Spotlight: “It feels a lot like school days show and tell to me.”
~Tania-K
In today’s Spotlight Feature, it is my complete an utter pleasure to present the fabulous Rose Beads created by Tania Kathuria. You may remember already seeing some of her work in the comment section of sculpted rose bead tutorial post [Vol-013-3].
Below, Tania shares more about her rose jewelry pieces and also reveals what inspired her to learn about making rose beads in the first place. Related links for this spotlight feature include: (1) Variegated Rose Beads; (2) Sculpted Rose Beads
This Is What Tania Had To Say…
Hello again Cindy… Thanks so much for creating this “Spotlight” for us. That is so kind of you. It feels a lot like school days “show and tell” to me.
I have always been a great fan of nature and art. Roses are one of my favorite flowers. Recently I had gone shopping for my daughters 1st Birthday cake and ended up designing my own cake for her. In the process I had came a cross beautiful cakes decorated by flowers made with Gum paste. And I was totally in love with them and I thought to myself why not realistic looking roses made of polymer clay for jewelry! So that’s how I started making roses.
I follow most of same techniques of making gum paste roses. That’s how I really learned how to make roses. The hardest thing for me was to get rid of finger prints and I would like to share one technique I found really helpful … which is using a sponge to thin out the sides of the petals not only it does a wonderful job of thinning it also takes any finger print and you can pick either the smooth side or the sponge texture side on top of the rose.
I have tried adding just different color clay on the center of the petal and smoothing it out for 2 colors but did not turn out that great. I love this new cane idea you showed us it has a much cleaner look to it. All though I think I need much more improvement on making the perfect cane.
I am still learning from the GURU’s such as yourself, how to incorporate them to jewelry. So far I have done pendant & earrings with beads and bracelets.
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As far as I’m concerned Tania, I don’t think you need “..much more improvement on making the perfect cane.” I love the way your colors step out towards edges! This gives a very modern artistic feel.
If however, you would like to see a smoother transition between the colors, then the way to achieve that is to roll your teardrop blended strip much thinner before you make it into the cane. The thinner the strip the smoother the gradation.
Other than that, all I can say is Fabulous! The beads are gorgeous. The jewelry design is fantastic and the photography is very professional. You make a teacher proud!
So go on everyone, let Tania know how you feel about her jewelry and her designs. Ask her any questions you may have as well. I am sure she would be happy to share her ideas with you.
** If you have been inspired by my teachings and would like to be featured in an upcoming Spotlight Article, then please do write up something creative and email it to me along with a selection of your project pics. Make sure to send me high resolution photos that I’ll be able to zoom in on to show the details of your work. If you don’t already have my email address, simply leave a comment below and I will get it to you right away.
Tania, how lovely your roses are. I too have a love of roses, my favorite being the yellow. I hope someday to take the challenge with a like results. Great job, continued success.
Tania,
These are absolutely beautiful, the roses themselves and the pieces you created with them. Thank you so much for sharing them with us. I can’t tell you how much I am learning from everyone who has shared their work.
Tania, would you mind showing me how you finish the backs and add the findings. I am having decent success with my roses now, but just can’t get the backs the way I like them so that the pieces lay right. A picture would help so much. Thanks so much.
Cindy, again my thanks for adding the spotlight feature to the site. Elizabeth
Your roses are beautiful and I love the way you photographed them. Thanks for the tip about the sponge. I am always fighting with finger prints, especially on warm day.
Cindy, this spotlight feature is sooo great. It is exciting to see what other people are doing.
Tania:
These are gorgeous!! I just love seeing all the variations that everyone comes up with on all these techniques. They are beautiful and inspirational. Thanks for sharing these Tania and Cindy.
Gorgeous roses! And your jewelry is wonderful as well!
Tania, all I can say is WOW! I would like to know how you attach them to the findings, I have trouble with that sometimes!
Tania, these roses are breathtaking. I feel like if I touched one, it would be so “ripe” the petals would come away in my hand.
Please share more, you are very talented!
Tania, thank you for sharing. Your roses are beautiful. I especially love the tropicana rose, it reminds me of the roses I had at my wedding. I agree they look so real, like you reach out and touch them. Keep up the great work!!!!!!!!
Wow … Thank you soooo much guys for all your kind words…. Makes me wanna hug each and every one of you :)
I love Art and I am learning more everyday from each and every one of you too… Elizabeth & Carrie I slice off excess clay from the bud as close to the end as possible and make a hole from side to side right after I finish making the bead while clay is still soft. Then make wire loop on both side and attach cord I will take some pictures and send to Cindy ASAP.
I will be more then happy to answer any question you all have. All my pieces are available on my etsy store and in honor of Cindy… anyone mention Cindy’s blog will get a discount of 30%.
Cindy I can’t thank you enough for everything u been teaching us. And thanks for your suggestion about the cane I will definitely try that:)
Big hugs to all…
Tania, how to you get the bead to balance on the center hole? Do you weight the back? Mine just bobbles. Like that boxer folks had in the back window of the sedan.
Help!
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LOL Jocelyn you are funny… No I do not put any kind of weight on the back. But I make the hole on a bit angle from top to bottom, if I put the finding on the top like the red rose on picture above. I guess when slicing the extra clay off of the end of the rose, cut as close to the rose end as possible. I will try to send some picture of the back side of my rose asap so you can take a look…
JUL-28 ADDED NOTE: Scroll down the page to see photo of the back side of one of Tania’s roses.
Kemosabe, I await pictures with bated breath. Thank you so much for your timely and generous response!
If you LOL reading, then you have hopefully received a gift. I am honored. I do try. Still not getting paid for this either, ahahaha!!
Just joking Cindy, ya know I love you to death! As that poor Spanish waiter used to say on the Brit com Fauwlty Towers, “I learn, Mr. Fauwtly, I learn…..”
It’s a never ending journey. I love it.
Brilliant! Everything everyone else said!
Tania,
Thank you so much for your willingness to help Jocelyn and me with the “bobbling boxer” syndrome. Her description perfectly describes what happens to my roses, too. I’m gonna try again using your suggestions. Can’t wait for the pictures. Elizabeth
OMG, very pretty! Tania, you are the rose master!
I love what I see happening in this thread! So much support and learning going on here. My dream come true! Keep it up!
@Tania: Just like everyone else I can’t wait to see how you strung up your rose beads from the back. Also, thank you so much for passing along such a generous discount to your store on behalf of this site. You are such a giving soul and are greatly appreciated!! :-)
This just in….
“Hey Cindy, Attached find a picture of the back of my rose… I hope this picture makes it clear to everyone how I attach the bead to the necklace… Once again thanks so much for the encouragement you and everyone has given to me… I am truly flattered! Hugs, Tania :)”
Tania, thanks so much for sharing. The light bulb lights, lol! This technique will solve my bobbling problem, nice flat back and even support with the pin. Great idea!!!
You said it Jocelyn! It really clicks in my head now! Thanks for helping us all!
Oh you are very welcome :) I am glad to be some help
Have fun…
Awwww, now we get it. It is true, a picture is worth a thousand words. Thanks Tania :)
Just LOVE your roses and the jewelry you made with them.Thank-You for sharing.
Hi Tania, first of all I have to tell you that your work are fantastic very nice keep up your great work.
I wish I learn how to do that set of roses and others do you have videos or dvd’s? How can I do from the internet I am from Malta and I don’t find these things. Thanks for your reply your friend.
Tania.
Two Tania’s with a passion for polymer clay roses. How wonderful!
It’s great to hear from someone in Malta. And I’m glad that you let everyone know where you are from. There are other readers from your country that may be interested in connecting with you.
To answer your question about video tutorials… yes absolutely there are lessons available that you can watch on your computer. The nice thing about streaming Internet video is that they work where ever it is that you may be located on our great big planet.
The “Rose Bead Tutorials” link by my name above will take you to the Polymer Clay Library where you can purchase the Volume-013 back issue package specific to making sculpted rose beads.
And if you are brand new to polymer clay, you should also take a look at my Polymer Clay Beginners Course. It contains 39 videos that teach you everything you need to know about the basics.
Thanks Tania… as Cindy mentioned she has a wonderful vedio tutorial here… hope you will try it soon and show us some of your roses pictures when you make them:)
Hugs
Tania