more clay beads

I ADORE the first set! In-Spir-Ing! I can't get the second set to come up though:(

The roses hhmmm? I read a tutorial all the way through once, then I walked away from it and just sat down and did it. It's better for me if I do it like that, rather than try to follow along step by step. I think the trick is to start off knowing exactly how many petals you'll use (7) before you put it together. Each petal is made with the same amount of clay, but they're shaped differently so that the bulk of the clay sits in different places, depending on where you are putting the petal. Oh, and curl each petal as you place it! Do not curl them all afterwards, because it won't look right at all.

"The beads I made this afternoon still have to be tumbled and polished, though."

Carla, What kind of tumbler and what do you use to tumble with? If you don't mind me asking. I hate the sanding part of the polyclay beads.

Those are both beautiful sets.

Ahah! I got the second set to come up! Beautful!

It's a rubber barrel 3 lb. rock tumbler (I got it on ebay, but it's also at harborfreight.com). I just use the grit that came with the tumbler, one coarse, one fine; and I cut up some old jeans for the final tumble. I also bought extra rubber barrels because trying to clean the grit out is a *major* PITA.

I've been doing eight hours in the coarse grit, four in the fine, and two with the denim.

I tried sanding by hand when I first started, but that didn't go so well, working with small beads.

When done, I dump all the gunky water into an old coffee can.

Cheers, Carla

Debbie B wrote:

This is the long url -

> The roses hhmmm? I read a tutorial all the way through once, then I walked > away from it and just sat down and did it. Is the tutorial online somewhere? I haven't come across anything like that. I'm still dumbstruck by how pretty those are (I've sent the link to several folks and said "Isn't this cool?" )

Cheers, Carla

Those are lovely sets! They remind me of Jade. That's one of the things I love about polyclay, you can make the richest rocks.

..Stephanie..

search RCB

Ver nice!!

The first reminds me of jasper. Great sets Carla.

Thanks. I'm a chicken when I buy things. I usually get the wrong thing and it gets expensive. lol

Well, I hope you don't mind too much. When folks ask me "why clay?", I like being able to point out stuff like that.

Cheers, Carla

Heh. I actually paid more for my tumbler on ebay than what Harbor Freight is selling them for. Too bad I hadn't come across that site beforehand :)

Cheers, Carla

Debbie B wrote:

Oooh, the second set is like candy! I love it. It's so very ME. You meant them for me, right? ;)

-Kalera

Carla wrote:

I'd be happy to pack 'em up and send 'em to ya, but you'd have to promise not to laugh when you see them up close and personal :)

Cheers, Carla

Kalera Stratt> Oooh, the second set is like candy! I love it. It's so very ME. You

For reals? I promise not to laugh!

-Kalera

Carla wrote: