Monday, August 29, 2011

Who won the FLY pendant?


The result is in! Kathy of YorkAvenueStudio won our August blog giveaway! Congrats!

Thanks to our featured Metal Clay Heads Lesley of Thoughtfully Adorned who sponsored the giveaway. Our next blog giveaway has been scheduled for Octobler. Our featured artist will be AliBaliJewellery. Please stay tuned!

Coming up is our September challenge. Both public and technical polls should be up mid-September. Can't wait to see what wonderful creations the MCHs come out with.

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Sprinkle Your Home and Self with Thoughtful Adornments

MCHs August featured metal clay artist is Lesley of Thoughtfully Adorned.

Lesley described herself as "a thinker and lover of beautiful words and sayings." Her jewelry are beautifully adorned by positive words, affirmations, and positive symbols -- which would inspire or touch you in a positive way.

Why did you pick the name Thoughtfullyadorned?
I decided to call my shop "Thoughtfully Adorned" because I love making pieces of jewelry or art that either inspires or speaks something for the person wearing it. I have always loved words, quotes, positive symbols and things that I can see around me to remind me that all is good and to breathe! Thoughtful pieces ... I liked that ... so I added adornment and it just kinda felt right to me.

When did you first become interested in Metal Clay? How long have you been designing jewelry using Metal Clay?
I have been working with metal clay since about May of last year. I had a book about it for a couple of years and I kept looking at it thinking I would try it some day. So, one day, I just decided to start the process. I started buying supplies slowly and some PMC3. My first pieces were supposed to be leaf shaped earrings -- "supposed to be" lol. I torched them to death! I did not understand the torch process. I finally learned to do it in a darkened room so I could see the orange and to move the torch around! I was so thrilled when I made a real piece of silver jewelry. It was a round pendant with a bird on it with the words "FLY" I made it for my mother as she works at the local tiny airport and actually took flying lessons in the past. She loved it! I used polymer clay first to figure out how to construct it!

What do you enjoy most about working in Metal Clay?
I guess what I love most about working with metal clay is that it is a clay and can be molded, shaped, cut and designed and there are hardly any limitations. I love all the processess and techniques that one can learn. I love cracking the code of new processes -- but it can take me a while to do that! LOL

Would you tell us your creative process?
My creative process starts with an idea and may stay in my head for weeks to months. I have a copper elephant right now that has been fired and is awaiting a silver overlay -- something I have never done. So, I get a little overwhelmed with a new process and I have to read about it-see videos-talk to other metal clay artists on line and get some courage. I'm not advanced at all in this medium -- I find it hard to find the time to learn everything I want to learn since I work full time as a Registered Nurse/marketer in healthcare.

What inspires you?
I am so inspired by the many artists that you can find on the internet -- not just jewelry artists but mixed media, photographers -- so many! I am inspired by heart warming stories of people who do what they love and love what they do.

Why did you design the giveaway piece? What is special about your giveaway piece?
I'm giving away the "FLY" pendant that is like the one I gave my mother. I hope that whoever wins it is inspired to take off and "Fly" and be free to do what they love and push on! Thanks so much for featuring me on this blog. All of the artists here just amaze me!!!

To enter the giveaway, here are the rules:

Every person is eligible to enter the blog giveaway with up to FOUR (4) entries. How can you get an entry? You can do any of the following and then let us know that by leaving a comment under this feature so we can keep track.

1. Follow our blog = 1 entry
2. Check out featured artist and post favorite piece on the blog = 1 entry
3. Heart featured artist’s shop = 1 entry
4. Follow featured artist on Facebook = 1 entry
5. Make a purchase = 2 entries
6. Refer a friend = 1 entry
7. Tweet about the giveaway using key word metalclayheads = 1 entry
8. Share the Metal Clay Heads blog giveaway link on FB (Go to http://www.facebook.com/MetalClayHeadTeam and click Share) = 1 entry
9. If you voted and commented on our last challenge = 1 entry

The giveaway will run for two weeks. We will announce the winner on August 29th. Good luck!

This is where we turn our creative juice into juicy creations! Part 2

MCHs Bench Roll Call Mini Series Part II

Room to Think (Studio Makeover) - Jennifer of JKistlerStudios

I love garage sales (AKA yard sales). I love scoring a great deal on something I need or can use that otherwise I couldn't afford to buy. A few weekends ago I saw a dining room table that just shouted "work table!" to me. As in, "I would feel like such a professional working at this table!" It's dark wood, one piece (no annoying opening for leaves), and has a bit of successful-CEO-desk vibe to it (at least compared to my other studio tables). More ...

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Jennifer Wins Our July Challenge

Congrats to Jennifer of Envy Designs Jewelry who won our July Magical and Mysterious Challenge.

Here are the results:

By Popular Vote:

1) Egyptian 'Book of the Dead' pendant from Envy Designs Jewelry with 31 votes
2) Tiny Secret Fine Silver Real Maple Leaf Necklace from York Avenue Studio with 19 votes
3) Secret Door Locket from Seavbeach with 16 votes

By Technical Vote:

We've a tie this time:

1) Tiny Secret Fine Silver Real Maple Leaf Necklace from York Avenue Studio with 3 votes
1) Alutiiq Petroglyph Bracelet from Stuck on Silver with 3 votes
2) Secret Door Locket from Seavbeach with 2 votes
2) Egyptian 'Book of the Dead' pendant from Envy Designs Jewelry with 2 votes

Overall (based on percentage recalculation of the two above):

1) Egyptian 'Book of the Dead' pendant from Envy Designs Jewelry
2) Tiny Secret Fine Silver Real Maple Leaf Necklace from York Avenue Studio

3) Secret Door Locket from Seavbeach


Jennifer will pick a theme for our next challenge in September. Our August blog feature + giveaway is coming soon, please stay tuned! Thanks to all who's voted and supported the MCHs!

Monday, August 1, 2011

This is where we turn our creative juice into juicy creations!

MCHs Bench Roll Call Mini Series Part I

It could be the kitchen countertop ... it could be an old hand-me-down desk ... it could be an iron desk from the corner office ... No matter what it is, we jewelry artists call it the bench -- our little piece of heaven where we spend hours after hours perfecting our jewelry. It could be neat and tidy but many times it's quite messy.

Let's show you where we turn our inspirations into reality!

My Fabulous Work Station! -- Dawn of DaVoria Jewelry


I fell in love with this hoosier cabinet when my husband and I were browsing in an antique shop a few weeks ago. I had been wanting one for the longest time to use as my work station. More ...