Gallery (9 pics): “Buttery smooth skull and crossbones design… made for a Pirate Girl in a modern world.” ~Cindy Lietz
Today’s Gallery post showcases a unique mixed media bracelet, designed for a Pirate Girl in a Modern World. It’s soft drape, lovely turquoise stones and charming white and brown skull & crossbones beads, make for a jewelry item that is classy enough to wear at the office, and edgy enough to keep you from getting bored with it.
It’s rustic yet elegant, handcrafted copper patina (Melinda Orr) clasp, is showcased beautifully by 4 buttery smooth pirate art beads. They were created with my signature polymer clay pirate cane, and accented with Turquoise Magnetite beads that match perfectly with the clasp. The bracelet is linked together with gently aged solid copper wire using a rosary chain, wire working technique.
Discovered Treasure Pirate Bead Bracelet Gallery (9 pics):
Total length of the bracelet is 9″ (23cm) but fits a 7″ – 7 1/2″ (18cm – 19cm) sized wrist comfortably.
Price: $40 (US): Discovered Treasure Pirate Bracelet – If you are interested in purchasing the jewelry item shown in today’s gallery post, then please contact us. Be sure to include your full mailing address so we can work out the shipping cost and get back to you with payment instructions.
By the way, if you did not get a chance to see the last special Gallery feature, here is a direct link: Mixed Media Coppery Earrings
Open Mic: Please feel free to use the comment section below as a forum for discussing whatever is on your mind. Ask questions… post tutorial requests… share stories about your latest creations… or just say HI! This is your community! The more you put in, the more it gives back.
Hi Cindy, I am new to polymer clay jewelry making-and hoping to make it a new career since my 25 years in real estate is over. I have searched hi and low, all over the internet, polymer clay books, magazines, and I cannot find any info about making the bezel from polymer clay. I want to use for pendants and bracelets and fill with UV resin-I want my bezels to have a more “earthy” feel and look than the typical shiny metal ones on the shelf in stores. I tried making a mold and that did not work out. Have seen photos of bezels that had a beautiful intricate, border edging-but no reference “how to”.
I just found your site and will become a “member” as you have good info, well-presented, organized and enthusiastic audience. By chance, have you done a video in the past about how to create bezels from scratch polymer clay – if so please tell me where I can find it! I am so frustrated-and the harder I look the more determined I am to find out the technique. Thank you for time…
Hi Rhonda,
I am so glad to hear that you will be joining us. I think you are really going to enjoy the the journey that polymer clay will take you on!
As far as your question about making your own clay bezels, I do not have a tutorial on that technique yet, though I do intend on making one at some point.
I do know of a product made by a fellow Canadian called the Cabezel. It is kind of a silicone stamp that you can form a clay cabochon with and a corresponding clay bezel for it. I have not yet tried it myself (so many things to try, so little time) but it may work for you. The designs may not be exactly what you’re looking for, but it may be worth taking a look.
You can find the Cabezels here:
shadesofclay.com/products/Exclusives/CaBezels/CaBezels.htm
Hope that helps!
Hi,
Thank you so much for your very in depth information for aspiring bead makers! It can be so hard sorting through all the mounds of information out there!! I am looking into making some sparkly ornaments for some wedding centerpieces I’m making for my 2012 nuptials and got interested in preserving the flowers using memory beads. During my search for ornament materials I got turned onto Fire Mountain Gems and their wholesale prices. They sell “Kato Polyclay” and I wanted to get your take on this product if you have any personal experience with it.
Also another excerpt I read on another website said that using a translucent/transparent clay may cause the petal colors to bleed and therefore warping the colors. Do you have any personal experience with this or suggestions on this issue?
Thank you so much for your input!
Tifanie
Hi Tifanie, congratulations on your upcoming wedding! It sounds like you are planning a beautiful event. As far as using Kato Polyclay, it is an excellent product. It is a stiffer clay than the Premo brand that I use which may make it a little more difficult for you to use if you are a beginner with polymer clay, but it is a professional quality clay that you will get great results with.
The information you read about the translucent clay causing the flower petals to bleed or warp, is incorrect. I do have a tutorial on how to make your own Rose Petal Beads, that explains the whole process clearly and how to get richly colored beads.
I have been working with polymer clay and flower petals for making beads for several years now and have developed an easy foolproof method that will save you a lot of hassles, specially since you don’t have a lot of time to go through the process of learning by making mistakes.
Here is a link to more information about my flower petal beads tutorial, if you are interested.
Hi Cindy, I am very new to polymer clay and I just got some sculpey mainly I was looking for something to work with that I don’t have to take somewhere to be fired in a kiln, but the things I want to make are for outside in the garden like the fairy door and such. But now it is unclear to me if sculpey is safe to put outdoors with out being ruined, so then thought I wonder if I can just put polyeurthane over it? I saw your page on the varathane, but wondered if it had to be that product as I have some rustoleum polyurethane. theres so much to learn.
Thanks Lisa
Lisa – last year I made a “no junk mail please” sign for my letterbox. It has been outside for over a year now and is still good, perhaps a little faded in colour, but the condition is fine. I’ve also experimented with Preserve Your Memories, a spray-on sealer, that I used on polymer tiles. It stands up to outside weather and seems to keep the colour from fading.
So go ahead and try something to keep outside, what have you got to lose?? The best way to find out if it works is – give it a go and see! Good luck.
Jan
Hey Cindy,
Nice bracelet. I’d love to see some tips on how to patina different types of wire and metal… and perhaps for a fifth Friday suggestion how to take great pictures of your jewelry… maybe get your daughter in on the act ;o) Also, will pymll help keep wire and metal components from tarnishing?
Thanks…is it Friday yet. hehehe
M
Hi Michelle, way back I did a Hammered Copper Clasp Tutorial and showed how you can patina the metal with ammonia. If you have that back issue, go check it out. I do want to do more with patina techniques, so stay tuned for that.
Some time we will have to show you all our photo set up and maybe Doug and/or Willow can come in with some tips for you all, since that is their specialty? I’ll have to ask, I do know Willow can be very shy. (She prefers to be behind the camera, rather than in front of it.)
And to answer your last question, yes PYMII will seal in any metal and keep it from tarnishing. It also does a great job for sealing in patina finishes so they are less likely to chip. The product was originally designed for metal and just ended up being perfect for just about everything else, including polymer clay. Which is awesome for any mixed media jewelry designer!
Hi Cindy. I wanted to suggest a 5th Friday topic.
I would love to see what goes into making your videos-from idea conception to final product. I know you will have ‘trade secrets’ you may not want to put out there and that’s okay. I’m sure there would still be plenty of info to make an interesting viewing. I’m really curious to know what all you go thru to put out these videos, color recipes and so forth. It must be an immense amount of work.
I was also wondering if you have another venue that you sell your finished pieces thru and if so, what is it?
Actually, I have more questions than would be fair to take up your time with so I’ll leave it at this for now.
Have a great day :)
Thank you Angela for the Tute request. Those kind of things would make great subjects for vlogs like the 5th Friday videos have been. I’ll try and put some thought into the best way to present something like that.
It does take a tremendous amount of time to produce everything we do here, so other than the odd gallery post on this blog, I am not selling any beads or jewelry right now. Will need to do something more in the future (otherwise the whole family will be buried in a mountain of beads) but don’t have the time right now to deal with all that goes along with that responsibility. (ie. photos, listings, packaging, shipping, etc.)
Love hearing from you. Thanks for your comment!
YEAH!!!!! I have that issue I’ll check it out thanks. OK, I’m off to watch today’s beaded spider video – WOOHOO! And to think a few years ago I didn’t like spiders. I’m glad I’m over that fear ;o)
Happy Friday and thanks for the reply.
I ordered a wedding cake topper made of baked polymer clay, but the bride’s arm broke off in transit. There’s no time for a remake. What can I use to securely glue the arm back on without the cracks showing too much?
Thanks for any suggestions you might have,
Distraught mother-of-the-bride
Hi Pam–if you don’t want to bake/cure it again the easiest thing to do would be just use a bit of crazy glue–hope this helps-Sherry
I tried your suggestion and it worked perfectly! Thanks!
I have been searching all over the Future floor wax. You mentioned that in one of your tutorials as an alternative for coating the polymer. I found a place, finally, that has Pledge, which is essentially the same product, I’m told, just marketed under a new name. Are you at all familiar with this?
Hi Janine,
Yes, Pledge with Future Shine is what the name of Future Floor Wax was changed to. The smallest bottle I could find is 27 oz. which is going to cover a zillion beads or so :) . I think I’m going to look for a bottle that will hold 1 or 2 oz. to keep with my pc supplies and just store the rest away until needed.
Happy claying.
Thanks Angela for coming to Janine’s rescue! That helps me a great deal when sweet members like you come in to answer questions. I can’t always get to answering them as fast as I would like. Thanks again! :-)
Your welcome Cindy. I get so much good info from you and everyone else-I’m glad to return the favor when I can.
Have a great day.
Angela
My husband bought some Pledge floor care but it says its for tile and vinyl. I cant figure out if this is the right one to polish my polymer clay! another one says for wood. I read all of the messages but no one said which one it is.. it says floor care tile & vinyl Finish with Future shine.
Hi Michele,
I got out my bottle for another look. Yes, the one with Future Shine is the one you want. The cleaner by Pledge for wood floors is not the one you want.
I hope that helps.
Angela :)