6 Videos #309 to #314: Take your $5 cabochons to the $40 level by following some simple and important advice!
I have said this a Gazzilion times, but one of the coolest things about polymer clay is that you can make it look like just about anything! And that includes doing a great job of imitating real stones.
One type of semiprecious gemstone that is particularly fun to copy in polymer, is Jasper. It is fun because there are so many forms and colors of Jasper, that no matter how yours ends up turning out, there will be a type of Jasper that looks exactly like it!
Just Google ‘Jasper Cabochons’ and you will see what I mean. There is Red Jasper, Brachiated Jasper, Picture Jasper, Ocean Jasper, Fantasy Jasper, Leopard Jasper, Butterfly Wing Jasper, Poppy Jasper, Morrisonite Jasper, Willow Creek Jasper and probably a million more kinds that I didn’t see at first glance. I even found a Spiderman Jasper! My guess is that if the stone is pretty and you don’t know what it is called, it probably is a Jasper!
Oh btw, here’s a tip when you are searching on Google for a Jasper stone of a particular color way, first type in ‘Jasper stone’ or ‘Jasper Cabochon’ or something along that lines into Google images. Don’t just use Jasper alone, cause because that will include a lot of info about Jasper National Park, which is an incredibly beautiful Canadian National Park in the Rocky Mountains near the BC and Alberta include (we’ve been to it many times).
To narrow your search by color, scroll down the page until you see the colored squares under the heading ‘Any Color’ on the left hand side of the page. This will just show you the Red stones, or the Blue stones, etc. which can really help with your choosing of the color palettes you would like to use for your own Faux Jasper Stones, in addition to the versions I show you in this tutorial series.
So, I think you guys are going to enjoy the creative options of this project. Posted just below is a Sneak Peak and overview of this months Faux Jasper Cabochons Tutorial. The rest of this 6 part video series will be posted tomorrow (Friday, Nov 2, 2012) in the Vol-054 members area at the Polymer Clay Tutor Library.
Vol-054-1: Video #309: Introduction: In this 6 part video tutorial series, you will learn how to make beautiful Faux Jasper Cabochons in your own custom color blends that will rival the real thing! These stunning faux stones can then be used to create one of a kind jewelry pieces such as pendants, necklaces, earrings, and more. The videos contain all the information you need, from clay to polished faux stone, so that you can easily create your own focal cabs in any size, color and style you choose. All this to satisfy your inner rock hound desires, without having to invest in the expensive tools and the time it would take to work with actual stones. I think you are going to enjoy the creative freedom of creating your own Faux Jasper Cabochons, using this informative tutorial series!
Vol-054-2: Video #310:
Custom Jasper Color Blends:
In this video I am going to show you some secret spicy recipes for making realistic faux Jasper Stones. You will also learn how to take your chosen stone blends and layer them into a Faux Jasper Sheet that you will then use to make cabochons, molded pendants, beads and other faux stone projects.
Vol-054-3: Video #311:
Forming Your Cabochon Shapes:
A cabochon or cab, is a common shape used for cutting stones and other materials used in jewelry making. A cabochon is generally flat on the back and has a domed top surface, but can be almost any shape including round, oval, square, teardrop or freeform. In this tutorial I will show you how to create a teardrop cabochon as well as a round cabochon shape, entirely by hand. I will also share tips and tricks for making sure you get the best face of the stone showing in your faux Jasper cab… its much easier to do in polymer than it would be in real stone!
Vol-054-4: Video #312:
Faux Carved Leaf Mold:
Using a Mold to make a Faux Carved Faux Jasper Leaf Pendant: You don’t need to restrict yourself to only making Cabochons and Beads with this Faux Jasper Technique. You can also use your custom clay sheet to create awesome molded pendants, charms and embellishments that have the look of real carved stone pieces. It is easy to do too! Especially when you use the wonderful silicone molds from www.amstamps.com which are available from one of our PcT members, Linda Hanson. She also hosts art retreats at her After Midnight Ranch in Sonoita, Arizona.
Vol-054-5: Video #313:
Proper Baking and Sanding:
In order for your faux stones to actually look real, you are going to need to properly bake and finish them. A lapidary artist (someone who cuts and polishes real stone), does not simply grab a rock and brush a shiny glaze on it. They carefully cut, grind and polish the stone, sometimes spending hours in order to reveal the beautiful design characteristics of each piece. It is a big part of making the stone valuable. This is also true when creating a faux stone out of polymer clay. You can’t just throw it in the oven… slather on some Future Floor Finish… and expect to be done. You will need to put some love and effort into your Faux Jasper creations. But the work will be worth it! You’ll see what I mean when you take your $5 cabochon to the $40 level, just by following this simple and important advice!
Vol-054-6: Video #314:
Waxing, Buffing and Drilling:
Lets take your Faux Jasper Cabochons to the professional level by bringing that shine up to an even higher glossy finish. In this tutorial I will show you how to use a rotary tool to wax and buff your Faux Jasper to a high sheen. I will also give you some low-tech options should you not be ready to invest in power tools quite yet. You will learn the tips and tricks for getting a professional quality finish. And I think you will be surprised at just how easy it is to achieve. Trust me, once you hold that buttery smooth glossy stone in your hands, you’ll never look back… its truly addictive!
Other Supplies:
- Shallow dish of Cold soapy water
- Paper towel
- Towel
- Felt Buffing Wheel (optional – refer to the fourth video in the Vol-008 Back Issue package)
- Coarse Black Pepper
- Paprika
- Piece of scrap wood
- Krafty Lady Art Moulds AM337 3 LEAVES – X3LARGE
By the way, many of the “shopping” links I provide for the various tools and supplies used in my tutorials, are “affiliate” resources. That means companies like Amazon and the other suppliers I refer, pay me a small commission if you click on the links and end up making a purchase at their site. It’s not a lot, but every little bit helps in keeping the cost of my tutorials down. And, the prices for products that you may purchase through my links, are exactly the same as what you would normally pay, even if it is a “sale” price. So please feel free to click whenever you need to pick up a few things for your studio. Thanks so much for your support.
The full video series for the Faux Jasper Cabochons tutorial described above, is available in Vol-054 at the Polymer Clay Library.
If you would like to receive 3 free beginner videos right now, plus some free color recipes that get sent out each week in my Friday email newsletter, please click this link: Polymer Clay Tutorials
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… Please Note: A general prerequisite for all of my monthly library tutorials is that you have a good understanding of the polymer clay basics, including: conditioning clay, using a pasta machine, clay blade and other simple tools, making Skinner Blends, baking clay, as well as sanding and finishing. If you need help in these areas, my Polymer Clay Beginners Course will get you up to speed quickly. There is also plenty of free information on this blog. Use the search box at the top of the page to find articles on specific topics.
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Customer Feedback About Membership Value:
Cindy – I appreciate your videos so much. No doubt there are plenty of others like me who sorta hang out in the background and let others do most of the talking. I don’t make jewelry – the necklaces, earrings etc. – but I spend hours making things to give away. Tons of key rings, badge reels, magnets, bookmarks, etc. I’ve covered lots of tins that everyone seems to like. Little kids especially seem to love them. And I get lots of comments back from people who seem to like to take the beads and turn them into pendants, earrings and bracelets themselves. I put lots of beads on the little ball chains and tell people to attach them to gift packages or cards. I’m well into my senior years – have mobility problems so don’t get out that much. I do have a great mobility scooter that weighs under 40 pounds so I can lift it and put it in the back of my SUV which lets me get to Hobby Lobby and Home Depot to get some of the supplies you recommend. But I mostly shop via the internet. Your videos mean the world to me – so thank you so much for all that you and your family do that make my days so much fun. And to all you other people who – like me – have neglected to tell Cindy how much you enjoy those color recipes and her videos – do it now!! ~Fran-R
I am in absolute awe of all that you do and have done… you have so many tutorials on an incredible array of subjects. Take care and greetings from Prague, Czech Republic! ~Cat-V
WOW Cindy – You dear lady are Amazing (but we all knew that didn’t we). Such care you take to make sure we understand every little aspect sets you at the Top :) Thanks again for all you and Doug go through to make it ‘So Do-able’ for us! ~Tantsherry
The full video series for the Faux Jasper Cabochons tutorial described above, is available in Vol-054 at the Polymer Clay Library.
If you would like to receive 3 free beginner videos right now, plus some free color recipes that get sent out each week in my Friday email newsletter, please click this link: Polymer Clay Tutorials
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I haven’t used any cabs in my designs, but I just love jasper beads in all their array of colours and shapes. Can’t wait to check out that Faux Jasper Sheet video!
I have been subscribed to Cindy for a long time and? I have found the information invaluable. It is really worth the price, which is very reasonable. She is really good with her instruction, showing you step by step. With practice I have learned to create all types of stones and other pieces using polymer clay. I love working with polymer clay and Cindy is a great instructor. I get to play the videos over and over until I get it. I give credit where credit is due and Cindy deserves it.
Ive just finished some projects I made for my friends and family and so proud using metal foil tape photo transfer with an art sheet on the back and also using her jewelry techniques from the sweet pea tutorial and one of my faves the bookmark made from hammered copper wire and also peacock feathers that I adore. and also resin technique. there is so much stuff she teaches and a person could read up on this stuff, but she helps put it all together with her teaching I love her tnx
Nice write up Patt! Like the links, refreshes my memory….
Ooohhh, they are gorgeous, Cindy. The tute is fabu. I am so excited to try I cannot sleep, lol!
Looks good Cindy!
Oh, I can’t wait! Right up my alley!
WOW I love Jasper so I can’t wait to try the tutorials.
Cindy you really are a gem (couldn’t resist that)
A big thank you, and I swear I picked up your thoughts a couple of weeks ago as I shopped for black pepper, paprika and other spices (and they were not even on special offer) Love love faux stones and “Agate” was on my list to do, following written instructions, (not easy). So roll on Friday, can’t wait to try your version…………………………….cheers xx……………………………
I looked for Jasper facts, information and description and happened on, this site. Bernardine has a beautiful picture of 17 different stones with a numbered key underneath to identify each one, stunning. Also heaps of interesting and useful information, real eye candy………………cheers xx………………
Lovely page! Really am drawn to this gemstone, ever since seeing the landscapes as a kid. Love Blue Lace agate when the blue is bright and unenhanced.
Thank You Elaine !!
what a wonderful picture of all kinds of natural jasper we can look at and drool – had to pin it so I’d have an easy way to locate it later
Awesome resource Elaine! Makes me want to start playing with some more faux Jasper techniques right this minute! I must do some other things first though… like finish the samples for the next tutorial for example. lol Thanks for finding and sharing this with us!
Thanks Elaine for the site link, very good information.
Fabulous tutorial Cindy! I stayed up to 12:05 a.m. Friday because I was so curious as to how these faux jasper cabs were made. Great stuff you have there!
Hello,
I absolutely love this tutorial,as i was wondering how to make faux jasper in a while.But what is really my favourite is the sea sediment jasper,they just come in the most absolutely stunning colours and colour combinations!I really,really,really would like to know how to achieve that look,if you or somebody could help me how to do it!All help much appreciated.
Thank you Helena! I think once you try the tutorial you can tweak it to become any style of Jasper you like. I would like to do a Ocean Jasper tutorial specifically, but until then maybe you can do some online research to see if you can imitate the colors and patterns you want, using the techniques I showed you in the videos. If you aren’t sure how to mix the colors that would work for the Jasper that you would like to make, then you could look through the color recipes that you have to see if some of those colors would work. Have fun!
Cindy-
I’m so glad that you covered wet sanding again :)
Even though I’ve been doing it for years
there has always been this ? in the back of my mind
‘do I Really have to get up and rinse the sanding water bowl and beads after each grit’?
truly I’m not being lazy – it’s a pain level thing –
So…when you went from 320 to the rust colored pad w/o rinsing was that just for the convenience of filming or is that your normal way ?
also wanted to say WOW these are Awesome
Thanks Sherry! I don’t change the water between grits. Did I advise you to do that, because I don’t remember ever worrying about that. Unless there is huge grains of sand floating around in the water that would effect the next level of sanding (which would just sit on the bottom wouldn’t they?) then I can’t see that ever being a problem. I have never had an issue with it anyway. Sanding is already kind of a pain… no need to complicate it any further. You are definitely not being lazy! Glad to hear you are sanding. Can’t wait to see your faux jasper stones!
YAY that is Really Good News
no, I didn’t get that from you – not sure where it came from (in regards to changing water & rinsing …)
– but that way is Totally in the Past from this day forward :)
Again YAY!!!!!!
I just needed someone to knock my about the brain with the duh stick – totally makes since now cuz we all have seen how the sediment collects at the bottom of the dish
another wonderful reason to read/join this site : you ask a question and…. TaDa you get an answer – Love it
Off now to sand the chicken egg I covered yesterday with the back groundless Rose Cane I made using your Viburnum Berries Palette 1A and 2A
Loved the tutorial1 I’ve made a lot of jewelry with jasper and i love combining them too with other stones etc. The red jasper you made to match the necklace was just gorgeous. I have a few of your tutorials that I just have to get done – they are all wonderful, but I just have to try some of my favorites and this is one of them.
Cindy – Absolutely stunning leaf! And the cabochon with the knitted wire technique – how funny that it looks like a pink sailboat on the sea. Really looking forward to trying this technique. Thanks!
Cindy –
Great tutorial this morning! Your first of the month tutorials are my Friday guilty pleasure. I get a cup of coffee first thing in the AM and check them out.
When you do the lighter Jasper, like picture Jasper do you still use paprika and black pepper? Or do you use lighter spices?
Thanks for all of your hard work and dedication to your art.
Christine
Sorry I missed this Christine! Yes, use the two spice mixes with any color of Jasper, including the lighter ones. Also feel free to experiment with other spice combinations as well. Why not? You may come up with the perfect thing to imitate the Jasper of your liking. Have fun! Don’t forget to post pictures on our Polymer Clay Tutor Facebook Gallery Page. We’d all love to see what you come up with!
great tutorial- thank you
Bliss, bliss, bliss……
Didn’t want to start right in with small stuff so hauled out caps from my storage glass collection and had a ball, each one came out distinct. Buffed, it’s like putting jewelry on a household object.
Thanks to all, Lietz family. I cannot stop rewatching the series, and I see something new every viewing.
You clever girl, wish I could see some of your creations. I bet there beautiful. Thanks for the phone call.
Wow! Another cool tute!! I will make these for sure. I think once the holidays get behind us I will have a lot of free time to get lost in clay. Going to research the diferent colors of Jasper!
Wow Cindy the Jasper tute was excellent. I was glad to see you didn’t rinse after each sanding. It was always a pain to run into the other room and get fresh soapy water for each change of grit. Thanks so much for that! I was surprised at how much I learned from this tute in regards to the buffing and sanding, let alone the color combinations of the Jasper which by the way I never had heard of until this tute. I went online and researched them and also checked out Elaines site which was excellent. I fell in love with the Rain Forest Jasper so am going to dive right in and try it. My first priority however is to make that fabulous buffing wheel you had on your dremel. Thank you so much for the link to the Molds. I got the 3 leaves, the oak leaf (or was it maple?) and the 3 different sizes of the Ginko which is one of my favorites and have done a lot of machine embroidery in that design. Maybe you can do a tutorial on the Ginko Leaf? It would make a stunning necklace, bracelet and earrings.
Great minds think alike Dixie Ann.
Ordered the leaf molds and decided that the Rain Forest is just so amazing have got to try and figure it out, looks like it could use some embossing powders? what do you think?. As to the felt buffing wheel, got my DH to hand cut all the little circles for me a few months ago “bless him” but have nearly worn it out, it,s great especially as I can clamp it in my vice, but he stays well clear as still have flying beads!!
Glad I found that site, and to think all these beautiful stones started out as MUD, who would have thought it? So a big thank you CINDY, you always know how to spark our imagination………………………..cheers xx…………………………………….
Elaine, I think your right about the embossing powder although I do have some beautiful dark green pearl-ex.
I have never tried the embossing so am going in that direction. Tell me how many circles did your DH have to cut out to make your buffing wheel? I want to have enought material. LOL!
Hi Dixie
I’m redoing my buffing tool also :)
did a quick count & came up w/ 30 pcs.
they will squash down to about 2”
–Sherry
Hi Dixie(again) :)
Do you have video #8
if you do, watch it Before cutting your fabric
I promise you will be So Glad you did ;D
that is if #8 is about making your own buffing wheel :/
OK little update-
i took off 10 pcs – machine started sounding
different…louder
but it did work beautifully on my egg :)
Thanks Sherry, time to get a move on then as I want to make 2 of them.
My poor ole fella sat and cut about 60 from a large sheet of felt. I think I used about 20 thought I didn’t count them, just squashed them down till they felt about right. Happy buffing……………….cheers xx………………..
Thanks Elaine, I watched the video Tantesherry recommended and glad I did. I will probably be cutting up that many too!
Thanks for a great tute! I have a problem in that I cannot get paste wax ANYWHERE. All i can find in the auto area is cream polish, which i have tried but the effect wasn’t the same. The resonience (sp?) wax is that an artist wax? and does anyone know where you buy it?
Thanks.
Hi Sandra, you can get the Renaissance Wax online from Amazon.com
. If you do a search on Amazon it will bring it up for you. It is a little expensive, but it does an amazing job. I use it all the time and a very little goes a long, long way. It is a Micro Crystalline Wax and it is used in Museums all over the world. The nice thing about this kind of wax is it does not leave fingerprints after using it and it buffs up to a high gloss. Hope this helps.
Thanks Dixie Ann will pop over there and have a wee gander
Sandra, the furniture wax (like canuba, Johnson’s, etc.) would be found in hardware stores and major household chains, probably in the back row, lol. I’d ask one of the service folks, because I’ll bet it’s there. This type of wax is yellowish, and usually in a large tin because most folks use it to do floors.
Another option would be to ask older friends and relatives. Bet they have a can under the sink, and you only need a little to get started.
Wish you success!
Thanks for that. Thing is I have looked everywhere, as we have a smallish supermarket and we don;t stock it either. I have only found liquid furniture polish. I think NZ has decided not to stock it at all :(
K, laugh if you must, but, I have had very good luck with dimestore shoe polish. There’s clear, and all sorts of lovely shades to antique with, and with Cindy’s dremel tool system it buffs up fine.
shoe polish eh? Never thought of that, and no i’m not laughing. I’ll keep an eye out for the clear, but again, i think i may be out of luck here. We are such a little country. In fact we are so small we have only one online store in New Zealand that sells Premo clay and she sells it at a premium cost so it is actually far cheaper to buy from the states, even taking into count the cost of postage.
Hey Jocelyn i found some clear shoe polish, and its fantastic such a shine on the clay, thanks heaps.
Very, very nice, Cindy! :D
I love your faux brecciated jasper: the colours are gorgeous and the patterning is stunning! It’ll be fun to make some donuts using your technique, and I have trouble getting large slab-shaped beads in real jasper so I might make some of them too.
I also think I’ll have to try making faux blue impression jasper, as it’s currently my favourite form of the stone. It’ll take a bit of adaptation but you’ve inspired me!
A couple of thoughts on sanding…
I really like sanding with Micro-Mesh, but NOT(!!!) with the little coloured Micro-Mesh sanding pads as I find them too small, too stiff, and prone to come apart. I like the Micro-Mesh sanding sheets which are available in many different sizes (I buy 150mm x 300mm and cut these into thirds to use, i.e. 150mm x 100mm).
They’re big enough to easily sand larger flat items, you can wrap them around curved surfaces for faster sanding of such shapes, and you can fold them around a block sponge or a foam block if you want a firm but semi-pliable flat backing. They’re extremely durable, and they even have the grit number printed on the backing cloth so you don’t need to refer to anything else to make sure you’re using them in the intended order (which was another thing I disliked about the sanding pads; I wrote numbers on those but they washed off).
Being an Aussie I get Micro-Mesh sanding sheets locally from The Sandpaper Man but they’re not that hard to find.
And I’m one of the people who DO change the water with every sanding sheet grit. I hate hand sanding and tend to wait until I have enough pieces to make it worthwhile doing them production line style, so the water is too dirty after each grit to not change it. But it’s not a hassle because I do the sanding in the bathroom! (Great lighting, water and drainage right at hand, and it doesn’t matter if I splash water around the place…)
What a lot of great pointers on sanding in your post, Sue! When I first ordered my Micromesh pads I had noted the larger sheets and was tempted to get them instead. I now regret not going with that option. I use my pads but I experience the same problems as you mention, Sue. I also save baked pieces and sand assembly-line style, but I use two containers, the second to rinse and keep the pieces sorted as I go through them. It is good to have some entertaining and/or educational videos to watch (hint, hint) while doing this! I considered constructing some mitten-type sanding gloves using the Micromesh sheets in the palm and finger area. Do you think the sheets are flexible enough to be sewn, Sue? Has anyone given this a try? I find holding the pads over extended periods to be hard on my hands :(
Hi Monique,
Sanding mittens sound cool! :D
The Micro-Mesh sanding sheets vary in flexibility. Checking mine, both used and unused, the finest grits are the stiffest (6000 and up), the coarsest two are next stiffest (1500 and 1800), and those in the middle are the softest (2400 to 4000; those are really quite flexible).
Not knowing all that much about material, the only thing I can compare them to directly is canvas, of the type used for martial arts uniforms. The various Micro-Mesh sheets feel similar in stiffness to between 10oz and 16oz martial arts uniform canvas, which are considered middle-weight to heavy-duty. 12oz to 16oz is probably canvas tarpaulin range, if that helps.
I do think the Micro-Mesh sheets would be able to be made into sanding mittens; the softest could probably even be made into sanding gloves. They could definitely be sewn, although I don’t know how you hold things when you’re sanding so I’m not sure of the practicalities of making a suitable mitten form.
For me, the hand holding the items being sanded is the one that gets tired, from applying lots of pressure to small items for extended periods of time (I spend many hours hand sanding when I eventually get around to it).
The hand holding the sanding sheets is fine for me because most of the time I either wrap the sheet around a large thick sponge that I can hold with my whole hand (i.e. not just my fingers), or have the sheet curved into the cup of my hand, or hold it flat against a bench top. None of that puts much strain on my fingers. I did find the sanding pads more awkward in that regard, as most of the time I had to hold them with my fingers which was tiring after a while… but I gave up on them before I suffered any real pain. ;)
Anyway, I hope that helps. If you do make some, I’d love to hear how you use them and how they turn out!
Sue :)
Thanks for that info, Sue. I am surprised to learn that the finer grit sheets are actually quite stiff. But they sound like they would be sew-able if the approximate weight of a heavy denim. I’m definitely going to do some research into this. I picture a glove/mitten which is mostly a stretchy, non-slip texture, with the sanding fabric only on the palm, inner thumb and first two finger. I’m going to see if something similar is already in use, perhaps exclusive to a specific industry. If anyone runs across such an animal, I’d love to hear!
Monique, I would run and patent that idea toot sweet, I could see appls all over the place….add a tad of foam somewhere so you could get a cushioned sand too.
hi Sue
are the sanding sheets your talking about 3 x 4 inches ?
— Sherry
Hi Sherry,
No, the Micro-Mesh sanding sheets I buy are about 6″x12″.
I cut them into thirds, so the pieces I actually use are 6″x4″. I personally wouldn’t want them any smaller than that because I like being able to wrap them around a good-sized block or sponge that I can hold easily. The larger size doesn’t make it any more difficult to sand small features because I can use corners, or fold the sheet sharply to give a double-sided sanding edge, or fold it into a pointed piece, etc.
The other sizes the sanding sheets come in at the supplier I use are about 3″x6″ (which doesn’t suit my preferences, see above), and rolls which are about 6″ wide x 39″ long (which is *way* more than I need! :D).
The Micro-Mesh Soft Touch sanding pads — which I personally don’t like — come in 3″x4″ as well as the 2″x2″ that seems to be more common. Are those what you’re thinking of? I think the larger size pad would be better than the smaller, but I’ve explained elsewhere why I don’t like that particular form. Your mileage might vary, however!
I hope that helps.
Sue
P.S.
The “not that hard to find” link-ified version of my text above DOESN’T show the size I like. They’re all too small. (I just typed those words without specifying any link. The link that was added — which I didn’t look at until just now — shows the general kind of product, but I don’t think any of the sizes are suitable. For what I like, anyway!)
Have a look at the “The Sandpaper Man” link in my earlier post. Cindy or Doug very helpfully converted the text link that I typed into a proper clickable link there. You’ll see what I mean. They’re much larger, which I require for practical purposes (although it doesn’t hurt that they’re more cost-effective too!).
Hi Sue – I took out that second link you are referring to. Sorry ’bout that.
Hi Doug,
Many thanks for that. And no worries… I really appreciate how you convert the text links, and your other link conversions and additions are normally very helpful too! This just happened to be a case where the specific variation I was describing wasn’t covered at all, due to the underlying reasoning. (Which kind of surprises me… my impression had been that you could buy just about *anything* via Amazon!)
The larger sizes of Micro-Mesh are probably better sourced at finishing specialists. I think I have notes — somewhere! — on a couple of other international suppliers, and if I can find them I’ll add them here.
The size issue is interesting. I’m a small person with small hands, but even so I find the most common Micro-Mesh sizes much too small to be ergonomically effective. I’d think it would be even worse for people with larger hands. Weird.
Anyway, thanks again! :)
Sue
hi Sue
That helps alot :)
the 6 x 12 is the size I’ve made note of
totally make since to me too
thank you Sue
Love that copper bezel Cindy, cannot wait to see a tute on how to do that!!!
Cindy, I’ve been busy all day sanding a batch of faux green Australian Jasper. Your tutorial on this was outstanding! Thanks so much for all of your wonderful work for us! Now I won’t have to buy my jasper at AC Moore anymore . . . :)
This other color way of jasper reminds me of some picture jasper that I’ve picked up before. I like it as much as the green Australian. I can’t wait to start incorporating these pieces into some new jewelry pieces. Thank you so much!
Looooooooved this tutorial!
Hi Cindy, I’m loving learning for you. Your way of teaching makes claying fun again. I’m hooked on the best drug around… Polymer Clay and your Tutorials! What a way to live and love live in the South:). Thanks again for your help with getting my account straightened out. You rock!
Love the new format of your classes.
Cindy
This was the best video and exactly what I have been looking for. You went from start to finish and also included the sand and buff which was a great demo just like you did at Fort Stevens with me. Then you also covered cost when they are not finished and what you can get if you finish, that was also very helpful to look at our pieces. Your other videos were good too and I have learned a lot but this new format is Fantastic.
You are a great teacher and mentor. Please keep the videos coming. :)
Thanks The Other Cindy
PS Now I want to make a bunch of jasper beads and cabs.
I must say I love your work and the videos, keep the good work going.
Cindy, thank you so much for the tutorial on making the Jasper beads. I can’t stop I’ve made beads, buttons, I love them. So many different looks. Can’t wait for the next batch to come out of the oven.
thank ,s cindy for tutorial. I need to ask 1- i used black pepper and i found holes. 2-i dont have white transulat can i mix white clay and trasulat. 3 i put it in the oven for an hour 130 still like a rubber .. Waitting for your answer
Hi Nwna, thanks for your questions! As far as the pepper leaving holes, that is fine. It makes it look more realistic. If you don’t like how big the holes are, make sure to grind the pepper finer.
In regards to not having white translucent, that is fine too. Just use the regular translucent. It will just be more yellow in color. If you want to add white to the trans go ahead. It is your stone. There are no set rules.
I don’t understand why your clay is rubbery. What brand are you using? How thin are your pieces? I don’t get what you mean about rubbery. Do you mean perhaps that the clay still seems like plastic or that is is a little softer than a stone would be? Polymer clay will always be softer than stone, but a thick cabochon should not be feeling flexible or squishy like rubber if it was made with Premo and baked for an hour at the right temperature.
Hope that helps to answer your question.
Hi cindy , i apprciate the time u have taken to answer my qustion, i am using the premo brand , when i said that it feels like rubber i meant that i can make a dent by perssing the service of the less thicker beads but the thicker cabochon is supper Take care bye.
You’re welcome Nwna! Now it makes sense. The thinner pieces will always have some softness to them, even when baked properly. Polymer clay just isn’t as hard as some of the other plastics and resins out there. Glad to understand what you were asking!
Wonderful tutorial, Cindy. Thanks so very much! One thing I missed and would like to have are the exact colors you used. The sound on my computer is not the greatest and I could not get them. I know you said to try different colors, but I was so impressed with what you used in the demo that I want to try that. Could you please help me with this? Thanks again for all your help!!
Hi Elizabeth, sure I can help you with that! The colors I used in the Faux Jasper Tutorial were the recipes from the Vol-053-A Oregon Shipwreck Palette. The names of the colors are:
Vol-053-1A – Shipwreck
Vol-053-2A – Rusted Hull
Vol-053-3A – Astoria
Vol-053-4A – Iredale
I hope that helps! Glad you are having fun with the tutorials!
I have always loved true Jasper, and I felt I should be able to make acceptable polymer look-alikes. Thanks for the confidence you impart by sharing your method. It looks so delicious and fun. Can’t wait to start!
Hi Cindy, I just purchased a subscription (yay!!) and I have been wanting to do that for awhile. I just finished watching your series of videos on making a faux jasper cabochon. Your videos are phenomenal! You explain things thoroughly and clearly, and you don’t miss or skip any steps. It is an absolute joy to sit and watch you go through the process – I feel like I just attended a class I should have paid $100 for. I am so excited to see what other videos come my way! Thank you for all the hard work you put into making these videos and coming up with color recipes. Your work is truly amazing.
YAY – Santa said go ahead and order that 3-leaf mold you have been drooling over (teehee) So I did !!!!
Cant wait for delivery – so many posiblities
So thats what I’m getting for the holidays… Does anyone else only want gifts that can be used with our Fave craft/art medium?
Sending warm wishes to All -Sherry
LOL, Sherry you are so funny! So glad your getting the leaf mold. It is really a nice one and you will enjoy it. I can’t think of anything better for Christmas than a clay plaything. I actually told my Son this year, no more Netflix subscriptions, I want the Polymer Cafe Mag instead! Have a happy holiday.
Hi Dixie Ann
My brain keeps showing me the pretty necklace Cindy made w/ the faux jasper — loved it —- I am tickled that she showed us how to make our own
Loved how it came out SO Shinny w/o sanding too :)
I haven’t made the Jasper yet but I will soon! I just got a phone call from my Son in Minneapolis and he just confirmed I am getting the Polymer Clay Cafe for Christmas along with The Hand Crafted Jewelry Mag and the Polymer Arts Mag.
I am so excited now…..whoo-hoo Silly aren’t I…….
Nice, Dixie. What a great kid.
Hi Cindy, On your first video of the faux jasper, you have your leaf hanging on that black fluted necklace and it looks so elegant. I’ve been searching all over the internet for a ribbon like it to no avail. Could you tell me where I can purchase one? Thank you so much and Happy New Year to you and the family. Hugs, Connie Tyler
Hi Connie, that ‘ribbon’ is called Artistic Wire Mesh. Katie Hacker the host of Beads Baubles and Jewels, gave me some and showed me what to do with it. I found it in the wire/findings area at Michaels. It is a long tube that is coiled into a clear pill bottle type container. By the way it is packaged, you would never know how cool it is. I am afraid because it doesn’t have shelf appeal, that it won’t be around for very long. I will try and do a little video on it, so others know where to find it too.
Happy New Year to you too!
Oh Cindy, Thank you so much for the info. I will see if I can track some down. Hugs, Connie
Hi Cindy, I found it on Amazon
in different colors in 10mm or 18mm mesh. I will be out f town for a couple weeks but I’m going to order some as soon as I’m home again. It would be great if you could do a little video on it as I’m sure that some of the other students of yours would like it also for their projects. Thanks. Hugs, Connie
Hi, I`m a newbie here and relatively new to polymer clay as well. I`ve been baking my clay at the recommended temp of 130c and I want to follow your method of baking and do it for the hour on 165-175 but is that celcius or fahrenheit? I`m thinking you must be working in fahrenheit otherwise the oven will be really hot but I need to check. I have to convert anyway as I have a gas oven but I want to do it properly so I can have the best chance of eventually making some amazing pieces.
Welcome Deb! Cindy always give Fahrenheit temps here. Be sure to use the search facility in the upper left corner for more information, if you type in “baking temperature” a ton of great information comes up to help you.
Thanks Jocelyn, I`m still finding my way around and hadn`t seen the search facility lol
Hi Deb A. welcome to our family blog of clayers! We are so glad you have joined us and hope you find help, encouragement and excitement in creating and expanding your clay talents. Cindy has a search engine box at the top of the blog page and it is an excellent resource for just about any questions you may have. If you can’t find it there and need additional help please don’t hesitate to ask us or Cindy, as we sure will try our best to get an answer for you.
Most temperatures are listed in Farenheit to bake but Cindy will list both Farenheit and Celcius at times when referencing the different clays. Much luck and happiness with your new found clay family.
Thank you, I really appreciate the welcome x
Aw Debs, I came in here to welcome you and help with your question and it appears that two of our sweetest members beat me to it! :) Glad you’re here to enjoy the journey of polymer clay with us all the way from the UK. Welcome!
Oh and the temp to bake Premo is 265F – 275F. Not 165-175. Just thought I’d clear that up.
Big oops on the temperature then. I baked a few beads a couple of days ago at 165C, mistook that for fahrenheit on my thermometer, so I guess I`m lucky they didn`t burn. I hope I dont have any future problems with them.
I have just followed the faux cabochon video step by step and they were baking right now at the same temp so I`ve jumped up to take them out of the oven and turn it down. It takes so long to get the temperature right, I dont do waiting!!!! I hope they turn out ok. At the moment I`m really happy with them and as I`ve never done it before if I can finish them nicely I`ll be well proud. Just need to work out how to hold them properly to drill afterwards too lol.
One question I have though, using the white transluscent, it just fell apart, it seems so much drier than any other colour I`ve used and it took a lot of work (and very sore hands and wrists) to get it anywhere near pliable. Is this normal for transluscent?
Hi Debs! You should be OK with your pieces. it usually makes the pieces stronger if they go a little on the high side as long as they don’t burn.
As far as the White Trans falling apart, it sounds like it is very old or partially cured due to bad storage. It is not the trait of translucent. In fact I got a super fresh batch of white translucent straight from Polyform and it was almost too squishy. If it is too difficult to condition, you may be able to return it for another block. If not, type ‘soften hard clay’ into the search box at the top of the page and you will find articles, posts and tutorials that will give you tons of tips and tricks for reviving hard clay that should help.
Thanks Cindy, I did wonder if it was old clay. I did manage to soften it eventually but it was really hard work. I will try and find the comments you`ve suggested, maybe I`ll try an easier way next time
My attempt of the faux jasper. The shaping needs some practice and the sanding and buffing don’t do me any favours but worth it in the end. I made my own buffing attachment thanks to another tutorial as well. Great tutorials Cindy.
Gorgeous job Debs!! Way to go! Thank you for the wonderful compliment. It is nice to see you are putting what you learn into action. Looks like you’re having fun too!
i made a faux jasper cabochon Keep the design part and when I tried to use it after a period of time i found may break I want to know how to deal with what is left of the design while staying in shape I hope you will understand my words
i take a part make a cabochon and there was anather part didnot use it After a period of time when to cut it to make a anather cabochon it was break how to worm it
I am not totally sure what you mean Nwna. If you are asking, How to use a piece of the Faux Jasper slab after it has been sitting for awhile and has become stiff?… then I would suggest trying to warm up the clay by holding it in your hands or putting it in a bag and sitting on it for awhile. You could also try putting the clay in the bag, into a bowl with some warm water in it. That might soften it up enough to work with again. If that is not what you meant, try and ask me the question again in another way. Good luck!
Hi Cindy, I recently bought your Faux Jasper #054 video series. This tutorial did strange things to me… it made me so very happy! I have used it two or three times lately and have gotten some beautiful results. You do affect people’s lives in a positive manner. Keep doing it!
Sincerely,
Athalyn
Athalyn – Thank you so much for sharing these kind words. It’s comments like this that keeps me going :-)
Cindy,
It’s been a very long time since I tried to do any claying. I started a metalsmithing course, and wanted to learn things in order to combine my beading, polymer clay, wireworking, and silver/metalwork. I never opened up my new toaster oven, only to have read that I had bought an item that I thought was a convection oven as well, so anything that I have made in the past is awaiting baking!!! I finally exchanged my oven for a Hamilton Beach convection/toaster oven, and now, I am going to put the Sugru on my baking rack. Talk about being behind on things! Anyways, I am now going to ‘experiment’ with the jasper cabs and pendants, but I would like to know one thing; did you use any other colours or shades for your faux picture jasper other than: raw sienna, ecru, burnt umber and spices??? I really, really loved the way the stones looked. Please Cindy, help me if you can!
Thank you in advance, you are a true artist!
Hi Marianne, I would have to look it up, but I believe I did use the colors from the Shipwreck Palette as an option for the Faux Jasper Tutorial. Isn’t that mentioned in the videos?Just look through the list of color recipe palettes (look under the Topic Categories Tab at the top of the page) and see if there are some palettes that you would like to use. Thanks for your sweet words! Glad you are enjoying the tutorials!
Just watched your tutorial on faux jasper which was just fab, and making a batch of them as we speak! I notice that you use a finishing wax called minwax. I can’t get that here in the UK, could I use clear furniture bees wax on them instead? Many thanks.
Hi Samantha, There is a product that I love even more than Minwax, called Renaissance Wax. It is made in the UK so you should be able to get it there quite easily!
I am so pleased with this! I had a hard time closing my eyes and not planning the areas to show! I have several other large cabs but they’re not sanded yet. I’m trying to making sanding into a nice sort of relaxing meditation session… I guess it’s not so bad… It’s just so time consuming… But I will keep trying to show sanding more love :D 40, not 5… 40, not 5….
Oh Jooltool… Have I told you lately that I love you? Almost as much as I love this faux Jasper tutorial! <3 <3 <3 and of course the cabochons I’m making!
Oh Katy… “Have I told you lately that I love you?” <3 <3 <3
You are a wonderful student to have! I don't think I have ever seen someone who just jumps in and starts doing, like you have! I hope everyone gets inspired by your confidence to just start making. Tell us your secret…
Lol! You are so sweet! I don’t know if there’s a secret exactly… I just love it! I’m so glad I found polymer clay! Usually I hop from hobby to hobby, but this one has stuck like glue for at least 6 months now… Feels like longer, but when I was reviewing pictures I guess I wasn’t doing clay till late last spring or maybe summer…
Buying my clay in big 1lb blocks make me feel like it’s ok to experiment because I don’t worry I’ll use up all my pricey (relatively speaking) small blocks of color. I still have some small ones from a multi pack I bought, but mostly I just mix colors from the ones offered in the large sizes. That limits me a bit Im sure, but not enough for me to mind. That’s a big part of feeling good about jumping right in. I used to do that with beads all the time. When I was beading I would go out and buy beads and then be unsure of a project I wanted to use them in. And because I wanted to save my precious beautiful beads for the perfect project, they just sat in containers. But that resulted in me almost never using any beads except for crummier ones and then not really liking my project. If budget is an issue for others like me, I’d highly recommend buying the big blocks of colors you use often on eBay. My lady only charges $11.26 U.S. for each block and even though I sometimes order 6 blocks at a time she only charges one flat rate shipping fee. (not sure I should plug a specific seller here, but if allowed I don’t mind sharing that too) When the budget allows I want to buy more of the smaller colors and work on some actual color recipes too, but for now this is working out well.
But otherwise it’s just that I LOVE working with the clay, I love learning, and your tutorials are so fantastically detailed and clear and you end up with such lovely things! I am SO pleased with my decision to invest in myself and my new(ish) love of polymer clay through your tutorials!
***** A Budding Artist *****
Okay, I’ve gotta tell you this one last thing. My five-year-old daughter often works with clay with me. She has a little spot next to me and is miraculously good at using only small amounts of clay over and over before she settles on an item to bake so she doesn’t even cost very much. Anyway she ends up watching a lot of your tutorials with me, even months ago before I became a member. Her favorite part of every video is the very end with the last picture of you and Doug. She always wants to pause it before it goes on to the next video so she can admire your ROSE earrings (I called them flowers once and she was very disappointed in me) and say how nice you look. Apparently she pays very close attention to what you say because the other day as she was rolling her clay she said “Oh! I got a little bubble, I just gotta give it a little tug!” And then yesterday I was making these Jasper stones and when one came out of the oven with a little bubble she scolded me a bit for not tugging :D
Hi Katy I just LOVED reading about you and your daughter, claying together! How wonderful! Tell her that I am very proud of her and that she is an excellent listener. Because she pays such good attention, she will learn very fast and be an expert clayer very quickly! And she is very correct about the tugging to release the bubbles. I would love to see pictures of her pieces some time!
This is just a handful of the things she’s done. That top thing that’s green with red is supposed to be Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer. Although the red sort of looks like antlers it’s actually the red light coming out of his nose. Don’t ask me how the rest is supposed to be a reindeer, I already got in trouble for asking her that. Then you have a mushroom and a rainbow fish and hot dog that’s blue, an oval pendant with some texture from the little stamps we made, a ring, the Snowman, some “tangled snake beads” (her name for designer babies) a little cake covered in diamonds with little green Diamond feet that make it stand up off the tile and various other things. The leaf that she used a plunger cutter for has a caterpillar pressed into it using a ball tool. She came up with that idea herself and it’s absolutely adorable! She’s so much fun to work (play!) with and I’m delighted she enjoys it so we can spend so much time together (doing something I love too!)
I’ve never done much with wire or wire wrapping, but it sure is fun! I just love the hammered brass that I did. Unfortunately it’s pretty hard wire of a hardware variety. I’m going to have to wait until I can get some thinner gauge so I can do a messy wrap at the top to disguise the end there. It was too hard to wrap with this 16 gauge hard stuff. The silver one is just artistic wire. I thought I should start cheap since I don’t know what I’m doing. It doesn’t look the greatest, but I’ll sure wear it!
One thing I noticed is that in handling the pieces to get the wire on the shine I had buffed up so nicely dulled out quite a bit to a matt finish. I hit them with the jooltool buffing wheel again and they shined up pretty good, but I don’t think they’re quite as shiny as they had been before. I was thinking if I ever sold pieces I might offer free buffing for a lifetime or a certain number of years, but I’m not sure how complicated that would get. I’m nowhere near being ready to sell much anyway but it’s an interesting thing to think about especially knowing that if they’re handled much the shine will dull down. I wonder if I maybe used too much Renaissance wax or not enough wax, or if that doesn’t make a difference at all. Does that happen to you Cindy? Or anyone else?
Hi Katy,
Kids are amazing and notice every little mistake we make. I loved your daughters comment about not tugging when she saw a bubble in your finished work. She will make a great quality control inspector when you start selling!
Your wire wrapping looks pretty cool to me. I started off using cheap wire to practice, but it is a little hard on the hands. Have you considered using PYM11 after you have achieved the shine on your finished metal? A little goes a long way and can be used on many other materials, ( as Cindy demonstrates) Again, with Ren Wax, use just a tiny amount.Leave the wax to dry before buffing it off. You are lucky to buy your 1LB blocks of PC at such a bargain price. Here in the UK we have to pay nearly double, but they are still a saving in comparison to buying the smaller amounts.
I am missing playing with clay as all my craft tools etc are in storage, but have had time to design, plan and look back on the video library as there are a few tutorials I never completed, either I didn’t have the tools or supplies, or just never got around to doing them. I see you have become an addict, me too. As to offering a lifetime free buffing service, (everyone likes something for free) so it might hook in your new customers for life, with lots of repeat orders……..cheers…. but one maxim that my Father always used to say is “Quality over quantity”, which I have found has helped me over the years.
Elaine, thanks for your kind words and encouragement! Yes, my daughter would make a great quality control expert. She’s such a fun little thing.
Yesterday I remembered that Cindy had said something about making the little loops at the top for the bail into an oval by spreading the pliers apart inside and that straightened out the wonky look of it, so now I like it even more. I didn’t think of using the pym II for this. I did try to go over the metal lightly with some Renaissance wax, although of course I can’t reach all the areas in between or behind the wires very well. I haven’t used the Pym II very much yet, and I was a little afraid it would give too much of a fake shine to the cabochon. Maybe I should play with it more and actually see what it’s like instead of hiding it away in a drawer and saving it :D
I am so sorry to hear that your clay things are all in storage! What a bummer! I hope you will be able to play again soon. Also a bummer that the clay is so expensive in the UK. Makes me even more appreciative of my supplier!
Where do you buy your premo in bulk amounts?
Hi Laura, The cheapest place I know of to get the one pound blocks of Premo is at this SculpeyProducts website.
Hope that helps!
There’s also Sunny Day Crafts in Florida who have 1 pound blocks of Premo for $10.99 – that’s the price when I checked just now. It pays to compare shipping costs as well as clay costs from different suppliers as that can make a big difference… unless you’re lucky enough to live in the same town and can pick it up :-))
Maybe some of our fellow clayers know of good prices too?
Hi,
I noticed with this paid tut that it’s missing the recipe color instructions and the shopping list to make the Jasper, like you do. Usually you give us all the information to follow you in making each project. Will you please give us the color recipes and the shopping list; specifically where to find the sanding buffing pads?
Thanks,
Lori
Hi Lori, I sent you a private email about this. Let me know if you got it. Also, the supply list is posted above in the Amazon Widget. Hopefully this will help you get going on the tutorial. Have fun!
Let me start out by saying I’ve watched a lot of your videos and they are generally very good. And I also appreciate some of the “faux” effects using polymer clay, though many miss by a mile, faux abalone being one that seems impossible to get right. (I’m looking at 5 real abalone shells right now.)
But why would anyone make “faux” jasper? It’s cheap. It’s comes in a multitude of colors. You can buy cabochons on eBay for a few dollars with free shipping. I’ve bought everything from 18mm tube beads — 38 cents — to 50mm teardrop, oval, round, heart, and donut shapes, with the most I’ve paid going to $3.
I guess if you were going for light weight or an unusual size/shape or trying to match a pendant and earrings, it might be worthwhile to try polymer clay. Otherwise . . . ???
Hi Nika, thanks for your input! First let me just say that this tutorial was created back in 2012, and during that time there weren’t a lot of ‘cheap’ gemstones around, nor were they as readily available as they are now. That being said you are right, there isn’t probably a huge ‘need’ to create Jasper from polymer clay, as a replacement for the real thing. Though, like you mention it is much lighter and can be shaped into whatever size and shape you like, so it has some merit in those cases.
The thing about polymer clay techniques that makes learning them so cool, is the process of figuring out how to mimic something, the best you can with the materials at hand, expands your knowledge of polymer clay.
Basically, it’s not about whether your copy looks exactly right or not… it’s about how fun it is to try! Think about those giant Geode Wedding Cakes that are so popular right now on Instagram… Do they look exactly like a real Geode Stone?… Not really. But it sure is cool how someone tried to make a crystallized rock out of sugar, isn’t it!
My point is, most faux techniques out of polymer clay are not meant to replace the real thing. They are a challenge by the teacher, to try and mimic a material with their beloved polymer clay. Sometimes we nail it… sometimes we don’t. Doesn’t matter that much, if we spent some time having fun trying. Right?