“With the
Amaco roller I
get near perfectly shaped
round jewelry beads.”
~Ken-H
These “Spot” features are for you guys to display your accomplishments, share stories of inspiration and even ask for assistance with challenges that you may be experiencing. The projects are based on techniques learned from articles here at the blog, as well as from tutorials at the Polymer Clay Video Library. My hope is for these “Show and Tell” features to help everyone get to know each other a bit better, thanks to this wonderfully artistic medium of polymer clay. And… by participating, you can win some beads too!
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If you are interested in sharing pictures of your polymer clay projects with the community, please follow these 2 simple steps:
1) Email several of your photos to me as attachments. My email address is shown in the “From” line of the weekly Polymer Clay Newsletter that gets sent out each and every Friday morning.
2) Include a description and/or story about your pieces, being sure to reference the tutorial(s) or blog article(s) that provided at least some level of inspiration for your work.
Don’t be shy. Everyone is VERY friendly here.
In the comment section below, please do compliment each other; Offer encouragement; Ask questions about the techniques used; And in general… be social. This is your community! It’s up to you to make it a fun and supportive place to hang out. All of you are amazing and it’s wonderful to have everyone here!
The sign of a true PC artist is short uneven finger nails with small bits of clay wedged under them. I have showered and gone to work to look down and see some thing that looks like dirt under my nails, and had to explain to the other person why it’s there. Guess that is one way to market our products!! ~Anna-S
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| ** Did You Know… Members with current subscriptions to the weekly tutorial videos are always entitled to a 10% discount when purchasing 6 or more back issue packages in a single transaction. If you are interested, let me know which back issues you would like and I will send further instructions on how to complete your order. |
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Wow Ken, so glad we finally got to see these! They look amazing. Such a lovely shine! I assume you sanded and buffed these a lot too?
Great to see your faux jade, Ken! Your beads really do look perfectly round – no easy feat! I wish I could zoom in on them, seems like they’d look completely real up close! Excellent job!
I just wanted to add a comment about Phaedrakat’s wish of being able to “zoom in” on the beads. Whenever possible I try to provide closeup shots to show as much detail as possible. Unfortunately this is not always possible due to the quality of the photos submitted. But as I’ve said before, these spotlight features are not about seeing who has the best photography skills. They are MUCH more about providing you guys with an opportunity to interact with each other and exchange ideas.
BTW, the link by my name will take you to a another discussion thread, where Ken-H provided some more info and tips about how to use Amaco Bead Rollers.
@Cindy L: I just wanted to say, no disrespect to the photography, or any “zoom” limitation. I only meant the beads are so beautiful, I wanted a better look! What I actually want is to hold them in my hands…
I’ll bet jewelrysupply.com is wondering what’s going on with the 5-bead roller rush! If they’re becoming obsolete, I’d better get one, too. I like the idea of the piercing hole. I’ve seen this done on video, but never knew if it was worth it to buy a bead roller like this. Thanks to all of you, and the great information here, I’ve “make up my mind.” Especially Ken, with his perfectly round beads! (And no sanding! A dream…)
@Phaedrakat: Don’t worry about dissing the Photography, the camera that took these photos is dead, was dying at the time these were the best ones I had. thank goodness most images on the internet are small. Well when I found out that some of the roller models were being discontinued I ordered the 4 that I didn’t have, I already have Set 8 the 5 size round, ordered today the one that makes a 20 and 22mm bead, I can make a Wilma Flintstone necklace now :)
@Ken H.: Ken – It’s all your fault if I run out of diesel before I get to Phily … in the wee hours of this morning I went to eBay … I’ll now be able to make monster beads also … along with a bunch of others … there goes my fuel fund! If I have trouble using any of these, you’ll have to show me when I get there!!!!
You must really feel a great sense of accomplishment, Ken. Such beautiful colors and precision size beads. The finish is lovely. Thank you so much for taking the time to share the beauty and directions.
Nice job Ken, your faux jade pieces are beautiful and look like the real thing. Thank you for sharing your work!
wow, very nice. The shine is very beautiful there and your colors are perfect!
beautiful beads Ken. when you use a bead roller do you do one at once or can you roll a few at a time? I always wondered and now i see your fab beads i must get one so any advice is welcome thanks.
Thank you all for your wonderful comments.
The original tie to Cindy’s videos was I had tried to make jade roses, it was supposed to go in the center of the graduated necklace but of the first attempt they all crumbled after baking (that’s why no photos), I figure they weren’t baked long enough as they were put into to corn starch at the very last moment before baking.
Using the bead rollers isn’t hard, they say you can make more than one at a time, but I haven’t mastered that skill yet in all but the smallest of the beads. After a while you can get nearly perfect beads from the roller, I either roll the bead from the roller onto the card stock or coat my fingertips in the cornstarch to nudge the bead out of the roller. Now that I have a tumbler (the child’s version with the small red cylinder) I will try sanding in there and see if it improves the finish.
@Ken H.: do you sell these on esty or do you have your own website?
Michelle
@michelle: Not yet, I have a name saved at etsy, but haven’t had the spare time to set up the store or make any stock to sell. Hope to do both really soon.
Thank you Ken for sharing this with us – your wonderful recipes and extremely clear directions. Very appreciated! Isn’t translucent clay awesome? Question: do you prefer the Premo translucent over the frost or do you use them interchangeably?
I’m not able to get the frost in the stores near me so I’ve just used the standard premo, would like to try it thought, it might remove the greenish cast the black jade has when the sunlight hits them.
@Ken H.: Super work Ken. I don’t know how I missed these but so glad I ran accross then today. The coloring in the beads is just beautiful. You are so kind to share the recipes with us. Love them all. I can’t get Premo frost at the stores by me either. I live in USA-Iowa but I have purchased it on ebay before and when I need it again will go back for more. It was a good price for the item and shipping. You might give that a try. I have found with ebay you need to be patient to get a good price. Thanks for sharing Ken I just love your art. You should be very proud of yourself.
Many Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuggggs, Peggy
Such lovely uniform beads Ken…your craftsmanship is amazing! Thanks for sharing your recipes too, the faux jade you’ve created is awesome.
Ken – I sure hope I get a chance to meet you and see your ‘jade’ in person when I am in Philadelphia. Since it continues to snow here at Lake Tahoe I’m just not sure when I will be able to hit the road. Then I figure it will be 6 weeks or so before I actually get to Phily. In the meanwhile I have a question: You refer to 11mm balls in your recipes … can you convert that to circle cutters, or to parts of the block? I’m really lousy about getting my hand rolled balls to actually fit in the holes of the bead sizer template that I purchased.
@carolyn: Does that template have an 11mm opening? If it does, lay it on a sheet of clay and use something to cut out two circles, the circles should roll into 11mm beads, I haven’t mastered rolling by hand, I’m trying, and it’s getting better (slowly). I will see what I can find that you could compare to, I want to say a pea but they come in different sizes, let me see what I can think of that is a consistent size for you to compare to.
@Ken H.: I just took another look at the template and it has a 10mm (=1/8 tsp.) and a 13mm (=1/4 tsp.) so a heaping 1/8 tsp. or a scant 1/4 tsp. should do it. Further investigation found that the tri-bead roller clay sizing thingie makes an 11mm bead. Is that what you use? I should be able to follow your recipes. Thanks!
@carolyn: Yes, I use the tri-bead roller for the bracelets and the tri bead and the one that rolls the 5 different sized rounds for the graduated. I hope you have as much luck as I did, still experimenting with colors, there are two other colors I want to make, but haven’t gotten them right yet.
@Ken H.: I’m not sure that one for 5 different sized rounds is still available … at least it doesn’t seem to be one on the Amaco site. Have you had yours for a looooong time?
And what I meant was, do you use the clay measuring thingie for measuring for your recipes since it supposedly gives the right amount of clay for an 11mm bead?
Awesome Ken – your pieces look like they should be in a jewelry store! They’re beautiful!!! I can’t tell they’re not real… Great work! I would love to see more… Do you sell your pieces on Etsy?
~Lisa :)
@Lisa Whitham:I have the name reserved on etsy, just haven’t had the time to sit down and build the “store”, and make “stock” to sell. I hope to once the spring show is over.
I’ve sent an inquiry to AMACO about Set 8 which is the 5 size rounds, if it has been discontinued, I would try ebay quickly before what stock is out there is gone, I will let everyone know the answer as soon as I get it.
Carolyn and Ken, I ordered Bead Rollers from jewelrysupply.com just yesterday so I don’t know about doing business there yet. One of the sets is the Professional System Bead Rollers Set 8 (Item # FM2543) cost being $14.99 + s/h. Hope this helps if you can’t find them elsewhere.
@Joyce M:
Joyce,
I spent the better part of an hour this morning trying to find a source for Ken’s five-size bead roller. Thanks to your post, mine is on the way!
I can’t wait to use it!
Hugs,
Elizabeth S.
Great beads Ken and such wonderful colours. Now I am going to try the bead rollers languishing on a shelf in my studio. My preference is the milky green jade.
Beautiful all around, Ken. I can’t say enough about the colors but I think what impresses me even more is the quality and finish of the beads. I absolutely love the elegance of the pieces using the graduated sizes. Thanks to Joyce M., I quickly logged on to the jewelry supply source she cited and was able to order the five-size roller. Can’t wait to use it! I think that part of the pefection of your beads is in your not holing them until after they are baked. Right? To date I have not been very successful at this but after seeing your beads and pieces made with them I think I’m gonna have to practice until I get it right. Thanks for sharing, Ken. I’m inspired as always by the work of one of my “classmates”.
The only one of the 5 sizes I can’t drill is the smallest,you may have better luck since I have large hands and it’s very hard to hold the tiny beads. There is a “pin path” in the roller and that is how I get the holes in the bead, then afterwards I widen the hole with my small drill bit in the dremel after its baked. And thank you for the encouragement, sometimes we’re our own worst critics and it does one good to place your work before your peers.
@ ken – the faux jade is beautiful. The colors areperfect and look so real. They are so glossy too and smooth like real jade. You must have spent a lot of time sanding and buffing. I love the graduated necklace too – very elegant! thankyou for sharing those photos of your work.
Wow Ken! I can’t believe they aren’t sanded?? The finish is amazing with just Future! Fantastic work!!
That’s why I swear by the bead rollers, all but the tri-bead roller have a tiny channel so you can pierce the bead before you take it out of the roller, helps keep the beads unblemished by fingerprints, and that helps with not having to sand. Of course though, if I were to make hand formed beads they would have to go through all the sanding and prep before finishing. On occasion I get a little roughness at the tips of the bead where the pin comes through, I just use an emery board (one for nails) to knock down the roughness at the holes.
@Ken H.: I have the round/oval roller and I don’t see any way to pierce the beads while still in the roller. Maybe I am missing something. The only other one I have is the Tri-Bead, so I really don’t know what to look for.
@carolyn: Sets 1 thru 8 have pin paths and come with a set of piercing pins, from what I can make out from the images on the Amaco website the Tri-bead roller,Tube bead sets 1 and 2, Lg. round/oval (13,16,18mm round, 13, 18mm oval) Lg. Round (20,22mm round) and 5 size bi-cone(6,10,13,16, and 22mm) do not come with pins and I’m assuming that they do not have pin paths.
@Ken H.: Ken, you said you use Sculpey III for your faux. Do you have trouble with your beads cracking or breaking after they are baked or does the Fimo trans help keep it uniform and dense?
Carolyn, on some of the bead rollers you can see the vertical lines. When your bead is done, line those up squarely and there is a small pin path that you can put the pin through. However, I have been using bead rollers for 7 years and this seldom works. I made 400 beads on the tri-bead roller when my husband was recovering from his heart surgery because he was sleeping in the chair and I was trying to be quiet. Using that bead path is almost impossible. As Ken said, the best way is to use a little corn starch or rubber fingers or put them in the tumbler. I use a bead baking rack to bake on so I put the hole in before baking. If it’s a really large bead, I let it rest for an hour before I pierce it so it gets hard and doesn’t distort.
Another thing you can do with the bead roller is, make really short strokes back and forth and your bead will take on a squarish shape. I make a lot of those beads.
@ Bonnie
The S3 is only used to tint the premo translucent, the little bit used shouldn’t cause any negative effects to the premo.
As far as I noticed the tri-bead doesn’t have a pin path, unless my eyes are going and I didn’t see it. For all the others even the large single oval, i’ve never had a problem, I stick the pin in the corn starch and twist the pin as it goes in.
@Ken H: I’ll try again. I think my eyes don’t look straight enough to do that. LOL
My problem when I get the bead rollers out is that I can’t stop making beads. I’m a woman possessed.
Love your beads, they are beautiful.
When you get back to Etsy, join “The Polymer Clay Artist’s Guild Of Etsy”. Lots of very talented people and they do great news letters and they have a challenge every month. Lots of great information.
Ken, your jade beads are amazing! I can’t tell them apart from your mother’s real jade pieces.
I love the Tri-Bead roller and use it all the time. I’ve put two beads at a time in each channel, so it’s quick and easy to make six beads at a time, if you like a mix of shapes. I agree that if you put cornstarch on your fingers when handling them, they don’t need much sanding.
Ok ladies and Gentlemen, I just heard back from Amaco, these are the sets that are “obselete” as they worded it, Lg Round (20,22mm), and sets 1, 7, and 8. I guess I gotta get these before they’re gone.
Sorry missed one, the 5 sizes of bicone.
Wow Ken, such beautiful work. I have the 5 size bead roller but haven’t really put it through it’s paces yet. Your graduated piece has inspired me. Thanks!
I have a tri roller, but I find when I use it to make round beads it leaves little grooves in the beads and they aren’t perfectly round – they are a little flattened as if you’d held them between finger and thumb and squished slightly. Maybe I’m using a little too much clay?
To be honest, I usually just cut evenly sized beads with a cutter from a sheet of clay and roll by hand, because it’s quicker. Even with the bead roller I need a final gentle roll by hand to get rid of the grooves and perfect the spherical shape.
the little top hat thingy, takes a little getting used to, I roll a snake the diameter of the hole and then pre-cut the peices. I don’t do hand rolled very well yet, i’m working on it but more times than not I end up with an oval or an egg, maybe the palms of my hands are oddly shaped (yeah that’s it ;D )
Silverleaf I think you are using too much clay. But if you use too much, just rock it instead of rolling it. They make really nice looking beads too.
Or just take a little off one side a roll again,
Wow, I love your faux jade beads. They’re beautiful! I am also a big fan of bead rollers. I’ve had great luck with bead rollers that I’ve ordered through a company called poly-tools. Their pro bead rollers have pin paths and they also sell pins.
Ken,fabulous beads,Iam inspired! You mention a tumbler. With polymer clay being fairly soft how well does this work ? Sorry if this is a stupid question but i don’t know much about tumblers either.what is the childrens tumbler ? You usually have access to a better choice of equipment and supplies in the u.s.but Imay find it in the u.k. if I know where to start. It sounds like agood idea for lots of small beads.
@christine le grice: It’s a tumbler that can be found in some craft stores, I had one a LOOOOONG time ago as a child, it’s an inexpensive introduction into rock tumbling and polishing. I had to buy a new one when I couldn’t find my original. There are many kinds of tumblers ( rotary, vibratory ) and good ones could cost much more than this starter version I brought. Cindy does a fantastic video on tumbling with a Lortone tumbler, and there are several lengthy conversations on tumbling beads to smooth them for finishing. I have yet to try tumbling, I went to a pet store and got the gravel used in the bottom of fishtakns (natural color though) and I think it’s sand for a filter (not sure), after the beads are baked they’re good an hard so I don’t think there would be any problem, and I know a few folks here have had success using the tumbler to sand the beads for finishing. Do a search on the words Rock Tumbler, this will lead you to all the resources Cindy’s site holds on the subject.
I’ll be on the same learning curve as you, I got the 20 and 22mm roller that one looks different from the others, so we shall see when they arrive. Ordered mine from Amaco to the tune of $71 though, I’ll just use the tax refund to pay for the four different rollers I got. Ah, bead making courtsey of Uncle Sam, gotta love it. :D
@Ken H: I ordered four different ones not one at $71. My fault for not being clear
@Ken H.: Well, Ken, I figured that out – but I got you beat! I won’t tell you how many I ordered. All I can say is that it was 2 o’clock in the morning and I just zoned out on rollers. Now I’m going to have to get more clay so I can use them all. Wonder if they will all fit in the motorhome …
@Ken H: I just had to comment on Uncle Sam holding out his skirt, bending his knees & bowing his head. I never heard of a bead-making curtsey, but I guess it’s to show appreciation for jewelry?
Sorry, that was dumb! hehehe When I read your transposed letters in courtesy, I read it as curtsey & it struck me as funny. Doesn’t take much, does it? LOL Anyway, congrat’s on your refund! What a great way to spend it, on one of your passions! Have fun rolling that Wilma F. necklace, and hopefully one day, a “fopal” necklace that rivals the opals you saw in Vegas!
You guys will all have Wilma Flintstone necklaces! From which store did you order the rollers? The jewelrysupply.com place that Joyce M. mentioned? Oh, wait. I see you ordered from different places. Amaco doesn’t have “Set 8” — which is the one you used w/the 5 small sizes, right Ken? I don’t see the 20/22 mm one either. Maybe you ordered the last one… ;-D Anyway, I guess I’ll stick with Joyce’s website. I haven’t ordered from eBay before. I’m afraid to (silly, huh?) I’m excited about your trip, Carolyn, and it’s going to be cool when you guys can finally meet up and talk clay…
@Phaedrakat: Phaedrakat- check out theclaystore.com.
@carolyn: Thanks, Carolyn. Looks like they don’t have the “Set 8” roller that Ken used, with the 5 sizes of rounds. They have free shipping which ends today, though. I’ll take a better look and see if they have anything else I need. Some B&B, for example… Thanks again!
@Phaedrakat: check out ehobbycraft.com
@Phaedrakat: Maybe I did (or I’m not getting it because it should have been removed from the site ), because it’s not there on the Amaco website, I believe it was called the Large or Lg. Round bead roller (20 and 22mm), check descriptions, there is a lg roung/oval roller that does 13,16, and 18mm and I forget what the ovals are.
@carolyn: Thanks for the tip about The Clay Store. I was finally able to get some Bake and Bond, and a couple of other things, at reasonable prices — with free shipping & no sales tax!
They didn’t have the Amaco Set 8 Bead Rollers, but it looks like ehobbycraft does have them. My only concern is that it says “Wholesale” Craft Outlet. It doesn’t specify whether or not you need a resell license. I’m assuming that you don’t, or they would ask for the license on the registration page. But I’ve been browsing through some of their other goodies. I don’t want to register & fill my shopping cart — only to find out I can’t buy anything! Have you ordered from them before? If so, did they ask for a license or permit? I’m sorry to bother you with this; if you haven’t ordered from them, no worries! I’ll figure it out. Thanks so much for your helpful suggestions!
@Phaedrakat: Yes, I have bought from them and no, they did not ask for my resale license. The fella I communicated with was named George and he was really great! And the items were shipped very quickly.
@carolyn: Perfect! Thanks so much! I’ll register, and then give ol’ George some business… ;D
thanks Ken for the information ,very kind of you to take the time to help . Ishall follow your suggestions to find out more.Sounds like it could save me some time ,like everyone else on here I want a 48 hour day !
I ordered a Set8 – 5 size round bead roller from jewelrysupply.com – shipping to Canada was $ 5.00. Thanks for the other websites. I was looking for a large oval bead roller as i dont succeed it rolling those by hand.
@Cheryl Hodges: Set 6 is a single large oval
Thanks Ken! Will try ehobbycraft.
@ Anyone who can help – I’m trying to make a earring with two rings of polymer clay but I would like to have them one into the other kind of ike you put one jumpring into the other. Any suggestions please?
@Cheryl Hodges: Cut two circles or squares and then cut the middle out of each. Slice one at an angle and put it through the other one. Smooth the seam with cornstarch or put a piece of cane over the seam.
@Cheryl Hodges: Hi Cheryl, making “chain” with polymer clay presents a unique challenge, since you have to be careful that the rings don’t touch each other and get stuck-together during baking. You have to use some type of barrier/release agent so that this doesn’t happen. The physical barrier of strategically-placed batting could work, as would a careful burial in cornstarch. Another option is to use Kato repel gel (or similar water- soluble release)—you just put it where the clay will be touching during baking. It keeps the clay from adhering, so that your rings will be linked together, yet swing freely after baking.
Thanks Bonnie. How do I bake it? If I manage to do them I think they’d make a cool pair of earrings.
@Cheryl Hodges: I would put a piece of batting in a tray that fits in your baking over and lay the earrings in that so they have a cushion and don’t move during baking.
Bonnie, I figured it would need some support . One of the rings is going to be on its side so do you think the side that is on the tray would get flattened or distorted. Maybe I can put batting on both sides and sort of suspend it inbetween. Sorry, this may sound like a silly question, where can I get batting?
I’m also wanting to mix polymer clay beads and do some stamped metal charms. I have all these ideas floating around. I ‘m trying to search around for metal lettering stamps. I found a supplier but it’s heavy and the shipping adds to the cost. I have a chasing hammer and steel block – its just the letter stamps. They’re expensive specially the lower case alphabets.
@Cheryl Hodges: Cheryl, I like Bonnie’s ideas, but I’d be more inclined to bake in cornstarch, sprinkling it in such a way that the two pieces do not touch each other, but so that they have support. I personally find that easier to work with in a situation like yours than trying to fit batting in and around.
As to where to get batting … check out the quilt section of your craft store. It is the stuff that goes inside the quilt to give it loft.
@Ken and Peggy – I bought 1 lb packs of premo frost, white, black and translucent from Utrecht Art supply store when I was in New York. Here’s the website – search.utrechtart.com/index?D=polymer+clay&Ntt=polymer+clay&Dk=0&N=0&Nty=1
Maybe we need to make a concerted effort with all our craft stores and continually request Premo! Frost. It isn’t available in any of my craft stores and only a few web stores have frost. And what I have found is usually the huge blocks. Maybe if we keep asking for it, they will get the idea there is a demand and then they might consider the supply side and stock it.
@carolyn: Carolyn and Cheryl, I don’t pack anything in the the batting. I cut a piece and lay it on the pan and just lay what ever the item is. I get the flat roll of batting. Never had a problem with my beads like that.
Have you ever looked at Munro Crafts for your frost clay. If you do a $200 order you get 50% off. I think you get 40% off if you do a $100 order. The only problem with them is you have to call the orders in. They also carry Magic-Glos even though it’s not listed on the website. They have all the bead rollers too. They have the 1 pound bricks of clay also.
@Bonnie: Thanks! I don’t recall ever hearing about this company. It looks like they have lots of stuff and the prices would be good if you could order a hundred or two dollars worth at a time. Guess I’ll have to start putting my clay money in a piggy bank!
Hi Ken just saw your Faux Jade, Spotlight.
Congrats on your lovely work.So inspiring when some one gets stuck in and makes the video lesson come to life like that.
Have read all the discussions that have come from this and it certainly help to know how things turn out when we all get going on the tut from Cindy.
I have done a few but mine have come out much more dense, so I love the real translucent glow look you have got.Probably because yours have such a polish on them, maybe due to the use of your rock tumbler.
I know about the Lorotone one $189 here and the kids one $40 here , have been meaning to go to the toy shop for that one, may do now.
I hava a 3 bead roller and dont have any trouble with making nice beads with it.
I do use the cornstarch on my fingers, and I do use the batting or the concetina card stock method when baking, so no troubles there.
i am away from home at present for another week and then when home am going to have 2 Cateracts off, GRR!! so out for awhile, but will be back with a vengance and great eyesight and then oh those colours .So keep up your lovely work and all the discussions,as everything is so worthwhile and an added bonus to Cindy’s lessons.
Once again love your Faux Jade
Love .
Elizabeth K
@Elizabeth K: Good luck with your surgery, Elizabeth, will keep you in my prayers.
@Elizabeth K: Jeepers Creepers, EK, after a mild flirtation with those darling docs, you’ll have the sparklingest Peepers in town! And you’ll be seeing those colours as never before, as you say. Best of luck. Keep us up to date with your progress, won’t you? XX Mary
@Elizabeth K: Best of luck with your cataract surgery. Years ago, when my father had his cataracts removed, it was painful with a long recovery. Today, it’s so much easier. All of my friends who have had it in the past few years tell me that there is little to no pain and some of them were actually reading later the same day. I’ll keep you in my prayers, Elizabeth.
P.S.
i have become very interested in the Faux Jade since this lesson, and have looked up about real jade as Cindy suggested for the colours, as it does come in so many colours which I really didnt know about. How ever i lived in New Zealand and just took Jade for granted as it was all around. The Maori people dug and carved it and even used it as spears and weapons years ago, and carved their symbolic Tikis from it. Now it is a highly revered jewelry article worth quite a lot of money, so thats why I probably never had any. Hence if I can make Faux Jade I will be really happy .
Here is a great site in N.Z. you may be interested to take a look at.
boneart.co.nz/jadeindex.htm
hope you have fun
bye for now
love
Elizabeth.K.
Thanks Joyce M. nice of you .XX
@Elizabeth K: Good luck, I remember when my Gram had cataracts removed, I went with her to the eye doctor the day the patch came off the second eye, I remember her crying because it was the first time in a long time she had seen my face clearly. So I wish for you the best outcome and a long time to come of artistry once you can see clearly again.
@Ken H.:
Hi Ken and all, Ken I cried when I read your reply. how wonderful of you to take the time to relate that to me.
Your Gram was so lucky to have you there. I have a friend who will be going with me no near rellies around. No matter tho as they line you up like peas and do this op so easily today so is oniy more a routine thing. I think I can see now but just wait.
Mary loved your reply gives me so much confidence about it
Yes you’ll hear me shouting bout the wonderful world of colour I am looking orward to seeing.
Bye
ovd
Elizabeth. K. XX
@Elizabeth K: Best wishes to you and I’ll keep you in my thoughts. You have such a positive attitude and that will make it even easier to get through it and heal.
@Elizabeth K: I just wanted to say that Ken is right, this operation will be a great thing for you. My Grandma, my Aunt and my Mother in law all had this surgery done and found a huge improvement to not only their eyesight, but also to their life. It also helped with headaches caused by their poor vision. As an artist, having cataract free eyes will be a blessing. I wish you great success in your surgery. We’ll all be thinking of you!
@Cindy Lietz from Kato Color Recipes – Bouquet of Violets:
Hi Cindy, thanks for taking your precious time to be in the discussion re the Cateract Op. I do have good vision even reading without glasses, and not even on the computer, only need glasses for distance, so maybe wont even need that after. What a great thought, as I am always looking for the darn things and can leave them anywhere LOL.Altho I do sometimes have a chain for them.
Having seen it first hand with your near relies as you have, and to let me know is so encouraging. Thank you so much.XX
Bonnie, Cheryl H. also thanks for your good wishes, I’m sure i’ll be ecstatic with the results and will wonder why I didnt get it done sooner.
Bye for now.
Love
XXX Elizabeth K.
@Elizabeth K: I thought I already left you a comment about your upcoming procedure, but I can’t find it anywhere. I’m sorry! I have been thinking about you, and hoping for a smooth, successful surgery. While I don’t know anyone who’s had it done, my mom has had 3 different eye surgeries/proceedures (she’s diabetic) and it’s absolutely amazing how well these things go. You’re in my prayers, but I have a feeling it’ll be a “piece of cake” for you! With your spunky, positive attitude, you’ll be good as new in no time. Please keep us posted as to how you’re feeling, and let us know which day you’re having it done. I want to toss in some extra prayers the “day of”! Best wishes & hugs to you from across the world!
@ Elizabeth – Wishing you success in your surgery and will keep you in prayer. it will be wonderful without cataracts.
@Phaedrakat – Yes, the rings touching each other the problem. i want them to swing freely. is there anything I could use instead of kato repel gel? I don’t have that.
@ Carolyn – did you check out Ultrecht online? They might have it cheaper than Munro’s.
I bought my Lortone rock tumbler from Canadian treasure seekers and it was free shipping in Canada. Their prices are really good so maybe even with shipping to US it would be cheaper – The cost of the tumbler is $99.95
@Cheryl Hodges: Any kind of release agent would work, I guess. I’m not sure about the oily ones, like Armor all, mineral oil, etc. though. Sorry, I’m not sure about it, since I haven’t tried anything for a chain except for the Kato Repel Gel. Actually, Aloe Vera Gel would work. Do you have any of that? (Real aloe vera gel, not lotion with aloe in it.) It would keep the clays from sticking and wash off after. You could also just use the baking powder, or wrap a slip of paper around one of the rings, so that it won’t touch the other. Or use batting, etc. Lots of ways to make sure they don’t touch when baking.
You could also cure one of the rings first. Dust it with cornstarch, then, loop the other ring through it, recombine the ends so that it’s a complete ring. Then bake the “chain”, the raw clay won’t want to stick to the cured clay, expecially with baking powder on it. Good luck, Cheryl!