Shells in a Tide Pool

Tidal Pool
Originally uploaded by River Valley Design

This beautiful pendant is made by Christi Uliczny. Christi hasn't named it, but I think it looks like shells laying in a tide pool as the bubbly currents wash over them. I absolutely love the color combinations! Christi writes, "I used lots of alcohol to dilute the colors and not too much pearl ex powders - the leaf really shows through." Christi has really made her way with her signature pieces like this one and has become a major fixture on sites like Claylessons and Voila with her wonderful tutorials teaching the rest of us the secrets to these beauties. Just the other day, I had a friend over who was wanting to learn how to use more inks and powders and what I feel comfortable with is caning, so I showed her Christi's tutorials and her eyes just lit up! She had me order one for her and made me promise to help her through it. I have no doubt she'll be an avid fan of Christi's - I know I am!  Besides finding Christi at Claylessons or Voila, you can find her work and tutorials also in her etsy SHOP or her BLOG.

Today is Day 4 in the voting for the current PCAGOE challenge.  Christi's piece is just one of many wonderful creations featured this month in the challenge.  Her work is always inspiring and if you're looking for that touch of inspiration also, check out the other entries and vote HERE.  Maybe you'll be one of the lucky 5 voters to receives a guild creation from our monthly drawing.


Today I revisit what first intrigued me about polymer clay - faces.  I think my first thoughts about polymer clay were seeing some beautiful face beads in magazines and wondering what they were made of.  They were simple and child-looking, but had a fun kind of magic about them.  So I picked up some clay and a basic book about it and tore into it.  I didn't start simple - no, not me.  I was determined to create faces without even knowing what I was doing.  Well, the first few attempts were a learning curve in cane reduction - especially since back then the only clays available were fimo classic, sculpey III, and Promat (do you remember Promat?  lol)  So most of my beginning canes were done in sculpey because fimo classic was just frustrating to work with for the novice I was.  And Sculpey always gave me the most wonderful expressions on the faces after reduction.   These canes are still mostly Sculpey III with a more durable translucent border.  This has become my children of the world line.  One that I will continue to add more faces to and change and adapt (but now with more premo and kato lol) - because it was what brought me into this wonderful polymer journey I am on.  I've learned so much since even creating these designs. Clicking on the images will bring you to their page in my shop! Thank you for reading all my ramblings! =)