Introducing TooAquarius

beautiful rose beads........

TooAquarius AKA Elaine is an extremely talented Artist,Business woman ,teacher and computer wiz from Canada.

round floral beads.......

I have admired Elaine's Millefiori talent since we met several years ago on PolymerClaycentral.com 's message board. She has a wonderful ability to capture floral beauty in her cane work. I have bought and used many of her polymer clay floral canes in my own projects from her shop http://TooAquaris.Artfire.com .

Lentil beads......

In her shop you will find a huge amount of awesome canes and finished beads to use in your own creations....Her color pallet is beautiful as is her work take a peek at her shop I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

leaf cane.....


floral slice beads....

TooAquarius is a proud member of Polymer clay smooshers guild of ArtFire.

Introducing Into The Dawn

Dawn of http://IntoTheDawn.Artfire.com is a lovely and talented member of The Polymer Clay Smooshers Guild of ArtFire.

I absolutely love her polymer clay transfer Tarot Card pendants. I think it's such a creative idea.

She also is a very good sculptor, I love the colors and softness of this necklace.

She made this cute ATC for our monthly themed challenge. June's challenge was Ocean. Don't ya just love it?

Take a few minutes to browse her shop at http://Intothedawn.artfire.com you'll be glad you did.

How to make a cuff bracelet

I wanted to do a work in progress post for anyone interested in making a cuff bracelet or just wondered how they were made. I thought I'd show how I made one.

I am not a great planner when I make something; I am more of a design as I go kind of Gal.

Making the cabochon is my first step because everything is designed around it. I made this garden Cabochon with polymer clay and mounted it in the center of a strip of stiff interfacing that measures about 2 1/2 x 8 1/2 inches. While the glue dried I picked out the beads I wanted to use to stitch the bezel. Then I stitched the bezel using a peyote Stitch.


I began to embellish the cuff band with some cool accent beads I had in my bead stash. This bracelet is for The Polymer Clay Smooshers "Flight" challenge so I thought the Swarovski crystal and enamel butterflies would be perfect for that theme.


I wanted to use the beads to show motion and start to create some flow...


I started to add some green crystals and crystal flower beads to bring in the flowers from the cabochon. It's a bummer that the crystal flowers don't show well in these photos I'll make sure they show better in finished piece photos.

As I'm working I like to lay it over the brass form to make sure it's flowing and laying in a visually pleasing way. So far I am liking how it's looking .

Now I need to spend some more time finishing this side of the cuff and then start on the other side. As I do I will take more photos and post them along with the finished piece for you.

I am looking forward to entering the piece along with all of my other guild mates project in Polymer Clay Smooshers Guild "Flight" challenge. You can check out our guild blog at http://polymerclaysmooshers.blogspot.com for lots of great polymer clay information and inspiration.

How I make beads

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Here is what it looks like when I am making polymer clay beads. This isn't meant to be a tutorial but more a quick look at some of what goes into making polymer clay beads.

Step 1...
pick out canes and blend base color for beads.

Step 2...
cut out and roll base beads

Step 3...
slice paper thin slices of cane and apply to base, roll to smooth.

Step 4...
cut and shape bead caps from base color. Add to beads.

Step 5....
pierce beads with bead pins hang on rack and cure..

Step 6....
when cured sand through 5 grits of sandpaper and buff to a glass like finish.

Yup I know that was a quick run through and some steps were skipped. I promise to do a proper tutorial on bead making soon.

The beads came out pretty nicely. I made a pendant base to go with them and as soon as I get the pendant beaded I'll post photos of the finished necklace.

What is a Polymer Clay Cane?

When people see the things I make they often think the patterns are painted on. I explain that they are made by applying thin slices of " polymer clay canes ". Then they look at me and say "what is a cane?" if you have ever had the same question here is a quick simple explanation with visual aids.

A polymer clay cane is made by blending contrasting colors of clay and forming them into a pattern. I know; it's still confusing....I'll use this simple flower cane to illustrate.

Photo #1
I took the following colors green pearl/blue pearl/white pearl and blended them together to form the striped pattern for a single flower petal and I wrapped it in a sheet of pearl clay. Then I "reduced" it; [squeezed it to make it longer] , and cut it into 8 equal lengths.

Photo #2
I took each of the 8 pieces and shaped them like a flower petal. I took the 8 petals and arranged them around a yellow center to form a flower shape.

Photo #3
I took translucent polymer clay and "packed" or wrapped it around the flower shape to help everything hold it's place during reduction.

Photo #4
I took the 3 inch wrapped and packed cane and redused it buy squeezing ,pulling and rolling it until the tube measured about 1/2 inch around and then cut it into 6 2x1/2 inch canes ready to use on projects. Just like the Pillsbury cookie dough at the store the flower pattern goes all the way through the cane.

That is how a polymer clay cane is made....Have I further confused you? I hope not; I hope I have intrigued you enough to learn to do it too.....

Victorian Poinsettia Brooches

I have always liked Victorian styled things around the holidays. I think these 2 brooches have a Victorian look to them.

When I started making them the other day I had intended for them to be pendants on necklaces. By the time I finished the beading and making the ruffles edges they were way to big for pendants. So.....brooches they became. In the end I think it worked out for the best. I'll take the beads I made for the necklaces and turn them into a bracelet and earrings.

The soft diamond one is my favorite. I like how the champagne beads and black opal seed bead ruffle frame the bezel.

on work table......earrings, earrings and more earrings......

New stuff I made this week end

Now that I am feeling better I am starting to make things again. I really need to get busy my busiest craft show season starts in 2 months.

This weekend I was in a mood to make some palm candles. I made some that are red clove scented and some that are Heather scented.

I took the heather scented ones and made a gift set with some...
This is a a wonderful gift set filled with pampering goodies. Heather is a lovely fresh,herbal,lightly floral spa type blend.

In this set you'll receive:
1 4oz. bar of oatmeal soap
This is a awesome creamy bar of soap that gently polishes the skin.

1 8 oz dead sea salts in a taffeta bag
These salts a a great way to make a relaxing bath or foot soak after a hard day.

2 palm votive candles.
I love palm candles they are clean burning much like a soy candle. One of the characteristics of palm candles are the crystal like pattern on the candle. I think it makes them very pretty. These will give you many hours of scented burning time.

I listed the gift set in my Artfire shop http://Gingerbells.artfire.com . I am thinking I will offer the clove candles in a set of 6.

The clove candles smell so good I made some for my house so I could enjoy them too. One of the best part of making these kinds of things is I get to keep some for my personal use.

On my worktable ............polymer clay beads and cabochons.

Wooden purses.

When I go to the craft store I always hit the clearance isle to see what treasures I can find. I found some nice wooden purse blanks a year or so ago at a good price so I bought several.



I use to love to do decoupage and collage projects when I was younger and making decorative boxes was always one of my favorite subjects. These purses are pretty much the same idea. So I spent this weekend painting decoupaging a couple of the blanks.

I really like the "Butterflies in the night sky" themed one best.

The paint finish is my favorite part, the colors are a pretty combination of pearl,teal,turquoise and purple. I used several painting techniques to give the painted surface lots of great texture.

To the surface I decoupaged really pretty water colored butterflies, moths and flowers along with 2 pretty B monograms. There is just the slightest touch of fairy dust on the cut outs to catch the light for a gentle sparkle.


The other purse is "I will always be a dreamer" themed purse. I love hot air balloons and I think the are a good way to symbolize my dreams.

The front side has the sun and it is for day dreams. The back has stars and the moon and it is about night dreams. I blinged it all up with 64 crystals.

These were fun projects that I enjoyed doing. Now what next? I think maybe some cabochons for some broaches I got the other day or maybe some candles; maybe both.

What's up?

So I've been neglecting my blog the last couple of weeks.
Why you may ask?

Well I have been busy with taking care of some unexpected health problems and getting ready for tomorrow's craft show.

I am feeling better and with a few life style changes and some time I will be all good. Turning 50 sucks, lol.

Tomorrow I am doing one of my favorite craft shows it is......
The Wabash Valley Herb Festival
It's a great festival on the banks of the Wabash river in Terre Haute, Indiana. It is filled with vendors selling herbs and flowers and garden related items and hand crafts. It's a jurried show and I like that because there are no buy and sell vendors there. It's a very popular annual event that people look forward to all year.
It has been raining here so much latley I was conserned that it would be raining but it looks like it's going to be a cool clear day....awesome.

Well it's getting late and I have to get up at 4:30 am to go set up, I will say good night!

Something for my sore muscles

ARRRRGGGG I hate getting old and some of the things that go with it. For me the body aches are the worst part. So a few years ago I started making different soaks and bath teas to relax my ouchys. I decided to make some for my shops.

I just love this stuff it smells awesome. When I am tired and my muscles ache I fill my tub with warm water . Then I fill a cotton bag with the herbs and salt and drop it into the tub to dissolve the salts and release the beautiful scent. The salts relax my muscles and the scent relaxes me. It is the perfect end to a long day.

The combo of dead sea and Epsom salts relax and sooth sore muscles and help detox the skin. I like the rose petals and hips the oils from them seem to help soften my skin. The wild rose and oak is such a awesome warm calming scent.

The resealable bag holds 1 lb. of salts and a reusable cotton bag to fill with the salts and petals. Just fill the bag and drop into the warm tub let the salts dissolve and soak you aches away.

Blue Gray Garden Necklace

Here is my newest necklace. I made the beads and the cabochon with polymer clay. I love polymer clay it allows me to make things that are all mine.

I usually make the focal and accent beads and then design a necklace around them. I like these beads even tho they turned out a little more gray then I had planned. I think the gray looks nice with the oxidized silver pendant frame.

It is a nice long necklace it measures 22 inches. I think that's a great length to wear with a turtle neck or a tunic. I am full figured and I really like my necklaces this long it is more flattering.

I'll probably add this to my shop tonight or tomorrow and if I still have it in April I will take it to my show with me. Necklaces are always a good seller for me at shows.

My first show of the spring is April 3-4 at the Brocton Big Red Barn Market Festival in Brocton Illinois. It is on of my favorite shows of the year.


On my work table 2 more pendants waiting to be finished and turned into necklaces.............

Awesome Olive Oil Soap

I have been making Olive oil soap again and I can tell you my drying room smells beautiful. I have 2 sweet bars and 2 spa bars.

The "sweet" bars are the first 2 bars. The purple bar is a beautiful sexy tropical Tuberose. It smells like heady rich island flowers. The pink bars smell like Pink Sugar and awesome feminine sent, very flirty.

The green bars are my "spa" bars. They are clean fresh uni-sex scents. The top bar is Green Clover and Aloe scent[BBW dupe], I added some apricot kernels to polish your dry winter skin. The 2 toned bar is my favorite it is White Tea and Ginger, I love the fresh clean smell of it I added apricot kernel to gently polish the skin and candula petals to sooth it. Both of these bars will remind you of a day at the spa.

I love olive oil soap it has really been good for my skin. I have been using it as my shampoo for the last couple of months and have seen a nice improvement to my dry hair and scalp.

I have all of these bars listed in my shop http://gingerbellsbathshop.etsy.com now is a good time to check them out. I am having a buy 3 get 1 free sale; mix or match any items in shop that will be over soon.

My little pumpkin

Well little Lexie is now 6 weeks old.

When her Mommy left her with me yesterday I put on her little Halloween out fit on. The little Jack O Lantern blouse is a little big on her but that's OK she is growing fast and will be filling all of her outfits out in no time. It is so fun to watch them grow; her big Brother is 2 1/2 now and it just seems like yesterday he was a little one just like her.

She is starting to show her personality some she smiles a lot, loves to be cuddled, { good thing}, and responds really well to being talked and sang to. She is only 6 weeks old but has her Grandpa Jose totally in love, he never has been able to resist chubby little red heads. I knew she had him hooked when he came home from the store the other day with a little plush dolly for her that has chubby cheeks and red hair. He said he got it because it reminded him of her awwww, not bad for the worlds most MACHO Man. He also bought her some little pink onesies I was surprised they were pink and not Camo.

I have been making up little gift sets for my bath shop. I like putting them together. The other photo is of another new bangle bracelet for my gift shop. I like it it is comfortable to wear even on my chubby wrist. the center focal is one of my polymer clay cabs.