MetalClayHeads Challenge - Recycle Scraps with Bezel Set Stone

Welcome everyone! Our challenge this time is to recycle bits and pieces of leftover, rundown, or just badly fired projects. Use imagination! We have also added the technical challenge of bezel setting a stone or piece of glass into the piece.

We received three beautiful, handmade, green art pieces this time.

Mended Heart Pendant - Fine Silver by AllegroArts

The heart base started as a mistake. I was making origami hearts for a custom order, and this one turned out badly. Some air had gotten trapped between the layers and formed bubbles. So I drilled out the largest bubble and set a 4mm square cut cubic zirconia in there. A second layer of silver with a cross cut in it is layered on top to hold the gem in place and acts as a bezel. The whole left side is brightly polished.

On the right side, a random collection of silver scrap shapes was layered over the heart, and given a dark antiquing to bring out the details and contrast the left side.

Feather Palm Bracelet by YorkAvenueStudio

Goldie Bronze Peacock inspired bracelet that is designed to be worn just below the knuckles on the back of the hand. the focal "stone" is polymer clay inlay.

I used scrap twisted bronze wire for the bracelet, an old wire-wrapped feather was used for the texture in the metal clay, and polymer clay scraps to form the focal stone.

Vintage Mother of Pearl Button Necklace by SeavBeach

This Vintage Mother of Pearl hand carved button is the focal point. The handmade setting is oxidized to show the detail.

The story behind the making:
I made this necklace as a part of a challenge on my Etsy Metal clay Heads group. The challenge was to use recycled scraps that we currently had. Everything in this piece is recycled. The metal used was recycled from past projects, the bezel set was made from scrap pmc paper clay and the button of course was a vintage treasure I had on hand.

Please vote using the Poll to the right. Share this post with anyone that might not otherwise know about the Challenge. Everyone can vote, and there are so many people that would enjoy viewing the entries.Comments are welcome! Please feel free to leave a comment below this post.
As you view the entries, please click the artists' links to visit their shop and learn more about their work and see more photos.

Voting will be open for two weeks and will close February 4th. Spread the word and vote NOW!

Metal Clay Heads Your Style Challenge

Our theme this time is ”your style”. Make a production piece that could be reproduced efficiently after it has sold. Something that looks intricate but is less work than it looks. The first one, the one you enter for the contest probably is a lot of work, but you should be able to reproduce it easily. Use your own textures/molds and make a piece that is very you. Here are the amazing entries:

Amethyst stone cage necklace cats by AnnaSiivonen

Rustic, cool and unusual cat necklace. A bronze cage with two sculptured cat heads in each end hold a tumbled purple amethyst. Comes with an adjustable brass chain. The first one I made, you get the one pictured. I don't have other amethyst stones like this at the moment. Amethyst is the birthstone of February.

Bronze Star Anise Spice Jewelry by SeavBeach

Very delicate, this bronze star anise spice seed is made of bronze and silver color bronze. The twig is a silver color bronze and the star is bronze. The chain is .925 sterling.

Crescent Moon Pendant in Fine Silver by PartsbyNC

I made this Crescent Moon Pendant out of Metal Clay, which consists of reclaimed silver particle in an organic binder that can be formed, shaped and sanded just like normal clay and once it's fired in a kiln becomes .999 Fine Silver. After the piece is fired, finished, and polished, the last step is to add the blue inlay using a wax paste that once it dries it's very durable.

Celtic Tree of Life Pendant by Mcbisco

This Gaelic inspired bronze pendant is my original design. I have two available in bronze for purchase at this time.The first version was made in silver Precious Metal Clay. (Silver version is NOT for sale, but pictured to show the original) This bronze version was created from a mold of the original design. After making an impression in the bronze clay, I dried it and carved in the details. The details are slightly different if you look carefully. The high points are burnished and polished after firing.

Jasmine silver ring botanical imprint by StuckOnSilver

Jasmine silver ring--a sprig of Jasmine from my garden is reproduced on this one of a kind ring. It's .999 fine silver. The fine silver includes recycled silver. 

Dolphin Necklace by Lifeartdesigns

This is one of my handcrafted pure silver dolphin necklaces. It hangs on a teal beaded necklace. The silver dolphin pendant was made from .999 pure fine silver metal clay. I sculpted the dolphin and then added it to a larger oval base of fine silver. I applied a texture to the base of the dolphin pendant with a stamp of ocean waves. I rolled the top of the base around to the back of the Dolphin pendant to create a self contained bail for the beaded cord to slide through. The dolphin was kiln fired at the appropriate temperatures and tumble polished afterwards.

Silver Tree of Life Necklace by Lynn Cobb

This Made in America, silver tree of life necklace is impressive in fine silver, the pendant was made from a mold that was hand carved by me, I call it my pine bough series. This one has a dark patina to really show off the carving, but I also make these without any patina at all and they just glisten in bright .999 pure silver. This one hangs from a "liquid silver" sterling chain which really enhances
the flowing design of the pendant itself. 

Please cast your vote at the right hand column. The poll will be closed two weeks from posting and results will be announced after closing. Technical poll is limited to members of the Metal Clay Heads Team only.

Congrats to Vickie!

Who won our October blog giveaway! Vickie will receive the Textured Teardrop Hoop Earrings from Pennee Parker of All Wired Up Jewelry Designs.Sincere gratitude to our featured artist Pennee who give such beautiful metal clay earrings as prize. Thanks to all of you who entered the giveaway! We will have one more blog giveaway before the holidays come. Please stay tuned!

Metal Clay Heads Winged Flight Challenge Results

Our Winged Flight Challenge Results Are Here!
We challenged our team members on creating a design with the theme "Winged Flight" with any technique of their choice and received eight amazing entries. Here are the results:

By Popular Vote:
1. Winged Steampunk Escutcheon Necklace - Zoeowyn with 11 votes
2. Conjoined Twin Cat & Dog Bronze Pendant - AnnaSiivonen with 10 votes
3. Fairy Wing Necklace with Rainbow Spinel & Sapphire - Envydesignsjewelry with 9 votes

By Technical Vote:
1. Conjoined Twin Cat & Dog Bronze Pendant - AnnaSiivonen with 3 votes
2. Fairy Wing Necklace with Rainbow Spinel & Sapphire - Envydesignsjewelry with 2 votes
2. Winged Steampunk Escutcheon Necklace - Zoeowyn with 2 votes

Overall (based on percentage recalculation of the two above):
1. Conjoined Twin Cat & Dog Bronze Pendant - AnnaSiivonen (26%/38%)
2. Winged Steampunk Escutcheon Necklace - Zoeowyn (29%/25%)
3. Fairy Wing Necklace with Rainbow Spinel & Sapphire - Envydesignsjewelry (24%/25%)

AnnaSiivonen won our Winged Flight Challenge by wining the technical category! Zoeowyn's work is amazing and won the well-deserved popular poll. Congrats to both of them!

Thanks for all the MCHs who participated, and thanks to YOU who voted! Our next challenge will be mid-November. In the meantime, don't forget to enter our blog giveaway here.

MCHs Winged Flight Challenge

Our quarterly challenge is back, cast your vote NOW!

This quarter we challenged our Metal Clay Heads to create an art piece with the theme "Winged Flight," with any technique that is best for creating the work. Here comes the amazing work from our talented members!

Silver Wings Earrings with Garnet by YorkAvenueStudio

 

Genuine Garnet gemstone earrings shaped like wings. This design style is organic and natural and each pair is made to order fresh just for you. Wings have so much personal meaning and I hope these earrings will give you inspiration. Comfortable and lightweight, these wings can be worn everyday.

Collector's Flight Pick Monument by Mcbisco

 

The Flight Pick Monument includes this beautiful display case, The Flight Pick Necklace, one thin Flight Pick and one thick Flight Pick. The Pick Monument can sit on a table or hang on the wall. The picks sit in a bamboo pedestal, making them easily to pick up and use. The necklace can be removed by lifting up the roof. The Flight Picks are part of a limited edition of 25 picks. (number one and number 2) The picks are made with Bronze Metal Clay.

Winged Steampunk Escutcheon Necklace by Zoeowyn

 

This handmade copper necklace features a pendant with gears, and dial and winged Victorian styled escutcheon. The necklace chain is highlighted with small gears, and the lobster clasp is part of the design up front.

Conjoined Twin Cat & Dog Bronze Pendant  by AnnaSiivonen

 

Siamese cat & dog twins with bat wings. This started outh with me thinking it was a fun ideá to make a cat and a dog share a body, but the conjoined cat and dog pendant didn´t hang right and I felt it needed "more umph", and what could be better to umph it up with than bat wings.

Silver Wing Pendant, flight by Jewelflyt

 

This beautiful fine silver pendant features a unique feather texture. A wing shaped flight of fancy, created from an original hand-drawn texture.

flight has been given a soft brushed silver finish, with selected areas polished to a high shine to enhance the texture.

Night Flight by Satorydesigns

 

A beautiful swallow with a lovely peridot set in, flying around a circle with 3 black diamonds. Flying thru the night on a delicate chain 16 or 18" in length. One available in this combination of Peridot and Black Diamonds.

Fairy Wing Necklace with Rainbow Spinel & Sapphire by Envydesignsjewelry

 

This fairy wing pendant, I made with recycled fine silver. Hanging from a handmade chain of sparkling rainbow spinel and sunny yellow sapphires. The gemstones are wrapped with sterling silver wire. Dropped off the bottom of the fairy's wing is a mystic Imperial topaz briolette.

Moonbat I Necklace by ElementsArtifacts 

 

Bats are lucifugous little creatures, often associated with the night, Halloween, and vampires. The folklore on these creatures is vast, including the belief that bats taking wing in the evening are departed spirits coming to visit the living, or that after death the spirit of the departed hovers near his or her body as a bat.

Vote Now!

Please cast your vote using the Public Poll at the right.  Voting will be open for two weeks and will close September 25th. The Winner of the Challenge will be announced shortly after. (The Technical Poll is for MCHs team members only.)

Please leave a comment below to be automatically entered into the next Jewelry Giveaway Drawing held soon!

Congrats to Tammi!

Who won our July blog giveaway! She will receive the Dogwood Earrings in Silver from Erin of Heartsabustin. Our next blog feature and giveaway will start mid-August, please stay tuned! Winning is easy and you could be the next winner!

Metal Clay Heads Threaded Vessel Challenge Results

Our Threaded Vessel Challenge Results Are Here!
We challenged our team members on creating a threaded vessel design with the theme "1920s ~1930s" and received four stunning entries. Here are the results:

By Popular Vote:
1. Silver Perfume Bottle -- Envydesignsjewelry with 20 votes
2. Pagoda -- SeavBeach with 7 votes
3. Petite Bottle -- WillowandMe with 3 votes

By Technical Vote:
1. Silver Perfume Bottle -- Envydesignsjewelry with 6 votes
2. Pagoda -- SeavBeach with 4 votes
3. Petite Bottle -- WillowandMe with 1 vote

Overall (based on percentage recalculation of the two above):
1. Silver Perfume Bottle -- Envydesignsjewelry (66%/55%)
2. Pagoda -- SeavBeach (23%/36%)
3. Petite Bottle -- WillowandMe (1%/9%)

Congrats to Jennifer of Envydesignsjewelry! Her Silver Perfume Bottle won! Thanks for all the MCHs who participated, and thanks to YOU who voted! Our next challenge will be due mid-September. Please check back for our upcoming Featured Artist + blog giveaway!

Want to Know Who Won Our Sea & Sky Challenge?

Who did you vote for? Did she win? Find out now! Here are the results:

By Popular Vote:
1) Night sky pendant -- Envydesignsjewelry with 13 votes
2) Sunset Necklace -- SparkleBeeDesigns with 9 votes
3) Amazonite Fine Silver Pendant -- Vaasvara with 5 votes

By Technical Vote:
1) Amazonite Fine Silver Pendant -- Vaasvara with 8 votes
2) Dream Cloud Silver Ring -- YorkAvenueStudio with 3 votes
2) Night sky pendant -- Envydesignsjewelry with 3 votes
2) Sunset Necklace -- SparkleBeeDesigns with 3 votes

Overall (based on percentage recalculation of the two above):
1) Night sky pendant -- Envydesignsjewelry
2) Amazonite Fine Silver Pendant -- Vaasvara
3) Sunset Necklace -- SparkleBeeDesigns

Congrats to Envydesignsjewelry! Who won by a slight advantage based on the popular vote! Vaasvara did a great job as a new challenger! Thank you for all who entered and voted. Don't forget we've a blog giveaway going on that you can enter and win:
http://metalclayheads.blogspot.com/2011/12/you-are-only-limited-by-your.html

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 ...