Designs for the Season in Polymer Clay

A not so new medium being used by artists in the jewelry industry is polymer clay because of its pliable, bendable and sculpting polymer compound or synthetic modeling material, thus it is not really true clay. True clay has fine particles of silicate suspended in water, whereas polymer clay is fine particles of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) suspended in plasticizer, but it can be used much like clay.

 Polymer clay is formulated from polyvinyl chloride (PVC), dyes or pigments and plasticizer to keep it soft until heat cured. It is an acrylic art material and there are many brands available in the United States. All the polymer clay brands have been individually tested and certified as non-toxic art materials. Brands vary in how hard or soft they feel at the beginning of use and the softer clays are more brittle when cured, and the firm clays are more durable after they are heat cured. The working properties vary between brands and become a designer’s personal choice. Some brands or colors within brands contain white mineral clay that makes colors opaque; others contain mica that gives it a shimmer and shine to the clay. All polymer clays are thermal set plastics, meaning they are hardened with heat and do not become soft again after curing. Before being cured in an oven, clays are thermally reactive and become hard when cool and soft when warm.

  

What makes polymer clay special is its versatility for anyone who wants to let their imagination run wild. With the dozens of colors choices and a designer can blend clays together like paints into canes to make any color palette they desire. Since the color is inherent in the particles, you can also work two or more colors together without blending them, if you prefer, for special effects such as cane marbling or stoning. The clay's pliability and ductility let you use techniques from other mediums such as glasswork, textile arts and sculpture. And polymer clay doesn't dry out, so you can sculpt and form it without worrying about a time limit.

  

In these new designs we feature polymer clay beads; the necklaces are quite lightweight and another alternative for people who don’t like the big chunky styles seen in many jewelry designs today.

Wired Double Spiral Coil Pendant

I really like the double spiral coil and depending on what mandrel it’s coiled on, you can make it just about any size to fit any project. In these two designs I’ve spiraled on a large mandrel to get a both a medium and large focal pendent.

Designed in all natural Chinese turquoise, the center a medium double coil spiral is hand wired in silver non-tarnish wire. I’ve included a few smooth polished tube silver tone pewter beads as accents.

The colors of the turquoise are so striking, when I saw this strand in Tucson I just new that it would turn into something incredible. The mix of green mixed with rust, black, brown, toffee, and a hint of blue in some stones cut in a flat disk shape carry very well with this necklace.

This one is I’ve done the same double coil spiral a little larger than the first, also created in silver non-tarnish wire, again as the focal pendant. The necklace is then made from blue magnesite barrels and lampwork beads that are toffee background with red swish marks and silver tone pewter beads.

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Idaho’s Gem Owyhee Picture Jasper

Called King of the Picture Jasper Owyhee Jasper is colorful and popular picture jasper that probably derives its name from the Owyhee River. This material has been offered under several trade names including Owyhee Jasper Agate, Owyhee Junction Jasper, Owyhee Picture Jasper, and Owyhee Picture Rock.

Owyhee Jasper is basically petrified mud. There are three jasper mines within a mile of each other, the LED, Wildhorse and Rocky Butte. The Classic Owyhee Jasper has a wide variety of patterns and shapes. The jasper is known for its bright colored scenic patterns with and without blue sky. This jasper depicts desert scenes, high mountain ranges, winding roads and meadows or even the seas.

Where does Owyhee Picture Jasper Come From?

Owyhee Picture Jasper comes from the Owyhee mountain area, situated on the Idaho-Oregon border, along US 95 just south of Homedale Idaho. The Owyhee River begins in northern Nevada and flows north close to the Oregon - Idaho border. It eventually empties into the Snake River just south of Nyssa, Oregon, about 25 miles northwest of Jordan Valley, Oregon.

The river abruptly turns east for several miles, makes several loops and then turns north again. It finally flows into the Owyhee Reservoir. This is Eastern Oregon's high desert country in Malheur County and even spills over into Humboldt County, Nevada. Many types of picture jasper, plume agate, petrified wood, rhyolite, colored agates and saginites come from all these areas.

Owyhee picture jasper is a natural wonder depicting the great beauty of the earth it was born in.

This design features the famous Idaho gem, owyhee picture jasper in smooth polished rounds; the have been drilled on the diagonal to form the overlap, making designing with these types of cuts very difficult! I’ve hung a large puffy crystal heart in a light beige and the bail is many hand charmed crystal clusters, which area also in a few places in the necklace.

 

 

  

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Research material from mineralsnmore.com.

Enter Peruvian Pink Opal

Peruvian pink opal is relatively rare and is only found in the Andes Mountains near San Patricio, Peru. The pink opal derives its color from trace amounts of included organic compounds known as quinones. These opals range from opaque to translucent, and depending on how the stone is cut, the color will either be clear or show the stone’s matrix and inclusions. (Like agates, some Peruvian opals show the scenic fern-like dendritic inclusions.) Peruvian opal is also known as Andean opal.

Opal was formed many millions of years ago, when a combination of silica and water flowed into cracks and spaces in the ground. This then gradually hardened and solidified to become opal. Opals contain water, which makes them very sensitive to heat. They are soft and can be cracked or chipped easily.

Traditional Properties

Pink Peruvian Opal is a stone of love and gentleness. It brings energies of gentle love and kindness to both romantic relationships and relationships of other kinds. As with other opals, it also brings inspiration, imagination and creativity. It can help release inhibitions and brings happy dreams. It also eases the process of change.

This is an absolutely striking and very beautiful necklace; I just love the pendant it really sets off the whole piece. I started with a rare peruvian pink opal pendant that is highly polished, faceted and cut in a shape called the ax. It is really quite striking and one of my favorites. The base of the necklace is crafted of onyx cut on the diamond and then overlapped, between are several clusters of hand charmed pink faceted crystals. The whole set just says dramatic, chic, just sophisticated.

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More Signs of Fall

These new designs are sure to take on the fall fever! Check out our online shop at Ruby Lane to browse the available collection designs for purchase!!

 Deep rich carnelian donut squares that have handcrafted double spiral coil beads in non-tarnish brass wire; accented with picasso jasper, faceted round crystals and corrugated gold tone pewter spacer beads.

Dramatic yet fun necklace starting with a yellow agate cabochon wire wrapped by hand in non-tarnish shiny gold wire; accented with cracked agate beads in yellow with very definite black veins and faceted crystals.

Grandma’s Pearls Become Heirlooms

Family traditions or rituals are our link to the past, to our family present enjoyments, and to the hope that this special family will continue on in the future. Patterns of the way we do things do simplify life. I was asked to create a new family tradition of sorts. A while back I got a call from my mom with what I thought would be an easy request. She wanted to know if she sent me grandmothers’ pearls would I make something out of them for her to pass down through her family. The five strand necklace had long since seen better days and several strands had broken many years ago. It was a harder request than I originally thought, as when I received them I just couldn’t get past the thought of cutting up my grandmothers’ five strand pearl necklace.

Needless to say they sat on my working bench for some time until I got the inspiration after attending the International Gem & Mineral Show in Tucson (while passing numerous booths full of birthstones) to create something very unique and original from my grandmothers’ pearls…I would create birthstone necklaces using the birthstones of each family member. After months of trial and error in finding the right size and colors of Swarovski crystals, I finally got the inspiration and took the plunge to break up the five strand necklace. Much to my mom’s delight, I’ve finally finished the project and this is the result.

For My Mom (to the left):  The first set is my mom’s, it has all the birthstones of the family starting with my grandparents (center), my mom and dad on either side and up one side with my family (my husband, me, and my two sons) and the other containing my brother’s family (my brother, his wife and their daughter); between the pearls and Swarovski crystals are silver rondelle crystal spacers. Her bracelet reflects the same birthstones of the entire family in three separate strands. She will pass this set down to her oldest grandson.

For My Niece (to the right): The next set is for her granddaughter (my niece), this one is a little different as it reflects the generations of the family. As I was trying to figure out how to get the crystals coordinated it dawned on me that I had grandmothers and grandchildren so why not just do that.  On one side grandmother (my mom) to granddaughter (my niece) and on the other is grandmother (my grandma) to grandson (my brother); between the pearls and Swarovski crystals are silver rondelle crystal spacers. Her bracelet is the same generation of birthstones. She will pass her set down her daughter.

For My Sister-in-Law (to the left): The last bracelet is for my mom’s daughter-in-law and this one has all the birthstones of her family, my niece in the center with her parents on either side; between the pearls and Swarovski crystals are silver rondelle crystal spacers. She will pass her bracelet down to her granddaughter.

Still In Development – My Set: Not to worry, I got a set in development! My mother also sent me a couple of her pearl necklaces, which I’ll be taking a part and putting together with my families birthstones, her pearls and a mixture of other gemstones hooked to the antique clasp from my grandmother’s five strand pearl necklace. My set will be passed down to my youngest son.

Grandmas’ pearls come to life and given new birth, yet still reflect the generations of a traditional family….one heirloom created into several to be enjoyed for many generations to come between many family members. Who knows, maybe someday someone will add to necklaces for new family heirlooms.

 “If you look deeply into the palm of your hand, you will see your parents and all generations of your ancestors. All of them are alive in this moment. Each is present in your body. You are the continuation of each of these people.”

~Thich Nhat Hanh

Orthoceras Fossils Go Wired

Orthoceras or "straight horn" is a genus of extinct nautiloid, which lived from the Ordivician to Triassic (251.4 to 390 Ma) it, is a cephalopod and is also called Orthoceratites. Orthoceras fossils are common and have a global distribution, occurring in any marine rock, especially limestones. These are slender, elongate shells with the middle of the body chamber transversely constricted, and a subcentral siphuncle. The surface is ornamented by a network of fine lirae. Although it has an external chambered shell like the Nautilus, Orthoceras is probably more closely related to coleoids.

I really like using the orthoceras fossil because it goes very well with designs in black to red to white. With the pendants one side is polished and shows the squid fossils, the other usually left a little raw to show sort of a before and after of the pendants.

  

In this design I’ve used a nice large orthoceras fossil and mixed it with smooth onyx stones, pewter silver textured square beads, Swarvoski Black Cosmo Crystals, and red coral disks.

 

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