Kitty's got a brand new collar. This lid features a single slice from a millefiori cane of a cat's face. The cane was reduced to the desired size before cutting. This was set over a textured black clay background and framed with a pewter ring. Low profile spiked studs are attached along the rim to simulate a pet collar. This lid honors all the pet lover's out there!
This is another of my favorite canes from years back. I've used the last little bit to make today's lid. The flower always reminded me of hair scrunchies. It's a simple design but eye catching. The clay background was stippled with a ball tip stylus after the flower cane slices were embedded onto it. A striped border made from scrap clay adorns the rim. The bright colors suit my mood and the season.
In tribute to firefighters, police and other selfless public service men and women everywhere, my hat's on (this lid)! I chose today to create this theme in honor of my son, Nick's Birthday. He is currently training with Dallas Fire and Rescue. I'm so proud of his accomplishments and path in this life, though a mother does worry! He and his other three siblings are all amazing and accomplished in their own right. His artist sister - Anne, had her tribute lid appeared January 21st (her birthday). Two kids down, two to go this year; my October babies! The antique fireman's helmet and axe charms were terrific finds I discovered at the Sandy Schor booth at the Tucson GLW show earlier this year. These are set amid mini polymer clay "flames," and underscored with a clay "fire hose." A miniature firefighting emblem is set in the center/front. I made this on white polymer clay using my blank Waterslide Image Transfer paper and Magic Glos UV resin. Happy Birthday son!
Simple yet striking; this iridescent clay daisey was made quickly and easily after applying Pearladescent foil to green clay and cutting it out with the small Daisy Embossing cutter. A simple millefiori cane pattern serves as a tone-on-tone background. SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS highlight the center of the flower and are spaced in yellow, clay frames in between each gradient, millefiori cane slice along the foiled rim.
This time of year is not only my favorite, but one of my busiest as I prepare for the Bead and Button Show (June 1 - 10, 2012) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It's the world's largest consumer bead and workshop event. It's an honor to return for my 8th consecutive year to teach five workshops in polymer clay and SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS design including Viking Knit, Epoxy Clay, and kinetic components. I have tons of crystals to count and kits to prepare. I am also meeting up with the folks at Carmex. It will be great to show them some of the lids in person. My little bee is sculpted out of polymer clay and framed with gold leaf over more clay. The background is a millefiori mirror cane and the rim is textured clay to resemble honeycomb.
...for my hubby -Allen's Birthday! Yee Haw!!! It's my one of my favorite days darling husband - the day you came into this world! I hope this lid expresses how much I wish you the happiest of birthdays and every day my love! Being an aficionado of all things Western, I knew long before this day that the lid I made for May 15th would be accordingly themed. On my travels earlier this year, I came across a booth at the Tucson Gem and MIneral Show (at the To Bead True Blue event) that featured loads of vintage buttons and findings. Low and behold, I discovered a small number of these copper Conestoga Wagon charms. Upon seeing them I immediately had a vision for a jar and knew it was the perfect creation to feature on your birthday. The polymer clay base layer is patterned to resemble dried prairie grass. The barbed wire was hand sculpted from polymer clay as is the crackling campfire. I hope you enjoy this jar as much as you do on your special day. You have all my love and my heart with thanks for supporting, encouraging and inspiring me and all I do!
There are few pleasures I love more in life than reading and nothing beats a great book! Okay, I may be biased but I recently finished my brother's (David Freed) first novel. It was so entertaining, I read it in a single sitting! I've been waiting for this for years. This isn't my brother's first rodeo, er I mean book. His first book - a humorous collection of fictitious letters to real people and companies - Dear Ernest and Julio...The Ordinary Guy's Search for the Extraordinary Job (St. Martins Press), is as an absolute side-splitter. While it's currently out of print, if you're lucky enough, you can find a copy available on Amazon. Even though my very talented brother (who's also a Pulitzer Prize winning investigative journalist and screenwriter) has typically covered serious news and topics in his illustrious career, he is the funniest person I know! Just handing out with him is bound to induce prolonged bouts of hilarity. His first Novel - Flat Spin (The Permanent Press) is not only suspenseful, but peppered with his quick wit and plenty of humor. It debuts tomorrow. I have to say I was sad to see it come to an end but I'm told this is the first in a series. All I can say is that I hope there are many more to come. Bro, if you're reading this, I have a feeling that you're going to be incredibly busy for a very long time! When is the movie version coming out and do I have any say in who should play the starring roles? In homage to your success and new novel, I offer this lid with a miniature version of your book and good cuppa Joe. What could be better? Rock on brother dearest!
Mom! Happy Mother's Day to my wonderful mother who sacrificed so much for me and my brother, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Your unconditional love shaped me into who I am today and paved the way for my happiness. To my children, my eternal thanks for making me the luckiest mother on the planet. To my girlfriends who show what it means to be a mother (you all know who you are), giving their all for their kids; I admire you more than you know. Last but never least, all my love and gratitude to my wonderful husband who made me that lucky Mom. I've been blessed to have you by my side every step of the way in this journey called parenthood. It is for all of you who I love beyond measure that I made this bouquet of clay flowers. I hope it expresses the depth of my love. The hand-sculpted polymer clay roses, daisies and tulips sit atop a textured clay base and rim. The letters were tiny monogram earrings. I clipped the posts off and embedded these into the clay.
Love is the word! This antique bakelite Scrabble tile is framed with solder and set over a stamped clay base. I loved the natural distressed patina the tile had when I found it. Millefiori cane slices anchor the tile. Along the striped rim are miniature image transfers over clay of Scrabble tiles made on my DIY waterslide transfer paper.
A visage with a "Mona Lisa"-like smile peeks out from a flower of staggered milleifori leaf cane slices set over a textured clay base. A rim with multi-colored stripes rims the lid. The image was made using my pre-printed waterslide transfers (from the "Fine Art" collection) and covered with Magic Glos UV resin to create a rounded, cabochon effect.
