Saturday, February 15, 2014

Rounding the Corner

When you make beads and components, no matter what medium they are, there is a lot of steps from start to finish.

I have been making beads for weeks, but have none ready to sell at my upcoming show.

As for my polymer, first I make, mold, shape, finish edges, and add dots and divets to all my pieces one by one, and then they get cured in the toaster oven.  But they are naked- and unpainted.

These all need to get painted yet.


I feel like a rounded a corner though, because the last of the polymer and metal clay have been made, and now I can start finishing things.

Yesterday I made the last two loads of metal clay and fired them, and then I got to start on the base of my doodle and scrimshaw beads.


Each of my polymer beads get at least 3 layers of paints, plus 2-4 coats of sealer.  that's a lot of drying time in between!!!!  so it feels good to know I may start on painting today with only 2 weeks to showtime.

I am also almost done carving my black beads, and I never get tired of this look.  they are some of my favorites



Then I have all this metal.  These need a copper backing cut out and textured and then get riveted to it.


All the metal is fired, tumbled and then I still need to antique it, and hand polish each piece, and then seal them with 1-2 coats of sealer.

This is the huge pile of bronze earrings I have to do


Another pile of bronze


Bronze waiting to be cleaned and tumbled


copper clay that is done (I still have a batch tumbling now too)


So today I may begin painting, which will ease some anxieties.  
 So I feel I have rounded that corner, and am on the road to completed beads.  

Now lets all pray for NO SNOW the weekend of the Berks Bead Bazaar March 1st & 2nd!  

3 comments:

  1. Wow, lots of work involved with all of those beads. Now the fun begins when you add color to all of them. Everything always comes together in the end for getting ready for shows. Hope the weather is perfect that weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Amazing. I just cannot imagine doing this much production work. Knowing all the steps involved (not to mention the photography and listing when you get around to that!) makes my head spin and makes me appreciate your art all the more when I hold it in my hands! Good luck with the finishing! You can do it! Enjoy the day. Erin

    ReplyDelete