Light touch polymer

Iris Mishly cuts layered and collaged veneers into pendants on PolymerClayDaily.com

These pendants-in-process from Israel’s Iris Mishly are created with cutouts made from veneers layered with stenciled designs that are chalked then inked and finally coated with resin. The resin hasn’t yet been added in this photo.

Especially when the weather is warm and the clay is sticky, these light-touch techniques give you summertime options. See Iris’ stencils on Etsy.

How do you keep yourself working in good weather and bad? In tomorrow’s StudioMojo we’ll be talking to Anita Long (Nee.Nee.Ree) about what her persistence through a 100-day challenge taught her. Join us!

Heartfelt collaboration

We are closing in on the big day for hearts so I went on the hunt for some new looks which led me to Ireland and back to Oxford, England as two artists collaborated.

In Northern Ireland Helena Benkoczka (AretobeadsJewellery) made the polymer beads that she stamped and colored with chalks. The colors bounce off the bright white touches. See her unusual color palette of chalked beads in her Etsy shop, Pinterest and Instagram.

It didn’t take long to discover how Sue Robinson (UtterlyLovelyStuff) in England had bought Helena’s beads and enhanced the hearts by surrounding them with glowing glass beads and wrapping them with wire. See more of her creations on Facebook.

It sometimes takes skills from an inspired collaborator to show off lovely beads in their best light. And it’s a relief to know that you don’t have to do everything yourself. Do what you do best!

How do you roll

Did you make paper beads from magazines and glue when you were a kid? Do you have a soft spot in your heart for these easy beads in polymer?

Margit Boehmer recently rolled these lovely chalked and textured versions. You can see her latest ones here and buy them on Etsy.

I dug out Dayle Doroshow’s versions from 2011 for you to examine too. Dayle used her scraps, flattening the rolls with stamps as a last step and then adding a contrasting color wash.

All that you need are tall triangles of flattened polymer. Wind each triangle up from wide to narrow around a rod.

Paper beads in polymer are easy and great for holiday projects, no matter how you roll.