December Four A Month - New Art Clay Silver!

 

My last Four A Month of the Year!!!

 

This month I was fortunate enough to be asked to test out the new formula of Art Clay Silver so all four of my pieces are made using the new clay.

 

Verdict? - I LOVE it!!

 

It is lovely to use and really does seem to combine the best qualities of all the existing formulas and then some.

 

It works very well with baby wipes (those who know me will know that was always going to be a BIG concern for me - I would be lost without my baby wipes!!) - and of course - my other great concern - it enamels beautifully!!

 

 

 

This pendant above is called Renaissance....

 

... this one is called Tartanicity (for obvious reasons!)...

 

... this one is called Swirling Rainbow Ring (and I will be teaching Enamelled Rings like this very soon!) ...

 

... and finally Oriental Pagoda.

 

I have had a lot of fun playing with the samples of the new Art Clay Silver, it has a much longer working time and will be great for teaching with.

 

Many thanks go to www.metalclay.co.uk and www.GeorgeWeil.com for letting me test out samples of the new formula of Art Clay Silver before the release date on 1st January 2013.

 

I will be doing a round up of all my entries for the Four A Month Challenge early in the new year. It has been a fun year completing my two challenges and I am looking forward to my new Weekly Critter Challenge for 2013 :)

 

Joy x

Bird A Month 2/12 - A Breath of Spring

I'm late!! It is March and I have only just made my February Bird a Month. Things got a bit busy. Must try harder this month :)

Anyway here he is. A cute little bird on a spring branch with some budding blossom. It was lovely here yesterday when I was making this so it seemed just right.

This is a little pin brooch. You can see how small it is in my hand.

I really like this and was quite tempted to keep it for me :), but no, I won't, and he will be in my website shop and my Etsy shop later today. I don't currently have a section for pins and brooches in my shops so I am just off to make one!

The reverse has a sturdy little pin with a clip back which fits nice and securely. The tiny little spike to the left of the pin stops it from turning while you are wearing it.

You could put him onto a scarf, label, jumper or tie. In fact almost anywhere. He would be a perfect Mothers Day gift :)

Four a Month -1- Have a Heart

You may recall at the beginning of the year I said I was going to undertake two particular challenges.

 One was my Bird a Month, and thank you to all those who have posted photos so far. Even if you have not there is no time like the present to start!

The other was the Four A Month Challenge. Here are my first four pieces for that challenge and they are (as I am sure you will notice!) all hearts!

All four pieces are fine silver made using Art Clay Silver. The earrings above have lovely red Enamelled Accents hearts.

I made this one with a fine silver snake shaped into a heart.

These have lab rubies fired in place in the fine silver, and finally..... my favourite of the four. A fine silver heart with an enamelled scroll design below.

I really enjoyed making all of these and in fact they have gone off to a shop in London for sale.

So now it is February and time to start the challenges again :)

Bird a Week 47/52 - Northern Cardinal

Only 5 more birds to go after this one until the end of the year! Wow it seems to have gone fast.

47/52 a lovely Northern Cardinal sitting in spring blossom. This is a fine silver pendant with enamel.

The reverse is decorated with a texture and 2mm and 3mm CZs.

Not too seasonal, I know, but with so few birds left till the end of the year I just have to choose the ones I like!! ;-)

Here is the Haiku

Pink and white blossom

Red and black bird betwixt

Northern Cardinal