Art Bead Scene April Challenge

Welcome!
I'm brand spanking new to blogging so please bear with me.  I've followed the Art Bead Scene blog since the start. Well, technically, I can remember finding it when it was maybe a few months old and promptly reading every post until I reached the start.  There have been many times over the years when I had almost had things together enough to participate in the monthly challenges, but somehow it just never happened - until today!

After my last birthday I set a somewhat vague goal of really establishing my online shop etc.  A few days later I see the April ABS challenge and it was like it was made for me. Cool slate blues are where it's at.  So I took on the inspiration piece and the time line as a good deadline for getting things in order.

I'm a polymer girl so I got straight to the mixing.  I came up with the saturated slate blue as a starting point and from there added a few translucent versions, a few greys, purples, greens and a buttery yellow (cold butter that is) and I had my palette. (If I were an experienced blogger I'd stick a nice shot of my sheets of blended clay here...next time). 

I had the daffodils in mind but really I ended up with abstract poppies, which I prefer.  Here is the largest pendant I came up with which didn't actually become a full piece of jewelry just yet.

Not to worry though, I made a whole bunch so I could get choosy once I set to making the jewelry.  I ended up with three necklaces, and a whole lot more beads waiting for their chance.  Funnily enough my favourites didn't speak to me in a design at all so I'll have to let those hang around a bit in my mind. 

Here are my finished pieces!



I had such a great time getting these together from start to finish.  The best part about polymer is there is still so much more mixed clay all ready to make more complimentary beads. Although I still have this stack to work through.

Thanks so much for checking out my new Internet home!

ps one bit of housekeeping - in case you were wondering-  I have been around on blogger, flickr and etsy as FrankandRox since 2007.  But I thought I would start fresh with my new brand: A Polymer Penchant.  I hope you will join me on the journey.