Sugar Skulls for Bead Fest

I told people at Berks Bead Bazaar that I would have more of my bronze Sugar Skulls for Beadfest in August- and it looks like I will! 

my first sugar skull piece!

I think I am only going to get about a dozen made, and there may be some loss in the batches, as they are prone to crack.  I can work with most of the cracks along the edge, but sometimes they crack on the face and its just too hard to repair.  If all goes well, I should have 10-12 skulls for sale. 

Here is the first batch right out of the kiln, with a brief cleaning.  They still need a tumble, antique bath, then they need to get riveted to a copper backing. 

 sugar skulls out of the kiln this morning

Making them is a multi stage process, at first I have to work quickly, to get all the designs in while its a certain "mid-dry" and then they need to dry for days as I add slip to the backside to help prevent cracking.  I am so thrilled with the results though!  Its worth the wait!

Please stop by booth #371 if you are coming to BeadFest- I promise to have all kinds of new goodies for you to fondle !!!!

And remember to print and use this coupon to save $10 at the door!!!!

Just click and save this picture and print it out on your computer- print a few for your friends too!

I also got to do a trial run of my Painted Polymer Fossil Talisman class yesterday. 

These are samples of what I am teaching- making these polymer focals and beads, painting them to look old and organic, and then making them into this necklace

It was amazing.  I will be blogging about that next week on LMAJ- but for now, I want to show off what the ladies made....................

Here are some of the extra beads they got to make, since we had all day and it was only the 4 of us

And here are the finished pieces they made.  It was amazing to see them come full circle at the end of the day. 

I think I am really going to love teaching. I have taught small groups before, and did a ton of training at my old job....and I always loved the interaction I got to have with people.  So I am really looking forward to teaching at BeadFest!

You can sign up for my class here if you are interested

https://www.etouches.com/ehome/79000/StaciSmith

I promise we will have a great time!!



How do you Organize the Madness

Firstly, I do not profess to be an expert on organization by any means.  Anything I have come up with is by sheer necessity.  

It is overwhelming and daunting to say the least, when you studio looks like this, and every single one of those beads each gets a special paint treatment and sealer in 5-8 layers.  Each layer needing to dry completely before the next is applied.

View of the studio before starting the varnishing of each bead...by hand....with a paint brush......

I literally have trays stacked everywhere.  And once I get to the varnish phase, they get divided into three categories depending on the finish I want for them.  Gloss, Satin, or Matte.  

And since each bead gets painted one side at a time, and each side gets three coats, there is just no way I can track it.

I use bead trays while I paint, because I can stack them in such a way, that they still dry. I take out the pads, so nothing sticks if it is tacky or drips.  

I wouldn't have enough surface area to lay these out flat otherwise.  It's actually kinda  a fun thought that if I laid all these beads out flat they would cover my studio.  WHAT FUN!

So I invented this system to keep track of what has gotten what.

(marvel at the genius of it....lol)

I just write little notes when I am done each one, to know what has been painted while it dries and I move on to the next varnish.

This process is tedious, but I won't cut back on how many coats of varnish I do.  I want your beads to last you a lifetime, so they get at least three coats of varnish every time.

I am almost done varnishing.  Now I need to move onto the metal!  Time for some liver of sulfur baths and polishing and sealing of them.

Do you make beads?  Do you have some sort of system that helps you remember where you where when you have to leave the studio or move onto another project?

For those of you interested: for sealing my polymer I personally prefer painting on my varnish.  (PYM II works very well too, but it is aerosol, and i just don't find it very convenient) I have tried many many many things, and I keep coming back to just a water based acrylic varnish like Liquitex, and Diamond Varathane- water based also.  These will not break down the clay over time and become tacky, and they seal extremely well.  I follow the instructions and do 3-4 thin coats, allowing the maximum drying time in between them for last durability. 

Remember if you are in PA, in the Reading area, to stop by next weekend for the Berks Bead Bazaar.  The best little bead show around- especially if you love Art Beads!!!  http://berksbeadbazaar.com/