The Dead Monarch

Remember the Monarch butterfly from December? After several attempts to reduce the clay cane failed, I started to use the scraps to make Monarch beads. Here's a necklace fashioned from many pieces of the butterfly. I like the dead Monarch better than the live one! :-)

Stone and Silver Set

This polymer clay set was a Christmas gift for my sister. Designed to look like stone, each polymer clay piece is framed with a sterling silver link and buffed to a light shine. In between each bead I used French wire to hide the beadlon wire and give it a classy look. A fellow beader taught me how to make the matching ring this holiday season. Watch this space for more ring designs!

Beautiful in Copper Tones

This longer polymer clay necklace is the perfect accessory for a turtleneck or cozy winter sweater. I styled this one with my sister-in-law's red hair and green eyes in mind. Doesn't she look beautiful in copper tones!

Earthtone Design

This polymer clay earthtone necklace is intricate yet it's color combination and copper accents make it the perfect accessory for a casual outfit.

Classy Look for the Holidays

My latest creation features classic black, white and silver colors. A perfect accesory for that black dress!

Cold Days Inspire Warm Design

Trapped inside during the last 3 snow storms in Boston I designed this polymer clay piece featuring warm colors.

Holiday Creations

Here's a few shots of my latest holiday creations.

More Ann Inspirations

I picked out this soft and cozy sweater from Ann Taylor yesterday. It was just screaming for a long necklace styled with copper and clay beads. So inspiring in fact - I stayed up until midnight to finish. Sometimes I think I'm a little nutty about this hobby.

Beads and Beaches

Here's another clay necklace that I designed on the Vineyard. It's currently my favorite necklace....I say that after each new creation. This one incorporates a few of my own beads as well as ones that I purchased from one of my favorite clay artists.

Starring Miss Olivia Thompson

My niece, Olivia, was very interested in the clay beads. So, I made her a necklace with a few leftovers. Before she went to bed she carefully laid it on her bookshelf quietly said, "It's so beautiful." She wore it proudly 3 days in a row - Friday, Saturday and Sunday at church! If I'd known she'd cherish it as much I would have used my expensive findings . She is just so stinking cute. :-)

Translucent Clay Creates 3D Effect

Here's a few shots of a teal necklace I finished. I used translucent clay around the flowers for a cool 3d effect.

Pendants and Pizza

I finished this pendant necklace just in time to grab Pizza with our friends tonight. This creation was inspired by the "Bag of Gemstones" I purchased back in August. See my Christmas in August post for a little background. The focal point of the piece is an Autumn Jasper gemstone accented with gold and red beads.

Vineyard Fun

Last weekend we took a trip to Martha's Vineyard to bike around the island with a few friends from work. Really beautiful place and a fun group to hang with. As I packed for the trip I realized that I may need to carry my things in a backpack for a very long ride! So, it came down to essentials - biking gear, clothes, and beads. I packed up the red beads I'd been working on along with a small bottle of gloss, a paint brush, beading wire, and a few silver spacers. I painted my beads while explaining the coolness of polymer clay to onlookers. Fortunately, I had enough beads and supplies to make 2 necklaces. Pictured here are the 'almost done' projects.

I discovered there is also a neat bead shop on the Island in Vineyard Haven....expensive...but really fabulous selection! Unfortunately, I only had 15 min to browse the shop before catching the ferry. Not even 1/4 of the time I needed to check out the collection. At least we'll have a destination for our next flight to the Vineyard!

On the biking front, I cycled about 65 miles this past weekend. Not a fast pace, but great weather and a good long ride to get my heart back into the sport.