Wire, polymer clay and precious metal clay

Got chatting to a Facebook 'friend' - she makes the most delicious jewellery, in the USA, and it turns out she comes from Bangalore, as do I. I originally contacted her over a year ago to enquire about one of her pieces, not realising that this would lead me down the path of a serious bead addiction and a quest to make my own stuff. Anyway, she was nice enough to look over my 'bits and bobs' album on FB where I posted stuff as I went along, and she encouraged me to set up a page and now here I am, talking to all of you with my very own blog - wouldnt have believed it 2 years ago.
Promised D a piece of jewellery as a gift for all the encouragement -you know how important it is when one is starting out. She sent me a picture of her in a Yoga outfit and this inspired me to make this armband for her. Turns out she is one talented lady with a fab singing voice!

Copper wire armband embellished with coral and turquoise beads

Adjustable at the back

Gemstone bead embellishment

The vine dangler - can be removed and used as a pendant

Then went on to the next programme on my agenda - mixed media jewellery - I have wanted to make simulated gemstones, and glass out of polymer clay and set it in Precious metal clay. So, bought a tutorial from a lady on ETSY to make faux glass and spent a whole day painstakingly attempting to create faux glass beads - what a disaster! - I don't know what went wrong, and cannot find out. The lady who wrote the tutorial said it was meant for Pardo clay, which you don't get in the UK, so I substituted what I could find, and the resultant beads were so bad, they went in the bin - I did keep them for a couple of days hoping they would grow on me - like a wart - but they didn't. I saved pics of them in an album aptly called 'cr*p' - and that's the only reminder I want of that.
Met and became a member of a Jewellery makers group on Facebook a couple of weeks ago - only those people heard my cries of anguish - and they were very supportive. So, I got back on the bike the next day, and made what I call The Desert Mambo necklace - am in a better mood after that, I assure you.

The Desert Mambo Necklace

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Creamy polymer clay ruffles, edged with gold, a reversible focal pendant, patinated and varnished copper wire, for a lasting finish and to prevent discoloration of the skin on contact, and a contrasting orange coral bead, just to make the colours 'pop'. Asymmetrically wired to satisfy my requirement for disorder!

Also made a couple of brooches for Mike's friend's wife - he wanted a dove of peace as Mrs B was a prominent member of the CND in Wolverhampton in her time. He didn't like the first one - and he made so many requests for design changes, I just thought it would be simpler to whip up another one. Did you know the dove of peace has to look to the left - he says so - not borne out by Google images though, he wanted it to have a wing - 'couldn't you add on a wing?' he asked plaintively, he didnt like my beloved dangles - I cannot seem to make much without those - they add movement to a piece - I think - but of course, he commissioned the piece, and the customer is always right - right?
So, the first one is the reject - am interested to hear your comments - the ladies from JAR were all in favour of a lynch mob, but I just made another one - I'm nice like that!

A Rowan twig and leaf in its beak, white 'tail feathers'

Looking to the left, with a wing, sans dangles!!

The doves were made with copper wire and wired invisibly to vintage brooches.
Finally got my kiln going - truth be told, I was a bit afraid of it - something that small that can go up to temperatures of above 1000 degrees C should the pants off anybody! 
So got my Copperclay bits made, dried them and took them to the kiln at the top of the garden - I have no other space for it. Mike and I toasted my first effort with tea, and then after a bit of faffing about with the programming, on it went. Got some credible pendants, although a couple broke as they were too thin - I suppose par for the course - this seems to be the week for a 'will do better next time' mantra.

Good kiln, pat, pat

The pendants drying out before firing

Out of the kiln, waiting to have the firescale removed

The fruits of one days labour

I have now made use of the Facebook Vendor shop application and put in a few pieces of jewellery - has taken me a bit of time uploading all the information - please go have a look and tell me what you think - I hope you like it. See you next week, same time, same place.