“Your beads have the Michigan colors! You could sell these to Michigan fans easy!” ~Catalina
The other day I posted a photo of some Spliced Flower Cane beads made by Elizabeth-K, along with a couple of other wonderful polymer clay project pics submitted by Mary-G and Carolyn-F. In the comments of that post, Catalina couldn’t resist making the connection to one of her other passions besides polymer clay… sports.
Very beautiful! I love the purse charms, Carolyn! Elizabeth, your beads have the Michigan colors! You could sell these to Michigan fans easy! Since I’m an Ohio State Buckeye fan, Mary, your beads remind me of Ohio State! Yes, I got sports on the brain! ~Catalina
Isn’t it so fun how we can link polymer clay to just about anything and everything that’s important in our lives!? I love it!!
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Any ways… all this friendly chit chat inspired me to post a picture of my own version of some spliced flower cane beads. See photo above, at the top of this page. Based on what Catalina has told us, maybe I’ll have to start calling these Michigan Beads. Hey there are State flowers… so maybe there should be State beads as well :-)
The remainder of this article will be for Q+A. This gives me the chance to make sure everyone’s questions get answered effectively, and in a timely manner.
Q&A: Product Info – Caring for Polymer Clay Jewelry:
Hi Cindy! I am selling my first piece and want to include some information about precautions to use when wearing polymer clay jewelry (e.g. don’t spray perfumes or hair sprays near the pieces, etc.). Do you have any such verbiage I could use to include with this piece of jewelry? Thanks so much! ~Jenny-S
This is an interesting question Jenny. Not one I’ve had before, though I do know what you’re talking about.
I think, with any marketing materials you put together, it is important that your own voice shines through. This is especially the case when it comes to selling artistic creations such as original jewelry designs.
So with something like this, the verbiage really depends on what your style is. If you are selling Gothic Jewelry to young women, the way you word things would be quite different than if you were selling a string of pearls to an older lady.
Taking your style into consideration, just say something along the lines of…
Just like with all precious jewelry, polymer clay creations should be treated with care. Protect them from hairspray, perfumes, etc., and wipe with a damp cloth from time to time to keep clean.
Now, if you’re selling to Teens, say something more like…
Polymer Clay Jewelry Rocks, so don’t get gunk all over it. Hairspray, Gel and perfume will wreck it… so keep it away! If it gets grubby, clean with a damp cloth. Then get ready for all the compliments you’re gonna get!
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Hi Cindy, I have trouble knowing what colors to use together. I was talking with my Mother about this who does not work with PC but makes beautiful quilts and putting colors together just comes so easy to her. Point being can you suggest the name of a good color wheel to purchase. My Mother thought this might help me. Any thoughts on this would be most appreciated
Thank you so much in advance for all of your help.
Uuuuggggggs, Peggy
@Peggy Barnes: Peggy – Cindy’s color palettes are a great place to start. Each one has 4 colors that harmonize with each other. You could use all 4 in a piece or just a couple. She bases her colors on the colors she finds in nature. What a great way to go!
@ Peggy, I just bought a fabulous book that addresses color is a very specific way for polymer clay by Lindly Haunani and Maggie Maggio. “Polymer Clay Color Inspirations. Technigues and Jewelry Projects for Creating Successful Palettes.” It’s fantastic and gives a very good basis for color theory and some very good exercises that really gets you comfortable with how your colors mix and play together! It’s pretty inexpensive. About $22.
@Melinda Herron: Thank you for letting me know about the book. I just put in a pre-order for the DVD $26.25. I didn’t realize she had the book so I went back to look and it is out of stock. I can usually get more from a DVD, will let you know how I like it. The DVD is due to come out any day now. Thank you again for sharing this with me.
Thanks Caroline, You are right Cindy’s Pallets are the best place to start. I have been started to save them now. Before I would copy my recipes and file them away by color group. Until recently I have not been saving the newsletter with the pictures. I also thought a color wheel might help me make some colors of my own. I would love it if I could put a copy of Doug’s picture in my recipe box with the recipes. Until recent I just didn’t care about mixing my own colors or taking advantage of Doug’s wonderful pictures with Cindy’s magnificent colors. NOW I AM- Thank you Cindy and Doug the Dynamic Duo
Uuuuuggggggs to all,
How funny that you used your spliced cane as an example of combining sports teams (or school colors.) The first “real” project I made, after softening up some of my old, hard clay that had been boxed up for 5 years, was a spliced cane with my sister’s school colors! She teaches at an elementary school, and told me she’d be able to sell my jewelry if I made it in her school colors. Sure enough, it went over well with the other teachers, as well as some of the parents (who help at the school,) and even some of the kids. This was just selling by word-of-mouth, on the side, with a minimum of effort (sales-wise, I mean.)
What I’m trying to say is, this is a great idea that works! People are always looking for jewelry in their school colors, or for their sports teams. It’s an easy project to plan, too — the color-choosing step is already done for you! I used the spliced cane to make swirled lentil beads, then reshaped some in different ways. I used some of my existing bead stash to round out the jewelry, so the pieces were all a bit different. I made earrings, bracelets, and a few pendants. I only made two bracelets to start; my sister let the women try them on and get their sizes & closure preference. Then I made them accordingly (most wanted toggles, although one woman just wanted a stretchy one.) I made the all the kids’ bracelets stretchy, so they’d “grow” with them. I’m going to make different canes next year, so that there will be a reason to buy “new” school jewelry!
@Phaedrakat: I hope you can sell even more with the idea of using school colors. What is neat about doing this is a lot of men like things with their favorite team’s colors. So, you can make key chains, zipper pulls and even use the idea of the purse charms as rearview mirror ornaments. Now, to find the time to do it!
@Catalina: That’s so true! I kinda forgot about the men :( how sad! Key chains & zipper pulls work for men & women, and even the kids. They hang stuff from their backpacks, too. Oooh, you’ve really got me thinking here… Thanks for these great ideas!
The jewelry my sister sold was a first time “test” run. I’ve sold my jewelry before, but I only used store-bought beads. Now that I know people like my PC beads & they sell, I feel comfortable adding more items. I was thinking I had WAY too much of the spliced cane (I didn’t use Cindy’s tut.) But now with these new ideas, I’m glad I still have some left!
It will be awhile before I get started again. And I’ll still keep it small — I can’t be up out of bed long enough to make a large inventory. I’m planning to get a rock tumbler, though, which should help by cutting down on some of the finishing work. The less I have to do, the better!
Thanks, Catalina. I was wondering if you were going to start making things using your favorite baseball team’s colors, so I looked in your etsy store. You have the cutest Tiger’s bat! (Well, all your stuff is cute…) And I love how your doggie Daisy models the barrettes. LOL, on one of them you put **note: Daisy not included!
Baseball season starts pretty soon, right? You should make lots of Tigers stuff, then take it to the games with you. You could wear some yourself, and then when someone asks you about it, say, “I’ve got some right here!” Anyway, thanks, for the ideas about the other items, Catalina. Since they’re bigger, they’ll be easier to sand, too!
That is a cool idea about using the splice cane for making beads with school colors. I love the splice cane…I haven’t made one that I haven’t liked. I think it is the easiest cane for a beginner and you can use that cane for pendants, beads…you name it.
OH…and by the way…I received your package in the mail today! Safe and sound and you packaged it just beautifully! It was like Christmas all over again! I will be posting pictures of the beads on my blog tomorrow morning. It is pretty much ready to go. My blog: miramecreations.blogspot.com
Thank you so much Cindy! What a fantastic treasure!
@Lupe Meter: I’m so excited! I can’t wait to see the beads you won. I’ll be checkin’ out your blog bright ‘n early…
@Catalina: I overlooked the part about the purse/rearview mirror charms. That’s an awesome idea, too! I really need to get better & get busy! Thanks again!
You are welcome, Phaedrakat! As soon as my headsache goes away I’m going to play, too!
@Lupe Meter, what nice photos of your prize! Have fun deciding what to do with them. Thanks for sharing:)
@Catalina: I hope your headache’s better soon. Do you get migraines or something? Those are horrible… :(
Yes, I got migraines but some are related to hotflashes and coldflashes I get. I got a thyroid that’s going nuts. It really makes having fun with my clay troublesome at times. Today I have the freezing headache. It feels like I have a bag of ice on my head! It really is not fun. I got more tests to do with my doctor to see if we can get them to go away. Cross your fingers for me!
@Catalina: I sure hope your head is feeling better by now. I hate to think of you suffering—the “freezing headache” sounds horrific! I know what you mean about the flashes, though—well, just the hot ones. I hope you feel better super fast and that the doctors figure it out easily. My fingers are crossed for you. You wouldn’t believe how hard it is to type that way! ; )
@Phaedrakat: You are TOO funny!! I can tell your fingers are STILL crossed because I feel much better now!! THANKS!! You make me smile :)
I am wanting to make the Colorado Avalanche foot logo into a charm, but I cannot find the proper colors to do so. Can anyone help me create the perfect colors? I am using Sculpey III and Premo. Thank you for your time.
@Ashley: Sorry no one ever got back to you on this. I haven’t made a cane for this team before but after a Google image search I saw the colors on an Avalache Jesery so I may be able to help. It looks to me like you should be able to use Premo clay in the following colors to get your team colors: Alizarin Crimson, Cobalt Blue (Or a mix of Cobalt and Ultra Marine, I’d have to see the colors in person to know for sure), Black and White. Hope that helps!
Catalina I hope your headache has gone. hope your doctor finds out why you get them so you can have some treatment.
@Cheryl Hodges: Well, they are working in it but not fastest enough for me. I’m joining for ultra sounds and x-rays tomorrow maybe this will give me some answers. At least today I feel good enough to play with my clay! Thanks for asking.