An Interview with Ginger Allman of the Blue Bottle Tree

by Staci Louise Smith

I know I have referenced her site a million times.  It's because she does her homework.  When Ginger posts to her blog with a review, new info, or a how to, I KNOW it has been tested and she has asked questions and contacted people who have used these products for years, and manufacturers..........she is thorough.  That is why I send anyone who is new to polymer, or has any kind of questions to her site.  

There is a lot of mis-information out there on the web.  In the age of You Tube and blogs, anyone can post a tutorial, even if its the first time they have done something.  I cringe when I read tutorials giving people mis-information.  I read them, and I know what they make won't last (like using too thin wire to make a bracelet or clasp, or not finishing ends of things, leaving pointy wire...not sealing things that go against skin....I could go on and on).  Or they say to varnish your polymer clay beads in nail polish (never ever ever do that ....please!!!!  Ginger has a few great posts on finishing your clay too!!)

http://thebluebottletree.com/varathane-best-polymer-clay-sealer/

http://thebluebottletree.com/seal-polymer-clay/

http://thebluebottletree.com/spray-sealer-for-polymer-clay/

Anyhow, you get the idea.  She is the real deal for solid info on polymer clay.  

Well, she did an interview with me for her blog.  I am honored, and it was a cool experience to be featured by her.  You can read it here.  

http://thebluebottletree.com/staci-louise-smith/

You all know I put my life out there through various social media outlets, but it was fun to answer some questions on things you may not have known about me.  Enjoy!

(and while you are there, take a peek around her site- there is so much information there- just amazing!)

Winner of the Wild Wire Pyrite Necklace

by Staci L. Smith

Thank you to everyone for the positive feedback on my wire necklaces!  I am really happy to be able to share one with you all.  There were a lot of entries, and since some comments got entered twice, or other people commented more then once, I went through and wrote each name one time in order, and used random number generator to pick.  

The lucky winner is

Deb Fortin!!!!!!

Congrats to you Deb!  Please contact me with your shipping information as soon as possible at staci.louise@hotmail.com

I also just want to mention that I have lots of sugar skulls and winged skulls still available in my shop!  It's probably the last batch of the year......so if you want to have some rocking Sugar Skull necklaces for Halloween or Dia de los Muertos, then snag them up while they last.  I had sort of a bum show at my last one, but the only necklace I sold was one of them!  So, tis the season!

http://www.stacilouiseoriginals.com/catalog/sugar-skulls

Making Mechanics Part of the Design

by Staci Louise Smith

Design is by far my favorite part about making jewelry.  I get excited when I have a bunch of items I'd like to see together, and the challenge is to put them together in the most appealing and eye pleasing manner.

The possibilities of this mess excite me!!!!

Sometimes during this process we are thrown curve balls- there are connections and mechanics that have to happen to make things solid, and hold items together, and the challenge is to make them look like an intended part of the design instead of a connection or an afterthought.  

I could probably find a million great examples, but I will focus on a couple, since this is what I was doing in the wee hours of last night as I prepared for my upcoming show.

I really wanted to use up some of my extensive bead stash on the pendants and focal arrangements I had laying out on my desk.  However, I did NOT want to use the dreaded Beadalon and crimp beads.  So, I once again grabbed my irish waxed linen.  One of the reasons I have not stuck with using the cording is because I have no idea how to finish it and make it look nice.  I would always tie small knots or add one or two beads at the end and tie it, and it never looked right enough to me.  So, I thought I would try to incorporate the ends into the design itself, the way the Kristin Oppold of Yay Jewelry does so effortlessly.  

Here are some samples of Kristin's work!!!!  She has really created a signature style for herself using cording!

I love how she has taken those ends and made them into the design itself.  So I tried it out too, and I love the results.

First up, I had two of my choker style focals laid out and wired together.  I wanted to do gemstones instead of chain, so I got out my linen cord and went to town.  On the first one I even added extra dangles on one side, to accentuate the asymmetry of the piece.

One this one I just left the single dangles on each side. (plus the chain dangle I added)

Then I came to the next two pieces I had to string up.  They were trilobite polymer pieces that I had riveted to a copper backing, and were awaiting completion.

The two on the left

These were a little more challenging to use the cording on, but I really wanted to use my new sea urchin spines with them, and I they way they stuck out the sides, it definitely needed more dangles around the focal for balance.  I was starting to get the hang of this cording stuff, and, I was really enjoying the little details and textures it adds, since I usually work in bulking wire.

When these were all said and done, I was thrilled with them.  They have such a nice feel to them.  It was a lot of work though, I had no idea all these tiny details took so long!  (Hats off to you Kristin!  that's a lot of knots and tiny composition to work out)

Then I got to thinking about my trilobite focal pieces...........and I realized that the rivets that hold those together became part of the design as well.  I started using ball rivets on my polymer pieces for a few reasons, the first is decorative.  When I rivet my pieces together, I try to use an arrangement of rivets that compliment the design as well.  And so this blog post was born, we do it all the time, incorporate the mechanics of a piece into the design itself.....and I bet we don't even realize it.

So, it can be challenging, but really fun,  to find ways to make every part of your jewelry flow into the design of the piece.  It's what creates continuity, it's what makes people just want to look at it over and over, finding new details............and I don't know about you, but I love the challenge of it.

I don't plan to give up my wire work anytime soon (or ever....lol)  But I do love the option this gives me as well.  Thank you again to Kristin for the inspiration to embrace cording!!!!

Is there anything you have worked into your design out of necessity???  

Balance Between Weird and Wearable

by Staci Louise Smith

I have a constant struggle I face when my imagination takes over, and it is between weird and wearable.  I don't mind calling my jewelry weird, at times it really is!  And that is fine, because it is what I am going for.  

However, I am a huge stickler for making sure things are comfortable and wearable.  I understand that what may be comfortable for one person may not be for another, and so I try to make a variety of sizes, shapes and materials to suit many different styles.

However, there are more days then not when my heart screams "Bigger!  Weirder!"

and then my head must say no.

One of the times I ran with it was for this piece, my Frida piece that was made for the Art Bead Scene monthly contest (create a piece of jewelry using art beads that is inspired by the painting they designate)........
(Here is the latest challenge for June challenge http://artbeadscene.blogspot.com/2015/06/june-monthly-challenge.html)

I am happy to say it is wearable- but not so comfortable (by my standards....I mean, nothing pokes you or anything, but you cannot wear it without knowing its there!).

I loved the design though, so I later created this necklace, a spin off the thorns.  It ended up being much more comfortable and wearable.  

It felt good to be able to indulge both sides of creative spirit.  I am hoping to allow myself some more of these BIG and Weird pieces, and then challenge myself to make spin offs that are more wearable.

Another example is my Bead Dreams entry, Earning my Stripes

It was made for the competition, so it needed to have that POW!  So I went huge with it.  Here is a picture of it on the bust (with my ribbon- my pieces took second and third in polymer clay- total brag moment)

The displays are 18" high!  So you can get an idea of how big the pieces are.

So, I created a couple of these necklaces, much more wearable, similar idea- bold and big, but comfy too

My Carved piece, Ta Moko is gigantic, 
it comes to my belly button!!! 

 So made a few short necklaces that still had that carved look and some real chunk to the beads

So that is it, my constant struggle between over the top and wearable.  I am enjoying these contests and such, that allow me to make more of an "art" piece, and then spinning off onto wearable pieces from that.

Do you have a heart vs brain topic that cramps your design style?  

Have you learned to allow them to work together?