Visions in Amber & Lapis

Amber/Lapis
Originally uploaded by studioschiek

I'm in love with the colors and sheen on this necklace. This necklace was made by Arlene Schiek of StudioSchiek and is my first featured piece in July's PCAGOE challenge. Arlene has more than a decade of experience in polymer clay and much of her work reflects nature - incorporating seeds, pods, fossils, and natural stone forms. I especially like her foray into sculpture and her goddess vessels. They have such a creative primitive feel to them! Arlene has definitely earned the right to be called an artist. Her work is stunning. You can view more of Arlene's work on Flickr or browse her shop HERE.

The PCAGOE challenge for the month of July is Faux. There are so many wonderful creations this month and you can vote on your favorites HERE. Voting goes through July 7 and 5 lucky voters win a prize from our fabulous prize pool. Here is the rest of this months entries!




1) Tide Pool Pendant by BeeTreeByMe
2) Faux Raku Pendant and Beads by RiverValleyDesign
3) Faux Chinese Turquoise and Antique Copper Necklace by SCDiva
4) Faux Pebble Bracelet by OneandOnly
5) Faux Turquoise and Pebbles Bracelet by CraftsbyCAG
6) Faux Amber and Lapis Lazuli Necklace by StudioSChiek
7) Faux Opal, Bronze and Coral Necklace by RMKDesign
8) Faux White Leather Cuff by 11BoldStreet
9) Faux Serpentine Necklace by VyaKyasha
10) Oriental Totem by JanGeisen
11) Faux Venitian Glass Mosaic Pendant by PatiBannister
12) Faux Cinnebar Trinket Box by JKollmann
13) Faux Jade Pendant by KellyPlaysClay
14) Faux Rock Box by ArrowdaleArtStudio
15) Dagwood Sandwich by Polyclarific
16) Faux Jade Fish by ThePleasantPheasant
17) Brick by Brick Necklace by HiGirls
18) Faux Amber Beads by MarciaPalmer
19) Fe Faux Necklace by LaurelSteven
20) Faux Stained Glass Votive Candle Holder by ClayCenter
21) Imitation Lapis Lazuli Beaded Cabochon by MirameCreations
22) Faux Amethyst Agate Necklace by BlessedBeadJewelry
23) Faux Southwestern Mosaic Inlay Tin by RenGalSA
24) Faux Dichroic Glass Polymer Clay Beads and Pendant by PolymerClayCreations

Here is a close up of my entry! This was fun and I think I learned a lot while doing this. I wanted to make it look like an inlay piece between the borders of silver. Experimenting with different mixtures and adding different color and texture to the different ‘faux’ inlay stones was a learning experience. I never knew what would happen with the final result and decided that with faux stone - especially the malachite - you can never use enough translucent. The color takes it over and you just get more ‘glow.’ The stones used for most inlays are matrixes - splashes of color held together by resin. In this piece yellow jasper, coral, lapis, and turquoise. My one exception was the malachite where I wanted to play with the layering and add an extra design element. I made a fun big cane and will probably use it for other fun designs as well.