March BJP

I must admit, I have really struggled with the Goddess for March.  The first half of the month wasn't memorable at all although I did make some progress with getting out of the house a few times.  Then, around the end of the second week, we found out that Steven was going to have to leave home for work on short notice to cover for the manager of another pub who was off sick.  This other pub is around a 2 hour drive from our house so if he isn't finishing till gone midnight and has to be back there for 9am the day after he really can't get home in between.  He was away for 4 days the first week, 5 last week and that looks like continuing for the foreseeable future.  It has made me feel very much on the edge and I have struggled a bit with it.  I couldn't see what to bead to express myself and kept putting off starting on it.  Then yesterday, Mother's Day here in the UK, everything changed.  Kieran bought me the most beautiful little planter filled with bright pink cyclamen and a painted box frame full of really pretty butterflies made from beautifully patterned paper - all picked out and paid for by himself.  It made my day!

The Goddess that grew from my newly discovered good mood is pretty and happy and feminine.  Born out of the love between mother and son.

I made the cabochon for her belly from a photograph of the cyclamen for my present so I will always have a reminder of them.  The heart is a clear AB one - light and bright - and has a lacy edging.  She has a flower embellishment on her head to represent the cyclamen flowers, and the butterflies are a reference to the picture part of my present.

I am really pleased with how she turned out and she will be a lovely reminder of a special day.  :oD

I wonder what April will bring...

More Faces

So, I'm still playing with the clay.  I haven't picked up my beads in almost a week!  :oO

These are the latest face cabochons.

I asked if my friend wanted them all to be realistic looking but she said not so I've given some of them a real fantasy look with odd coloured eyes and lips and I've added crystals to a few too.  I am having lots of fun with these at the minute although I am missing my beads.

Embellished Face Cabochons

I've been working on something new lately and have just got the first few finished.  A friend asked me if I could make her some polymer clay face cabochons, but turned to the side instead of straight on.  I found a mould that had a face in profile and, when it came, I made one face but realised it would be too big and the wrong shape for what I needed so I adapted it and cured it, then made my own mould from two-part silicone.

Using my mould gives me a basic shape to work with and from there I embellish the face with all sorts of small bits and pieces to give it character, then cut around the edges and cure it in the oven.  Once cooled, the details are painted on and allowed to dry, then they are varnished on the front to give them some protection and keep all the colours nice.

What do you think?

 

Each one takes around 3 hours to make so they are quite time consuming but worth the effort.  These ones are destined for my friend but hopefully I will be selling some through my Etsy store soon.  If you have any ideas for decoration/themes please let me know.  If I get enough suggestions before the end of next week (15 March) I will do a draw and the winner will get their idea made up for them.