The Bad: I was rushing to finish a few new pieces before the Klay Karma polymer clay retreat and I should know better. I got an email when I got home from the retreat because one of the pendants I had sold was cracked, and the crack was located right at the point where the holes are drilled through the bezel and as a result the cable or chain shows through the front. I am sure the problem happened when I drilled out the polymer clay filling. I was in a rush and didn’t take as much time as usual and didn’t double check everything. It’s an embarrassing lesson, but an important one.
The pendant came back to me for repair, which in this case meant replacing the inset polymer clay section.
I meant to take a picture of the cracked version, but I think I must have tossed it in the trash as soon as I got the new version made. Luckily I had a tiny bit of the striped cane left. I even had a smidgen of the cane end section to make Deana a pair of earrings to match.
(despite the photos, these really do match in real life. Purple is strangely difficult to photograph.)
The Good: We had a Guild Clay Day last weekend and I had a lot of fun laughing and running massive quantities of clay through my pasta machine. Since I have been on a real ikat cane kick lately, I thought I’d try my hand at some Susan Hyde style canes.
Instructions for this type of cane can be found in this book. I didn’t follow the directions completely in that I didn’t include glitter and embossing powder. I’m not much of a glitter girl and I’ve never had much luck with embossing powder. It was especially fun to make these canes at the Clay Day because I handed off my scraps to a couple of friends who tweaked them and turned out a bunch of Bottles of Hope. I think that’s the best use of scrap clay yet.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Those canes are great. It made me laugh, though. Whenever I want to make an ikat, I refer to that exact book. It is so full of information, and often overlooked.
oooo Libby, your canes are so luscious and so colorful! I have that book and have been meaning to try that cane technique for its yummy color possibilities. Thanks for the inspiration!
Thanks also for sharing your story about the crack in the pendant you sold. A good teaching for all.