The Art Of Pmc Clay

 Hello and Happy Wednesday all... I recently spent time with my Bestie in her art studio and she was happy to teach me the art of pmc clay. I just love being in her studio it's so inspiring when we get together in her studio we have so much fun bouncing ideas of each other. Our ideas just start flowing along with the vino hee hee, gotta have vino while getting busy creating. I have even more respect for handmade things than I already did before, wow a lot of time goes into making these bangles, not to mention the rising cost of silver. So here is a little recap of the process of making these little pretties... First you start of by rolling out your clay( pmc is precious metal clay) it's a process of firing the clay in a kiln and applying special material to the clay, amazing when you put your piece in the kiln it comes out as fine silver piece, now there are other steps in between but i won't bore you with all those other details. There is sanding the piece, polishing the piece etc... I also made the bangles (stef soldered them for me( which I am going to learn that next. I hammered each bangle and sanded and polished each one. I really enjoyed each process of making these bangles. I have some more ideas for my clay so stay tuned I will post those next! So here is a quick little step by step of the whole process, minus a few steps in between.
First step roll out your clay...

Punch out your pieces

Let your pieces dry

 Have a little glass of vino in between....

Friend and wonderful teacher

Finished beachy bangles I absolutely love how they turned out and I am proud to say I designed and crafted them myself!

“In art the hand can never execute anything higher than the heart can inspire” Ralph Waldo Emerson

Turquosie Pillows and Driftwood Beach Sign

 Hello and happy day to you! I have been a crafting fiend lately I just got back from the ocean and that always get's me inspired to make beachy things.

 So I was at the craft store the other day looking for something completely different for a totally different craft project and I came across these cute little flower embelishments . All you need for these cute little pillows is the little white daisies which come without centers, scrapbook brads (those are the cute little centers of the flowers and some ruffle ribbon and ribbon glue. Just poke the little brads through the center of the daisy and glue on, it's that simple! There are a million adorable little flower embelishments and brads to chose from. Of course I picked turquoise because it's my favorite color if you have not figured that out yet.

Meausure out your ribbon and glue on.... project complete. I just love them,now all I need is a new white cushion for my wicker couch I just painted, it used to be black. I love when I can re use something I already have on hand cheap and a great way to recycle things. I also made this drift wood beach sign. My husband found this awesome piece of wood at one of our local lake Michigan beaches I L*O*V*E it if you look close enough you can see all the rusty nails I think that makes it look like it has been around for awhile and weathered and worn. I like to think  maybe it was part of a dock? or someone's deck? what ever it is I love it. For this I just bought some cardboard letters, painted them turquoise glues them on along with some little starfish. Oh and what do you think of my new floor in the sunroom? we painted the floor gray and did sort of a whitewash effect. I absolutely love how it turned out, thanks stef for help on the technique.

 

I'm off to make more pillows and a few other little craft projects,check back later I finished making some pmc bangle braclets just need a few more pics in the sunlight then I will share them. I am so excited to show you them. My friend taught me how to work with pmc clay and I have some other ideas I am working on ,can't wait to share them. Until we meet again I hope you are inspired to get busy crafting... What are you up too this spring and what has inspired you recently?

Hope you have a great weekend

Happy beachy blogging!

Drift Wood Candle Holder & Spring

 So we had a beautiful spring weekend here in the midwest! We reached 80 degrees woo hoo! I had so much energy I spent the whole weekend buzzing around the house and yard just tinkering away. The fish and frogs are finally getting active in my pond. So the pond doesn't look so great this time of year but I always like to post the before and after of the pond, it is quite a transformation. Spring is so exciting especially after a good rain , I love the smell , I think it intensifies all the other spring time smells. So remember this pic of my pond and stay tuned for when it is in full swing.I will post more pics when everything is happily a bloom :-)

 Look at Mr. Frog he happily greeted me with his presence this weekend. He even started up his croaking ! I think spring is has finally sprung ! So in honor of spring and the spring rain I went out and picked up these rain boots, I think they are just so happy, cute and practical! They are perfect for tinkering in the garden and pond.

 Speaking of happy things when I walked out into my alley these happy little daffodils were just waiting to say hello. I just love spring flowers. Take time to notice the small things in life, for it's the small things that so enrich our lives. So now onto one of my little projects .... Driftwood  I recently went to South Carolina to visit my sister and we made a trip to Hunting Island State Park and let me tell you I found a truck load of driftwood. You would have thought I hit the lottery that is how excited I was!!! I am telling you the possibilities are endless for craft projects with drift wood.

I just glued some drift wood to a vase I already had and threw in some seaglass and a candle that's it, it doesn't get much more simple than that. I have some other ideas for all this drift wood too... stay tuned I will post pics . I hope you had a great weekend and were able to get out and enjoy the beautiful weather. My heart was so HAPPY let's just hope it's here to stay!

"All through the long winter, I dream of my garden.
On the first day of spring, I dig my fingers deep into the soft earth.
I can feel its energy, and my spirits soar."
-- Helen Hayes

I've Been Featured

Hello & happy Tuesday !
I just got back from visiting my sister in South Carolina for spring break and while I was there I was tinkering with my blog and came across a happy little surprise. I was chosen for a Versatile Blogger Award, that just made my day ! I was given this award by Emily over at http://girlof1000faces.blogspot.com/   

Now I am supposed to thank the person who gave me the award, THANKS Emily  

Tell you 7 things about me... 
1. I am obsessed with the color TURQUOISE
2. L*O*V*E the ocean
3. Have swam with Dolphins
4. Have backpacked 13 miles in one day with a 50 lb pack!
5. Have an Airedale Terrier named Molly
6. Married to my best friend for 17 years
7. Skin cancer survivor

My pics for The Versatile Blogger Award ...

Art at elements 422 

Walk where you like your steps
Xpose photos
Beach house etc. 

Love of the sea
Chic coastal living
Charleston cycle chic
Eat it drink it

Now I have to contact all the bloggers I chose for this award!

Oh and stay tuned I just got back from vaca so I will have a ton of beach pics to post! Yippie.

Hope you are having a good tuesday and always remember to give props to all those creative people out there! Inspire and be Inspired...

and as my good friend always says PEACE , L*O*V*E & ART !

I just love that quote.