Happy New Year! I don't make new year resolutions, I don't want to set myself up for disappointment and feel like I've let myself down.
This year I just want to enjoy life and keep working. The last two months of 2010 were something of a low point for me, I was ill a lot of the time and did almost no work. I don't feel too bad about that, I've reached a point now that I accept 'down time' as something I must get through and not let it turn into a spiral of depression and misery. So I've had a lazy couple of months and am now feeling much better.
I had a mixed start to the new year, I got started on some hearts for Valentine's day and some matching beads but then had a horrendous migraine so had to stop work yesterday. A reminder to take it slowly!
Here is a (not very good, sorry) photo of the latest work waiting to be baked. I'm going to make some more and fill up the trays before I bake so it will probably be next week before any of these become finished items to list on Artfire and Folksy.
I conditioned a thin sheet of clay and covered it with silver metal leaf (not real silver). Then I placed a sheet of cling film over it and rolled it through the pasta machine at a thinner setting. This cracks the silver leaf and presses it into the clay. This can then be cut and applied over clay heart and bead shapes. I still have some of the silvered clay so will make some more hearts and beads. When the craft shop opens I must buy some more metal leaf, in copper and maybe gold colours. I really like the effect and it is similar to the technique for doing faux dichroic.
