Silver Overlay Paste - This stuff is Magic

Silver Overlay Paste has so many uses and I haven’t explored them all yet.  I have had the chance to use it for embedding sterling in metal clay as well as use it for “soldering” pieces together.  Here are my notes.

Embedding Sterling in Metal Clay

I have been successful at embedding sterling silver in Art Clay Silver using the slow dry low fire clay formula.  Using a torch, carefully watching the color of the orange glow in the sterling, it is possible to incorporate sterling into metal clay designs.   Now, I’ve discovered Silver Overlay Paste which gives even better results with such a strong bond allowing me to make the most complex designs yet.

Overlay paste is not regular paste and it is not oil paste.
Regular paste can be mixed at home by adding water to fresh clay (or dried clay that has been crushed) to dilute the clay to a paste, thick or thin.
Oil paste can also be mixed at home by adding essential oil (like lavender) to regular paste.

Here are only some uses for these pastes:

Regular Paste - use it on fresh or dried clay, not yet fired.  Paint leaves, fill molds, many uses.
Oil Paste - use it to join fired clay to fresh or fired clay.  Must be fired at full temp for full time.
Overlay Paste - specifically formulated to fire at lower temp, 1200 degrees.  Great on ceramic, porcelain, and the first point of contact between any objects embedded in clay.  Very friendly to torch users.

I use two different methods for embedding sterling depending on if I am using the overlay paste or not.

Without Overlay Paste:
The sterling will need to be “gripped” by the clay so I make sure the part that is going into the clay has a bend, a loop, or I hack it up a little with a file or cutters.  This gives the clay something to grab onto as it fires and shrinks around the sterling.  I also torch the sterling to get it to a deep gray black color, then pickle the piece back to silvery color.  I use a little regular paste on the part that is going into the clay and push it into the clay and let it dry.

With Overlay Paste:
I torch the sterling, pickle.  Paint or dab the overlay paste on the sterling that will be attached and press it in place. Both methods might require a little filing or sanding before firing.  Both methods can be torched, and watching the color in the sterling has been key.  Sterling has a melting point somewhere around 1650 degrees.  If you have ever balled the end of a wire, for an earring perhaps, you’ve seen the salmon color turn to bright orange as the end balls.  That color will assist you when torching, as you do not want to get to the bright orange color and melt your sterling.  You also want to keep the temperature hot enough to properly sinter the metal clay.  If careful, it can be done!

Here is an example of sterling embedded without overlay paste.  This is my Bird Nest Mothers Ring.  I embed the prong settings and the ring band into the fresh clay, let it dry and torch.

Here is an example of sterling embedded with overlay paste.  This ring has 8 joins which means 8 places that needed two parts to join together.  I used a metal clay heart for the ring top that was fired alone first.  I then made a bezel with sterling gallery wire, not joining the seam.  I used overlay paste to attached the heart to the top of the gallery wire, overlay paste on the bezel seam, overlay paste on the bottom of the gallery wire and embedded that into a rolled out piece of clay.  I trimmed the clay around the bezel, outside and inside, let it dry and fired it all together.  From this point, no solder was used.  I was free to solder the ring band and prong settings, as well as resize the ring band using solder, no worries that it would collapse from the heat.

Overlay Paste Can Be Used Like Solder and Unlike Solder

This overlay paste is very much like soldering, because it joins pieces together.  It has a bright silver color, better than silver solder. 

It is very different in that is has to dry first, but it can fill gaps, it holds pieces together as they join like glue, no worries about undoing previous joins.  No flux used and the pieces don’t have to be perfectly flush to join.  The list goes on.  The overlay paste works best with joining larger surfaces and may not work well on tiny spots.  For example, resizing a ring only requires the tiniest join, best done with solder.  My heart ring top had a continuous line of overlay paste which bonded perfectly to the sterling bezel wire.
For anyone that is learning to solder, this overlay paste is something that I recommend you consider to learn, too!

Overlay paste is amazing, strong, and versatile.  I am hoping that this post will give other metal clay artists a fresh look at something that might have been overlooked before as “just another paste”.

Snowflake Jewelry - Frosty Fun Fashion Must Haves

All designed by the Metal Clay Heads Team on Etsy, this snowflake gallery offers a variety of styles to fit any budget. Take a look and find your favorite and grab them before they are gone!



The Metal Clay Heads Team is an amazing group of artists that design and create jewelry with top quality materials, extraordinary skill and take care of their customers like family and friends.

You are sure to find your next treasure in one of their shops on Etsy.

A Little Birdie That Says "FLY"

This little birdie pendant was offered as a prize for a recent Giveaway held on the Metal Clay Heads Team Blog, and I won!  Just arrived today, and I can't stop staring at it!

I've been working with Silver Art Clay for not quite 1 year, but as I held this little birdie, it hit me.......I've NEVER held or seen another silver metal clay piece other than my own!  Just photos, online and in books, and I was struck immediately by the difference of a piece from photos to having it in my hand!

"FLY" Pendant by Lesley Chandler of Thoughtfully Adorned

Photos don't capture the weighty feel, the smoothness, the light and shine, the size, it's just breathtaking to hold this little birdie and see the work and detail and the balance of the whole design!  I LOVE IT!  This design is much thicker than any of my pieces and much heavier!  It feels and looks like it deserves to be treasured!

I'm self taught with silver metal clay.  I've gathered a very nice education from DVDs, books, online tutorials, videos, team mentors, etc.  I make well designed, delicate pieces that show my style.  Now, having received this pendant and seeing for the first time another designers work with silver metal clay, my love for this material has just been rekindled and I am even more thrilled to explore silver metal clay possibilities!

This FLY pendant is solid, the shine is like a mirror and truly presents itself as a precious metal piece with value!  The bird is whimsical and artistic and beautifully handcrafted.   This piece has made quite an impression on how I plan to work with my silver, some of my current designs are going to get a make-over.  I want to evoke the same awe when anyone handles my jewelry.

Maybe I'm in the minority of silver metal clay artists, working isolated, selling online, learning online, no face-to-face contact with others working with this clay.  I certainly feel lucky to play with silver clay when I can, but now I feel even more lucky to have found the Metal Clay Heads Team and have team-mates to share and learn from and this FLY pendant means so much to me and I will treasure it, truly, and be inspired to make some pieces that are as bold and amazing and fun as this birdie!

Lesley of Thoughtfully Adorned was the featured artist for August on the Metal Clay Heads Blog.  Here is the link to that article with more of her photos:

http://metalclayheads.blogspot.com/2011/08/sprinkle-your-home-and-self-with.html
Thank you Lesley! 
Kathy

Voting Open - July Jewelry Design Challenge - Magical and Mysterious

Here is the link to the Metal Clay Heads Blog, currently hosting the July Challenge - Magical and Mysterious .  Vote for your favorite!  Entries were submitted by members who use metal clay to design jewelry.  The entries are required to have a working hinge and follow the theme of Magical and Mysterious.

My entry is pictured above and you can see more about this piece by following the link to the July Challenge. I also wrote a blog post about the behind the scenes for this design with more photos and detail, click here!
I hope you visit the Challenge and vote!

P.S.  The 100th Follower Free Jewelry Giveaway is still open until July 30, enter here!

10 Days and 10 Grams - Playing in Leaves with Silver Metal Clay

Summer Leaf Collection by York Avenue Studio

When the price of Silver shot up, it seemed like my chances to work with Silver Art Clay were shot, too.  I’d just begun building techniques and skills working with precious metal clay and enjoyed making jewelry with fine silver to the point that it was my focus for future designs.  The price hike certainly busted my big plans, but I have been fortunate enough to still have the chance to work with fine silver, just on a much smaller scale.

First thin layer on leaves

With only 10 grams of fresh clay, I decided to try a technique of painting leaves and for 10 days I have had the pleasure to work with metal clay, enjoy the process of creating fine silver pieces, stretch my design skills to include a pendant with a hinge and just truly enjoy the entire time.  I have some amazing new pieces of jewelry and I am writing this post to reveal the photos of the projects and the stories behind the scenes.

10 grams of silver metal clay is not much, about the same amount as one stick of gum.  I used half the package as slip by adding water and thinning the clay until I could paint with it.  I scouted around my yard for tiny leaves that had nice shape and texture, picturing what they would look like as silver.  I selected a Violet leaf, three tiny Maple leaves and an Elm leaf.  They were small and I figured each leaf would require about 1 gram of silver, give or take.

Thicker layers with some curling as they dried

The technique for using real leaves with metal clay is basic, just paint thin layers and let them dry.  Fire them and finish, voila!  But, along the way, chatting with other metal clay artists, I discovered so many different methods and variations to the process, each idea or tip added even more possible outcomes and results!  It is amazing how each artist interprets the layering and resolves little issues along the way.  My Etsy team, Metal Clay Heads, had so many helpful suggestions and photos of their own leaf projects!  It was like having them by my side along the way, super great members with tons of experience to share.

I started with thin layers, then progressed to thicker paste-like layers.  As the layers became thicker, the leaves began to curl as they dried.  For my projects, this was a good thing.  But I was given a few tips that would help for keeping the leaves flat, if that is what I was hoping for.  There are also many ways to keep the leaves from sliding around or blowing away, and more tips on how to manage the silver that leaked under to the front of the leaf.  Great ideas that I have tucked away for future use!

The first leaf that was thick enough to fire was the little Violet leaf.  I layered my logo cutout on the back, dry clay to dry clay, using slip.  Once dried, I torch fired it and was thrilled to see the result!
I already had a design in mind for this leaf and make a bail with fresh clay, added a genuine Peridot gemstone and carved some leaf, stick and berry accents.  I fired the second time, did some finishing, used some Liver of Sulphur patina gel and was thrilled with the final piece!

Fine Silver Leaf with Peridot by York Avenue Studio

Fine Silver Leaf with Peridot - Back - York Avenue Studio

The next leaves ready were the tiny Maple leaves.  I had a design in mind for the upcoming Metal Clay Heads Team Challenge, which is to use the technique of a working hinge and the theme is Magical or Mysterious.  I put a lot of thought into this tiny pendant and with big expectations that I would have success, I carefully worked on the details and was thrilled that the planning worked out well!

Here is the big reveal with descriptions:

Tiny Secret Fine Silver Maple Leaf by York Avenue Studio

Tiny Secret Fine Silver Maple Leaf by York Avenue Studio

Tiny Secret Fine Silver Maple Leaf by York Avenue Studio

Tiny Secret Fine Silver Maple Leaf by York Avenue Studio

Tiny Secret Fine Silver Maple Leaf by York Avenue Studio

Tiny Secret Fine Silver Maple Leaf by York Avenue Studio

Along the way, the Elm leaf project went south, and I plopped the leaf back into the slip jar to reuse the clay.  But, I picked some fresh Bella Donna leaves and made them into gorgeous little earrings!

Fine Silver Bella Donna Leaf Earrings by York Avenue Studio

I would highly recommend trying some leaves with metal clay for anyone who is just starting out or for anyone who is stuck without any inspiration for a time.  Making leaves is so rewarding and without fussing over the detail or shape, just letting nature be the “mold”, the result will be beautiful detailed pieces of jewelry for charms, earrings, pendants, etc.  The added bonus is that just a little clay goes a long way!

Closed! Jewelry and Pottery Giveaway - Fine Pure Silver Beach Pendant Plus Handmade Coffee Mug

In this post, I will introduce to you Canadian Jewelry Designer and Pottery Professional, Kathy McDonald of Willow Tree Designs, Brandon, Manitoba.  She has graciously offered a Giveaway Contest, which I am hosting on my blog!

I'll include the details on how to enter the Giveaway Contest in this post which includes two amazing handmade items selected specifically by Kathy for this Giveaway and for the lucky readers of my blog! 

The winner of this Giveaway will receive the handmade items pictured below!  Exclusive designs by Kathy McDonald.

Giveaway Prize - Handmade Fine Silver Nautilus and Beach Stone Pendant AND Handmade Pottery Mug!

Closer Look:

Pendant: Drilled Manitoba beachstone pendant with handforged Fine Silver Nautilus design, oxidized for antique finish with polished highlights, gorgeous!  The cord necklace is included and is finished with a sterling silver small lobster clasp.  The Fine Silver design is handmade by Kathy using Silver Art Clay and is 99.9% pure silver!

Coffee Mug : Wheelthrown stoneware coffee mug with hand painted overglaze decoration, 10 oz size.  Collectors of pottery, this is such a unique design, directly from the artist herself!

One lucky winner will receive Kathy's gorgeous pendant and coffee mug!  Everyone is invited to browse her shop on Etsy.  If you're lucky, there will still be items available, as she sells out quickly, especially her jewelry designs.  Visit her Etsy Shop, Adornyourself and mark your favorites with a "heart".

 Father's Day is fast approaching and handmade pottery is the perfect gift.  Any birthdays that you know of for May or June, plan ahead now and order them a handmade item from Kathy's shop!



Sculptural Pottery Bottle by Adornyourself



I met Kathy when she joined the Etsy Metal Clay Heads team.  We both have shops on Etsy, the website for handmade goods, vintage goods and supplies.  We both share a passion for using metal clay for jewelry designs.  We both are named "Kathy" with a "K"!  What I find extraordinary about Kathy is her mastery of both pottery clay and metal clay and her skill at creating jewelry and pottery that anyone would be fortunate enough to have in their collections!

Pottery Basket Coil Built Sculpture by Adornyourself

Kathy’s pottery background inspires me with her knowledge of kilns, firing temps and schedules (and repairs), her impeccable talent for creating forms and her techniques for enameling, which she used to teach.  I enjoy the monthly chit chat about the daily projects, the good times, the bad times and sharing the ideas, tools, tips and trials of our craft.

Kathy creating a wheelthrown bowl just this week!


I had the pleasure of interviewing Kathy about her jewelry making and pottery adventures: 

YorkAvenueStudio:  Kathy, you started working with pottery clay almost 40 years ago and still have the enthusiasm and enjoyment which shows in your creations.

Adornyourself:  I am retired now after a long career as a social worker and educator and can devote a lot more time to my business of creating and learning.  I know that combining family, outside work and a clay addiction are very difficult to balance.

Even after all this time I am still amazed at the transformation of the raw materials into the finished pieces.  That connection of human hand, earth, and fire that has been entrancing people for centuries.
I love glazes that are warm and earthy and draw most of my inspiration from natural objects and the prairie landscape around me.  I work with both stoneware and porcelain clays, as well as metal clay and really like to experiment with glazes that are natural and earthy.  I make all my own glazes from raw natural materials.

Fine Silver and Birthstone Bridesmaid Charms by Adornyourself

YorkAvenueStudio:  When did you start using metal clay? (Precious metal clay, PMC or Silver Art Clay, is made up of recycled silver grains mixed with binder ingredients which forms the consistency of clay. The wet clay can be molded and shaped, then after drying, fired in a kiln or torched with the end result as 99.9 pure silver in the exact shape of the design!)

Adornyourself:  I bought my first packets of metal clay when you had to purchase them from overseas and the instructions and booklets were all written in Japanese.  It was so exciting to have an opportunity to turn “clay” into fired metal.  I have a good friend who is a silversmith who agreed to mentor me back then and we both have been able to collaborate and learn the materials.

Lots of mishaps and waste but my friend was able to use the scraps in his designs.

I started out using PMC3 (I date myself) and switched to using Art Clay Silver
a few years ago after volunteering to co-teach a class at the local art center here and that’s what they had ordered because they got a deal.  I’ve kept on with Art Clay Silver because it’s more readily available here.

Handcrafted Stonewear Pottery Beads by Adornyourself

YorkAvenueStudio:  What materials do you use to make jewelry?

Adornyourself:  I use mostly stoneware and porcelain to make pendants, beads, and other components for my designs, and combine these with many other materials including the metal clay, glass and semiprecious stones.
I have a passion for bead collecting and my favourites include artisan glass lampwork and African trade beads.

Hand Marbled Porcelain by Adornyourself

YorkAvenueStudio:  What was your first inspiration for jewelry design?  How did you decide to make jewelry?

Adornyourself:  Good question. I think my first inspiration for making jewelry was watching my dad work in his shop when I was a child.  We lived on a farm and he often repaired machinery and made or repaired horseshoes for our horses. I can still remember the smell of that shop and the old anvil and fire pit.  I was fascinated by the fire, the metamorphosis of the materials from molten to finished product, and the rhythmic pounding of the hammers used to shape those metals.

Now my inspiration is the textures and impressions that natural materials and images evoke.
I ‘m very inspired by the design courses I’m taking that are leading me to explore the natural geometry and symmetry that occurs in objects of everyday life and the world around me.

Porcelain Pendant by Adornyourself

YorkAvenueStudio:  What shows off your style the most in your jewelry designs?

Adornyourself:  I think my style (if I have one) seems to change and include something new and different every day. Making jewelry lends to the exploration of many materials incorporated in various ways to make a whole.  The whole is so often greater than the sum of its parts.

I have tended toward very simple designs when I use metal clay and more complex forms when I use stoneware and porcelain. I love using fired lustres and enamels to embellish porcelain and I would really like to explore this next.

YorkAvenueStudio:  Does your background in pottery lend itself to jewelry making?

Adornyourself:  Yes it definitely does.  Over the years, I’ve made many discoveries about metal and clay simply by experimenting with both materials and combining them.  Some have been utter disasters. Others have been quite beautiful, but difficult to replicate. Like throwing silver and copper clay into the raku  combustion can with my pots. Gorgeous pieces, but I’ve never been able to replicate them.

YorkAvenueStudio:  We talked once about the necklace that you made that you wear daily.  Tell me the inspiration for that piece?

Adornyourself:  I do have a piece of mine I wear all the time. When my daughter got married several years ago I made 2 very similar pieces so that we could wear them on her wedding day.  We both wear them a lot.

Special Wedding Day Necklace worn often by both Kathy and her daughter

YorkAvenueStudio:  With the price of silver almost 4 times what it was last year,  how is this affecting your designs?

Adornyourself:  The cost of silver has made it quite difficult to be really as creative as I’d like to be with the material. I am so much more conscious of the amount of material I am using that I think it inhibits the kinds of things I undertake.  I’m tending to want to go back to things I’ve abandoned in the past like working more with sheet and copper.

Adornyourself Craft Show Jewelry Display

YorkAvenueStudio:  What are some tips or techniques for working with metal clay that work for you?

Adornyourself:  I know this likely isn't really accepted, or proper, technique but I sometimes use a bit of liquid polymer to help condition my clay when I`m getting it ready to use,or to coat the clay if I want to have a clean line etched into green pieces. I found that it makes the art clay a bit easier to handle during its green state and does not affect the fired outcome at all. NOTE:  I have a big kiln with lots of ventilation so I do NOT torch fire the pieces because of the toxicity.

I often make my designs in clay before I make them in metal clay, that way I can get a good idea of what they will be like once I commit them to silver.

YorkAvenueStudio:  Tell me some things about you that you are proud of accomplishing, dared to try or on your Never Again list.

Adornyourself:  I was very proud to have had a “one person” show at our local art gallery several years ago.

Never try again: demonstrating torch firing at a local music festival and art sale.

Adornyourself Pottery Craft Sale Display

YorkAvenueStudio:  Do you participate in craft fairs or shows?  Stories to share, tips on booth

Adornyourself:  My main outlets for selling now are wholesale to shops, galleries, and maybe one major craft sale a year. I find our local farmer’s market and open houses through friends are my best profit generators.

I have done craft shows for many years and my stories would likely be a whole other blog post.

The funniest anecdote I can tell you all happened at a folk music festival last summer.  My adult children were helping me out at my booth when my daughter noticed a woman openly breastfeeding her baby while trying to sell her work.  They both made comments to the effect that they felt that the time and place were inappropriate when the fellow in the next booth to mine piped up and said, “ I remember your mother breast feeding you at this festival some 20+ years ago, don’t knock it, it gets the job(s) done.”  Total silence from my kids.

YorkAvenueStudio:  When you are not working with clay, what keeps you busy?  Other hobbies, interests, goals?

Adornyourself:  I love to cook and bake.  I’m a Food Network junkie and I constantly try out things on my husband and our youngest son.  I also love to garden and my husband and I have a big garden every summer.  We rent a booth at a local farmer’s market where we sell our produce, my pottery and baking, and of course my jewelry.

We have a dachshund named Cashmere who needs to be walked LOTS!

Goals: Finish my BFA…maybe? Keep creating…. Yes!

YorkAvenueStudio:  How can readers find you? 

Adornyourself:   My primary web presence:

Etsy Shop

http://www.adornyourself.etsy.com/

Flikr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stonewear/

Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=1342327795

If you are lucky enough to live near Kathy in Manitoba, Canada, here are some local shops and galleries that you may find her designs:

Poor Michael's Bookshop Art & Cafe
http://poormichaelsbooks.ca/

The Cinnamon Tree

934 Rosser Ave, Brandon, MB R7A 0L4

Dundee Designs
http://store.dundeedesigns.com/

Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba
http://www.agsm.ca/

***************************************



If you want to contact Kathy regarding her pottery and jewelry, please visit her shop on Etsy Adornyourself and use the contact link.

Now for the details on how to enter the Giveaway!

Contest runs from April 14th thru May 6th, 2011.  There are several ways to enter the contest.  Each point below will count for one entry, please leave a separate comment below this post for each of your entries, and your email so I can reach the winner.  If you'd prefer, send your comments to me by email.   Enter once or enter with all the possible ways! 

Followers of my blog will be entered automatically without a comment necessary!

Limited to US and Canada mailing address and must be over 18 years old.  Winner will be selected on May 7th and announced on my blog!  Revisit on May 7th to see the winner!



1.  Browse Adornyourself Shop on Etsy and mark your favorites with a "heart" and leave a comment about items you like.

2.  Browse Adornyourself on Flikr and comment on your favorite photos.
3.  Post a link on YOUR site to this Giveaway to spread the word, and comment below with your site link so I can visit you!

Have fun and Good Luck!  I've enjoyed introducing you to designer and artist Kathy McDonald and it was a pleasure to show off her pottery and jewelry!





Pottery Pie Plate Baking Dish by Adornyourself

Tiny Kitty Cat on Brick Wall Fine Silver Charm Pendant

Tiny Kitty Sitting on a Brick Wall (and PB cookies!) by York Avenue Studio

Can you tell I was in a baking mood?  I made Peanut Butter Cookies using the classic recipe from Better Homes and Gardens.  My poor cookbook is all in pieces and taped at the binding!

Using Silver Art Clay, I hand sculpted this little kitten to sit on a brick wall, looking up into the night sky at the stars and moon. There is a crescent moon on top and a hidden heart in the stars!

I like the uneven edges of this piece, which are smooth, but not cookie-cutter because I like the impression that the scene continues beyond the pendant. I pictured this design in a nighttime setting with the moon glowing blue and the pendant shining in the moon‘s reflection, catching the highlights. The hidden heart is just under the kitten’s left ear, upside down in the starry sky background!

Moonlight Glow of Blue on Tiny Kitty Highlighting the Details

About silver metal clay:
Metal clay is made up of recycled silver grains mixed with binder ingredients which forms the consistency of clay. The wet clay can be molded and shaped, then dried, fired in a kiln or torched, and the end result is 99.9 pure silver in the exact shape of the design! Because this is pure silver, without any alloy metal , the jewelry may lack the full strength of sterling silver but is a wonderful alternative for those with metal allergies. With care, pure silver jewelry will be treasured for a lifetime. People collect silver dollars, and this pure silver jewelry also makes a wonderful investment or heirloom piece.

I'd love to hear your comments!

Tiny Kitty Sitting on a Brick Wall Gazing at the Crescent Moon by York Avenue Studio

Winners Announced! January Challenge "My Favorite Place" Etsy Team Metal Clay Heads

Congratulations to the winners of the Metal Clay Heads Team Challenge! 

First Place Winner is "Mother and Child Pendant" by Ghislane of GS Creations!  Along with the privilege of issuing the next Monthly Challenge Theme, Ghislane now has "bragging" rights, as well as a photo of her design included in the Team Blog's banner!

To see the complete list of Challenge entries, photos and stories of inspiration, visit the Metal Clay Heads Blog:

http://metalclayheads.blogspot.com/

Metal Clay Heads Team Featured in Feb Issue of Beads And Beyond Magazine!

Selected as the January Blog of the Month with Two Featured Artists!!

Congratulations, My Brown Wren (Tammi) for your featured pendant New Beginnings Cross

Congratulations, FacciaFelice (Betty) for your featured pendant I Heart My Country

 Beads and Beyond Magazine has chosen Metal Clay Heads team blog  for the Blog of the Month and has published an article about the Metal Clay Heads in their latest issue (p68).   Two gorgeous jewelry pieces are included in the feature with spectacular photos to give you an idea of just how talented the clay metal artists are on this team, which has members in the USA, Europe and Austrailia.

Each member is also a shop owner on Etsy.com and their shops are filled with beautiful, unique, creative  jewelry designs.

Visit the Etsy shops, which are listed/linked on the Metal Clay Heads blog’s right column.
http://.metalclayheads.blogspot.com

York Avenue Studio is a proud member of the Metal Clay Heads Team on Etsy!

Metal Clay Heads Team Challenge “My Favorite Place”

Laissez les bon temps rouler! Let the good times roll! When is Mardi Gras?
Mardi Gras 2011 Dates : Jan 6th thru March 8th!

Silver Art Clay Mardi Gras Mask by York Avenue Studio

The Etsy team Metal Clay Heads has a Team Challenge every other month to create and submit an original piece of jewelry made from precious metal clay.  The January challenge was titled “My Favorite Place”.  This pendant was inspired by that challenge:

This is a fine silver pendant, handcrafted and designed by me to represent the Big Easy, the Crescent City, my Favorite Place, NEW ORLEANS!

This Mardi Gras Mask has a harlequin design, with a genuine Garnet gemstone and black and blue polymer inlay accents for color!  The 1 inch mask is .999 pure silver and has a matte white finish, like theater makeup, which is the natural oxidization from torch firing.  Hidden beneath the finish is the most shiny silver , the most gleaming metal of all precious metals.  I kept this “hidden” to keep with the theme of the Masquerade! While you are wearing this mask you can hold it up for a mini instant disguise!

My favorite place is New Orleans!  There isn’t anywhere in the world that I would rather be than visiting the French Quarter.  There are festivals almost daily for music, art, food, fun, history, etc.  Steering clear of Bourbon Street, I spend most of my visits there browsing unique shops that sell candles, art, perfume, jewelry and treats!  There are so many amazing people that work and live there and I will never get bored of the jazzy sounds, the spicy smells of Cajun food, the Pecan Prailines, the Coffee Shops, the lush green foliage, even the muggy heat!

If you go there, take the Jazz Steamboat Dinner Cruise or visit the Aquarium and the Zoo.  The St. Charles Streetcar is back now!  Visit the Garden District and the glorious Historic Homes!  Try a Muffalata sandwich with chopped olive salad on top and have a Bloody Mary for breakfast!  Got an hour, I’ll give you the short version of why I love New Orleans!

Silver Art Clay Mardi Gras Mask by York Avenue Studio