Depression & Creativity

I'm sure many of you have experienced it...

How does depression effect creativity?

It wipes it clean.

I don't suffer from depression per se...more like situational depression.   I have a lot on my plate.  And in my glass.  When you don't do illegal drugs, the legal ones work just fine.  I have probably been slightly inebriated since February.  Things are coming to a peak, the mountain will either be a smooth slide down or a rocky, foot cutting extended hike.  I'll know soon.

I guess a true creationist (new meaning for the term...'one who must create') still finds an outlet.  Mine has been nails.

I paint my nails.  All the time.  I have explored glitters, mattes, foils, one coat versus two coat, non-acetone remover versus acetone remover, etc.  The fleeting act of simply spreading color over ten tiny canvases is all I need right now to exist.   Yesterday, orange with black glitter.  Two days before, aqua with green and silver flecks of glitter.  Today, dark lovely navy.  Tomorrow I will spread a blue glitter top coat and consider it a job well done.

I want to get back into painting sometimes.  Maybe I'll use nail polish, since I have a rainbow in my bathroom cabinets now!

What's the hole in the middle mean?

If there's a hole, doesn't that just mean less donut to eat? 

Anyways, I love doughnuts!  Who doesn't?  Fried dough with frosting?  Happy little sprinkles Bob Ross would've been proud of? What could possibly be wrong with that?

I made a few today.  I'm still perfecting the technique, but I really like the chocolate ones with sprinkles.

Cupcake Earrings

I had a dream today while napping about Hostess Cupcakes.  I haven't had one of these in years, but I was looking at a package at work today through the glass of the vending machine.

I used Fimo Deco Gel and mixed it with oil paints to get the smooth frosting look.  It was a multi step process and I'm happy with how they turned out.  I might have to give in and splurge at the vending machine now, I can almost taste them.

Trying a few new things

Today I got out my Lisa Pavelka waterslide transfers that I picked up from Hobby Lobby.  I hadn't used the transfers before, and I thought that just the ink transfered onto the clay, but it's actually the entire piece you cut out - just a clear 'skin'.  I sealed the transfers as indicated with liquid polymer clay, specifically Fimo, but I still can see the transfer 'skin' on the clay and that's not pleasing to me.  You can see this in the photo as well.
I can't remember where I saw it but somewhere online someone had posted how to sew on clay.  I think that this could really be developed into folk art themed beads, and I think I'll give that a shot in the future.  I'd like to take a round bead form and be able to sew patterns into them. 
Since sewing isn't a technique you can incorporate directly onto lampwork beads, this is a nice perk to using polymer clay.

New bracelet

I needed a simple project, and I have been wanting to try the "circle in a square" extruder technique for awhile so I made this bracelet.  Check out the free tutorial here.

Although I know there is nothing worse than apologizing for pictures, I'm going to apologize for the pictures.  My husband says I apologize a lot after I've been drinking, and tonight I had some vodka mixed in with my lemonade.  So "I'm sorry for the picture quality, I took these on my phone and did some editing with Gimp."

I had a blast with the extruder.  I think I'll do some light switch plate work with this type of cane.

Answering the age old question...

Do they?

Polymer Clay Central

When I re-started my foray into using polymer clay I discovered Polymer Clay Central, a website devoted to clay enthusiasts with mucho info, I was so excited to see so much open sharing!  The lampwork glass community is also such a sharing group and I was glad to see the same for this other medium.

I'm someone who sometimes needs a little guidance towards what exactly I want to make.  Sitting down with all the supplies, the myriad of colors, and ideas floating around need corralled.  I decided to enter their monthly challenge.  I started with July, and the theme was "Summertime".  Here is what I presented:

It's my first attempt at a micromosaic.  The piece is about a half dollar size.  It was a pain in the ass.  I didn't win, but there are some really kick ass entries, check it out here.


I gave it another shot for August.  The time between July and August I had purchased a couple books on making miniatures in polymer clay.   If you want to see some amazing work, check out Angie Scarr and Sue Heaser.  I used some of what I learned in their books, about breads and pastels, and ended up making a picnic and here it is:

I won first place!  Yay!  I was pleased because I figured out the potato chips on my own.
Now I get to spend my prize money at Polymer Clay Express!