Carving a Cameo

Well, I have been slacking! I haven't posted in a while, but it feels like just yesterday! I have been working on my favorite, cameos. Doing a lot of new stuff, but I haven't been finishing them! The colors aren't right, I'm not liking the beads, or my sculpting isn't making me happy. Do any of you other crafters get that sometime?

I don't like to craft just to make a buck. I like to put my heart and thought into it, every time. It takes time to create and come up with new ideas. I went to Vegas a few weeks ago. Didn't know when to stop gambling and lost a few hundred dollars. Yikes! But I love Vegas and came back inspired. By the way, I am addicted to Roulette! I always play number 8.

I moved my work station around, too. Not really a good thing. I condensed things down and I like to work with everything on top if my desk. But It was pretty bad. My key board was on a mountain of beads and I wasn't being very productive.

I purchased an octopus cameo setting and I had a very pretty cameo to add to it. But I realized that it wasn't going to be unique if I glued two designs from other artists together, right? I had to design my own cabochon to put into this setting if I wanted to keep on my toes.

Anyway, I noticed my clay had dried up quite a bit. My friend Espi of Fairy Tales and Rebel Yells gave me some fresh clay to play with. I got this itch to start carving and sculpting small designs. I had a plastic mold setting, (in pic below), that I used as a guide to keep my cabochon at a 40x30 mm size. So I started doing a water theme first. After I was happy enough with my work, I froze it for a few hours to make it easy to pop out of the plastic mold frame to bake in the oven. I wanted to create a hard copy of my carving so I made a silicone mold of the oven baked cab.



My mold is sturdy and reusable so I start making clay replicas and below I show one that I painted. I add it in my octopus cameo setting that I purchased a while back. I love it! I will need to sand down the edges and do some other changes, but I do like my design. :0) Would you like a cabochon to play with? What color would you make it? Hmm, I should do a giveaway!



I was still on a rampage to crave and sculpt. So I decided to do the beautiful genie from the TV show, 'I Dream of Jeannie.' The middle one I was happy with, (pic below), so in the oven she goes. Except, my honey made hash browns in the oven during the time I was carving, and didn't realize the temperature of the oven was at 450 degrees! I'm so silly, I just assumed it was still at 250 and didn't even check. The house started to get smokey and I quickly checked my cameo and it was burnt to a crisp! Her leg even bubbled up! Yikes! But I'm crafty as heck, I will fix it. ;) I'll have her available soon as well.



Anyway. I'll have a giveaway for some sea cabochons for you crafty girls to play with. If anyone would like to purchase one, check here. Thank you for dropping by! xoxo Razz

In The Process of Pouring Resin and Mold Making

Sea Treasures - In The Making - Process Jewelry Making

I have a favorite artist. Her name is Jane Wynn. Years ago on one my my Borders Book Store visits, I ran into her book. Now, let e tell you that I would frequent these book stores and spend several hours going through craft books, trying to get inspired. Beading and Cook books used to be my fave. Anyway, I ran into her book called Altered Curiosities. It was lightning of info going through my brain! I skimmed through the pages and knew it was the book I had to leave with. Here is here LINK to visit her shop. Your welcome.

My Octopus necklace is inspired from her creation process shown in her book. Still different, but you can see how she's helped me put this together. These are not thorough instructions. It is just a simple way of saying what I did. Buy Jane's book for a better understanding of how to create your own look.

I separated a long strand of twine. I would have liked to have another thread, but didn't have anything at the time. You can try other threads if you like.



I found chain I wanted to use and braided the twine adding random beads along the way. I also had broken chain from another project that I linked together as well.





I drilled holes at the top of my finished pendant. I used a thin drill bit, and went straight through the back.

I used head pins through the drilled holes, then made a loop in the front to connect my chain. I will clean up the back of the pendant with a solid color resin, to hide my work and sanding.





I really wanted to add more twine, I thought it would bring a fish net look to my sea themed piece. Maybe next time I won't unravel each strand. Live and learn, yes?

I wish the dimension showed more in the photo. Here is the finished piece. The octopus is a glittery sea green with foil like eyes. An anchor sits in the front and real sea shells mixed into the glittery gold sand. I might add extra twine. tonight. :0)

Making Resin Skull Earrings - My Process

I like to share on Instagram, but I thought I would share here just for others who don't use the app on the smart phone. I wanted to share how I created a skull flat back bead cabochon from a skull head. I purchased a skeleton at the Dollar Store. I took his head and sliced it down the middle with a razor blade. Usually I slice my finger, but luckily not this time! :0) I then stuffed the hollowed skull head with clay, so that when I create a mold, I won't have air inside and make an odd shape. Instead of using silicone to create a mold, I used my vacuum former. I created a plastic see-through mold, perfect to make a smooth skull head! The next day I popped out my skull head and added crystals over the eyes. I hate making bows, and dealing with ribbon. Nut Had to use some for her head onto these earrings! I really do love how they came out. I'm making a bunch now - and some are even for me to keep! :0)