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

3rd Place Winner! Metal Clay Heads: March Challenge - The Elements

Earth Goddess Amulet by York Avenue Studio

The voting is Closed - My Earth Goddess was voted ito 3rd Place!

The Etsy team Metal Clay Heads has a Challenge every other month with a selected theme and technique for members to create beautiful metal clay designs and the submissions are posted on our blog for everyone to vote!

Metal Clay Heads: March Challenge - The Elements: "Our theme this time is The Elements - Water, Fire, Wind and Earth. The required technique is using syringe or snakes when creating the desig..."

Here is how I created my entry into this Challenge:

Sketch up of idea as the design hit me initially

Maybe it was the oncoming of the full moon, but this idea just "hit" me and I grabbed a pen and the first paper I could find, which was the back of an envelope on the counter!  I wanted to create a special pendant for myself to wear daily, something sturdy and smooth, something that wouldn't jab my son when he jumped up on my lap and hugged me!

I recently lost my dad, less than two weeks ago.  He was in hospice in MI with just days to enjoy and I'm in NJ and didn't get there in time.....big misfortune and lost opportunity.

I also recently lost my doggy, about a week prior, and missing her hour by hour, still "hearing" her in the background only to re-realize she's not here.

Trying to stay positive has been tough lately, and these last events plus more....well, I decided to focus on what I have that is good and appreciate it.

This amulet represents the Earth Goddess, which to me means Motherhood.  I have 5 amazing children and I am surrounded by their love, which IS my life!  The swirls on this pendant would represent them.  In my final design, I used 5 spirals in her hair and on the back, I enscribed each child's Zodiac symbol for the month they were born.

The Blue Sapphire in the round moon being held high represents focus, protection, devotion and awareness:
"When misfortune is anow, wear the Blue Star on thy brow"

I made her face joyous, with eyes closed because that is how I laugh when I am with my kids, sometimes laugh so hard I'm in tears!

Earth Goddess Amulet with Blue Sapphire by York Avenue Studio

I used a rainbow patina on this pure silver pendant, but kept some areas shiny silver.  On the moon, there is a waxing crescent moon on the left highlighted in silver and also a waning moon on the right. 

The Earth Goddess Amulet Pure Silver by York Avenue Studio

I designed the pendant to hang so that the arms would stretch above the cord and hold the moon and star high.

I love my new necklace and haven't taken it off since I made it!

I hope you enjoyed this post and I'm so glad to share this story behind the scenes!
Kathy

Pearly Sea Scrolls Necklace - My First Attempt at Polymer Clay Beads

First Beads made with First Polymer Cane

I am speachless!  Seriously, I had no idea polymer clay could be sanded and polished.  I was always turned off by the matte finish, the imperfections, the "dollar store" look of anything I had dabbled in.  I made pen covers with the kids that were fun as a craft.  No idea that it wasn't done and the finishing would bring the piece to life.

I'd seen shiny polymer pieces, cute little mini food, cupcakes, fruits, but thought they were just dipped in clear polish.  I even saw tutorials on what gloss to dip them in and about air bubbles, etc.  I wasn't interested.

I am shocked and super excited!  I am experienced with polishing silver jewelry settings and know how to be maticulous and patient and get high shine results in my metal jewelry.  I had a pre-concieved notion that if I sanded polymer clay, it would be scratched, like sand paper on a formica counter or a scratch in plexiglass.

I am so eager to show off my first polymer pieces made from my first ever cane!  As I sanded the pieces, I felt the smoothness right away, but also saw the dull, powdery look and wasn't sold yet that this would be what I wanted.  I went from 400 grit to 600 grit to 1200 grit to 2000 grit.  Very smooth feel to the pieces, but not pretty looking.

Then it happened!  I plugged in my rotary tool and started to buff.  Voila!  Each piece became so shiny as if it was wet!  Wow!  I love it!  I also see where my sanding wasn't complete and my forming of the piece in the smushy clay stages shows my inexperience with blending seams.  But, I've polished rocks in my tumbler in the past and the natural imperfections looked just the same after polishing, like creases and crevices in rock.  Rock tumbling takes 4 weeks to polish, and I only spent about an hour on the clay beads!

Pearly Sea Scrolls Necklace by York Avenue Studio

Here is my creation with my new shiny polymer clay beads!  I really love the white swirls outlined in black.  The navy blue and brown swirls show better in person.  This design idea would look great with a nice navy suit and white blouse!  Black suit, brown suit, gray........

Pearly Sea Scrolls Necklace by York Avenue Studio

In my design I've added silver spacers around the pendant hole and at the top and bottom of the cylinder beads.  The bail is wire wrapped and hooks from back to front with a button half drilled pearl as a stopper.  I used freshwater pearls to string the necklace.  I really like the little connector that the pendant hangs from.  I stamped the back with my new logo stamp from the Charm Factory!

Pearly Sea Scrolls Necklace by York Avenue Studio

All this time these parts and supplies were just sitting in my craft boxes and just a bit of inspiration from my blogging friends, I was able to make a beautiful necklace for myself at no cost!  Amazing!

Hope you like my first challenge with polymer clay.  I'd love to hear your comments!
Kathy

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 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