It Started as a Drawing

I got an order for the rubber stamp i made the other day but since that was just a "practice" stamp, i decide to make another one just for her. So, this time, I wanted it to be neater or more planned out. I made a little drawing....

 

It looks much better with deeper grooves and more planned out. I hope she likes it.

I wanted to show you another wonderful thing...one of my customers, Ms. Weng posted a photo of one of her creations that I absolutely thought was really pretty! She purchased the ring setting (on the left) from the shop and came up with this....

Isn't it gorgeous!?! She said it was her first project after her workshop with Melody of Crafting Time..but, i would never have thought it. It looks very elegant!

Making Molds

Yesterday I got around to making molds...and i discovered how addicting it could be. I just kept molding and molding until I had 19 little molds in front of me. It was like I was looking at everything with a new pair of eyes...always looking out for something that can be covered in silicone putty and made into a mold.

Here's the fruits of yesterday's work...

Of course these go in the shop

JANUARY RAFFLE GIVEAWAY

I've decided to bring back my giveaways!!! So right now, I have an ongoing giveaway on my facebook account...this one is open to local residents only (sorry international friends...but promise next month will be open to everyone!!!)

THE PRIZE -

Assorted beads and findings in a metal tin!

Here are the mechanics -

Earthly Jewels Beads JANUARY GIVEAWAY MECHANICS

ANYBODY CAN ENTER THIS RAFFLE...OPEN ONLY TO LOCAL RESIDENTS OF THE PHILIPPINES.... Here is how to enter-

STEP ONE - 

- Send me a personal message/PM  with the questionaire below (copy and paste it on the message body) and write an answer below for each question - 

----------------copy, paste and answer under each question------------------------------

Name -

City/Province where you live - 

What arts & crafts I like to do - 

(example -  make bead jewelry, scrapbooking, polymer clay, cross stich, wire wrapping)

What online shops do you like to buy your craft supplies from?

(example - earthlyjewelsbeads on fb, craftsupplies.multiply.com ...)

What actual/physical shops do you buy your craft supplies from?

(example -stitches & things, quiapo, Craft World...)

I make crafts....as a business or as a hobby only - 

What craft supplies would you like to see offered in an online shop -

Are you a student (if so, what school do you go to?) or

are you working (if so, what occupation)?

----------------copy, paste and answer under each question------------------------------

This counts as ONE ENTRY!!!  RAFFLE IS OPEN FROM JANUARY 24- JANUARY 31. On Feb 1st, I will use a random generator to select one winner. No purchase necessary and I will cover shipping charges..so you don't have to pay anything...just pm me the answer to your questionnaire! 

NOTE-

EVERYONE THAT MADE A PURCHASE AT EARTHLYJEWELSBEADS FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY, AUTOMATICALLY GETSONE RAFFLE ENTRY PER PURCHASE (This is for every shipment that you received!!!) For those that purchased, you may PM me the questionnaire also and get an EXTRA RAFFLE ENTRY!!!!

THE PRIZE ARE ASSORTED BEADS & FINDINGS SHOWN IN THE PHOTO BELOW...ALSO SEE DETAILS OF THE PRIZE ON MY BLOG. THE DRAWING& WINNERS WILL BE HELD ON THE BLOG TOO - 

http://myearthlyjewels.blogspot.com/ 

A closeup of the prize - 

1 - Assorted Murano glass heart beads...perfect for valentines!!!

 2 - Turquoise chips, Chrysocolla stone beads, 2 green (aventurine?) beads, and brown stone beads with double holes

 3- Metal findings - angel wings, brooch finding, key rings, hair clips, eye screws...

 4 - glass beads....

 5 - metal pendant frames - you can use this with polymer clay as a frame

 6- a pack of plain DIY polymer clay beads - use acrylic or alcohol inks to decorate these stamped beads, give it an appearance of faux ceramics...

The giveaway is open until the end of January. Raffle draw is on February 1st and I'll announce the winners in both FB and here!!! Good luck to everyone!!!

Mushrooms Anyone?

Who would have thought...mushrooms can not only be yummy...they can also actually be cute!!! I found these really adorable beads and just had to have them! If you must know..I love mushrooms in my plate as well as in jewelry!!!

and i found these cute little bugs that could be living right under the mushrooms....

Aren't they just sooo cute! If you want some...go check them out at the shop!

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.117363851714239.18686.100003218757328&type=3

Hand Carved Stamps

I tried something new today and I'm verrry excited!!! HANDMADE RUBBER STAMPS!!! These will eventually find its way into the shop once i have ironed out all the kinks. They are to be used either as regular stamps or to create textures in polymer clay.

I didn't really follow the "formal" steps of drawing a design, tracing and transferring...but instead picked up my carving tool and cut right into rubber without a design or drawing in mind. I had a general idea but i left it up to the "canvas" to reveal itself...and here goes....

How totally fun!!!! And so I was addicted... so i made another....this time I drew a bit onto the rubber itself to see if that would make it easier...

I do like how it came out...i made the cuts a bit deeper so the impressions on the clay would look better. This last one I made was actually a "mistake"..its one of the first i cut into and just played around with. It was starting to look like scribbles on paper but I didn't want to waste the rubber sheet so, i kept carving into it until all the spaces were filled out...it still came out "acceptable" i think...

Can you tell there's a little "slip up" in the center of the flower? Hehe..technique definitely needs fine tuning. I was thinking of holding a giveaway at the shop and maybe giving these away as a prize? But would someone still want these 'experiments'????

Anyway, practice makes perfect...and tomorrow is a great day for practice!

Owl Charms in Every Color

Are you as crazy about owls as I am? Look at these really cute charms that I made from polymer clay..and they come in loads of different colors...

You can choose the highlighted owl color as well if you want it customized. They're posted in my multiply and facebook sites..which means you can order them there. Just message me or send me an email.

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.117376361712988.18706.100003218757328&type=3

Add me in my shop's facebook page - http://www.facebook.com/earthlyjewelsbeads?ref=tn_tnmn

Or at my multiply page - http://earthlyjewelsbeads.multiply.com/

I gotta start looking into creating a shopping page...hmm...