Polymer clay challenge – week 45

Tags

2016PCchallenge, earrings, flower power, polymer clay, vintage

I have been a little waylaid from my polymer clay so I’ve pretty much lost track of the 2016 Polymer Clay Challenge. Since it has been a while since I last blogged, here is some of the jewellery I recently made inspired by the broken teacup I previously wrote about.

Long shard earrings by Cate van Alphen

Teacup shard pendant by Cate van Alphen

I finished some earrings and a pendant using the shards I wrote about in week 36.

Flower earrings by Cate van Alphen

I also made some earrings to go with the necklace that I made in week 38 using canes inspired by the flower power pattern on the vintage teacup.

And since I had some canes already made, I made more earrings.

Polymer clay challenge week 41 – toggle

Tags

2015PCchallenge, button, flower, flower power, polymer clay, toggle, virtual retreat

This week, for my Polymer Clay Challenge, I made a flower power toggle. I started with two different sheets of blended colour, and then I cut and replaced flower shapes to create a pattern.

Flower power by Cate van Alphen

It’s a variation of the technique I learned earlier this year in Anke Humpert’s class on the Virtual Retreat. (You can still join the 2015 retreat as all the classes will be available for a year after the last sign up.)

Flower power button clasp by Cate van Alphen

The flower shape means the button I created from the cut out fits through the hole easily as it is longer across the petal tips than between two petals. I noticed this when I made my indigo mokme gane pendants back in week 31. I’m still planning on adding an edging to finish off the components.

Flower power focal by Cate van Alphen

I drilled a hole through the thickness of the loop so it could be attached discretely with a seed bead anchor. Or the hole could be used to secure a wrapped attachment so it doesn’t slide away sideways.

Flower power components by Cate van Alphen

There is a different pattern on the other side created from the second blend of clay.

Polymer clay challenge week 5 – focal

Tags

Cate van Alphen, flower, flower power, orange, pendant, polymer clay, spiral

This week I made focal pendants. I was practicing a technique wich would enable me to feature symbol or simple line drawing on the pendant.

Focal beads by Cate van Alphen

The small focal is a hollow hemisphere with a spiral doodle.

Spiral dome slider pendant by Cate van Alphen

I added a bit of copper mica powder to the back attachment.

Back of spiral dome slider pendant by Cate van Alphen

The second pendant has a flower design because I just can’t shift the orange + brown = flower power equation!

Orange flower pendant by Cate van Alphen

The back of the pendant is a blend of colours.

Back of flower pendant by Cate van Alphen