Pink Rose Necklace

Hardly a day goes past when I can keep my hands away from the clay. Granted I haven't made anything particularly exciting yet but I still enjoy making basic shapes and using them for something.

Today I cut a scalloped frame and made a hole. I have hung a rose charm from the hole. I think the rose would have better suited a deep red frame instead but I have only pink clay at the moment so I might as well use it.

The frame is on a pink suede cord. It is admittedly quite pink but I have a feeling it might brighten up a white top-and I wear a lot of white in the summer.

Not that summer feels anywhere close at the moment. Cold and changeable weather and lots of rain have made it feel more like February. I'm not fond of the damp and the cold so I'm checking the weather forecast every day and waiting for an end to this low pressure.

Plaited Clay Frame

I decided that my notice board looked rather empty and dull (I'm too disorganised to use it for its real purpose) so have started to decorate it. I made a little plaited frame from the polymer clay I've been using and painted it blue.

To continue the nautical theme I cross stitched a silvery grey anchor to go inside the frame.

The postcard was bought from a secondhand shop for 10p and is of a Finnish boat called The Fred. It was one of the last big wooden square-rigged sailing ships to be built.

I think they're far more interesting than letters reminding you of doctor's appointments and when your next bill is due.

Hanging Key Necklace

It seemed a shame to let my opened block of Fimo clay sit idle...so I got my tray and biscuit cutter out and came up with this necklace.

The frame is made from the granite Fimo I used for my bird necklace, also polished.

This open pendant has a key which hangs free in the centre (I feel like I've 'sold out' a little using the key motif. However I like them. And as long as I steer clear of butterflies I'll be ok). The chain is a broken necklace reused. Oh the joy of using opened/used/broken things to make something new  :)

The old postcard depicts Titania and Bottom from A Midsummer Night's Dream, which is my absolute favourite of Shakepeare's plays. I found it in a small antique shop in Maidstone yesterday and didn't hesitate to exchange a few coins for it. The shop has a whole box of old postcards so I think it'll be hard to keep away from there. I can't remember the name of it but will find out in case anybody is interested in old postacrds-they were probably a few hundred there!

The cutaway centre is currently awaiting its own transformation-hopefully by the end of the week.

Having grappled with jump rings for the last couple of hours I think it's now time sit still and watch Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. I don't usually enjoy romantic films but this one I love.

Bird Necklace: a Late Night Date with Fimo

I used to love Fimo/Prima when I was younger but forgot about it for years until I found an aisle of it in Hobbycraft a few weeks ago. It's very cheap so I picked up a couple of blocks in case inspiration struck.

Last night I had an idea to make a pendant and ink the images of birds onto it.

The clay is called granite and is grey with little black iridiscent grains (which don't show up in the photos!). I cut the shape, added a stringing hole and baked it.

I used a bird ink stamp for the bird shapes. I had to go over them with a Sharpie as the ink wasn't drying. I finished the pendant with a coat of clear polish.

I was going to string it on a metal chain but decided it'd look better on a cord so reused some black waxed cord instead.

I love images of birds but most bird jewellery I've looked at on Etsy favours cute/cartoon images of birds which I'm not so fond of, so I'm glad I've now got a bird necklace with the images of birds I actually love :)

C'est tout and I have fallen in love with Fimo all over again, at 30 years old!