While making the background for the barrettes using the Herkimer Diamonds, I had left over sheets of cane slices to make other barrettes. Here is one with two butterflies floating through the field.
The barrette back is one that will work very well with thick hair. It is only three inches long, like the ones that i use for most of the barrettes I make. The difference is the opening where the hair is held is over 1/2 inch wide. This allow it to comfortably hold more hair then the others.
The glue is dry and the barrette is finished. Without any further ado, here is my new Herkimer Diamond Chip Barrette.
The flowers in the background are from canes that I got in a e-bay auction last fall. The butterfly cane I made as part of a yellow and black challenge. (We where challenged to create something using only yellows and black as the colors.) The Herkimer Diamond Chip is the body of the butterfly.
This butterfly is made from another cane that I made using blues and blacks. Again the butterfly body is a Herkimer Diamond Chip.
Over the week end, my husband and I where out of town for a wedding. We decided to do some “shopping” while we had time before the wedding. So we went to visit used bookstores and Antique stores. My husband collects books and I look for things that I can turn into barrettes.
We stopped first at a thrift store. They are always good for finding things in. Every now and then, you find really good things, like a large toaster oven that works well. I actually found two tins that have patterns that while make great barrettes. One is a older tin that has small pink roses all over. The other is a newer tin with bouquets of flowers. Each one of the bouquets while make a barrette. Out of both tins I should be able to get 10 to 12 barrettes (if not more) and only spent $1.50!
Our next stop was an antique mall. My husband had no luck finding any books but I found more tins. I ended up buying a total of four. They all have Christmas designs on them. One is a set of three that should make many barrettes. I am not sure how many but I should be able to get at least 10 from each tin. The single tin is covered with Christmas tree ornaments and again I should be able to get 8 or so barrettes from it. The best part is that the tins where on sale. Instead of paying $12.00 dollars for the 4, I only had to pay $6.00. A great deal!
The rest of the stores yielded it nothing. But I do enjoy looking at all of the goodies. Sometimes I find something to give as a gift or to take home with me.
Today, I got some glue that was recommended to use with the Herkimer Diamonds and polymer clay. I will try some out tomorrow and see how it does.
I, also, got the hair sticks that I ordered. I am excited to work with those as well. I am planning on wire-wrapping some of the smaller Herkimer Diamonds and hanging them off of the hair sticks. I can do charms out of polymer clay as well to add some interest to them.
The really fun stuff that I got was all of the Kato Polyclay that I ordered to play with! I have to wait though to do so. I am off to a wedding this weekend and have just started classes at school. Next week I start a new job as well. But I will find time to play! Hopefully on Tuesday.
I can’t wait to try the Polyclay. I have plans on making a petunia cane out of some of the colors. I have heard that Kato Polyclay is the best to cane with. I will be trying it out for myself. I am excited to see if I can reproduce the beauty of the petunia. If I can only get half of the beauty to come across in the clay, I will be happy.
There are many days that I want to working in my craft room but don’t really know what I want to be creating. Recently, I have just been getting by doing sheets of clays covered with the numerous flower canes that I have.
Then I look out the window and see the wonderful Petunia’s that I planted in on of the boxes on the deck. I really like the colors that Mother Nature put together. I am going to start making canes to match. Or at least I well try to get them to match.
I also see the beautiful day lilies that are just opening up for the summer. I think that I will do petal canes to create them in clay. I could even add Herkimer Diamond chips in the center to create a little details.
There are many things that I can try to imitate. I am getting to the point where I want to try. I just have to set down and do it.
That in and of it self can be hard. But at least finally I am getting the ideas that I need!