Let it Snow

Miniature Scenes

More Mini's

Mini's Mini's Mini's

Images from my work table:

Trip to Huntington Beach

Mom and I just returned from our trip to Huntington Beach. Unfortunately I didn't take many photos. One of our day trips was a trip to...

Here's Mom sitting on a bench in Balboa.

We had some quality time with my sister and her son. Lots of shopping, eating and laughs. Here is a great picture of my sister, Ruby and her son, Nathan.

Now that I'm home it is time to get to work making miniatures for my shows. Stay tuned in for some photos of what's on my work table.

Halloween Sculptures

In the mood for Halloween? I love sculpting the faces on pumpkins. They make me smile. My roots in polymer clay begin with sculpting sports and occupational Christmas ornaments in bread dough, and later switching to polymer clay. Details that can be obtained with polymer clay changed my art completely. Today I still have many of the same customers who started purchasing bread dough ornaments from me in the 1970's. Oh how I have changed. Maybe one day I'll post some of my earliest figures.

Creative inspiration

A couple of weekends ago was the Northwest Bead Society Bead Bazaar, I renewed a friendship with another clayer, Fanita Brandeis. She has a unique style. Most of her beads are larger in size and incorporate many layers, mixing paints, foils, papers, and textures. Our polymer clay guild is lucky, Fanita will be giving a demostration at our meeting in January and I'm looking forward to her presentation.

After the bead show I came home and sitting in front of me was a veneer sheet of polymer mokume gane waiting to be used in some manner. Immediately inspired from my bead show experience and Fanita, I used that veneer to make the beads on this necklace. My beads don't have the level of depth to them that Fanita puts into her beads, but she inspired me. Thank you Fanita for the inspiration you have given me.


So the inspiration didn't stop with the previous necklace, it kept going. The smaller round word beads were also sitting on my work surface waiting their turn to be incorporated into a creation. This next necklace and bracelet set is more rustic and organic, but allowed me to use those word beads, many of which are inspirational.

Many Necklaces

Three Strand Necklace

Sometimes a picture does not show the true beauty of the piece, and it is the case here. Oh how I wish you could see it in person.

A Work in Progress

Charm Necklace

Definately a work in progress but it is exciting to add to this necklace bit by bit. Many hours have been spent on it and I am thinking that there are many more to come. A mixture of materials are used, polymer clay, glass beads, pearls, and more.

Love these!

Red and Black Earrings

Several shades of red and orange polymer clay decorate the polymer clay focal beads, black veins separate the colors.

Sophisticated Serving Utensils

Tinted translucent clay with gold leaf wrap around these serving utensils. Contrasting black streaks add interest.

Last weekend ended up being one of my best of the summer. What could be more enjoyable than claying with your best friends from morning till night? Over the weekend I worked on a number of items, but these pieces of silverware were my favorite. When the holidays come around you'll know what will be used at my house.

Another Blast from the Past

Love this inro!

This is an example of many firsts. Gwen Gibson taught this class at Ravensdale 2000. Not only was this class my first introduction to inro's, it was the first instruction on silk screening I encountered. Gwen provided me a great foundation and the building blocks for quality polymer clay construction in this studio class. The class was three days long and I enjoyed every minute of it. I am thankful for all that she taught me.

What I'm wearing today

Blast from the Past

Here is a necklace I'm wearing today with an outfit of black and white. These fun beads were made a couple of years ago at clay camp. It could of been last year, but I'm thinking it was the year before. Anyways, they are super simple and I'm almost embarrassed at how easy they were to make. Just take an oval unbaked clay bead that has been sitting for some time, push colored eyelets into the bead in a random order. Pierce and bake. See! Super simple! Some other thoughts on how to change them are to add a different color of clay to the center of the eyelets. Wouldn't that be fun for summer? Mix and match eyelets and clay. The combinations are endless and could match any outfit. Isn't this a great beginner project?

Blue Green Etched Necklace

After the first stringing of these beads it was apparent, considering the work involved in making these beads, they deserved a much nicer chain. Below is the necklace reworked, adding a small faceted bead on both sides of the handmade etched beads.

Etched Translucent Necklace

It is a good feeling to complete another project. This etching technique was first taught to me by Linda Goff at Ravensdale 2000. Gwen Gibson had Linda come into our inro class for a quick demo on etching or the rip-away technique. Recently the technique has been revisited by Louise Fischer Cozzi and is the inspiration for this piece.

Small Round Clocks

Clocks featuring a variety of techniques.

New and Old

It has been an effort to clean up. During the ordeal I've come across several projects that were started or beads that were made trying a new technique. My friends tell me that I never put together jewelry with the clay beads I make, so it my goal to work on all of the half finished projects and actually make jewelry with them.

Bead Expo in Portland

Sarah Shriver Pendant

Early Friday morning Rita and I headed south to Portland for a fine silver fusing class that began at 9am. This required us rise at 3:30am. The Bead Expo in Portland, Oregon ended up being a great learning experience. We both took Low Tech Metalsmithing from Anne Mitchell . Anne taught us to fuse fine silver. I learned quite a bit from her that morning including that the two torches I own are not ones she recommends. After the tool and safety talk, we made ear wires, "S" and "J" hooks, toggles, bales and textured fine silver. Fusing silver is much easier than soldering. But even after taking this class my fear of working with torches is still there. Julia Sober says she'll work with me at clay camp in May to resolve these issues. If you have a chance, go visit Julia Sober's website, she makes some innovative polymer clay and silver creations.

Friday evening Jayne Hoffman took us to a very trendy place in Portland for dinner and then for dessert. Pix Patisserie has unusual desserts that are definitely not diet material, but were so yummy. I indulged in the Shazam! It is a rich and creamy caramel mousse, with salted almonds, dense chocolate almond cake, and more caramel…Shazam!

Saturday morning we had time to browse the bead show before heading home. This allowed me the opportunity to purchase another pendant from Sarah Shriver who was exhibiting at the bead show. I enjoy Sarah Shriver's work.

Karen Kozak Pendant

Sarah Shriver

Sarah Shriver is an expert in kaleidoscope caning, the simplicity of this necklace appealed to me.

Elise Winters Earrings

Words can not express how fortunate I am to own a pair of earring by Elise Winters.