I can't believe week five is done! I had some help this week from the grandpuppy! When we would go on our walks I kept an eye out for things I could make charms from. I took a page out of my niece, Leanne's, playbook and wire wrapped a cool piece of bark. I also did a couple of polymer clay beads from leftover clay on the table and a great orphan bead. The new charm swap is video games so tried my hand at the "1 up mushroom" from Mario Brothers. He didn't make the cut for the swap, but made a great Charm a Day! The last one for this week was my celebrate with butterfly. That is a postage stamp on a wood piece with a resin coat on it. I had a little problem since the piece is slightly rounded so had a little drip issue, but it cleaned up pretty good. On to week number six!

Where does the time go?

Where does the time go? Week four is already here and gone! This week was really a mixed bag of charms. I did a little Steampunk ladybug and a celebration hamburger. Tried to do a kitty head, but sort of looks like an owl, but I guess more kitty than owl so I guess okay. The pink with the white heart is an easy little trick. Cut out the center with a little cookie type cutter and replace with a different color using the same cutter. Looks cool and sort of like a slice of cane, but easier and uses up some of the leftover little pieces of clay on my work desk. The last two with the black and white flowers are leftovers from a project using black and white cane. Sort of inspired by Zentangles, but I am calling it Clay Doodles! I covered a couple of Altoid tins and one of my clay tools with the black and white canes and they turned out pretty cool. I really like the contrast of the black and white and then on the tins adding the black bottom.

Week three is already gone!

I finished my third week of Charm a Day! Looking back at the week, I used polymer clay more than anything else. That is what I like the best I guess. Of course, we had July 4th fall in there and had to do something to match the day. I had some leftover striped cane from the Patriotic Swap earlier, so it worked out very well for the heart and added a the beads and tada, a charm! The little frog was from trying out making my own molds using paper punches. Gave him a little lily pad to sit on and he turned out to be one of the cutest charms this week. He just makes you smile! I also tried a little Steampunk. Sort of copied the idea for the charm from sis. She is a Steampunk diva! Had to give it a go and I like the way it came out. Well, I have two already done for week four! 24 charms so far! This is way too much fun!

Second week of Charm of the Day

Okay, I know that I am almost done with week three, but here is week two for my Charm of the Day. I did a variety this week, from polymer clay to orphan beads and a tiny snail on the leaf made from a tiny charm fork! I have a little cup on my work table that I have been throwing "orphan" beads into and when I can't think of something I look in there and usually come up with something! I have been wanting to try the fortune cookie out of the Making Mixed Media Art Charms and Jewelry book so I was able to do that this week. I had made a fork snail with a regular size fork and wanted a smaller one, but it was too small for a charm, so I made the polymer clay leaf for him to sit on.

I love a challenge!

I really love a challenge! My sister asked for a "Gourdgeous Girlfriend" done like a monkey for a friend of hers. I said "sure, I can do that". Well, I did it and I love him! She liked him, too. A few months ago my daughter in law was looking at the gourds I was playing with and she thought one looked like "Mr. Peanut" and asked if I could do that. "Sure, I can do that". Well, I finished him today and I really think it looks like Mr. Peanut! The body is the small gourd she picked out and then it is covered with polymer clay. The arms, legs, hat, are all polymer clay. I painted him the yellow color and painted on his eye, nose and mouth and the Mr. Peanut on his hat. I couldn't seem to get the monocle chain-thing right and the clay kept breaking and ended up using a piece of very small cording. Worked like a charm. Anyway, she will be getting this Friday night as one of her Christmas presents. Shhhhh....don't tell her it's done! Merry Christmas to everyone and hope you have a wonderful, creative 2011!!

Here is the one we did for our Mom. It is a little larger, so Lisa added another sheep and an adorable donkey! Way too cool! I am showing it out of the gourd so you can see the detail. It is hard to get a good shot of it inside the gourd! We are giving it to her tomorrow. Can't wait to see what she thinks!

Day 13 and a little time to post!

Wow, I can't believe it is November 13th already. Christmas will be here in no time. Well, since the last post, I have made 40 bead dangles from the polymer clay beads, and have 7 more Gourdgeous Girlfriends just about done! I have to just finish their backs with the pin backs and bag them. Three of them are for special orders for next week, so am glad to have them ready to go! I really like how the sheep turned out! She has polymer clay ears and then she has beads on for her wool put on just like the snowmen, one by one!! But the end result is so worth it! We have two art/craft sales this week, so I am hoping to get a few more done, but not sure where I am going to find the time. It has been crazy busy and looks like it will be for a while longer.

Okay, I am really bad at this "blog" stuff, but am going to try and do better. I have Art Unraveled next week and have been busy working on charms for a charm swap and extras for trading. I will post some photos when I get them done. I have also been doing some more with gourds. Not much, but some. I did another doll. This one I worked with a couple of gourds and covered it with polymer clay. I also did an ornament with clay for a "Christmas in July" swap at the patch meeting this month. I need to get the camera out and get some photos posted, so keep checking back and hopefully you will be able to see some of my projects!

Could I get a few more hours, please?

There just are not enough hours in the day, is there? I went to my first gourd festival in Casa Grande on Friday and there are just so many things I want to try. I can combine gourds with polymer clay (yeah!) as well as beading and other things I already do. I loved the jewelry some of the artist made using gourds. I took a wood burning class a couple of weeks ago and really enjoyed that. I burned a humming bird and then painted the design. So by painting in that class, I had an idea of what kind of paint I wanted to buy while at the festival. I also picked up a couple of wood burning pens. I also found a book of designs and one for beading on gourds, so now I need to find the time! Happy crafting!