The photo shows the real green leaf – as well as the metal clay leaf and word, both in the green stage.  Once it has dried overnight, I will file and sand a bit and also enlarge the holes through which the jump rings will be attached.  The word will be attached to the reverse of the leaf and then the piece will be popped in the kiln for two hours at 1650º F.  I will post a photo of the finished bracelet before I send it off on Monday.

Then, Judi Weers, a kind soul from a metal clay group* I belong to, suggested I try a common polymer clay (PC) technique.  First, a model is made from PC.  The model is then used to imprint another piece of PC to make a stamp.  The stamp is then pressed into the metal clay, leaving the imprint of the original model.  In this particular instance, the polymer clay molds did not give me the detail I needed with the 1/16th” letters.  But using the PC in making models and molds was a helpful exercise and I have great plans for it in the future with projects that don’t include lettering.  Thanks Judi!  I’m sure you will find Judi’s web site as interesting as I did – her jewelry is fabulous – and I really enjoyed seeing how she decorated her PT Cruiser!

Model of Perky's Paw charm in polymer clay

In working with PC for the first time, I drew on the experience of my dear friend Loretta, who makes beautiful jewelry out of PC.  I loved these whimsical pear earrings she made for a family get-together.  But I digress!  Loretta talked me through the nuances of the conditioning and baking processes and clued me in to “tricks of the trade” – thanks Loretta!  She will be opening a boutique on etsy soon – be sure you bookmark and stop by – she will be featuring her polymer clay creations, as well as her beautiful knit purses.

I am so lucky to have such talented and sharing artist friends like Judi and Loretta!

*MetalClay is a moderated group; if you have a genuine interest in metal clay, you may request membership.

The one thing that both necklaces have in common is the beautiful shimmer of the labradorite – you can see a little of the blue flash in the necklace below:

Make plans now to come to the Expo on Thursday, October 8th – you will find many fine women artisans, all under one roof.  Plenty of pretty things for your home, yourself and for holiday gift giving.  Part of the Expo’s purpose is to serve as a women’s networking forum – so if you own a business, make sure you bring business cards to share, as you browse.  Please come and say hello – leave me a comment below, for 20% off any piece of Maria Paray jewelry at the Expo – my treat! (charity pieces excluded)

]]> http://www.mariaparay.com/li-womens-expo/womens-expo/feed/ 5 http://www.mariaparay.com/jewelry-making/a-special-piece-of-jewelry-part-v/ http://www.mariaparay.com/jewelry-making/a-special-piece-of-jewelry-part-v/#comments Thu, 27 Aug 2009 02:08:32 +0000 Maria http://www.mariaparay.com/?p=917 My eyeballs are about ready to fall out.  I have been working on a very special piece of jewelry for three days now, trying to get it just right.

Here you see my set-up for making a polymer clay stamp that will be used to imprint metal clay.  The purple polymer clay, a clear roller and letters in a wood box are the main tools.  The cards are a low tech way to roll the clay out to a uniform thickness.  I put an equal number of cards on either side of the clay and as I roll, I keep the roller ends on the cards.  The clay, in between the cards, is rolled out to the thickness of the card stack.  Hey, whatever works!  The rest of the items are “tools” I’ve found around the house.  An old apple corer, a couple of lipsticks and stick foundation – all wonderful for making different size circles.  I’m always evaluating everyday items for something usable in my art -  wonderful textures and shapes are waiting to be found – one just needs to remember to look.

With tools in place and clay rolled, I cut out a circle, with a smaller concentric circle within.  Then the fun began.  I wanted to imprint “a dog leaves a paw print on . . .” circumferentially, on the front.  Sounds easy.  Well, here I am, three days later to let you know it isn’t!  Roll clay, cut out circles, imprint – and repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat – until it’s perfect.  Right now, my left engineer brain is fighting with my right artist brain.  The trial piece below looks pretty good at first glance.  But I see too much space between the letters in the word “leaves.”  So more rolling, cutting and imprinting until I come up with a “neat but organic” look that would make both sides of my brain happy.  I do like the paw!  The pink silicone mold I made was from a reduced size print of our dear Miss Perky’s paw.  It’s the real thing!

Have you figured out exactly which non-profit will benefit from this necklace, when it is complete?  I may have a little contest down the road, so start guessing!

The detail achievable with silver clay is incredible.  I’m going to love playing and creating with it.

Perky's Paw

Or I should say Perky finished another step!  Yep, this is my dear sweet Perky’s paw.  Not to worry, no puppies were harmed in the making of this print!  I had originally used a scanner to scan her paw, but with her black toes and black hair I couldn’t get a clear print.  Not her fault – after all, she is a Black Lab!  So I bought a non-toxic, water-based, easily washable ink pad and took her print the old fashioned way.  She was very patient and humored me, both with the scanner and the “fingerprinting.”

The largest print is her full-size print; I made reductions of this for the other sizes.  I will have to look at the proportions of all the components before I decide which size print I will be using.

Doesn’t Perky have the cutest little paw?  I’m glad I’ll have this print to remember her by, after she goes in for her Guide Dog training.  I may do this for all the pups I raise, from now on.

I don’t think you’ll be able to guess what charity this special piece is for.  There will be another clue in the next design post.

(All content copyright by Maria Paray and not to be used without written permission.)

Today I received the happy news that two of my pieces have already sold – in less than a week!  I am so thankful and the gallery is very pleased.  If you are in the area, stop by the gallery and say hello.  Although the shopping opportunities abound, there are also many other wonderful things to do in the Village.

Stony Brook Grist Mill

Don’t forget to pass by the Post Office as the great  mechanical eagle flaps its huge wings every hour, all day long.  Down the road a bit is the harbor and beach, a beautiful place to take a walk.  Up the road there is a huge pond, with ducks to feed and a historic Grist Mill to tour.

Continue up this road, a half mile or so, for The Long Island Museum of American Art, History and Carriages.  I recall wandering through an extraordinary Norman Rockwell exhibit, several years back.  The exhibits tend to be outstanding and I have yet to be disappointed by any.

If you are local, take a ride to Stony Brook Village on the next sunny day you have free – you won’t regret it!

• I currently own a studio large enough to accommodate my new business.
• I currently have the equipment to make beaded and wire-wrapped jewelry, as well as some pieces requiring metalsmithing. Everything will be designed and  handmade by me, with great attention to detail.  A piece doesn’t leave my shop unless I say it does.
• I have most of the major pieces of equipment necessary to work, including a kiln and flex-shaft. A wider range of hand tools is needed and will be purchased with profit that is put back into the business. Large equipment, such as a rolling mill is slated for purchase next year.
• All equipment and raw materials are available online with an estimated lead-time of less than two weeks. If one supplier is out of stock, I can always go to another. My supplies are not company specific, so there are no repercussions if a supplier goes out of business. This is an especially important factor, given the current economy.
• Manufacturing of jewelry would comprise about 70% of the work week; paperwork, web updates, photography, customer service and marketing would take up the remaining time.
• My cost of goods would include material costs, overhead plus a reasonable labor rate.
• My sales will be through several venues: my e-commerce web site, an Etsy site, private showings and retail through a high end art gallery. Each of these venues will draw on a different audience to view my jewelry, increasing the odds of purchase.
• I may have to revisit the shipping question after rates go up on May 11th, but so far, the best shipping value is insured USPS Priority mail. The USPS supplies the Priority shipping cartons for free. Delivery confirmation and a small discount are applied if I print the labels in my studio. Next day pick up service may be requested, at no extra charge, saving on trips to the PO. Although I must say, Perky and I do go to our local PO frequently – it’s good practice for her – plus they love her there!

Well, here we are in the home stretch of our Business Plan with just two sections left!

Next:  Financial Analysis and Projections

Marmalade by Kim Neely

These art glass beads were made by the very talented artisan, Kim Neely.  They are hollow, but substantial, with a beautiful apricot/caramel color.  The sparkle is beyond belief!  Just wait until you see what I conjure up with these.  If you appreciate these little gems, and would like to be awed by more examples of Kim’s fine work, check out her gallery.