Wednesday, August 18, 2010

+.My.own.two.hands.+

Okay well today I did make some of the beads out of the clay. It was really fun! I'm surprised at how well I did considering I have never once done this in my life (I've made things with clay as a kid but nothing significant). I don't have any type of proper tools, but I'll explain what I did.

So I started out with kneading the clay as you are supposed to. The label says for 2 minutes but actually the second I actually started to work through the small piece I had it was REALLY soft so I don't really need to knead it for 2 minutes unless there is some other reason why I need to that I am unaware of. Someone suggested this might be more of a kids type of modeling clay by Sculpey than to be meant for real quality work. It took finger/hand prints sooo bad but I think I got most of it off.

Well anyway so I just didn't really know what to use to make the bead hole. So I made 2 types, I made a shank back one 2 of them with a teeny tiny little Allen Wrench that my mom and me found when trying to think of what I could use. I then stripped down a few twist-ties and used those and twirled it around inside before baking it to make sure its wide enough for my sewing needles. I use the tiniest needles because of the ribbon fabric tending to fray more with bigger needles so I think it might work out. We shall see!

Anyway, so then I took a toothpick and made the designs on it. I also used it to sort of push down and up on top of the pumpkin beads (the ones w/o shank backs) and then used my fingers to pull on it a bit to make the 'stem'. This didn't come out half bad, it's hard to explain how I did it though. For the stem on the shank back one (it's the bigger, darker one) I just took a little piece of clay and make a stem shape out of it and worked the base of it into the top of the pumpkin part.

For paint I just used what crappy brushes I have, and some acrylics. My acrylics are old but they worked, but they are such a cheap brand that the caps actually BROKE just taking them off the tube! Sheesh. I won't have $$ to buy new ones for a while, but I was able to get two $0.99 ones from Walmart today. That's about all I can buy. Oh, I also found some sort of floral thingies for $1.00, I think they are mostly used when making fake flower arrangements on the foam. They are not very big and they are just about the right size for the hole in beads and probably a whole heck of a lot cheaper than the proper beading tools, which I won't be able to afford until October.

Anyway I think that's all to explain. I experimented on the shank-back pumpkins stem colors. I used brown first and then "antiqued" it with green. The other 2 were just painted green, and also I used a lighter orange on the others. I think the ghost one will be too big and I have to touch up where I got a dot of black on the white part.

Also I guess I'm supposed to sand down the surface after you bake it and it gets rid of the lumps and stuff, but I didn't. I didn't have any sand paper (now I do though, got some from my dad) so I just thought I'd see what happens if I didn't. I don't think it's horrible, but it could be better.

Tell me what do you honestly think on my first attempt at polyform beads??


Shank backs:




I also got these beads in the mail. I love this seller on eBay! Her name is jasminbee if you ever need beads, buy from her! She's got amazing prices but what is better is that she has sent me BONUS beads of different type but always great stuff BOTH times I've bought from her!! The beads are for my bows, of course! The little baggie on the right is the ones I got as a bonus.

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