Simple-To-Make Polymer Clay Beads Are Often The Most Popular Ones
Creative Ideas For Marketing Your Bead Jewelry To Niche Markets:
Often the most popular bead shapes or designs turn out to be the ones that are the easiest to make. How great is that… especially if you are new to polymer clay bead making and wondering if this is something you are going to be able get good at. Well I'd like to encourage you to move past any fears or reservations you may have. Many of the techniques are simpler to master than you might think.
Today's bead in the photo above is another in my "simplicity" series. It evolved from the very same slicing technique used to create the sliced heart shaped bead shown in yesterday's post.
My daughter was quick to point out that this new bead shape looked a lot like a 'D' and a 'C' sitting next to each other. Kind of fitting since these are the initials for Doug (my husband) and I. So let's refer to this one as the DC Bead.
Actually, it would be a great bead to incorporate into jewelry pieces or pendants for the young skater fans of the popular DC Shoe brand. These "extreme" shoes are worn by skateboarding, snowboarding and surfing guys and gals throughout North America and probably around the world. Does this give you any ideas for selling your jewelry to niche markets? It should.
Anyways…. my DC bead design is made by starting with a small ball of polymer clay covered with slices from a polymer clay cane (a blue gingham cane in this case). The ball is formed into a football shaped bead and then sliced at both ends. Now separate and pinch the ends together to create the D and the C configuration.
The neat thing about this bead shape is that the hole can be pierced from either the side or from end to end, giving it a completely different look when strung. And just like the sliced heart bead from yesterday, the contrasting color of the bead core, is revealed when you slice into it.
Besides looking like the letters D and C, this bead also has a stylized butterfly look. So if you prefer, it could be called a butterfly bead too.
Either way, if this DC or butterfly polymer clay bead is one that you would like to add to your bead collection, let me know and I'll add it to the video list!
Filed Under: 06: Bead Shapes, 07: Cane Work, 16: Sell Your Stuff by Comment. 
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Comments on Simple-To-Make Polymer Clay Beads Are Often The Most Popular Ones
10:42 am
I used black as my contrast color in the center of this bead. Using a different color would give it a completely different look. An interesting idea would be to make several beads using the same cane but different colors in the centers.
10:06 pm
Just a short note to say thank you. I recently became a member and bought all your back issues and courses and am really glad that I did so. I love your style of tuition. You are clear and informative and the quality of video is great. I have bought so many books and watched other videos, but you have taught me so much more. Here in Australia the tutorial level of polymer clay that I have come in contact with is not great and very expensive. I now can proceed with confidence and I have a permanent resource to check with if I falter! I look forward to further tuition and thank you again. All the best. Cara
3:43 pm
Cara thank you so much for your kind words! It makes me super happy to know that I am able to help you learn how to make polymer clay beads from pretty much the other side of the world from you! Anything else I can do to help would be my pleasure, just ask! Take care!