenting with the Herkimers and the oven. I am going to put one of the small chips that I have in the oven while I am baking barrettes. That will tell me if the Herkimers will handle the heat with out cracking or changing colors. I know that when mining the Herkimers, they can crack when you open up a vug. (A vug is what the “holes” that the stones are formed in.) The quick temperature change affects them. But will the temp of the oven do that as well? I have not found any information on that, so I just that I need to experiment on my own.
I will keep you all posted on the experiments and what I find out.
Well, I thought that I could handle going back to school and keeping up with the blog but then I had some medical issues also hit me. I am mended, school is going great and I am back in the craft room creating.
The spring my husband and I tried some mining. After watching the show “Cash and Treasures” on the travel channel, we thought that that might be fun and I could use the gems and stuff in my creations. So far, we have been to Hiddenite North Carolina and to the Herkimer Diamond mine. I have lots of coll stuff to play with!
I really enjoy the finding of the gems but I have to learn more about how to identify them. I know that we returned from Hiddenite with emeralds, amethyst, tourmaline, rose quartz, smoky quartz, topaz (white and blue), citrine and garnets. There are others that we have figured out what they are yet but will someday. I also have many pieces of Herkimers that will end up on a barrette soon.
I am also learning how to wire wrap jewelry and make necklaces and earrings when I get better at it.
There will be many new things coming soon.
I am active on a polymer clay forum and have started a challenge. Each month or so we will be trying a different technique, color combination or what ever to help us develop new skills. The challenges are set at the first of the month and by the end of the month, we just have to post pictures of what we have done.
Since I came up with the idea, I get to “pick” the first challenge. Oh, what to do! I know that many people have not tried mokume gane but I really enjoy doing that technique and currently have two different blocks of it on my work table with the pains to make at least one more. (I have a one in purples and one in blues and silver and am planing on doing on in pinks, red, whites and gold.) I could also choose doing something with alcohol inks but I am not sure how many people have them or want to buy them. (Alcohol inks are expensive but you use very little of them to get the effect that you want so they last for ever, it seems.) I am not into color combinations right now, I tend to stick to the tried and true ones. I also use the color wheel and figure out how to make the colors work together.
I am thinking that I might do a texture challenge. I don’t do a lot with texture but I have seen some wonderful pieces done with just texture. I am think that that might be a good challenge. To create a piece that is accented with textures only, no different colors or hues, just texture.
Last month I mailed two sets of beads overseas as part of an international bead swap that was done by memmers of The European Guild of Polymer Clay People. It is a forum that I am active in.
These are the two sets that I mailed.
These purple ones went to Isreal.
These went to the Nertherlands.