Metal Clay Heads Your Style Challenge Results

Metal Clay Heads Your Style Challenge Results

We challenged our team members on creating a design with the theme "Your Style" with any technique of their choice and received seven amazing entries. Here are the results:

By Popular Vote:
1. Bronze Star Anise Spice Jewelry - SeavBeach with 9 votes
2. Dolphin Necklace - Lifeartdesigns with 4 votes
3. Amethyst stone cage necklace cats - AnnaSiivonen with 2 votes
3. Crescent Moon Pendant in Fine Silver - PartsbyNC with 2 votes
3. Jasmine silver ring botanical imprint - StuckOnSilver with 2 votes
3. Silver Tree of Life Necklace - Lynn Cobb with 2 votes.

By Technical Vote:
1. Amethyst stone cage necklace cats - AnnaSiivonen with 2 votes
2. Bronze Star Anise Spice Jewelry - SeavBeach with 1 vote
2. Celtic Tree of Life Pendant - Mcbisco with 1 vote
2. Dolphin Necklace - Lifeartdesigns with 1 vote
2. Silver Tree of Life Necklace - Lynn Cobb with 1 vote

Overall (based on percentage recalculation of the two above):
1. Bronze Star Anise Spice Jewelry - SeavBeach (43%/17%)
2. Amethyst stone cage necklace cats - AnnaSiivonen (10%/33%)
3. Dolphin Necklace - Lifeartdesigns (19%/17%)

Congrats to Anise of Seavbeach who won our Your Style Challenge this time! Our next challenge will be mid-February of 2013. Thanks to all who entered and voted! Without your support we're no where near where we're now!

Congrats to Jennifer

Who won our December blog giveaway! Jennifer will receive the beautiul Silver Fern Leaf Necklace from Janie of Life Art Designs. Thanks to all who entered. Stay tuned for our next blog giveaway!

You are only limited by your imagination and skill level. - Janie

MCHs December featured metal clay artist is Janie of Life Art Designs.

Janie is a metal clay and polymer clay artist in one. Her special theme is nautical with lots of dolphins, sea turtles, palm trees and marine creatures. Her Etsy shop also offers a variety of polymer clay creations - buttons, canes, beads plus more. Following is a short interview with Janie. Enjoy!

Why did you pick the name Life Art Designs?
My work is mostly inspired by the marine life and nature found in my local environment. I live on a very small barrier Island in the Gulf of Mexico in the USA. There is much art to be found in the life around me. My favorite marine lives are the Dolphins. You can probably tell this by the different ones that I have in my Etsy shop.

What are the major challenges when creating metal clay jewelry?
Of course the first challenge is the design aspect of any piece and the process you go through to make it become “art”. Probably my biggest challenge though has to do with the nature of the clay itself. The fact that it dries out so fast can be an irritant especially if you are working on a complex piece.

What do you enjoy most about working in Metal Clay?
The design possibilities with metal clay are endless because it is clay and is malleable. You are only limited by your imagination and skill level.

What is your greatest ambition as a Metal Clay artist?
I would like to one day have my work published in Art Jewelry magazine. I have drooled over and been amazed at the work that is published in their magazine for years.

What is the biggest mistake you've ever made? What did you learn from it?
One time I had a custom order request for a very large pair of earrings of an exact design. After the client told me what she wanted, I explained to her that they would be quite heavy and very, very expensive. In fact, they were a $300 pair of earrings! She said she understood and wanted them anyway. I had her try one earring on before I finished them both. I figured if they were too heavy, I could still use the one as a pendant. After trying the one on, she was thrilled and wanted me to proceed. After the order was complete, the client was ecstatic with how they turned out and thanked me profusely. However, about a month later she contacted me. She said that although she loved the earrings, they were just too heavy to wear for any length of time. I ended up making a whole new pair of the same design only smaller and lighter. Now, she is really happy and wears them all the time. And I have two large pendants of the same design. What I learned from that is that sometimes you need to say no to a customer. Just because you can make something doesn’t mean you should.



Janie is giving away her Silver Fern Leaf Necklace to a lucky reader!. 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 and post a comment here = 1 entry
2. Check out featured artist and post favorite piece under comment here = 1 entry
3. Heart featured artist’s shop and post a comment here = 1 entry
4. Follow featured artist on Facebook and post a comment here = 1 entry
5. Make a purchase and let us know here = 2 entries
6. Refer a friend and post a comment here = 1 entry
7. Tweet about the giveaway using key word metalclayheads and post a comment here = 1 entry
8. Share the Metal Clay Heads blog giveaway link on FB (Go to http://www.facebook.com/MetalClayHeadTeam and click Share) and post a comment here = 1 entry
9. If you voted and commented on our last challenge = 1 entry

The giveaway deadline is January 15. We will announce the winner on January 16th. Good luck!

September Challenge - In The Garden

Before you even knew it, it's our September challenge time! This time it is more exciting than ever since we've many first timers and new members who has entered a piece of their amazing work! Our September Challenge Theme is "In The Garden". The technical requirement is add colors to your design. Here are the entries:

Down in New Orleans VI from Stardust


I'm not going to lay down in words the lure of this place. Every great writer in the land, from Faulkner to Twain to Rice to Ford, has tried to do it and fallen short. It is impossible to capture the essence, tolerance, and spirit of south Louisiana in words. —Chris Rose More ...

Bronze Flower Necklace from PrairieCoastArt


Beautiful handcrafted bronze flower pendant with patina finish. Antique brass 18" necklace. A striking combination of colors. More ...

Maple Seed & Garnet CZ Pendant from StuckOnSilver


These are nicer in a pendant where they behave themselves than in my garden! This pendant features a faceted garnet cz nestled in a cluster of those intrepid little "helicopters" that twirl from maple trees. The replicas are made from my own molds made from rascally seeds I picked up in my front yard. More ...

Mother Earth's Autumn Gift from Adornyourself


Raw Brass disc, Hadar J's copper leaf, enamels, and gold luster. Torch fired. More ...
Handcrafted Flower Necklace from Lifeartdesigns


A handcrafted flower necklace completed handmade from scracth out of fine silver metal clay and polymer. The focal point of this necklace is the flowers and floral theme. Yellow and purple flowers intermingle into a base of deep pink polymer clay. More ...

Princess Ai Heart Locket from Rainjewelry


I would use fine silver for the locket part (it would not open) and the lock, sterling silver chain wrapped around the locket and the necklace and a red cubic zirconium heart for the stone. I can tarnish the piece a mellow gold color. More ...

Large Spider Earring from AnnaSiivonen


One large spider single earring. Dangles with one leg piercing your ear and he´s hypoallergenic since his legs are made of titanium. Might be the coolest or creepiest earring ever, garanteed to make heads turn. More ...

Fine Silver Enamel Pendant Seed Bead Necklace from DesignsbyHarriet


This pure silver triangular shaped pendant has a raised circle in the center with swirls of aqua/green enamel. The swirl design on the triangle is oxidized to bring out the pattern.
The necklace is made of large green and yellow seed beads separated by small irridescent gold seed beads and clear long beads. More ...

Last Bud Pendant from Seavbeach


These are the last buds of summer. Made with steel clay and enameled buds. More ...

Handmade Autumn Silver Dragonfly Necklace from Envydesignsjewelry


A beautiful fall colored fine silver dragonfly, flitting through the garden...
I started by carving my design into a rubber block, pressed the clay into the design, then refined, set the gemstones and fired the dragonfly. Set into the pendant are 2 each of Yellow sapphire, alexandrite, and amethyst CZ's. I added a swirl and dots the the back of the piece as well. More ...

The public poll on the right is open for two weeks. The technical poll, also open for two weeks, is restricted to MCHs team members only. Enjoy and don't forget to vote! Please cast your vote on the right column; and if you post a comment, you will be automatically entered into our October blog giveaway. Poll will be close on October 2nd.

This is where we turn our creative juice into juicy creations! Part 3

MCHs Bench Roll Call Mini Series Part III

Storage Solutions in the Studio - Janie of Life Art Designs


I recently began reorganizing my studio. I work in different mediums such as silver clay, polymer clay, and sometimes resin. This can lead to a lot of disorganization due to all the different materials involved. I separated my space into three separate work areas. One area for polymer clay, one for metal clay, and a third area for tumbling, buffing and polishing, and assembling jewelry. More ...

March Challenge - The Elements

Our theme this time is The Elements - Water, Fire, Wind and Earth. The required technique is using syringe or snakes when creating the design. The theme and technique were set by our January challenge winner Ghislaine of GS Creations. Here are the eight stunning submissions from our talented members. Enjoy and don't forget to vote! Please cast your vote on the right column; and if you post a comment, you will be automatically entered into our December blog giveaway. Poll will be close on April 4th.

The Tree - silver pendant with tsavorite by Esmeralda of SilverBlueberry. The tree is one of our most powerful symbols representing Mother Earth, life, growth, stability and natural beauty. When faced with a team challenge from the MetalClayHeads team, where we had to make a piece of jewelry representing one or more of the elements (fire, water, earth and wind) I wanted to make a tree right away. Nothing represents 'earth' better than a tree.


Silver Ocean Waves Necklace by Rain of Rainjewelry. This fine silver barrel and tag pendant evokes the motion and fluidity of ocean water. I used syringe and snakes to make the swirly ocean look.I also used fire opals in the necklace so I guess it could be water and fire.


Wind pendant by Jennifer of JKistlerStudios. My element of choice was wind, on a stormy day. The wind was made using the syringe.


Copper Landscape Bracelet by Deb of PrairieMudStudio. This copper bracelet combines both earth and air elements as a tribute to wind energy as a new important "crop" in the rural Midwest. A landscape of modern wind turbines and the necessary gusts that move them contrasts with a subtle background texture created by cornhusks. It is part of the Cornstalk Series that was inspired by the rural landscape and my farming heritage.


Earth Goddess Amulet with Blue Sapphire Gemstone by Kathy of YorkAvenueStudio. I hand forged this pure silver pendant as a graceful feminine symbol of The Earth Goddess. Goddess Symbols can be seen throughout several beliefs and representations of the Elements, however, the most apparent aspect of the Goddess is the Earth Goddess. Her round belly represents motherhood and the fruits of nature. Her up stretched arms are holding a circle which represents the full moon. Her flowing locks of hair are made with the “snakes” technique and flow into spirals.


4 Elements pendant by Anise of Seavbeach. This piece reflects all four elements, air, fire, earth and water and the center within that brings it all together.


The Sun shines through the Rain fine silver necklace by Jennifer of Envydesignsjewelry. This piece was inspired by a favorite song by the rock band Cinderella, and was created for the Metal Clay Heads March challenge. The sun is shining through a rain drop, peeking out, wanting to come out.......
For this piece I rolled out a snake from the metal clay, shaped it into the rain drop, and let it dry. I then added the sun by using 5 layers of syringe clay. I filled in any gaps with more syringe clay and then sanded and filed till it was smooth. After everything was dry I added the sapphires, and a light blue spinel.


Silver Heart Pendant by Janie of Lifeartdesigns. A handcrafted fine silver heart shaped pendant with two silver scrolls and a smaller inset open heart in the center.

We Have a Winner!

The results of the voting for our challenge piece are in! We had a whopping 126 votes and the winner was  The Tooth by Life Art Designs.  Janie will be issuing our next challenge and her piece will appear in our banner until then.  Congratulations to Janie and good work to all who entered the challenge!