What's New

Sally sent me these wonderful pictures of Metal Clay pieces she made using my texture sheets.

 She says "I have just been experimenting with the metal clay for a year, so everything is new and exciting (or challenging) to me."

These are not on my Real Textures page yet.

Lava Rock !!!!

 I love this one, I know, I always say that. Really though, this one is extra wonderful.

 I've done the normal black and white scan of the texture sheet. In the window is an invert, so you can see what texture it creates.

 Is that great or what!?!??! Yes of course it's great, I love it, it's fantastic. 

Wood Block Five

 This textile block has a nice bold pattern. It's a favorite of my guild member   Maureen Thomas.

 Like other blocks, the different areas of pattern make it versatile.  

 I will try to get pictures of this block in use, it looks very nice.

The texture sheets measure about 3 1/2 inches x 4 1/2 inches.  

Wood Block Four

  Wood Block Four is molded from an amazing, hand carved wooden print block. It is the most finely carved print block I own, and it is in near perfect condition. These texture sheets are exquisite. 

The texture sheets measure about 3 1/2 inches x 4 1/2 inches.  

 A few words about my texture sheets:

 I make each one of these individually,  by hand, one at a time.

 Each one is molded from the actual object.

 Yes, I do sit out in the woods. I mix and sheet RTV silicon, then press it into the one special ancient fallen tree that has the best spot to take a mold of the subtle texture I call 'Weathered Wood'.

 For the textile block patterns, I make each one from the actual hand carved wooden block. Most of these blocks are not perfect, they have areas of wear or damage.  I like this, I feel it gives them character and complexity.  If you look at the 'Examples' page of  'Wood Block Two', you will see what I am talking about. 

 This gives my texture sheets a very different effect than a mass produced rubber stamps or plastic texture sheets. Rubber stamps have either IN, or OUT. My texture sheets are that, 'Texture', whole mini-mountain ranges of variable depth. Even my sheets made from the textile blocks have variable depth. Look at those soft pillow shapes between the carvings, nice.  

 I use a high quality, commercial, RTV silicon mold compound. These are thin, approximately  2mm, strong,  flexible sheets. You can wrap them around your finger to impress just a small area or edge. They are thin enough to go through most pasta machines with a sheet of clay.

 They are silicon. You do not need a release agent. Things don't stick to them. This is wonderful and will spoil you.

 I love these texture sheets, I think you will too!  

 This pendent is made is with  'Wood Block Four'. 

 I'll add 'think of better names' to my 'to do' list. 

There is too much snow in the high country to make texture sheets. 

 Weathered Wood and Tiny Cracked Growth Ring are out of stock. I mold them both from a huge old tree, just no way to take it home with me. 

  I hope to have it available late spring, it will just depend on weather.

   Scarf Pins

 Here are some new scarf pins. These are the kind designed to use with loose knit scarves or shrugs.

 I first saw this design on a friend. She had a small nondescript metal one holding a lovely hand knit shawl.   Of course, my first thought was, I could make a better looking pin in polymer clay. And of course, it took a while to figure out the best way to do it.

 These are prototypes, built over a 12 gauge work hardened wire armature. The design is a little different. The pin is attached to the split ring. I like the idea pin is secured. I tend to lose things, and the standard two part ring and pin design just looked like trouble.

 The top one is textured with Wood Block One, the lower one with my new texture sheet, Wood Block Four (this page). 

 These have lots of room for improvement, like I said they are my first attempts. There was another one, a little better than these two, but I traded it for some gorgeous handspun sock yarn before I could take a picture! 

  Here is a picture of a scarf pin and the wire armature.

Sandy Camp '08

Sandy Camp was a wonderful time ! It is such a inspiring event, with so many great artists.

My texture sheets sold well at the 'Artist Showcase' store, and I traded for some fantastic things ! A Kathy Davis pendent, a Jean Sheppard bracelet , and much more!

And speaking of SDPCG, Marie Segal has a great tutorial for sale on making bracelets. She had some great bracelets at Sandy Camp, one with my Lauhala my texture sheet:

www.mariesegal.com

My local guild Clayville California , web site has new pictures on the 'members page':

clayvillecalifornia.com

Thanks to Julie Picarello and Maureen Thomas for all their work for the guild.