Jhumka experiment

My experiment with jhumka is still on going.  I managed to get perfect textured jhumkas and went ahead to attach ghungrus to it.  I am satisfied with the look.  I did not have a design for the studs in mind, so made a rough unplanned stud, could have made a better looking one.  I have used 3mm jump rings to the edges to hang the beads, but I should practice my wire wrapping.

Butterfly wings

Finally I found to put together the batik pieces I had made ages ago.  Simple necklace set made of polymer clay.  A surface technique using alcohol ink called batik technique.  Last week I had some good luck, some of my pieces got sold and also got some orders.  I will be busy with that for sometime now.  Oh, why I named it butterfly wings.  The shape of the second one reminded me of butterfly wings.

WIP

What is on my table today

This one is using both paper and polymer clay.  A big pendent with kalamkari handpainted patch work with matching earring.  yet to put it together.

This is an update for this bit and pieces i have posted long ago.  The finished kalamkari necklace set with the earring.  It is a way too grand. 

The pendent is strung with polymer clay beads, faceted semi precious amber onyx, and paper tube beads also hand painted in kalamkari style and waterproofed.  

Textured Jhumka

A textured Jhumka with Ganesha on the stud, in colors of Kerala.  Ganesha is made from a mould.

Another custom-made textured jhumka in my favorite colors made for a elegant lady.

Colors of Kerala

Another custom made jewelry.  Made for a beautiful lady for her Kerala style saree.  

Earrings

Some earrings which I have made-to-order.  The blue one is paper earring, one of my customer wanted paper one which I had not tried before.  That one was on a experiment basis.  She liked it anyway.

The Peach and maroon jhumka too is a custom-made for a saree.  It was chosen by the customer from my previous design.  I exactly do not like to repeat a design.  I get bored quickly.  Sticking on to polymer clay for one and half years is also a surprise for me.  I am hooked to this :)  I love to create. I do not worry much if it is not sold.  But, luckily for me very few are left in the stock. I thank my friends for that.  

The top right one is a surface technique using pastel mica powder, glass color, and texture sheets.  It is made up of scrap clay, actually white clay which got totally discolored after a project.

The second row black and white with Red dot is a surprise you get when u roll out scrap clay.  this cannot be reproduced.  It is just an occurrence.  I just loved the crackled black and white effect.  Quickly made it to earrings.  Added red to brighten it up.  

My garden

A collage of flowers from my garden.

Autumn effect

The fuschia colored necklace set came about as autumn inspired.  My garden was full bloom then.  I have the lovely fuschia in my garden for the first time.  I had made a simple cane of that color, though it did not turn up exactly.  I liked the earring the most.

The pendent is hung on glass beads of lavender color.  The earring is accentuated with elaborate bead cap and pink onyx bead.

WIP

Finally, for today let me upload what is on my table today (not today, it is lying there from past one week).  Did a batik number, did not waste any piece from it.  Made it into pendents and earrings.  They are patiently waiting to be strung.

I do my batik with 3D outliner to mask the alcohol ink and then peel it off when it is dry before the bake.  The design is unique !!!!

Blue, green and cane

My all time favorite colors.  Added some left over cane to the pendent. The earring was sold in no time.  looks like a favorite design.  I have already made three colors of the same pattern and stands sold.

The last one is a custom made for a peach and maroon combination saree.  The customer was so very happy that it matched her saree perfect and it suited her look too.  I am unhappy because I was not able to make a perfect shot of this.  I hate when I do not get a "somewhat close" to professional picture shot.  Recently, I broke my dear phone and it was at that time I finished this order and had to click with whatever camera available.  This was also made and in a very short given period of time and so was in a hurry too.  Photo does not do justice to the effort here ;( :(.

Elegance

These were custom made for a lovely customer to match her sarees.  These were derived from my design mystic and anamika.  She wanted it simple and hence without the pendent.

Cloisonne

Cloisonne - is a metal decorating technique.  It is usually done with precious metals like gold and silver.  It is colored with enamel powder and fired to get the beautiful glossy effect on them.  The sheen of the metal adds to the shine of the finished piece.  This is also known as Minakari in India.

This is my humble effort to get that look on paper.
The necklace has a chain clasp on silk cord and pretty earrings to go with it.

Another attempt in black and white.

Princess

Kerala mural.  I wanted to do this on polymer clay but I did not like the color effect on the clay.  Finally I combined clay and paper to my satisfaction.  Lot of experiment went into it.  I finally dared to do a other media on polymer clay.  I always thought it is not fair to use anything else other than PC into a piece of clay jewelry.  But then the creativity is mine and I am the boss.

Materials used: 

380 gsm drawing paper.  This was used to draw the figure and paint according to the Kerala mural painting techniques and rules (KM uses some particular colors, u mix and blend to get the exact shade).  I followed every bit of the rules even though it is a tiny area to be covered.  The effort eventually shows.

Soft acrylic colors from Fevicryl - red, sienna, green and black for outlining in the final stage.

Varnish for water proofing.

Polymer clay for the backing for both pendent and earring.

Polymer clay beads

Wooden beads 

Bead caps

Adjustable cord.

It is so very feather light with polymer clay, paper and wooden beads.

 

Paper Mania

Updating after a long time now.

Had been trying my hand on paper stacked jewelry.  In fact, I had started this off even before my polymer clay addiction.  This is also fun if you get your geometry right.  Thing is you cannot use a cutter to get  1/4th inch of a pendent.  you got to stack for that and cut all the papers to that shape.  Anyways I love that.  Here are some more pieces.  They have no earring accompanying.

The yellow one was made to look like a ceramic tile.  I have used water color, 3D out liners and glass colors to get the effect and water proofed.  water proofed does not mean that you can soak it in water :).  The bead are polymer clay with organza cord to go with it.

The pink one  - metallic colors with ( I have used Fevicryl metallic colors) out liners for the doodle, accentuated with glass and polymer clay beads.

Pssst...:  Look closer, they are two sides of same coin.  I have made the clasp in such a way that you can interchange the cords.

Fire

A grand red necklace with a earrings which is as light has feather. Mica shift technique is used on the pendent.  The beads handworked with shavings of the mica shift technique.

Playing with Canes

Canes - I try to avoid them, it takes lot of time and I waste lot of clay.  But once you are through, what a stunning technique it is.  Incredibly same pattern on largest and the tiniest slice you make. I love explaining it to some of my customers who asks if I painted it exactly same on all the pieces.  Some pictures of the jewelries I made with the canes.

This lovely purple set was made at a workshop with Seema at Seema Clay Flower.

  

The silver and yellow flower was my first cane where the clay was too soft and was always slipping out of shape.  It never made it to be a part of the jewelery :(

And the latest one is the lotus petals .

This was patiently done with first the Skinner blend and then the tiny white veins and really I did not know what to do with the cane.  When you look into the internet too much, the design you make will tend to take the same kind of design - inspired by others.  

Thank you note

A Thank You Note :It is a year since I was confident enough to showcase my creativity on Facebook.  I would like to thank each and every one who liked, commented and bought jewelry I have created.  I am so grateful to God for giving me this ability.  Thanks to my dear friends for their encouraging words and support.  I immensely thank for those who buy jewelry without questioning the price.  I feel that is the faith you have on an artist and appreciate the value of art.    You should know, there is lot of hard work and sleepless nights to put a piece together.  My sincere thanks to my parents.  My mom always encouraging me when I feel down.  My father, the best critic.  The two people at home, who are directly affected by my madness, my husband and my son, I thank them for their undying support.  Thanks to all my relatives who have supported me in this venture.  A special thanks to my sister for sometimes buying what I make so that it does not go out of the family (LOL).  She fights an urge to buy everything I make J. 

Status today: Today, at the page like at 367, I have SOLD OUT every single piece I have made.  I am feeling blessed.  I am gearing up to create more by sopping up all the words of encouragement. Thanks to everyone. 

 My facebook page Mystic Ideas                                                                                                                                 Anitha Jayaraj.

Tiny Canvas

A pendent made for me to match a chiffon tunic with, well.. almost the same design;).  What I am excited about this is that the design is painted on polymer clay base with polymer clay.  So I call it a tiny canvas. Very painstaking process, I had a pain in the neck later. It is strung on store bought plaited leather cord.
A work-in-progress picture

Indigo set

I managed to complete the art into a necklace and 3 studs and tote tag not yet done.  

Indigo print

What is on my table today?

I am back to work after the summer days, it was too sultry to work this summer.  The temperature is slightly reduced due to the cyclonic rain.  I like to work with clay when it is like this, temp at 28 degree Celsius or so.  This year Bangalore was peaked at 39C, whew!.  

The indigo prints were something that was in my mind from a long time but could not work on it because I was held up with orders at hand.  I have all possible attires with the beautiful blue breath- taking print.  I also considered upholstery of this kind when I saw some at a store.  I quickly banished the thought from the look on my husband's face.  Poor fellow putting up with a gone-crazy like me.  This one I am working on is solely for me :).  I am yet to decide the findings which will go with the piece of jewelry.  The piece on top with the wire sticking out is scrap and will go as a tag for my handbag.

Bits of paper

Oh, this is not made of polymer clay.  This is made of stacked paper.  This piece of blank stacked paper pendent and earring was lying in my stash box for a long time now.  I learnt this art some time ago, before I took on the  polymer-clay craze.  The reason for the abandon is I am very bad at geometry and symmetry ( I am yet to google the exact term for lack of the two in a person) :).  Now recently took out the blank white stacked items to finish.  Ah, there should be an inspiration always.  Now it is the extraordinarily talented Pritesh at Quilling me softly is my inspiration.  This is my version of the paper jewelry.  I have painted it with glass colors and varnished it for the glaze. 

Blue star

A simple necklace set made for a customer :) with a tiny little earring to go with it.  She wanted a more simpler pendent though.

Earrings

Textured jhumka made to match the "sunset hue"  necklace set as per the customer's need.

This was to replace