tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-473202260202816662024-03-14T03:05:23.718-07:00Inishkea - explorations in polymer clayShannon Besthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17871491964773561240noreply@blogger.comBlogger33125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47320226020281666.post-6825222783578806512013-10-27T13:32:00.000-07:002013-10-27T13:32:22.210-07:00A Science AffairIn my day job, I'm a scientist and the scientific world around me always seems to skulk its way into my bank of inspiration!! Believe it or not there are many dazzling phenomena in the mundane daily lab life to inspire beautiful polymer clay pieces. The first piece I attempted was a variation on a protein crystal structure. Incorporating extruded brightly coloured clay to represent the common alpha helix and beta sheet forms.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gfjiAbo_UuM/Ufen6bc78GI/AAAAAAAAAXQ/8boGAJvn0go/s1600/Crystal+Form.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gfjiAbo_UuM/Ufen6bc78GI/AAAAAAAAAXQ/8boGAJvn0go/s320/Crystal+Form.jpg" width="254" /></a></div>
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Then I found my flower petal canes turning into <i>E.coli</i> with stripey flagella on this pendant!<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4P478oVei64/Um13kObavzI/AAAAAAAAAXo/UyRJFk3xf2M/s1600/Flagellate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="244" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4P478oVei64/Um13kObavzI/AAAAAAAAAXo/UyRJFk3xf2M/s320/Flagellate.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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My backdrop for this pendant looked so much like a fingerprint after I textured it that I went with a forensic science theme, with a trail of blood for the forensic scientists to follow and blood drops to be analysed.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-autlPkRVVpQ/Um13j_3etdI/AAAAAAAAAXk/zVoWGfaMWv8/s1600/Forensics.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="264" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-autlPkRVVpQ/Um13j_3etdI/AAAAAAAAAXk/zVoWGfaMWv8/s320/Forensics.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Shannon Besthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17871491964773561240noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47320226020281666.post-31629868027679611922013-07-07T02:12:00.001-07:002013-07-07T02:12:25.046-07:00New Facebook Page<br />
I've just launched my new facebook page:<br />
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/InishkeaArt">Inishkea Facebook Page</a><br />
Make sure you pop by and like my page to get all the updates on new blogs, new pieces and news on markets and stockists.<br />
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I also created some funky posters to display on my market stall to showcase Inishkea.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZA0qjftLDqg/UdkvttLObLI/AAAAAAAAAW8/Oub_QqmdlkM/s1600/Inishkea+photo+background+upright.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZA0qjftLDqg/UdkvttLObLI/AAAAAAAAAW8/Oub_QqmdlkM/s400/Inishkea+photo+background+upright.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dYVqfgtVB5w/UdkvsjADOcI/AAAAAAAAAWw/y8nKvaWwbpo/s1600/Inishkea+polypipe+tutorial+upright.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dYVqfgtVB5w/UdkvsjADOcI/AAAAAAAAAWw/y8nKvaWwbpo/s400/Inishkea+polypipe+tutorial+upright.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />Shannon Besthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17871491964773561240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47320226020281666.post-12101987281046311952013-07-03T05:22:00.000-07:002013-07-03T05:22:19.361-07:00Shifty polymer - playing with Mica Shift effects<br />
Mica shift is a technique used in polymer clay work requiring metallic or pearl clay. These clays contain mica particles, which can be aligned by passing your clay through your pasta machine repeatedly in the same direction. An impression can then be left in the clay with a rubber stamp or the like. Using a fine, flat tissue blade to remove the uppermost layer of clay miraculously leaves you with a smooth flat piece of clay with a seemingly 3-dimensional pattern in it.<br />
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I recently discovered the fantastic tutorials over at <a href="http://craftartedu.com/polymer-clay">CraftArtEdu</a>. And after watching Carol Blackburn's mica clay tutorial (<a href="http://craftartedu.com/polymer-clay/carol-blackburn-free-basic-introduction-to-mica-clay">http://craftartedu.com/polymer-clay/carol-blackburn-free-basic-introduction-to-mica-clay</a>), I played around with her idea to try two very different coloured mica clays with the mica shift technique. I used my bronze and pearl (with a bit of white mixed through it) Kato clays and a couple of different texture sheets and rubber stamps. The bangle below was made by alternating panels from different mica shift sheets on a base of marbled clay.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vYXEjUTCWuA/UdQWStxinMI/AAAAAAAAAWA/A5wNEM_RMDE/s1563/Mica+shift+ornate+bangle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="304" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vYXEjUTCWuA/UdQWStxinMI/AAAAAAAAAWA/A5wNEM_RMDE/s400/Mica+shift+ornate+bangle.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br />Shannon Besthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17871491964773561240noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47320226020281666.post-68109305522486722452013-06-27T16:50:00.000-07:002013-06-27T16:50:30.218-07:00Hanging aROUND! Making a round pendant...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Here is my photo diary of how I made a round pendant.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pEcUuDoAANo/UczLOrhEk0I/AAAAAAAAAUw/TpK5IFvuXw0/s1600/1+Scrap+clay+formed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="227" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pEcUuDoAANo/UczLOrhEk0I/AAAAAAAAAUw/TpK5IFvuXw0/s320/1+Scrap+clay+formed.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I formed some scrap clay into the rough round shape I wanted the pendant to be by warming it and pressing against my tile work surface.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bjjZnmUELWM/UczLOxiIw0I/AAAAAAAAAU0/4OiFaipWm38/s1600/2+Cane+veneer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="232" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bjjZnmUELWM/UczLOxiIw0I/AAAAAAAAAU0/4OiFaipWm38/s320/2+Cane+veneer.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I used 2 sheets of this purple clay rolled out on a fairly thin setting on my pasta machine.<br />Onto one of the sheets I laid thin slices of an extruded cane I had made and smoothed with an acrylic rod to make a veneer.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TgcDzCDq_gs/UczLPO_DXRI/AAAAAAAAAU4/r3l6GgPCI30/s1600/3+Base+covered+in+background+colour.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="253" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TgcDzCDq_gs/UczLPO_DXRI/AAAAAAAAAU4/r3l6GgPCI30/s320/3+Base+covered+in+background+colour.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The other sheet of purple clay was used to cover both top and bottom of my rounded scrap clay. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gAXL9mzdms4/UczLSRuCvQI/AAAAAAAAAVQ/GQsj1wvhUtk/s1600/4+Circular+layers+added.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="243" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gAXL9mzdms4/UczLSRuCvQI/AAAAAAAAAVQ/GQsj1wvhUtk/s320/4+Circular+layers+added.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I used circular cutters to cut out a piece of the smoothed cane veneer sheet and also another smaller piece of the plain purple sheet.<br />I laid these on top of the pendant, off-centre.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K2KT2Cbhxvk/UczLR_EtjEI/AAAAAAAAAVI/HMzunkSrhFM/s1600/5+Ready+to+bake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="286" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K2KT2Cbhxvk/UczLR_EtjEI/AAAAAAAAAVI/HMzunkSrhFM/s320/5+Ready+to+bake.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Round pendant ready to bake.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vkxtntmRQi0/UczLSlV1EgI/AAAAAAAAAVU/jggKL2yHPVk/s1023/Round+pendant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="288" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vkxtntmRQi0/UczLSlV1EgI/AAAAAAAAAVU/jggKL2yHPVk/s320/Round+pendant.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I completed the pendant by wet sanding with 3 different grits of sandpaper then buffing to a shine.<br />I attached a silver bail to the back for hanging from a chain.</td></tr>
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Shannon Besthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17871491964773561240noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47320226020281666.post-84537223192738357412013-06-25T06:05:00.000-07:002013-06-25T06:05:37.996-07:00Poly Pipe Cane Tutorial<div>
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I saw a truck, the other day, carrying a massive load of poly pipe all stacked up on the back. It inspired me to get creative with my extruder. Here's a tutorial for my new Poly Pipe cane, instructions are in the captions! I've tried this with a few colour combos (as shown in the pictures at the end) and it's really effective.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qwAXP3oHMks/UcmOuhakCaI/AAAAAAAAASo/TA1bAQWi8X8/s1600/1+Using+Kato+black+and+white+clay,+extruder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="224" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qwAXP3oHMks/UcmOuhakCaI/AAAAAAAAASo/TA1bAQWi8X8/s320/1+Using+Kato+black+and+white+clay,+extruder.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I used Kato polyclay in black and white. You can use any colours as long as you get a nice contrast.<br />You will need an extruder with a few different diameter circle discs, a pasta machine, a ruler, a blade and a good clean work surface, I used a tile.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cYbC5UK_84Q/UcmOw809hcI/AAAAAAAAAS0/20nNbX-DCUY/s1600/2+bw+Roll+out+on+%234+setting,+lay+flat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cYbC5UK_84Q/UcmOw809hcI/AAAAAAAAAS0/20nNbX-DCUY/s320/2+bw+Roll+out+on+%234+setting,+lay+flat.jpg" width="250" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Condition your clay and then roll it out on a medium setting on your pasta machine. Lay the clay flat on your work surface.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_1hyktVADOk/UcmO1XdL-YI/AAAAAAAAATA/rTcKSGXZcnA/s1600/3+bw+cut+discs+using+extruder+cylinder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="112" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_1hyktVADOk/UcmO1XdL-YI/AAAAAAAAATA/rTcKSGXZcnA/s320/3+bw+cut+discs+using+extruder+cylinder.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cut out circles of clay using the extruder barrel.</td></tr>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p2JLz4zm-Ms/UcmO4IDEc3I/AAAAAAAAATM/x7RGCXbWF5o/s1600/4+bw+cut+discs+using+extruder+cylinder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="97" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p2JLz4zm-Ms/UcmO4IDEc3I/AAAAAAAAATM/x7RGCXbWF5o/s320/4+bw+cut+discs+using+extruder+cylinder.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HcoObyQeyw8/UcmPACrowDI/AAAAAAAAATo/busIrKv-99M/s1600/5+bw+lay+discs+on+top+of+each+other+in+the+pattern+shown.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="183" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HcoObyQeyw8/UcmPACrowDI/AAAAAAAAATo/busIrKv-99M/s320/5+bw+lay+discs+on+top+of+each+other+in+the+pattern+shown.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lay the circles of clay on top of each other as shown above.<br />Pattern used in this example: 2w 1b 1w 1b 2w 2b 1w 1b 1w 1b 2w 1b 1w 2b 1w 1b.<br />Or alternate pattern: 2b 1w 1b 1w 2b 2w 1b 1w 1b 1w 2b 1w 1b 2w 1b 1w.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qy3dbtFq8c8/UcmPMKXHRyI/AAAAAAAAAUQ/yjrpnH_0gZk/s1600/7+bw+Extrude+using+4+different+sized+circle+discs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qy3dbtFq8c8/UcmPMKXHRyI/AAAAAAAAAUQ/yjrpnH_0gZk/s320/7+bw+Extrude+using+4+different+sized+circle+discs.jpg" width="245" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Neaten stacks and reduce slightly to ensure they can fir inside the extruder barrel.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ARBQG3k7YC0/UcmO8rEgwGI/AAAAAAAAATc/4YnUqPfM59g/s1600/6+bw+Extrude+using+4+different+sized+circle+discs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="188" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ARBQG3k7YC0/UcmO8rEgwGI/AAAAAAAAATc/4YnUqPfM59g/s320/6+bw+Extrude+using+4+different+sized+circle+discs.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Extrude your clay stacks into snakes using 4 different sized extruder discs. Make 2 snakes at the 3 larger sizes and 1 snake at the smallest size.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7VZjubbk4wo/UcmPEcYZtXI/AAAAAAAAATw/0taZNXIHW8k/s1600/8+bw+Cut+snakes+to+8cm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="182" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7VZjubbk4wo/UcmPEcYZtXI/AAAAAAAAATw/0taZNXIHW8k/s320/8+bw+Cut+snakes+to+8cm.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cut all snakes into 8cm segments.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8LV5SoWqokg/UcmPJZeoLgI/AAAAAAAAAUA/ORmcf6U62MM/s1600/9+bw+Stack+snakes+randomly+together.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="177" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8LV5SoWqokg/UcmPJZeoLgI/AAAAAAAAAUA/ORmcf6U62MM/s320/9+bw+Stack+snakes+randomly+together.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stack the clay segments randomly, forming a cane. Fill gaps with the smaller diameter segments.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XOo0YmqPyyc/UcmOw1h_yQI/AAAAAAAAASw/CkW04TpMhlU/s1600/10+bw+Stack+snakes+randomly+together.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XOo0YmqPyyc/UcmOw1h_yQI/AAAAAAAAASw/CkW04TpMhlU/s320/10+bw+Stack+snakes+randomly+together.jpg" width="282" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Voila! Your Poly Pipe cane :)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qRZgSaO_NTw/UcmO4GFS99I/AAAAAAAAATI/DARfW2_tMSI/s1600/11+bw+Use+cane+slices+to+create.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qRZgSaO_NTw/UcmO4GFS99I/AAAAAAAAATI/DARfW2_tMSI/s320/11+bw+Use+cane+slices+to+create.jpg" width="290" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Poly Pipe cane pendant</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dzi296TdL9M/UcmO8cy41dI/AAAAAAAAATY/OWUYIdwKRug/s1600/6+Stack+snakes+randomly+together.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="188" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dzi296TdL9M/UcmO8cy41dI/AAAAAAAAATY/OWUYIdwKRug/s320/6+Stack+snakes+randomly+together.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A different version of the Poly Pipe cane</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UUZWYc9sEVk/UcmPFExmojI/AAAAAAAAAT8/7MuRk49DKKM/s1600/7+Use+cane+slices+to+create.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="273" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UUZWYc9sEVk/UcmPFExmojI/AAAAAAAAAT8/7MuRk49DKKM/s320/7+Use+cane+slices+to+create.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Poly Pipe cane used for flower petals</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Poly Pipe cane pendant</td></tr>
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Shannon Besthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17871491964773561240noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47320226020281666.post-63982223457149590172013-06-18T16:59:00.001-07:002013-06-19T01:20:00.481-07:00Burning up<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Ever wonder what burnt polymer clay looks like? Wonder no more...I chose the wrong setting on my little clay oven and here's the spectacular result:</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-qPeHSwpV1Gc/UcD0TQFAIqI/AAAAAAAAASI/QXkCJfoMSzc/20130527_183240.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-qPeHSwpV1Gc/UcD0TQFAIqI/AAAAAAAAASI/QXkCJfoMSzc/20130527_183240.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before baking</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After 'baking'!</td></tr>
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Shannon Besthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17871491964773561240noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47320226020281666.post-72027643159260982602013-06-13T00:33:00.001-07:002013-06-13T00:38:18.986-07:00Bettina Welker's Pixelated Retro Blend Cane<div dir="ltr">
I saw the fabulous Pixelated Retro Blend Cane on <a href="http://polymerclaydaily.com/2013/05/28/what-if-polymer/">polymer clay daily</a> a couple of weeks ago and just HAD to give this a try! Lucky for me Bettina Welker has very generously published a tutorial on her website...yay!</div>
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<a href="http://www.beadworx.de/2012/07/03/the-pixelated-retro-blend-cane/">Bettina Welker's tutorial</a></div>
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I just love the effects you can achieve with an extruder and this cane really shows off some of that potential. My first play was following Bettina's tutorial as closely as possible. I didn't end up making a very large cane so only made two pieces from it and a few beads.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YZiSDHwmkDU/UbcUnK3oNRI/AAAAAAAAAP4/d303AaxeBAo/s1600/Retro+pix+cane+bangle+(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="206" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YZiSDHwmkDU/UbcUnK3oNRI/AAAAAAAAAP4/d303AaxeBAo/s320/Retro+pix+cane+bangle+(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I varied the technique slightly by using a square extruder disc and I loved the effect, the cane is lovely. Thanks Bettina!!</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dHpWTEaE2FE/UbcVOavLKxI/AAAAAAAAAQI/RESkOBUnmKg/s1600/Teal+Blue+pixel+earrings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="272" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dHpWTEaE2FE/UbcVOavLKxI/AAAAAAAAAQI/RESkOBUnmKg/s320/Teal+Blue+pixel+earrings.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Shannon Besthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17871491964773561240noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47320226020281666.post-55226685840050300712013-06-09T15:17:00.002-07:002013-06-11T05:00:20.611-07:00New Beginnings...Well, it's quite hard to believe I put down my clay over a year ago. The last year has been...full on, to say the least. My husband, Todd and I decided to renovate and sell our house, which took about eight months of hard work, a lot of money and all our spare time to bring to fruition. The end of the year saw Todd and I living in our new house, with a new car and a brand new kelpie puppy, River. With an overseas trip planned to go see my mum and dad in Scotland. When we decide to change things, apparently we go the whole hog!! Needless to say, as you can see from my lack of blogging, polymer clay has had to take a back seat for a while.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chloe and our new fur baby, River.</td></tr>
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I named my polymer clay collection of work Inishkea, for the island where my nana was born. My beautiful nana, Sabina, lost her battle with Alzheimer's disease in August. It was hard on my family to lose someone so special to such a devastating illness, to see her fade away in mind and body. I wrote a poem for my nana, which my dad made into a slide show:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyzDf723R8xFdDCnm8_1ug0MLOqKbKQbk13fUpOG2nyYBtIIzUg2gQxdwWFemTwHJTTJZtznmglX5bi1n_D' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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In March, we took a road trip with my parents through Ireland and were lucky enough to find someone who could take us out in his boat to visit Inishkea. An amazing experience I was so happy to share with my husband, my mum and especially my dad. We also had David, owner of the boat 'Wave Sweeper 2' and his father-in-law, Paddy Reilly (his father had grown up on the Islands) - who were both fantastic and had lots to tell us about the Inishkea islands.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TOoui8en6yE/UbT4ZGc1JeI/AAAAAAAAAOw/GI_gi9gisjE/s1600/B17+I1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TOoui8en6yE/UbT4ZGc1JeI/AAAAAAAAAOw/GI_gi9gisjE/s400/B17+I1.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Wave Sweeper 2; Paddy, Me, Todd, Dad and Mum.</td></tr>
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On Inishkea, the colours really struck me. Soft green grass, pale yellow sand, the grey of the stone houses, the orange rust of the hinges and tin roofs, the brown and white pebbles, the aqua blue of the water and the deep ominous blue of the imposing Achill island nearby. I've tried to capture these colours in my first Inishkea-inspired polymer work - my "Colours of Inishkea" cane.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Xok_vl3knDI/UbT4biJmMLI/AAAAAAAAAPI/0UzpGX3oSGg/s1600/B17+I4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Xok_vl3knDI/UbT4biJmMLI/AAAAAAAAAPI/0UzpGX3oSGg/s400/B17+I4.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inishkea - looking to Achill island.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--asUEZoqFjY/UbT4Z_Hj7BI/AAAAAAAAAO4/PdTEUePiRWI/s1600/B17+I2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="263" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--asUEZoqFjY/UbT4Z_Hj7BI/AAAAAAAAAO4/PdTEUePiRWI/s400/B17+I2.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inishkea.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1loxOoaysIA/UbT4Z3vnJxI/AAAAAAAAAO8/ibboHFsv2XQ/s1600/B17+I3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="263" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1loxOoaysIA/UbT4Z3vnJxI/AAAAAAAAAO8/ibboHFsv2XQ/s400/B17+I3.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inishkea.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4Ldlf2HEqYU/UbT4d2p-PdI/AAAAAAAAAPY/1bUTVjA1WcE/s1600/B17+I5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4Ldlf2HEqYU/UbT4d2p-PdI/AAAAAAAAAPY/1bUTVjA1WcE/s400/B17+I5.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ruined roof on Inishkea.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption">Colours of Inishkea - Ring.</td></tr>
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I've returned to my clay table, after a year of so much change, with a renewed passion and buzz about my work! I hope Nana is proud of what I'm doing.</div>
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Shannon Besthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17871491964773561240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47320226020281666.post-11758240199753226792012-02-28T01:04:00.002-08:002012-02-28T01:05:07.090-08:00Week 5 - 52 pairs of earrings a year challengeThis week, before I could get to make any new canes...I made myself clean up first! So I used up some odds and ends of canes I had made recently in a new Stroppel cane. The first two cuts through this fresh cane turned into my funky '52 pairs of earrings a year challenge' entry for week 5!!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hwS_qJibTfk/T0yXhLNdrSI/AAAAAAAAANA/AZ3HeEG3xYs/s320/Organic+Stroppel+earrings+%231.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="231" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Week 5 - 52 pairs of earrings a year challenge. Organic Stroppel earrings.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AM3A8h3hX1g/T0yXdCcyvhI/AAAAAAAAAMw/yTo1GrMnGlE/s320/Mad+Hatter+brooch.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="289" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mad Hatter Brooch.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IlkOLE4mQew/T0yXe594H1I/AAAAAAAAAM4/kXDgtE2TLhw/s1600/Organic+Stroppel+Bangle+%232.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="189" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IlkOLE4mQew/T0yXe594H1I/AAAAAAAAAM4/kXDgtE2TLhw/s320/Organic+Stroppel+Bangle+%232.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Organic Stroppel bangle.</td></tr>
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With the same scrap cane, I made two pairs of earrings, the Mad Hatter brooch and the Organic Stroppel bangle shown above. Aaah how I love that cane - it makes cleaning up so much more interesting!! <br />
<br />Shannon Besthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17871491964773561240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47320226020281666.post-47894186156399914622012-02-23T03:39:00.000-08:002012-02-23T03:39:10.092-08:00My earring frenzy<br />
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On the eve of my first BrisStyle indie Twilight Market, I've finally gotten around to taking photos of all my stock. In particular, the 30-something pairs of earrings I have been busily making up over the past week or so in readiness for market night! These 30-something pictures have now been uploaded onto <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/shannon_best/">my Flickr site</a>.<br />
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I've also joined a new challenge on Flickr, hosted by Anke - the <a href="http://www.flickr.com/groups/1867825@N21/">"52 pairs of earrings a year" challenge</a>. An amazing source of inspiration to get and keep creating! I must admit, I've been a little time-shy during the last four weeks since I started this challenge but am hoping to keep to the weekly schedule from now on!! Here are my first 4 weeks of earrings:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DyoPA4c03Ig/T0YkCOLDC4I/AAAAAAAAAMo/Z3-RUZjACfw/s1600/MG+overlay+earrings+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="248" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DyoPA4c03Ig/T0YkCOLDC4I/AAAAAAAAAMo/Z3-RUZjACfw/s320/MG+overlay+earrings+3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">WEEK 1</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tyT-juKQpiA/T0Yj8Zq_N7I/AAAAAAAAAMg/pPeFH5QVuRU/s1600/earringsaweekchallenge3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="211" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tyT-juKQpiA/T0Yj8Zq_N7I/AAAAAAAAAMg/pPeFH5QVuRU/s320/earringsaweekchallenge3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">WEEK 2</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BGuvcZZHmuc/T0YjnRiXUfI/AAAAAAAAAMQ/vrI-a3J8teI/s1600/earringsaweekchallenge4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="247" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BGuvcZZHmuc/T0YjnRiXUfI/AAAAAAAAAMQ/vrI-a3J8teI/s320/earringsaweekchallenge4.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">WEEK 3</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-B17qOC1rKYQ/T0Yjve7xt-I/AAAAAAAAAMY/uHZUxoVoLVs/s1600/earringsaweekchallenge2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-B17qOC1rKYQ/T0Yjve7xt-I/AAAAAAAAAMY/uHZUxoVoLVs/s320/earringsaweekchallenge2.jpg" width="203" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">WEEK 4</td></tr>
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<br />Shannon Besthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17871491964773561240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47320226020281666.post-13684121751247856652012-01-25T00:34:00.000-08:002012-01-25T00:42:18.557-08:00Mokume Who Now?<div>
Mokume Gane is an amazing technique that can give some stunning
results when applied in polymer clay work. It always catches my eye when
I see it and as such it's a technique that really appeals to me but
that I am yet to master! Here are a few examples to show the effects you
can achieve:<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/artandtea/4688478570/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/artandtea/4688478570/ </a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mandarinmoon/5948541916/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/mandarinmoon/5948541916/</a><br />
<a href="http://www.thewhimsicalbead.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Envy_2.jpg">http://www.thewhimsicalbead.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Envy_2.jpg</a></div>
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For the aussiepolyclayers December/January challenge, we decided we would "Challenge Ourselves." It's such a busy time of year and this challenge was perfect! It has run for two months to give everyone time to challenge themselves in their own unique way, in their own time. I have finally been able to spend some time with my clay this past week and got stuck into my chosen challenge - Mastering Mokume Gane!<br />
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I have tried once or twice before but never been happy with the results so I decided that for my personal challenge over this December/January, I would sit down with some web tutorials and try to master this technique.<br />
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The first web tute that grabbed my fancy was <a href="http://www.favecrafts.com/Polymer/How-to-Make-Mokume-Gane-Polymer-Clay#">this one</a> by Korinne Zimmerman. I followed it exactly for the green cane in Image 1. Then played about adding extras and more texturing and manipulation of the cane. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SNHCawmgXDQ/Tx-8KZB7u6I/AAAAAAAAAL0/4UAxRTIESVM/s1600/mokume+gane.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="303" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SNHCawmgXDQ/Tx-8KZB7u6I/AAAAAAAAAL0/4UAxRTIESVM/s320/mokume+gane.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image 1: Mokume Gane first attempt, pre-cured cane slices.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EL4wE1mz5a4/Tx-8bAjxHSI/AAAAAAAAAL8/JjT2Y97bNHw/s1600/Dec-Jan+APC+challenge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="293" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EL4wE1mz5a4/Tx-8bAjxHSI/AAAAAAAAAL8/JjT2Y97bNHw/s320/Dec-Jan+APC+challenge.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image 2: cured and finished Mokume Gane beads and bits!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Qx6o2xCTLdc/Tx-8c2AKcMI/AAAAAAAAAME/OF12KBRwDhw/s1600/MG+earrings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Qx6o2xCTLdc/Tx-8c2AKcMI/AAAAAAAAAME/OF12KBRwDhw/s320/MG+earrings.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image 3: MG earrings, made to cheer up a friend.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Shannon Besthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17871491964773561240noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47320226020281666.post-60466101704579553002011-12-14T05:57:00.000-08:002011-12-14T05:58:30.426-08:00Merry Christmas to All!A little bit of voodoo going on around here, I think! Several months ago, I followed Lindly Haunani's tutorial to make the stunning pinched-petal necklace. At the time, I had half of the black/white core cane left over and it's been sitting about waiting for me to notice it ever since. Over the past few days, I've been making canes (just because it's a fun and calming process!) and tonight I made one that lent itself to the pinched petal cane - so I made it. I put my little petals into the oven 15 minutes ago then sat down to check polymer clay daily - which usually updates at around this time of day. Lo and behold, Cynthia has featured another <a href="http://polymerclaydaily.com/2011/12/14/pinched-petals-evolve/">version</a> of the pinched-petal cane. Spooky!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9scYpPs_jyE/TuirGcKiuzI/AAAAAAAAAI8/J26brCA4Cog/s1600/White+pinched-petal+sea.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9scYpPs_jyE/TuirGcKiuzI/AAAAAAAAAI8/J26brCA4Cog/s320/White+pinched-petal+sea.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My white pinched-petal sea, just out of the oven!!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Anyway, that's not what I wanted to talk about! I just wanted to say thanks for reading this year and to wish everyone a very happy and safe Christmas and New Year. I'll be heading to Melbourne soon to spend Christmas with my family. In the new year, I will be applying myself to the December/January Aussiepolyclayers challenge - "Challenge Yourself" and also to readying my collection for the BrisStyle markets. Bring on 2012!!!Shannon Besthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17871491964773561240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47320226020281666.post-76536477124973203862011-11-30T23:00:00.000-08:002011-11-30T04:59:51.004-08:00Full circle<div>
<div>
I'm on the circle bandwagon at the moment and I don't think this obsession is going anywhere in a hurry! I am loving circle forms. I started playing with them during the October Aussiepolyclayers "Lace" challenge and many of my designs since then have incorporated circles. The Aussiepolyclayers November challenge, "Rings," is also feeding my habit!!<br />
From circle ring forms as in the lace circles earrings (Image 1) or these ring pendants (Images 2 & 3), to circle cutouts as in the "Call Me" pendant based on the old fashioned telephone dial pad (Image 4). I've also played with extruded circle forms, shown in Images 5 & 6.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dyhT6M-kLos/TtYemO9MTeI/AAAAAAAAAHo/4no808IOSto/s1600/Circles+earrings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dyhT6M-kLos/TtYemO9MTeI/AAAAAAAAAHo/4no808IOSto/s200/Circles+earrings.jpg" width="152" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image 1: Circles earrings</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B753B25WCEY/TtYfGqshKMI/AAAAAAAAAH0/68CeDuzJhTI/s1600/Corinda+Ring+pendant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="157" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B753B25WCEY/TtYfGqshKMI/AAAAAAAAAH0/68CeDuzJhTI/s200/Corinda+Ring+pendant.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image 2: Corinda Ring pendant</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LiEg-acbrh0/TtYilH0yrhI/AAAAAAAAAIY/0tNIdTmV1BE/s1600/Ring+pendant+Stroppel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LiEg-acbrh0/TtYilH0yrhI/AAAAAAAAAIY/0tNIdTmV1BE/s200/Ring+pendant+Stroppel.jpg" width="130" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image 3: Stroppel Ring pendant</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-np-npzUDZaU/TtYfEVkqR1I/AAAAAAAAAHw/9oW2KuZHcOE/s1600/Call+Me+necklace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="268" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-np-npzUDZaU/TtYfEVkqR1I/AAAAAAAAAHw/9oW2KuZHcOE/s320/Call+Me+necklace.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image 4: 'Call Me' necklace</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3z4nE6L7ZA0/TtYlNghypLI/AAAAAAAAAIg/Nk9PubKMfII/s1600/Shapes+earrings+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="208" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3z4nE6L7ZA0/TtYlNghypLI/AAAAAAAAAIg/Nk9PubKMfII/s320/Shapes+earrings+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image 5: extruded circles earrings</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GGfqc5FQsa4/TtYll3odhoI/AAAAAAAAAIo/TtlQ02dgJqg/s1600/Extruded+cane+button+ring.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GGfqc5FQsa4/TtYll3odhoI/AAAAAAAAAIo/TtlQ02dgJqg/s200/Extruded+cane+button+ring.jpg" width="140" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image 6: extruded circles ring</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
And my latest piece "Vinyl Cascade" features black rings surrounding a circular cutout inspired by old vinyl records (Image 7)<br />
</div>
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Lj4i_k0eitA/TtYh0cIQJ9I/AAAAAAAAAIQ/EjLPXN3nwas/s1600/Vinyl+Cascade+pendant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Lj4i_k0eitA/TtYh0cIQJ9I/AAAAAAAAAIQ/EjLPXN3nwas/s320/Vinyl+Cascade+pendant.jpg" width="224" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image 7: Vinyl Cascade pendant</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>Shannon Besthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17871491964773561240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47320226020281666.post-49293703670579987282011-11-18T17:39:00.001-08:002014-08-02T21:22:13.147-07:00The Thin Places<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">This post is a little aside to my usual bantering about polymer clay! This post is about Inishkea, where I got this name for my polymer clay work and my connection with it.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> My nana is one of the closest things to my heart. She was born on an island off the west coast of Ireland, named Inishkea North. She now suffers from the debilitating and degenerative Alzheimer's disease and can no longer share all her old stories that I used to love hearing about her childhood and the way they lived. So when I had a chance to investigate and write a creative non-fiction piece last year, I took the opportunity to learn more about the Inishkea islands. I'd like to share it with you as the story of these islands and their community is a sad but intriguing one and you might see how Inishkea has weaved itself into my soul!</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: normal;">
<div>
<span style="color: white; font-size: large;"><b>The Thin Places</b></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">I feel
the keen beat of my yearning heart</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">as I
launch my <i>curragh</i> and paddle out to
sea</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">I've
waited in Blacksod for the calm to hold</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">and now I
make my slow but sure way home</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">to
Inishkea, I pray the Lord will carry</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">me back
to the shores of my island free</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Through
swell the village rises proud and free</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">I know
the pattern of the waves by heart</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">patience,
until the right moment to carry</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">my
precious load into land from the sea</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">we
celebrate when finally I'm home</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">my wife
and children wait for me to hold</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">We eat
and drink as much as we can hold</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">the
porter and the <i>poitίn</i> running free</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">our
friends all come to gather in our home</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">to hear
the tales that cheer and give us heart</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">the young
ones dance and over a moonlit sea</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">our
singing and our laughter seem to carry</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">When
ships are wrecked we take all we can carry</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">the wild
Atlantic has us in its hold</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">we ask
the <i>Namhóg</i> to keep at bay the sea</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">so we can
fish for mackerel trouble-free</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">we labour
to survive with all our heart</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">we
cherish our land and our one-roomed home</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">I refuse
to pay a tax for my own home</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">so when
the tax man tries to land and carry</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">our goods
off, we grow staunch and brave at heart</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">we herd
our livestock to a central hold</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">we hide
our goods in caves and then we free</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">our grips
of stones to drive him back to sea</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">My son is
going fishing, sure the sea</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">looks
calm enough as he embarks from home</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">we think
the night will remain tempest-free</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">but
fierce winds pick up and roll in to carry</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">away the
boy we're never again to hold</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">and his
loss breaks his weary mother's heart</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">A free
wind guides us over the conquering sea</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">we carry
our brood and all that we can hold</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">a new
home, still my heart beats for Inishkea</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">A row of
ruined houses hints at a village from an era past. Time and tide slowly dissolve the vestiges of
the island community that once dwelled here. Visitors to the islands of Inishkea North and South, where the ruins
lie, feel the eerie serenity that blankets the site. Such calm seems out of place in these
wind-swept surrounds. They strain to
envisage the thriving society that survived here not so long ago. They drink in the poignant beauty of both
land and ruins. And when they leave,
they notice a change. Ever so
slight. Their soul is lighter. Father Kevin Hegarty spoke of 'thin places'
after a visit to the islands in 2007.
The spiritual feel of the area recalled this Celtic idea of sites where
past, present and future seem to combine.
Some call places like this the edge of heaven. Places of solace where our earthly plane
meets something beyond. Strangely appropriate when standing on the islands, you
feel that you are standing at the edges of the earth.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The
Inishkea islands lie a few miles off the coast of the Mullet peninsula in
County Mayo on the western coast of Ireland.
They are low-lying islands, bathed in the Atlantic ocean but are
constantly harried by its winds and waves.
The islands are rich in history and mysticism. Archaeological investigations have revealed
multiple periods of settlement. From the
Bronze Age to the early 20th century.
The islands are littered with remains of religious importance from early
Christian times. These include church
sites, holy wells, burial grounds and cross slabs. Evidence of island settlement again appears
around the late 18th century. And the
island population grew steadily after this period, mostly peopled with
fishermen and farmers from the mainland.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Living
conditions on the islands were harsh.
The Atlantic storms and hurricanes were relentless and made agriculture
difficult. They grazed livestock and
worked to adapt a thin and sandy soil for the growth of potatoes, turnips,
barley, flax and rye. Their lives were
heavily reliant on and based around the sea.
They supplemented both diet and income with the fruits of the sea. They fished for mackerel, herring, bream,
cod, lobster and crayfish in the surrounding waters. They harvested fish oil and seal oil and
collected limpets from the rocks. They burned kelp for extra income over the
winter months.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The
islander spirit was independent, proud and sturdy. Their isolation meant they were an insular
community from the outset. They
developed a true sense of identity with their island culture. Nurtured by their interdependence on each
other for survival. Their society was
founded on their notion of neighbourly love.
Widows and landless neighbours were cared for within and by the
community. They looked out for their
own. They operated as one.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Islanders
tell of how they would come and go from each others' houses in the
evenings. Their days were full of toil
and tasks but their nights were full of friends, family, singing and
storytelling. As such, the islands
developed a unique social order. The
most highly respected among them were the ones that could weave a good tale -
the storytellers. Next in line were
those that had fine singing voices.
Third were those that entertained them all by dancing. Fourth would be the school master or the post
master. And in a lowly fifth place they
held the poor parish priest.</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Their
insularity also meant they adhered more to their own moral and legal guidelines
than to those imposed on the mainland.
The islanders were Roman Catholic but they were far from the influence
of their parish priest. They would say
their daily prayers and attend church on the mainland when they could. But when the winds rolled in and the seas
were ferocious, it wasn't the Rosary they gripped as they said their prayers,
it was a carved stone called the <i>Namhóg</i>. No one knows quite how or why this stone was
venerated so. But it's thought the
islanders attributed to it the power of calming the waters. The priest is said to have tried to destroy
the idol on one of his visits.</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The
islanders were also out of the way of regulatory bodies and policing. They appointed their own 'King', who was
responsible for external relations. Most
of the islanders avoided paying their taxes.
The tax man simply couldn't land his boat amidst the showering of
stones. And if he did manage it, those
who paid their taxes would claim ownership of all the sheep and cattle. And if he went into a house to claim goods in
lieu of money, he'd find it barren. All
the valuables had been hauled off and were hidden down in caves.</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">In the
mid-19th century, activities such as piracy, ship wrecking, scavenging and
smuggling were common and accepted practices.
A coastguard was placed on the islands in 1848 to prevent these dangerous
activities from taking hold. The
distilling of illicit liquor from their barley crop became a legendary source
of income and infamy for the islanders - they were renowned for the quality of
their <i>poitίn</i>. So much so that in 1895 a police barracks was
built and manned on the north island to try to impede the practice.</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Outside
world influences continued to force their way into the island lifestyle with
the establishment of schools on both islands.
This introduced the younger ones to the English language and opened them
up to the world outside their little community.
They started to look externally for help and when these endeavours were
successful, relief was more frequently sought from the government in times of
distress. Government emigration schemes
saw young people or sometimes whole families leave for America.</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">In 1927,
on the evening of 28th October, a sudden hurricane caught fisherman all along
the west coast of Ireland off-guard. The
story is told that though the day was stormy, a calm befell at dusk. Many made
the choice to go out in their <i>curraghs</i>
and get their fill of fish. Some of the
older, more experienced men turned back in time. But many did not. Forty five were lost that night, ten of them
from Inishkea. Most in their teens or
early twenties. Two years later, two
more north island fishermen were drowned at sea.</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">In a
community hit hard by the tragic loss of their young men, people began to feel
that life would go easier for them on the mainland. Both church and state wanted this marginal
community back within their reach. So
when the islanders petitioned the government for holdings on the mainland, they
did all they could to accommodate their needs.
Most were granted acreage in Surgeview, with views to the islands and
access to their fishing grounds.</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">When the
last of the islanders of Inishkea left in 1934, they took with them the spirit
of Inishkea life. They carried on a love
of tales and song and dance, they passed this to their children and their
children's children. Their little houses
left behind now tell a tale of their own, as the turbulent Atlantic gradually repossesses
them. But a glimmer of hope shines
through for the future of the islands.
Descendants of Inishkea families return and a few of the old ruins on
the south island have been rebuilt as holiday homes. Yet another new incarnation in the ebb and
flow of life on the Inishkeas. People
will always be drawn to the thin places.</span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Thanks!</span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Thanks for taking the time to read this piece about Inishkea. I'd like to say a very special <i>thank you </i>to my grandmother, Sheila Flynn who has instilled in me this love and awe for Inishkea and its people and shared her stories of life growing up in the region. Thanks to my parents, Roger and Liz Flynn who helped me in my research for this piece and even trekked across Ireland to get me the out-of-print book by Brian Dornan on the Inishkeas!! Thanks to my cousin Sarah Ashton for our road trip to the Mullet peninsula so many years ago! And most especially thank you to my dad's cousin Ann Lavelle, who shared with my mother a letter detailing her notes on island life and history from her own research and speaking with my nana's siblings.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><b>References</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Coman, BJ 2005, 'The
Last of His Tribe: Maurice O'Sullivan and the Blasket Islanders', <i>Quadrant</i>, 1 March.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Dornan, B 2000, <i>Mayo's Lost Islands: The Inishkeas</i>, Four
Courts Press Ltd, Dublin.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Dunne, A 2010, 'Lost
at sea', <i>Irish Times</i>, 3 July 2010, Newspaper
Source, EBSCOhost.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Hegarty, K 2007, 'Oh, to be on Inishkea', <i>Mayo News</i>, 14 August.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">McNulty, A 2008, 'Beautiful
Isles', <i>Mayo News</i>, 5 August.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">O'Crohan, T 1986, <i>Island Cross-Talk</i>, Oxford University
Press, Google Books.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">O'Sullivan, M 1953, <i>Twenty Years A-Growing</i>, Oxford
University Press, Google Books.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Royle, SA 2003, 'Exploitation
and celebration of the heritage of the Irish islands', <i>Irish Geography</i>, vol. 36, no. 1, pp. 23-31.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The National Archives
of Ireland, <i>Census of Ireland 1901/1911</i>, <http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Wyatt, M 2008, <i>How to Write a Sestina</i>, suite101.com,
<http://writing-poetry.suite101.com/article.cfm/how_to_write_a_sestina>. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
Shannon Besthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17871491964773561240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47320226020281666.post-54829294982991996452011-11-13T02:45:00.001-08:002011-11-13T03:21:59.499-08:00Getting closer to brisStyle!!!This weekend, I've taken some big steps forward in my quest to join <a href="http://www.bris-style.com/">brisStyle</a>. BrisStyle is an Etsy street team that brings together artists, crafters and designers who live in or near Brisbane and love to make handmade items. They hold various markets throughout the year where members fill stalls with their unique handmade goods and I've been looking forward to joining in the fun for a few months now.<br />
<br />
In order to join brisStyle, you need to own an Etsy shop. So the first thing I had to do was to get my Etsy shop up and running and list at least ten items for sale. Now that I have my lighthouse, I've been able to get some really good quality photos and I used these to illustrate my items along with little descriptions including sizes. I had no idea how to price my items for this so I guess I'll just have to see how it all goes and adjust pricing as necessary.<br />
<br />
But I'm excited to be able to show you <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/Inishkea?ref=si_shop">my Etsy</a>!! And I've now inquired about joining brisStyle - yay!<br />
<br />
The other thing I decided to do was to give Inishkea its own Facebook page. That way, any friends or fans that want updates on new items, sales or where Inishkea items will be sold can 'like' the page and get my news feed. Hopefully this will make it easier for me to keep my friends and customers updated! You can check out the FB page <a href="http://www.facebook.com/shannonebest?ref=profile#%21/pages/Inishkea/300218403341334">here</a>.<br />
<br />
And now that all that is done, I can finally sit down to my clay table and do the really fun stuff :P<br />
<br />
<br />Shannon Besthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17871491964773561240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47320226020281666.post-85296725530361050482011-11-07T06:08:00.000-08:002011-11-07T06:08:48.415-08:00Stroppel Wildfire<div>
<div>
</div>
A few weeks ago, Cynthia Tinapple blogged on her popular site <a href="http://polymerclaydaily.com/">Polymer Clay Daily</a> about a wonderful technique by polymer clay artist <a href="http://polymerclayetc.com/">Alice Stroppel</a>. Cynthia shared a link to a video tutorial where Alice detailed her novel way to use pretty offcuts and leftovers from caning projects to create a new cane that looks positively trippy and is almost guaranteed to look awesome! Since then the "<a href="http://polymerclayetc.com/?p=3065">Stroppel Cane</a>" technique has spread like wildfire and polymer clay artists from all over the globe have been using and adapting the technique with some really stunning results.<br />
<br />
Here are links to some of my favourites:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/52250355@N08/6237344846/in/photostream/">Pavla Cepelikova</a> used it on a hollow bead.<br />
<a href="http://www.carajane.co.uk/2011/10/my-blue-teal-and-grey-stroppel-cane.html">Cara Jane</a> used a limited palette and white in her cane!<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/14837871@N02/6303318649/in/photostream">Rocky</a> used it to make beautiful flower brooches.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/8989180@N02/6235310451/in/photostream/">Randee M. Ketzel</a> has been busily making cool bangles and a tile bracelet.<br />
Love the colours in <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27779351@N00/6272331534/in/faves-shannon_best/">Julie Doust</a>'s versions. <br />
And of course <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/alicestroppel/6273858228/">Alice Stroppel</a> herself is using the cane to dress her lovely girls!!!<br />
<br />
There are so many more gorgeous examples, just google <i>Stroppel Cane</i> to find more!<br />
<br />
And here are some of the things I've made with my first attempts at Stroppel Canes:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ChbyP0oJZvo/Trfj8HDZg2I/AAAAAAAAAGs/pp93T3-Fbao/s1600/Stroppel+Wildfire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ChbyP0oJZvo/Trfj8HDZg2I/AAAAAAAAAGs/pp93T3-Fbao/s320/Stroppel+Wildfire.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stroppel Wildfire</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nuEUFeTHL_4/Trfj_1gM8pI/AAAAAAAAAG0/Ni_aZ_J091Y/s1600/Stroppel+Rings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nuEUFeTHL_4/Trfj_1gM8pI/AAAAAAAAAG0/Ni_aZ_J091Y/s320/Stroppel+Rings.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stroppel Rings</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KaybUX3SXNM/TrfkONTnq_I/AAAAAAAAAHM/41lkeyCdUgg/s1600/Stroppel+bead+necklace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KaybUX3SXNM/TrfkONTnq_I/AAAAAAAAAHM/41lkeyCdUgg/s320/Stroppel+bead+necklace.jpg" width="304" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stroppel Bead Necklace</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PGzNbVFtA-U/TrfkE0F3NoI/AAAAAAAAAG8/8bLkWoTw-dE/s1600/Stroppel+organic+earrings+long+2nd+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PGzNbVFtA-U/TrfkE0F3NoI/AAAAAAAAAG8/8bLkWoTw-dE/s320/Stroppel+organic+earrings+long+2nd+2.jpg" width="142" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Organic Stroppel Earrings</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-945VvBe-0Go/TrfkJoYZyoI/AAAAAAAAAHE/h73Hje20YBc/s1600/Stroppel+organic+earrings+long+1st.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-945VvBe-0Go/TrfkJoYZyoI/AAAAAAAAAHE/h73Hje20YBc/s320/Stroppel+organic+earrings+long+1st.jpg" width="173" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My new favourite earrings ;)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I just love the organic shape of this cane and at one point, when I cut a thick slice, I realised I didn't want to ruin it by cutting it down or wrapping it around anything so I cut it a 'brother' and baked them as they were! After sanding, polishing and a coat of pearl-ex, they became my new favourite earrings!!!<br />
<br />
Anyway, I adore this cane and have really enjoyed watching it spread throughout the polymer clay community. Thank you Alice Stroppel for your genius, creativity and generous spirit :D</div>Shannon Besthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17871491964773561240noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47320226020281666.post-55460689682326112512011-11-07T05:50:00.000-08:002011-11-07T05:52:54.189-08:00LighthouseI've been knocking up a photo box to get a better lighting set up for photos of my jewellery, I call it my lighthouse. Cue one of my fave songs "Lighthouse" by The Waifs, that's what's playing in my head while I'm sawing and hammering away! I picked up some short lengths of timber, MDF and nails from Bunnings and a couple of white shower curtains from the cheapie shop. I made the box frame using the timber then nailed the MDF to the bottom and back surfaces. Then I cut up the shower curtain and glued it to the timber...eh voila...a home-built light box! I left the front and top open so photos could be taken from these two angles.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zAoljAVG51A/Trfh04O-2-I/AAAAAAAAAGc/ywRlNmj7h1I/s1600/Lighthouse+complete.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zAoljAVG51A/Trfh04O-2-I/AAAAAAAAAGc/ywRlNmj7h1I/s200/Lighthouse+complete.jpg" width="186" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image 1: My completed lighthouse!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Shannon Besthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17871491964773561240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47320226020281666.post-67029408401210774692011-11-07T04:30:00.000-08:002011-11-07T04:30:01.929-08:00Logo-licious!Inishkea has a logo!!! My husband Todd and I came up with the idea for this and then he drew it up for me. The smaller one (Image 1), for earring cards and avatars, consists of an "I" on a round polymer clay bead. The larger one (Image 2) extends this to the full word "Inishkea," for banners and when I want the full name displayed. I'm so excited to have such a beautiful logo for my polymer clay collection! Thanks honey!!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qarLTVoaWwU/TrfOzhkJEUI/AAAAAAAAAE0/N0cLHUkn1y8/s1600/Inishkea+logo.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qarLTVoaWwU/TrfOzhkJEUI/AAAAAAAAAE0/N0cLHUkn1y8/s320/Inishkea+logo.gif" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image 1: Inishkea logo (small)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1MVdekFJbk8/TrfOzDyDTzI/AAAAAAAAAEs/VRBAcSWvvU4/s1600/Inishkea+logo+full.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="174" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1MVdekFJbk8/TrfOzDyDTzI/AAAAAAAAAEs/VRBAcSWvvU4/s320/Inishkea+logo+full.gif" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image 2: Inishkea logo (large)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Shannon Besthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17871491964773561240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47320226020281666.post-35041830035248637912011-10-23T02:19:00.000-07:002011-10-23T02:19:22.935-07:00Adventure #15: Inishkea - Explorations in polymer clay<div>
<div>
I have finally settled on a name for my polymer clay work..."Inishkea." Named for the island where my beautiful nana was born. The Inishkeas are two small islands off the coast of the Mullet peninsula in county Mayo, Ireland. The history of the islands is rich and intriguing and I couldn't think of a better name for my explorations in polymer clay! As such, I have also decided to re-title my blog "Inishkea - explorations in polymer clay." The old title wasn't really working for me any more as I don't seem to be doing much bead work but more really delving into different ways of using clay to express my ideas. So I hope you continue enjoying the blog under the new title!!</div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47320226020281666.post-81193901238104248762011-10-23T01:31:00.000-07:002011-10-23T01:31:24.166-07:00Adventure #14: Leather & Lace<div>
For October, the Aussiepolyclayers challenge is 'lace'. The challenge is hosted by Esme, who's done an amazing job getting together inspirational links and tutes. See <a href="http://aussiepolyclay.21.forumer.com/viewtopic.php?t=1993&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0">here </a>for more details.<br />
<br />
Esme defines lace as "any openwork structure whose pattern of spaces is as important as the solid areas." This revised definition of lace opened my mind to the possibilities of lace polymer clay work and inspiration followed, especially after a visit to the Powerhouse museum 'Make lace not war' exhibition website link included in Esme's post.<br />
<br />
My first entry is entitled 'Celtic Lace' (Image 1). I've played with a few ways of using circles to make a lace effect. I combined orange and copper clay to get the lovely colour then used my extruder to make a long square 'snake' which was then cut up and moulded around a circular cookie cutter to get the round shapes. My mother-in-law loved it so much that she ordered a smaller version for herself! You can see that one <a href="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6100/6263676020_f15023c4e0.jpg">here</a>.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Udnll0YiH9k/TqPOBX9PG6I/AAAAAAAAAD4/q50uEkYnc-U/s1600/B14+I1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Udnll0YiH9k/TqPOBX9PG6I/AAAAAAAAAD4/q50uEkYnc-U/s320/B14+I1.jpg" width="207" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image 1: "Celtic Lace"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
My second piece is a layered bangle (Image 2). The first layer is a solid black base, the second layer is a pretty skinner blend and the third layer is another thin black layer with lacey patterns cut out using tiny cookie cutters. I coated the bangle with pearlex varnish - I was pleased with the end result!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f4bD2i8mgEA/TqPOEY5fWII/AAAAAAAAAEA/32xXCj7n53Q/s1600/B14+I2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f4bD2i8mgEA/TqPOEY5fWII/AAAAAAAAAEA/32xXCj7n53Q/s320/B14+I2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image 2: Layered Lace Bangle</td></tr>
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The third piece is inspired by one of my favourite songs "Leather and Lace"...love Stevie Nicks! Here I wanted to explore using lace to string a neckpiece. The pendant is based around the idea of two very different people standing face to face and finding what they need in each other...finding a strong and enduring love with each other. It is strung on both leather and lace! And capped off with a handmade S-clasp (Image 3).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8t91XS-pRdg/TqPOF3tcGKI/AAAAAAAAAEI/v7f_kWRTyf0/s1600/B14+I3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8t91XS-pRdg/TqPOF3tcGKI/AAAAAAAAAEI/v7f_kWRTyf0/s320/B14+I3.jpg" width="222" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image 3: "Leather & Lace"</td></tr>
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The fourth piece is a wireworked neckpiece with delicate white polyclay flower shapes with a lacey pattern through both the clay chips and the wirework (Image 4).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BSphVsYzqGQ/TqPOHfDG4lI/AAAAAAAAAEQ/H_NXkSey980/s1600/B14+I4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BSphVsYzqGQ/TqPOHfDG4lI/AAAAAAAAAEQ/H_NXkSey980/s320/B14+I4.jpg" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image 4: Delicate White Lace Necklace</td></tr>
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Last and definitely least are these earrings (Image 5) made from some extruded clay circles (again playing with circles in getting lacey effects!).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RtSh9a8fw1A/TqPOIxuH_lI/AAAAAAAAAEY/zGjtnXhonrY/s1600/B14+I5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RtSh9a8fw1A/TqPOIxuH_lI/AAAAAAAAAEY/zGjtnXhonrY/s320/B14+I5.jpg" width="244" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image 5: "Circles" earrings</td></tr>
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And I'm spent! What a great challenge this has been, I've thoroughly enjoyed maself :P Check out the entire challenge thread <a href="http://aussiepolyclay.21.forumer.com/viewtopic.php?t=1993&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0">here </a>to see what amazing things the aussiepolyclayers are doing with lacey polymer clay.
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47320226020281666.post-86489172622867073972011-10-11T03:01:00.000-07:002011-10-23T01:13:15.894-07:00Adventure #13: My Grand Canyon<div>
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I made myself a replica of the Grand Canyon. It wasn't meant to be the Grand Canyon, it was meant to be a tube bead but I think because of the thickness and my troublesome black Kato clay, some air got trapped and burst its way to the surface during baking. I was devastated when I took the bead out of the oven - it had such potential! I tried in vain to rescue the bead and learned yet another important claying lesson - sometimes you just have to give up on a lost bead, it will save you time and heartache in the long run!! The Grand Canyon bead, shown in Image 1, is now dead to me but you can see in the image where I tried to patch it up with black-tinted liquid polymer clay.
Images 2 and 3 show my successful bubble beads, made using the excellent tutorial by the very talented Ponsawan Sila. <a href="http://polymerclaybeads.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2007-05-24T19%3A09%3A00-07%3A00&max-results=20">Here</a>'s the link (I think you have to scroll down a little way). One of these beads will be made up into a neckpiece I will give my honours student for her graduation, as she took to calling herself "bubble girl" when she first started using a pipette!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Wis9G-0c9vU/TpQThapaNJI/AAAAAAAAAEk/EHnsJsMKol0/s1600/B13+I1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="211" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Wis9G-0c9vU/TpQThapaNJI/AAAAAAAAAEk/EHnsJsMKol0/s320/B13+I1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image 1: The Grand Canyon bead in all its ugly glory!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nt7m7mzWNRo/TpQTjYuYy_I/AAAAAAAAAEs/3TefXK25QEE/s1600/B13+I2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="230" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nt7m7mzWNRo/TpQTjYuYy_I/AAAAAAAAAEs/3TefXK25QEE/s320/B13+I2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image 2: Successful bubble bead #1</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2VXqS1jrFD8/TpQTlfpatGI/AAAAAAAAAE0/-4ZUygzvpTM/s1600/B13+I3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="244" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2VXqS1jrFD8/TpQTlfpatGI/AAAAAAAAAE0/-4ZUygzvpTM/s320/B13+I3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image 3: Successful bubble bead #2</td></tr>
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<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47320226020281666.post-33425153849559170052011-09-19T03:03:00.000-07:002011-09-21T00:50:27.541-07:00Adventure #12: Geeking Out!I am a massive fan of the The Lord of the Rings books and movies. The movie room we're building will be a shrine to the story, with figurines from the movies in niches above the TV and replica swords as door handles on the DVD cabinets. And our most beloved burmese cat is named for the eccentric wizard, Gandalf. <br />
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I have wanted my own replica of Arwen's necklace, the Evenstar, for a long time. And I finally felt now was the time to have a go at making one from polymer clay (Image 1). I used silver Kato clay and for the back part, made my first mica shift to get those lined effects. I also used my lovely new Makins extruder to get the backbone of the piece so perfectly round. I am very proud of my Evenstar and now can't wait to get a chain and wear it around in all my geekdom glory!!!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RQ2zzYpux_Q/TncOX_iZNjI/AAAAAAAAAEc/MCSANU8QAVY/s1600/The+Evenstar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RQ2zzYpux_Q/TncOX_iZNjI/AAAAAAAAAEc/MCSANU8QAVY/s320/The+Evenstar.jpg" width="208" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image 1: The Evenstar replica in silver polymer clay</td></tr>
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While I was on the geek-train, my hubby asked me to knock up a Green Lantern ring for him (Image 2). I had to wrap paper around my ring mould a few times to make it big enough! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gzkWp3XRNH4/TncP6aGiHKI/AAAAAAAAAEg/glT2GqURDsU/s1600/Green+Lantern+Ring.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gzkWp3XRNH4/TncP6aGiHKI/AAAAAAAAAEg/glT2GqURDsU/s320/Green+Lantern+Ring.jpg" width="299" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image 2: Green Lantern replica ring</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DOXly9yXCPc/TncGn4-2JxI/AAAAAAAAAEQ/ep40U9ZoN5c/s1600/Colour+Pivot+Tiles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="138" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DOXly9yXCPc/TncGn4-2JxI/AAAAAAAAAEQ/ep40U9ZoN5c/s320/Colour+Pivot+Tiles.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image 1: Colour pivot tiles using packet Kato clay colours</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="261" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3kRSYzhT0e8/TncGqmVtpNI/AAAAAAAAAEU/oyRgrK7KBes/s320/Pinched+Petal+Necklace.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image 2: Pinched-petal neckalce</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f28Dk2fIAgM/TncHkEAwXxI/AAAAAAAAAEY/WsL8zs6fPU8/s1600/B11+I3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="231" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f28Dk2fIAgM/TncHkEAwXxI/AAAAAAAAAEY/WsL8zs6fPU8/s320/B11+I3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image 3: My first colour collage, made for working through the projects in Polymer Clay Color Inspirations</td></tr>
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The first thing I had to do was find a mold to make the right sized base. My hubby found me skulking about in the kitchen pantry looking at various tinned goods with a maniacal gleam in my eye.....</div>I have used food tins, drink cans and scone cutters to make various sizes of bangles. As well as covering a wooden blank from a craft shop and metal eggrings with polymer clay.<br />
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Jo's bangle (Image 1) was made by paneling rectangular kaleidoscope cane cutouts onto a baked clay base and then laying a thin layer of clay over the edges. I've since used the same technique to make a few more bangles (Images 2 & 3). Deb Crothers kindly provided me with her own tutorial for making sculpted eggring bangles - these are just so fun to make, you can really add just about anything you want to them. This is definitely one of the most fun things I've tried in clay techniques (Images 4 & 5). Since writing this post, Debbie Crothers' sculpted bangle tutorial has been published in Australian Beading Magazine. Do yourself a favour and check it out!!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_gjAhI0nOZw/Tnb-F5S0cKI/AAAAAAAAAD8/YmOkjdEe-oM/s1600/kaleidoscope+bangle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="261" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_gjAhI0nOZw/Tnb-F5S0cKI/AAAAAAAAAD8/YmOkjdEe-oM/s320/kaleidoscope+bangle.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image 1: Polymer clay bangle made with kaleidoscope cane panels</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rAQCKMNdFqo/Tnb-FHXDLfI/AAAAAAAAAD4/7Hlm-ftufsk/s1600/giant+kaleidoscope+bangle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rAQCKMNdFqo/Tnb-FHXDLfI/AAAAAAAAAD4/7Hlm-ftufsk/s320/giant+kaleidoscope+bangle.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image 2: The first kaleidoscope bangle I made - my mould was a bit too big!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QP24lgA36VU/Tnb-AX-h--I/AAAAAAAAAD0/Q7q7wxBTWeo/s1600/Extruder+bangle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="304" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QP24lgA36VU/Tnb-AX-h--I/AAAAAAAAAD0/Q7q7wxBTWeo/s320/Extruder+bangle.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image 3: I've since made another version using an extruded cane to make the panels (this was my birthday present to myself...I'm good to myself, aren't I?!)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NZBHdqPoKqE/Tnb98NaFenI/AAAAAAAAADs/IkOPFHnuGlQ/s1600/Dolphin+bangle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="206" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NZBHdqPoKqE/Tnb98NaFenI/AAAAAAAAADs/IkOPFHnuGlQ/s320/Dolphin+bangle.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image 4: Sculpted eggring bangle with playful dolphins</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DvsHtq-MD74/Tnb99vCdMGI/AAAAAAAAADw/v5sFs50xedQ/s1600/Eggring+bangles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DvsHtq-MD74/Tnb99vCdMGI/AAAAAAAAADw/v5sFs50xedQ/s320/Eggring+bangles.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image 5: Sculpted eggring bangles - mum's birthday present!!!</td></tr>
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</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47320226020281666.post-30869298883424960442011-08-26T17:17:00.000-07:002011-08-26T17:17:11.441-07:00Adventure #9: Dare to Dream<div><div><div>I found myself landed with a quite difficult project at work earlier this year. I'm working up a technology that no one else at our institute is using. It's made for a frustrating time, especially over the last two months - long hours, crazy time points and mediocre results. On top of this, my hubby and I are trying to finally finish renovating our back room (it's only been three years!!) I've found the clay table has really kept me grounded and stopped me pulling my hair out over work and all my other commitments! In the midst of all this, I received a message from Deb Crothers, who runs the Aussiepolyclayers forum. She was giving all the new people to the forum a gentle nudge to think about entering the 2011 Aussiepolyclayers forum competition.<br />
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When I read through the thread about the comp and saw all the effort Deb especially had put into organising this comp, I could not say no! I knew I had to put an entry in, even though there was only 5 weeks until the comp closed. The theme was "Dare to Dream" and my mind immediately started taking me to fantasy lands where mermaids swim free, tree-folk come out at night and heroes vanquish the dark forces of evil that threaten the land........I thought of enchanted forests and Alice in Wonderland.......and eventually my mind rested on what "Dare to Dream" really means to me. I remembered the first time I ever felt I could dream big and achieve anything I set my mind to. It was when I graduated from my honours degree. I remembered the card my aunty gave me that said "Shoot for the stars, if you fall short you may land on the moon." I always think of this quote when that nasty self-doubt starts creeping in, it takes me back to that feeling I had then - it gives me hope and confidence.<br />
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I wanted to make a piece of jewellery that would depict this quote and this idea. So, using stars and moons as the main theme, I started playing! I wanted to use blues/greens as the colour scheme to relate the calming qualities of the moon. I knew the boldness of the piece would come out in the design rather than the colours. My first attempts were pendants (Images 1 & 2).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uf8rp-ga4XI/Tlgo_BfGBUI/AAAAAAAAADI/fI97v_nFWG4/s1600/B9+I1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uf8rp-ga4XI/Tlgo_BfGBUI/AAAAAAAAADI/fI97v_nFWG4/s320/B9+I1.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image 1: Stars and Moon Pendant</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bSNzrIqwHNI/TlgpBTBUaPI/AAAAAAAAADM/z8DjKu193e8/s1600/B9+I2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="311" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bSNzrIqwHNI/TlgpBTBUaPI/AAAAAAAAADM/z8DjKu193e8/s320/B9+I2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image 2: Stars and Moon Pendant</td></tr>
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Then I played with making 3-D stars and moons (Image 3). I love these star beads, I used the Starry Nights cane tutorial by Donna Kato. But my husband said they looked more like Morning Stars (Image 4)....which is entirely TRUE!!! Damn - back to the drawing board!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BypyEInZMlY/TlgpDCrtUGI/AAAAAAAAADQ/h4Q2asMSWGQ/s1600/B9+I3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="237" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BypyEInZMlY/TlgpDCrtUGI/AAAAAAAAADQ/h4Q2asMSWGQ/s320/B9+I3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image 3: 3-D stars and moon beads</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-79Bp-i8hxMw/TlgpGf7mniI/AAAAAAAAADY/mT7h9GjX7WE/s1600/Morning-Star.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-79Bp-i8hxMw/TlgpGf7mniI/AAAAAAAAADY/mT7h9GjX7WE/s320/Morning-Star.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image 4: A morning star weapon - remarkable likeness to beads above - damn!</td></tr>
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I then made a lovely skinner blend in soft pearly blues and greens and started playing with this, making different shaped beads (Image 5), mostly using Donna Kato's overlay bead method and cookie cutters.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EQSNUcCpQxQ/TlgpF9hDFNI/AAAAAAAAADU/XDaC1uq4VJg/s1600/B9+I4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="311" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EQSNUcCpQxQ/TlgpF9hDFNI/AAAAAAAAADU/XDaC1uq4VJg/s320/B9+I4.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image 5: components made using blue/green skinner blends</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Finally I composed my piece...my original idea was to wirework it randomly and make a star-spangled necklace but my beads leaned more towards a strung necklace style and when I was playing with the little star cutouts, I had a few of them strung together and thought they looked wicked and felt nice against your skin! And so I made heaps more of them and made them the backbone of the piece with the moon toggle clasp and focal bead as features. Here is the finished piece:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NuTSnjLui3c/Tlgum427LgI/AAAAAAAAADc/L4u-gqFi2pg/s1600/B9+I5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="245" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NuTSnjLui3c/Tlgum427LgI/AAAAAAAAADc/L4u-gqFi2pg/s320/B9+I5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r_rh3TZL-6k/TlguoLGS7BI/AAAAAAAAADg/xo3mau0UGuw/s1600/B9+I6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r_rh3TZL-6k/TlguoLGS7BI/AAAAAAAAADg/xo3mau0UGuw/s320/B9+I6.jpg" width="191" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V0nDCdNxH78/TlgupuqZWqI/AAAAAAAAADk/tU2F4kMVnKM/s1600/B9+I7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V0nDCdNxH78/TlgupuqZWqI/AAAAAAAAADk/tU2F4kMVnKM/s320/B9+I7.jpg" width="175" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9mO_ElMtuUo/Tlguqy9r5cI/AAAAAAAAADo/nKGQFXy7yUs/s1600/B9+I8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="154" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9mO_ElMtuUo/Tlguqy9r5cI/AAAAAAAAADo/nKGQFXy7yUs/s320/B9+I8.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
The competition ended on July 31st, with the judges deliberating and making their decision by the 14th August. And eventually, after what seemed like forever, we got to see all the entries! I was absolutely blown away by each and every entry into this competition. The theme was so broad and everyone had such different interpretations, that alone was amazing but the quality and time and thought put into these pieces were nothing short of phenomenal. Check them out <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/65722426@N08/">here</a>. And the first, second and third prize winning entries can be seen <a href="http://aussiepolyclay.21.forumer.com/viewtopic.php?t=1891&start=0">here</a>. As well as the two encouragement award entries. I am extremely proud to have won one of these encouragement awards for my piece "Reach for the Stars"!<br />
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Applying myself to this competition definitely helped me through a stressful couple of months and at the end of it all, to win a prize was just amazing and has made me a very happy and 'encouraged' little clayer!!</div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0