tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5298729189581729132012-02-07T23:23:52.682ZHandmade beads, jewellery, and those other things.Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.comBlogger1091100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-49527439476717963272012-01-30T19:58:00.001Z2012-01-30T20:00:12.750Z

A tongue-in-cheek-comparison of 'Marketing Speak' and 'Reality' What you see on the artist's website:  The Graffiti series  Here we see myriad dichotomies assert themselves in a cacophony of symbolism; the battle between the natural, represented by soft aquatic blues, and the urban, rendered as stark, crude graffiti is played out on the surface of the bead; whilst the inherent human

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-225226372691066462012-01-03T22:06:00.000Z2012-01-03T22:06:06.169Z

For the first time, I've been feeling like writing a summing-up-looking-forward post about 2011 and 2012, so here it is, in brief bullet-point form (because bullet-points make things both important and impressive) Things I learned in 2011: I can take professional rejection and not enter a fugue state. In fact, I found I'm not bothered much, and can pick myself up and carry on (personal

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-16799064791688111412011-12-07T21:02:00.000Z2011-12-07T21:02:42.953Z

Yep, I'm having a pre-Christmas sale on my beads It's partly in the spirit of the holidays, partly as a preparation for the new year - many of the beads on both my Etsy store and main site will be taken down after the sale, so if there's anything that's caught your fancy, now would be a good time to take the plunge and buy *G* So, how does the sale work? Just put the code FESTIVE in the coupon

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-79244734526544406782011-11-30T20:41:00.002Z2011-12-01T21:51:03.020Z

Yay, I love lampworking - I'll go do some! :D :D :D Boo, it's cold in the shed :( Yay, the torch has made it all toasty now! Boo, all glass hates me :( Yay, that last bead looks good! Boo, now I have to wait 13 hours for the kiln to finish :( Yay, beads are ready! Boo, cleaning beads sucks :( Yay, I can watch Smallville while I'm cleaning! Boo, Smallville still sucks :( Yay, Lex is on

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-28888761700365199092011-11-12T18:16:00.002Z2011-11-12T18:21:06.282Z

I had to get in on the Art Bead Scene Challenge this month - the painting was stunning, and had a mass of green-gold tones, which I adore: Plus, painted by a woman, featuring a woman (and not in the 'woman as object' pose that often permeates, well, everything) - it was the perfect painting to make me join in *G*.   The greens are more olive really - I still suck at photos :( I have

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-21354856788452426412011-11-08T20:15:00.000Z2011-11-08T20:15:16.923Z

Designing a craft fair booth can be nerve-wracking - standing out in a crowd without spending a lot is even more difficult. So, I've put together some ideas for how to draw attention with your display at a craft show (disclaimer - I do not guarantee it will be attention of the positive sort...but it should help you get noticed!) However, there is one thing to remember, whatever method you

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-78461764047230451052011-11-02T20:35:00.000Z2011-11-02T20:35:41.696Z

I think this is my first 'fandom' related post - yep, I'm admitting it. I get 'fannish' about things. Yesterday was the last ever episode of Smallville, and I watched eagerly, having managed to remain spoiler free - hence the embarassingly loud squeal when I saw Michael Rosenbaum's name in the credits (the Lex-love never fades once you've caught it). Out of nostalgia, I just had to blog about it

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-15595587290756332902011-10-27T18:58:00.000+01:002011-10-27T18:58:35.160+01:00

Please, somebody tell me that out there, somewhere, a lovely person has invented of found a program/widget/command/magic fairy spell that lets you highlight text you've accidentally written in CAPSLOCK and turn it back into lowercase. It has to have been done, right? How can it not have? Seriously, if it hasn't been done by now, why not?! I can't be the only person who accidentally does this

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-39517844991011562482011-10-26T20:04:00.001+01:002011-10-26T20:04:53.800+01:00

Mini-tutorial (not even a tutorial really...just a random design addition to scrap clay beads) is up at my site here.

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-22058046096126952252011-10-22T18:31:00.000+01:002011-10-22T18:31:47.705+01:00

Luckily, I remembered to check back at my blog today to make sure of the end date of my little bead giveaway...and turns out, I said I'd draw today *G* So, the first random number generated was...6! That's Georgiebee - can you e-mail me your address please? :D Second is Amanda - you win the extra bead - again, send me your address and I'll send it out :)

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-37913298866065733912011-10-02T17:36:00.001+01:002011-10-03T16:56:27.282+01:00

I've accumulated a few beads that I haven't bothered to put on my site for one reason or another, so I'm just going to put them up for a giveaway. There's a set of antique gold shimmery crackle beasds with litte black abstract appliques, and a carved green and gold bezel bead. And I'm throwing in his mate, who has a slight chip on one of the carvings - it actually almost looks like it's meant to

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-17976797467328871062011-10-02T11:00:00.001+01:002011-10-02T11:00:02.414+01:00

Have you heard of the FHFTeam on Etsy? It's an awesome team comprising members of the Frit-Happens forum, and is designed to promote handmade glass art, glassy objects, beads, and jewellery in Europe. For the last year (give or take) I've been writing blog content and admin with other members here (the slightly weird Designs Ideas posts are mine *G*). I'm pleased to announce a new feature that

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-71791565973344340462011-10-01T17:58:00.000+01:002011-10-01T17:58:30.076+01:00

For the last few weeks I've been making beads with mica powders and metal leaf...which means that running out of varnish to seal these surface decorations is a bad thing. (and the parcel containing the varnish getting lost so a replacement had to be sent was worse - I wanted to give the first pachage a good chance to turn up so I've been out of varnish about 3 weeks maybe) I've finally got my

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-1389048602895595502011-09-07T15:45:00.001+01:002011-09-07T15:46:29.447+01:00

A few weeks ago I posted about my preliminary attempts at a face cane based almost entirely on Donna Kato's tutorial. Let's just say I fell into the same mistakes most people do with their first face cane.  Firstly, I thought I could do a cane on 1 small block of flesh coloured clay mixed with some Fimo trans and champagne (don't get me started on why the only 'skin' colours available are

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-578527887560415922011-08-14T19:21:00.000+01:002011-08-14T19:21:01.864+01:00

There's a new section in my shop - jewellery I don't make jewellery that often, but I had enough supplies in that I've made some necklaces out of copper and my beads featuring wildflowers. The reason for doing this is that I wanted to find a way to raise money for several animal welfare groups, and jewellery seemed a bit more accessible than bead sets. I've set a base figure of approximately

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-88942396493372941112011-08-13T14:33:00.000+01:002011-08-13T14:33:02.634+01:00

This has been looking at my across my desk for a few days while I waited for more clay to make the other parts to a face cane:  (Back and front shots)  I followed Donna Kato's tutorial for this particular cane - I didn't dare wing it on such a large piece!

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-34284847348047350102011-08-11T18:14:00.000+01:002011-08-11T18:14:30.118+01:00

Sometimes, you want to write something that you're pretty sure is not a good idea. It might alienate people, or rub them the wrong way. Am I going to publish this post? I'm not sure - if you're reading this now, then the answer was yes. If you don't like this post, I'm truly sorry, because I don't like to make people feel bad. We all have aversions to words - sometimes we have a reason for it,

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-67703463391235645522011-08-01T16:56:00.000+01:002011-08-01T16:56:46.566+01:00

I know some of you may have seen these already, but I thought I'd do a bit of a post about some things I've been working on in the past year, polymer clay rings. This is the latest: And these were the first few, done quite a while ago: You can probably tell that in appearance they're based on a particular style of paper and fabric flowers, but made from polymer clay so that the flow

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-11465879148268905352011-07-24T17:11:00.000+01:002011-07-24T17:11:51.571+01:00

Why are beads so satisfying? What's so fascinating about them that they've been part of human culture for so long, even to the point of acting as currency? I know some of the theories behind wearing jewellery, but for me, and for others, I know, one of the pleasures is *having* the beads, not adorning oneself with them. Personally, I don't wear jewellery often, and the rare times I do, I choose

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-47107246846158777652011-07-18T17:07:00.000+01:002011-07-18T17:07:29.675+01:00

http://www.continuumdesigns.co.uk ("Relaunch? I didn't know it had been unlaunched!") Technically, I'm relaunching my bead site today - the shopping cart had been down, and I didn't know (I hardly ever buy beads from myself...) but yesterday I noticed something was off with the site, so I did a check of everything, and yep, something was wrong. But... It's all better now, and to celebrate

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-50232916156416135012011-07-13T18:08:00.002+01:002011-07-13T18:08:42.569+01:00

I have something embarassing to reveal... I made a Facebook business page yesterday. I resisted so long, because I never truly 'got' Facebook (well, that's still true) but I wanted another way to connect with people so, here it is. I uploaded quite a lot of eye-candy and I think I may try out some sort of poll later this week (daring, aren't I? *G*) so 'Likes' are very welcome! Also

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-47656091821514222502011-07-07T21:11:00.001+01:002011-07-07T21:11:11.219+01:00

Freeee...it's a good word. So good I put it in the title of new tutorial I made! Free choker necklace tutorial Yes, that *is* my long-winded way of saying that I've posted a copper wire jewellery (or jewelry) tutorial on my site. And that it's free.

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-19965173617501679192011-07-04T19:05:00.002+01:002011-07-04T19:57:02.937+01:00

Last week I received my copies of the August 2011 Polymer Cafe, and eagerly opened one up, and I'm in it! Granted, I submitted a tutorial to them, but I like to see it in print before I count it *G*. Here's the topic of the tutorial: Sugar Sweet Bangles If anyone ever makes one of these, I'd love to see it!

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-20754681153061210422011-06-23T14:04:00.001+01:002011-06-23T14:04:23.307+01:00

New beads time! . They're up at Continuum Designs Beads now.

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-39487815741404522112011-06-15T21:28:00.001+01:002011-06-15T21:39:17.755+01:00

I don't think I've blogged about this, but I hit a wall with my crafts a while ago and just stood there staring up at that wall for a while(and occasionally banging uselessly into it over and over like one of those malfunctioning androids you see in a lot of sci-fi) I have ideas, but invariably my fingers will refuse to cooperate, or the clay/glass/wire start doing things I don't want them to (

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-6761428734824202442011-06-15T00:00:00.001+01:002011-06-15T00:00:14.717+01:00

Hey, you know how some people actually write in their blog when they're on another person's blog? Yeah....I forget to do stuff like that. Aster of Seedy Beader very kindly asked me to do an interview about my craft, and even more kindly published it on her blog :D You can go Aster's blog to read it. She came up with some terrific questions which were so much fun to think about. PS. Check out

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-23130866567274247432011-06-06T15:47:00.002+01:002011-06-06T15:49:11.406+01:00

Eeeeehehehehe....Another lampworking post. By the way, I really do giggle like that when I lampwork, because I loves it. Certain steps are becoming easier, and it's really great feeling like I'm learning something again, doing research and practice, and seeing the improvements (however slight!) From left to right - Gaia encased in clear - I'm really pleased with this encasing because there's

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-52752172807783457362011-05-27T16:43:00.000+01:002011-05-27T16:43:54.846+01:00

This is first time I've ever managed to enter the Art Bead Scene challenge - I found that I'd made some beads that reminded me too much of the greens in the painting not to use them, so I created a focal to match, complete with little daisies and threaded that straight onto some copper wire to make a clasp. This way the focal and clasp are both highlighted, whilst the opposite side of the

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-72991658860019100572011-05-26T13:37:00.001+01:002011-05-26T13:38:17.442+01:00

Hahahahahawhee. Ahem. Sorry, that's the sound of me getting back into lampworking. Thanks to the lovely June of Beaujolais Beads I had my first play with the torch for around 6-8 months, as well as a go with some presses. It's really strange but my first beads after the break weren't absolutely hideous - you'd definitely recognize them as beads, albeit plain ones - but the session I did solo

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-88986613038732783952011-05-26T12:57:00.000+01:002011-05-26T12:57:23.245+01:00

I'm ashamed to say I love these beads (is that a British thing - being embarassed about liking one's own work?) - I have a weakness for shimmery blue, so I really liked the way these turned out: They're in my shop and Etsy shop now :)

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-7943456376039491712011-05-21T23:42:00.001+01:002011-05-21T23:45:47.325+01:00

I usually make nothing but chocolate cakes, but today I needed a change and 'made up' a recipe: i.e. I took a variation on a basic non-vegan chocolate sponge, de-choco-fied it, took out the eggs and milk, and added a different flavour as well as some spur-of the moment toppings. Here it is for sharing :D By the way, you get a gold star if you can work out what flavour the cakes are from my

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-90047192935872050872011-05-14T16:47:00.000+01:002011-05-14T16:47:40.997+01:00

Bit of round up post (that's right, whoopie pies get a whole post to themselves, everything else is shoved into one shared post. Priorities people!) First news: I managed to get a tutorial into Beads and Beyond this month (June issue) which was lovely to see - I used lampwork beads by June of Beaujolais Beads to make a diamond motif bracelet. Here's a variation, also using her beads: Second

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-64925357762711903872011-05-11T18:40:00.002+01:002011-05-11T18:41:37.875+01:00

Apparently whoopie pies are the new cupcakes...although the Food Network Channel is telling me donuts are the next big thing in baking, so they seems to have skipped over the whoopie pies and gone onto the next, next big thing. But regardless, I received a book of whoopie pie recipes and had a go at veganizing them (using my usual egg replacement, Alpro Soya soy puddings). Well, they're tasty,

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-20766987111680179352011-04-23T16:59:00.002+01:002011-04-23T17:20:46.588+01:00

Lately, there've been a few playdays with polymer clay, where I just try out ideas and techniques. The main reason is that, inexplicably, I've forgotten everything I ever knew about caning. Wait, that's not strictly true; I remember it all, but transferring the knowledge from brain to hands is proving very difficult *G* So here's a taste of what I've been doing instead: I've also managed

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-60007646901251230532011-04-05T14:34:00.000+01:002011-04-05T14:34:43.510+01:00

I received a lovely conversation recently from Gill of Bluebell Designs: she had purchased some of my beads, and designed some truly lovely pieces with them. Here's a peak at one of her creations incorporating my beads: Artisan bracelet by Bluebell Designs There's also a lot more eye-candy at her jewellery site, including some beautiful lampwork and semi-precious designs. Thanks Gill :D

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-38411857159646235302011-04-04T16:53:00.001+01:002011-04-04T16:53:47.183+01:00

Remember the Beetroot Post? Well, born partly from my (slightly odd) idea, Judith Lynn has been doing experiments with making a paprika ink/dye, and the results are looking great! You can read about her process and see pictures of the results here. She also had some tips for making beetroot work more effectively as a dye, which I'll be trying soon. So, in the search for natural vegan dyes we

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-5826961557006988952011-04-02T19:08:00.000+01:002011-04-02T19:08:28.777+01:00

When I first started making polymer clay buttons, I used to diligently measure the diameter of each button size, divide it into four, and then pierce the button holes at the two middle points. It wasn't always perfect though, because my buttons sizes aren't easily divisible by four, so I wanted to come up with a different way. Ta-da! This is what I did: I'm sure you're all aghast with

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-80388368105974817032011-03-31T23:22:00.002+01:002011-03-31T23:25:07.833+01:00

Well, do ya? It's this: Swedish Glace vegan vanilla ice cream, sandwiched between two Rich Tea biscuits. I can't describe how glorious it is. Actually, I can; it's... very glorious. And yes, there are vegan Rich Tea biscuits, and they're in a supermarket, namely Sainsburys. Now I know big supermarkets are often bad news, but surely a supermarket which offers many, many vegan biscuits and snacks

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-57289698006149646792011-03-29T00:15:00.001+01:002011-03-29T00:15:49.579+01:00

I'm one of those silly people who think that because they know about something, everyone else must have found out about it beforehand *rolls eyes* To counter that, I'm doing a short post about the Frit-Happens Forum Team, a community-based Etsy team centered around glass artistry and jewellery that is handmade primarily in the UK (although some other countries are represented too). It's a pretty

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-83868827680959144862011-03-19T16:51:00.001Z2011-03-19T16:59:52.410Z

This is the biggest news for this blog for a while. Are you excited yet? You shouldn't be - I'm just announcing that my beads actually have their own, proper, grown-up website. It's very exciting for me though, because it's like having a little house on the internet that I can decorate and faff around with at last. Yay! Not all my Etsy stock is up there yet, but there is enough to look at if

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-69291879815914998362011-03-06T23:06:00.001Z2011-03-06T23:06:57.296Z

First things: I've had a lot of Bead Soup lately, and I still have quite a few helpings left to go! I had to take a bit of time off the computer, so I haven't managed to go round all the blogs, but I'm trying to work in little bits to get to them all. So if you get a comment in the middle of June about your Bead Soup piece(s), it's just me *G* Second things: I've set up a few 'pages' at the top

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-86027644590743416862011-02-26T16:35:00.001Z2011-02-26T16:35:52.679Z

Today is the reveal of the Bead Soup Party, where everyone shows how they turned bead soup into jewellery. Here's the information on it: What is a Bead Soup Blog Party?  Each beader was paired up with another jewelry designer and tasked with sending the following: ~ A focal ~ A special clasp (not just a lobster claw) ~ Some coordinating spacers or beads Using the focal and the clasp was

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com64tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-47278445892437121832011-02-25T17:35:00.002Z2011-02-25T17:37:10.764Z

Sugar Candy Bracelet Originally uploaded by Continuum DesignsA quick eye-candy post to show this new style of bracelet I'm obsessed with - I love watching sugar art being made, and just had to have a go at a ribbon candy-style bangle. In other news, there are some some items in my Etsy shop. In other, other news, I had a tutorial in the March 2011 issue of Making Jewellery called Polymer Poppy

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-34903286643897066542011-02-08T17:22:00.000Z2011-02-08T17:22:52.012Z

Just a few signs that you probably think too much about polymer clay: You snap your glasses and try to mend the bridge with a snake of metallic gold polymer clay before it occurs to you to get them mended at, y'know, the opticians. You catch sight of your latest blue-to-purple Skinner blend and your immediate thought is, "That is so sexy..." You condition polymer clay in one hand while you're

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-72960024585412149922011-02-05T18:32:00.001Z2011-02-05T18:42:44.685Z

I'm sure that a lot of people who do any sort of creative work have had the experience of getting an idea into their heads and being unable to let it go until they've exhausted it, even if is blatantly not working. Yes, that's right, this is one of those stories *G* I've always loved the look of polymer clay mixed with alcohol inks, but seeing as the people who make the ones most used with

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-23721122422731684842011-02-04T20:07:00.002Z2011-02-26T16:15:07.280Z

Yesterday, my Bead Soup parcel from Laurel Steven came, and my response was pretty much 'Wow'. Here's a picture of what my lovely soup partner sent: I'm no good at recognising stone/semi-precious beads (the only ones I have are amethyst chips from two years ago!), but whatever they are specifically, these creamy-tan nugget beads and green rounds are stunning; they feel lovely and weighty in the

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-84703410545622444192011-01-19T16:58:00.000Z2011-01-19T16:58:16.499Z

There are three new polymer clay things to show today; I've been working on them for quite a while, trying to decide through experiments what the best process would be for them. The first is polymer clay toggle clasps - if you look closely, you'll see my Beads and Beyond competition entires both had my handmade polymer clay clasps on them. I had to wait until the judging was over to show

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-43904169342781634402011-01-17T21:35:00.000Z2011-01-17T21:35:47.089Z

Sometimes I cannot believe the amount of work photopgraphing and uploading can be. But it's mostly done for the moment, so I can say with actual cheer - my shop has been re-vamped and there's some new stock, with more being added over the week. Here's a peek at what's in, and what will be in, ContinuumDesigns: And because I'm not cool at all, and am one of those people who say 'Yes, and it

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-21421809029770041362011-01-16T17:10:00.001Z2011-01-16T17:11:11.376Z

I couldn't help myself  - I joined up for the Bead Soup Blog Party. I just love the idea of receiving a set of random beads and making something from them...it gives me a feeling of structure *G* My partner is Laurel Steven , who I've just discovered, after nosing around her blog and shop, makes beautiful polymer clay items such as delicately stamped and decorated focal pendants. They're the type

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-35110823012062829662011-01-09T18:23:00.000Z2011-01-09T18:23:33.111Z

Compared to electrical, fabric and food industries, artisan jewellery making is probably a small drain on the world's resources. But hey, we have to do what little we can, right? So here's a few ideas for alternative supplies for jewellery making, as a way of cutting down on animal by-products and less-evironmentally friendly materials. As well as making your jewellery more 'green', another

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-36419321461921577842011-01-03T13:44:00.002Z2011-01-03T17:51:45.747Z

Well, Sunday Browsing has been and gone without a post; what with various things, it'll be going on hiatus for a while, although I'll probably still highlight an item or shop if I stumble across it :) Other types of blog posts aren't going anywhere however, you'll all be extremely happy to find out *G* Edit: or maybe I'll just make Sunday Browsing posts shorter...finding as many as I was doing

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-1578596956700677702011-01-01T19:34:00.000Z2011-01-01T19:34:31.122Z

Happy New Year everyone! And now: Practical Polymer Clay Tips And here are some of mine, that come purely from my experiences with polymer clay. Many polymer clay artists have incredibly insightful tips scattered all over the internet; I do not. I just have these *G* If you like to use sparkly, shimmery dust of any kind (mica, flakes etc.) designate one whole day "Sparkly Day" and do

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-51989405961178688122010-12-16T18:24:00.001Z2010-12-16T18:48:40.422Z

A post on another blog - Lampwork Diva - Mad for Monday....Hands about sculptures of hands suddenly sent me off on my own search for 'artisan hands' on Etsy, because I used to love those tiny ceramic ones that were so common in hippy/fantasy shops. Anyway, I had to spread a link to this shop: Moonlight Aura. She creates hands from polymer clay. Masses of hands, mostly in American Sign

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-8105046497094440872010-12-15T21:11:00.001Z2010-12-15T22:57:36.491Z

Recently I've been on the lookout for ways to package items with less waste - I already recycle jiffy mailers when I can* and snatch up any card or bubble wrap that enters the house, to re-use in my parcels. But I wanted to find some sources for actual recycled papers, business supplies, and other items. I haven't used any of these places yet, so I can't vouch for their service/quality, but I

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-20374424639450607092010-12-12T17:58:00.000Z2010-12-12T17:58:04.938Z

Today is Holiday Decoration Sunday Browsing - a selection of handmade ornaments that I'd love to see around the house (even though I've already decorated...did that on the 1st *G*) Firstly, an upcycled ornament from twistedbeading, made from found metals. I've heard the phrase 'rustic charm' thrown around a lot by people who know *things* about home decor...well, this is my idea of rustic

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-50356654985647533402010-12-08T20:13:00.001Z2010-12-08T20:17:17.766Z

A while ago, I entered the the Beads and Beyond magazine Jewellery Maker of the Year Competition, and was short-listed in the Mixed-Media category; today I got the issue that announces the winners. Well, I didn't win. I can't say I wasn't a little bit sad at first, but now I'm feeling glad that I got shortlisted at all; it was the first jewellery designing competition I entered with my polymer

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-76240019533529233982010-12-06T15:10:00.004Z2010-12-08T14:57:40.909Z

Today's edition is on the theme of 'cuppas' - all things related to tea and coffee, and having a good sit down in the afternoon. Edit: Heh, I've just noticed my Sunday Browsing post is not listed on the Sunday, but a few days before, mainly because I have a set of template posts (and some ideas for Sunday Browsing topics - yes, it's true, now sometimes I do a browse on a Friday/Saturday if my

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-59935731556240258912010-12-04T17:52:00.001Z2010-12-04T18:48:25.411Z

There's a bit of furore going on in the on-line vegan community right now; a well-known vegan blogger has apparently suddenly developed a complete disdain for this way of life. I'd like to write out a lengthy rebuttal of everything she wrote, but a lot of people have already done it a lot better and more interestingly that I can, and besides, whenever I start to thing about what she said, I have

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-76067627410723820752010-11-30T17:32:00.001Z2010-11-30T17:32:28.371Z

Choc LogOriginally uploaded by Continuum DesignsSince it's nearly Christmas (yes it is, stop hiding and embrace it!) I had a go at a vegan Swiss roll. I used my usual trick of whipping soy pudding with rice milk to make the basic sponge, filled it with chocolate buttercream, and then slathered it with chocolate icing. And of course, I had to do the traditional 'log' effect by drawing a fork

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-6702265634967739052010-11-22T20:31:00.000Z2010-11-22T20:31:37.178Z

Here's a look at some of the pendants I've been making lately (some of which have been put up in my Etsy shop, partly as a way to test out the new currency features, yay!); they're a kind of donut/Jammie Dodger hybrid, featuring a circular cut-out that shows off the wire used to attach the pendant to other components. In using these myself, I've been threading little silver beads onto the wire

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-69923472571637212402010-11-14T17:54:00.000Z2010-11-14T17:54:23.406Z

This week's Sunday Browsing brings lampwork treats...literally. It's food-themed glass, with a little bit of a quirky twist to some of the beads, so enjoy drooling, whether it's over the lampwork or the yumminess :D You how fans of lampwork drool over glass? Well, I can't look at these lampwork chocolates by EnterTheFlame without doubly drooling; I feel like I can taste rich, creamy truffles

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-25833273497578265012010-11-01T12:18:00.001Z2010-11-01T12:18:03.813Z

Firstly, Sunday Browsing will be back soon; drooling over Etsy finds had to go on hold for a bit when my laptop starting acting out, and I had to buy a new laptop (which also meant my virtual shopping mojo was drained by having to do actual shopping *G*) Secondly, I have quite a haul of polymer clay beads ready to put up, but they are waiting to be photographed in something other than British

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-79889305377173845022010-10-08T21:12:00.000+01:002010-10-08T21:12:31.401+01:00

Sometimes it's fun to imagine what people's beads or jewellery reflect about them. Imagine the lampworker who does immaculate, complex stringer work. Or the ceramics artist who forms organic, fluid pieces full of imperfections. The person who sculpts birds and flowers from polymer clay. You'd come away with different impressions of them all based on the work they produce. What's even more

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-88563583853958940602010-10-03T14:20:00.001+01:002010-10-03T14:45:41.306+01:00

A variation on previous themes; lampworked sculptural creatures, therefore, also tiny animals! LandSArts is famous for her beautiful rendition of lampwork animals and ethereal fairies of all types, and that isn't a shock when you look at a piece such as her Arabian Knight pendant; I adore the way she's represented and heightened the delicate curve in the neck distinctive to Arab horses, as well

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-3641098692143026462010-09-26T16:40:00.000+01:002010-09-26T16:40:10.712+01:00

Geeky Etsy picks are, like my Tiny things, a theme on which I could do many, many Sunday Browsing posts. There is such a deep mine of items which  that I had to really rein myself in *G* Technically, maths and science are not a part of my geekiness (yes, there are other types) but they still give me a little geeky shiver of joy whenever I see handmade items with this theme. A beautiful copper

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-77592696538565643232010-09-23T20:42:00.001+01:002010-09-23T20:42:45.400+01:00

Has anyone ever brought out a brand of razor and called it Occam's Razor? 'Cos I'd love that. Someone must have thought of it already, right?

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-44833938980624548602010-09-23T18:50:00.001+01:002011-03-06T20:22:56.424Z

 Caned Flowers FAQ on ContinuumDesigns Polymer Clay Beads* 1). How are the patterns on the beads done? Most of the time, the flowers and motifs on my beads are from my handmade canes. 2). And canes are? A cane is a length of polymer clay that has a pattern or image running through it, much like a stick of seaside rock. The pictures are made up of different polymer clay components that when

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-80971092288057896362010-09-14T14:11:00.000+01:002010-09-14T14:11:21.934+01:00

The first part of the FHFTeam giveaway started yesterday here: http://fhfteam.blogspot.com/2010/09/frit-happens-forum-team-giveaway.html And this one ends on Friday 17th, so enter quickly *G* Here's the prize:  I have these beads/the pendant next to me, and can tell you that they're gorgeous *G*

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-90834342718333831262010-09-12T18:01:00.001+01:002010-09-12T18:02:27.391+01:00

Tomorrow is the start of the Etsy Frit-Happens Forum Team Giveaway (wow, that's a lot of capital letters), where you could win some really beautiful prizes. The full details will be posted tomorrow, so check the FHFTeam blog on Monday for the start, but here's a sneak peek of the array of prizes, Anyway, in honour of this, this edition of Sunday browsing features offerings from the FHFTeam

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-32770466054510187812010-09-09T17:03:00.000+01:002010-09-09T17:03:31.248+01:00

So I was reading through the Art Bead Scene blog, and looking at their Monthly Challenge picture, which is Persia by Geroge Barbier, and suddenly the next day I had these: Only a very small aspect of the original inspiration is seen in these beads, but I was pretty pleased with the overall look of them, especially as I don't usually plan out a specific design, and rarely manage to use actual

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-25261990717252248382010-09-02T21:13:00.000+01:002010-09-02T21:13:38.016+01:00

And the winner of the polymer clay beads is: Number 19! Which, counting down the list is: louise! E-mail me your address and I'll get the beads sent out right away :) Thanks everyone for taking part - I loved reading all your favourite flowers, and it's given me lots of inspiration for new flower canes to try :D

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-68627262490898987002010-09-01T17:45:00.001+01:002010-09-01T17:45:22.779+01:00

This is a bit of a fractured post :) Firstly, the FHFTeam blog has a new article up on what to look for when buying lampwork beads, accompanied by a heap of pretty pictures. If you've never used lampwork beads in your jewellery before, go take a look; I promise it's drool-worthy, and you might come away with a new addiction. Secondly, the prize draw for a set of polymer clay beads is tomorrow,

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-65636147211985720102010-08-29T20:12:00.001+01:002010-08-29T22:13:22.629+01:00

Since it's Bank Holiday Weekend here in the UK, I'm doing a Sunday Browsing edition in its honour. The buzzword? 'Rain' (You might have to be British to appreciate the connection) I'm strangely drawn to gourd art. I don't know why. Perhaps it's the idea of making art from a vegetable that appeals to me. Regardless, the gourd on the left by TheLandofHonahLee is adorable in his resigned

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-11293598834506861602010-08-28T16:28:00.001+01:002011-03-06T20:22:53.554Z

Before I made beads, I made jewellery; not really surprising, since I would guess most beadmakers come to it having had their interest piqued by using beads in their own jewellery. Now I make jewellery primarily to test out my own beads designs to make sure they're suitable for others to use (well, sometimes I'll make myself something pretty, or make presents for people). For example, my

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-2500515384173594272010-08-22T20:23:00.001+01:002010-08-29T20:14:06.165+01:00

Anyone reading this knows by now that I love lampworking - whether it's drooling over lampworked glass, or doing it myself (although that's been given a rest for quite a while sadly). So today I'm sharing a selection of unusual beads and quirky lampworking ephemera I found while browsing Etsy (the task was made easier by searching through the 'fhfteam 2010' tagged listing - a team I joined which

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-15318113634921090472010-08-18T21:20:00.000+01:002010-08-18T21:20:55.353+01:00

(Firstly: I'm giving away beads. Did you know?) You know what interesting? (Well for one thing, it's interesting that when someone says somethings interesting, it's usually not. Case in point here) One polymer clay artist has told a story about how, completely isolated from the polymer clay community (this was pre-internet) she invented millifiori for polymer clay. Another site charts the

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-42163814816275333862010-08-15T17:53:00.003+01:002010-08-29T20:12:57.913+01:00

Confession: I'm a sucker for tiny objects, or miniatures. I think there's something fascinating about a piece you can hold in your had, but that still encapsulates the essence of its full-size brethren. (In other words - aw, cute!) Kenya Vessel by Beaujolais Beads For instance, this lampwork creation by Beaujolais Beads. The colours used and its lovely curves lend it an air of ancient 

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-63995590730171423762010-08-14T15:28:00.001+01:002010-08-14T15:32:04.009+01:00

Yes, I'm doing a giveaway. Here's the prize: Ten handmade polymer clay coin beads (but the little wooden drawer is mine, sorry) All you actually need to do to enter is this: tell me what your favourite flowers is in the comments field below. But if you'd like to sign up to my mailing list here http://eepurl.com/NY9p, that'd be really great, as would you following my blog, or spreading the

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-3915564480090414642010-08-12T22:50:00.003+01:002010-08-12T22:57:37.983+01:00

You know what? I can't wax philosophic on my inspirations more than about once every six months, much as I admire those who can. I can't be a whimsical, perky blogger, and I can't be a snarky blogger with a punchy headlinhe. I think admitting these things probably means my blog will never be a must-read for people. See, I've been reading a lot of marketing blogs this last week (why? Eh...I don't

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-43442286786363511842010-08-11T18:47:00.002+01:002010-08-11T18:50:37.560+01:00

Poppy cane, poopy picture Originally uploaded by Continuum DesignsYou know, some canes you make to use, and some you make just because you want to see if you can. I had a real longing to make a poppy cane a while ago, and ended up with this cane. I'm quite pleased with it, to say that I mapped/designed it myself: this was my third attempt - let's just say I currently have a LOT of muddy red clay

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-71429976326514426382010-08-07T22:11:00.000+01:002010-08-07T22:11:39.424+01:00

If you look over there, you'll see I've added a place to sign up for my polymer clay beads mailing list ----> A mailing list is one of those things that looks really daunting and professional to me, so I'm a bit heistant putting one up for my shop (I try to make my customer service and products as professional as I can, but compared to a big business, I feel tiny and inconsequential!) But,

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-90443084696670169692010-08-07T19:39:00.000+01:002010-08-07T19:39:49.009+01:00

One of the best parts of working with polymer clay for me is what happens when things don't go as planned. (I hope the universe doesn't take that to mean I want things to go wrong - I really, really don't!) When polymer clay takes an unwanted turn, one of the most basic and primal ways to deal with it is this: squishing. You take the misshappen piece into your hands, and you twist it and roll

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-57578645751596651902010-08-04T17:13:00.000+01:002010-08-04T17:13:24.116+01:00

This week I'm sharing Czech glass finds; although my main love is artisan lampwork glass, my first love was Czech glass beads. I was worried when I started making jewellery that the beads I was using weren't produced 'ethically' (as I've said before, that's a sticky word!), so I looked around for supplies that were at least acceptable and found Czech glass. My reasoning was that, being produced

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-22992964979990796952010-08-01T21:17:00.007+01:002010-08-29T20:13:26.940+01:00

This week I spent a bit of time looking through the shops of my Veganetsy Team-members - it's an easy way for me to find cool things that I know are vegan. First off is one of ThisIsIts' notebooks. I already own some of their paper products, but I have a weakness for pretty journals or writing pads, and this Goddess motif one is going on my wishlist. http://www.etsy.com/listing/43741428/

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-8620852015379086592010-07-31T16:18:00.000+01:002010-07-31T16:18:23.019+01:00

Where to start? There really are so many things to love about playing with polymer clay (there's also a lot of bad points - like that persistent nub of polymer clay that develops a unwavering attachment to the sole of your shoe). For example, I spent last week doing polymer clay experiments, not thinking about whether they would turn out 'right', but just playing, and it was fantastic! First I

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-52301007502413771992010-07-28T18:52:00.001+01:002010-07-28T22:05:41.445+01:00

On about a monthly basis, I go on a hunt for findings, tools and components - it usually starts out with me discovering I need a part that somehow is out of stock where I typically go, and ends with me cyber-rummaging through newly-discovered and previously-forgotten bead stores. So, hey, I thought I'd do a little regular showcase of what I find *G* So this week I'm sharing some of the less

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-92087173790308303042010-07-25T20:34:00.008+01:002010-08-29T20:14:34.216+01:00

I find Sunday a great day for browsing around Etsy shops, taking notes about what I plan to buy - or what I would buy if I had the money. There are some lovely paintings on Etsy which are naturally very expensive, so thank goodness for prints; a great way to get a little piece of art. Here's a taster of Etsy artists' shop I've been wandering around today... A ** next to a listing denotes

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-1571164411541628762010-07-24T21:45:00.002+01:002010-07-24T21:47:04.330+01:00

I've dressed up my blog in some lovely greens - so now I'm a bit inspired to post. I spent a long day trying to make a lightbox for my photographs, without spending any money at all. This means I spent the good part of the morning and afternoon running around with tape and white paper and sticking them in various configurations inside a large box. Then I manically cut a hole in a large white

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-15385133630424882062010-07-20T13:52:00.001+01:002010-07-24T23:03:03.625+01:00

*blows dust off blog* I have a certain amount of chat in me per month, and no more, so this poor blog has been neglected whilst I chatted elsewhere. But now it's her turn again! For starters, I have spent a few days making what I am calling 'texture plates' out of polymer clay, even though the name is much grander than the product. Basically, I take a square of scrap clay, and arrange thin clay

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-2048969090465303832010-05-19T20:33:00.000+01:002010-05-19T20:44:48.000+01:00

I don't usually over-punctuate, but I made something that looks like a real glass bead at last, so I'm going wild with the exclamation marks.The wrapped loops aren't there to hide anything, by the way - I wanted to see how it looked as a jewellery component. Now obviously, there are about 50 bazillion beads better than this one in the world, but still, I'm ridiculously pleased. Yay!Now if anyone

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-50096024212055134632010-05-06T20:10:00.000+01:002010-05-06T20:18:15.546+01:00

I bought some sparkly things a while ago, hoping to use them on polymer clay, but they didn't work like I hoped they would. Well, I thought today I'd have another go, and found some interesting effects came from them:[img]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3323/4584484262_d65ea69245.jpg[/img]The colour shifts according to the colours of clay used, quite dramatically, and yet there's no difference

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-11928985352474440422010-04-29T18:36:00.000+01:002010-04-29T18:52:59.887+01:00

Finally, I got a new camera, and it's kinda fancy, so from now on expect to see my photo quality...well, let's face it, stay pretty much the same. But at least it'll all be in high-res!In polymer clay related happenings - I've become addicted to making 'Vector' series beads (my maths knowledge is weak, so they probably look nothing like vectors, but that's the name the beads evoked for me) like

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-39807519598947829042010-03-26T15:52:00.000Z2010-03-26T15:57:09.136Z

Well, here's a picture of my lampwork 'beads' (I have come to the conclusion that I exist to make other lampworkers feel better about their skills *G*). Even though they're a bit ..eh...I love them anyway!I like how the blurriness of the photo just seems to highlight the faults, rather than hide them.

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-68548251070314587952010-03-25T21:09:00.000Z2010-03-25T21:28:29.153Z

Lessons learned from my first forays into lampworking:There's little demand for beads melded to a mandrel.There's even less demand for beads melded to a mandrel and a whole glass rod.Looking up from playing with an extremely hot flame to find a bee hovering two inches away, wanting to know what you're doing, is extremely disconcerting.Hot glass is ....um, hot.Vanity is soon discarded in the face

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-7994183133149031162010-02-16T20:40:00.000Z2010-02-22T15:43:22.253Z

Again, a work in progress, but I wanted somewhere to list all the more fairly traded and 'ethical' options in jewellery making (the minefield around those two descriptions is vast and treacherous, but I hope this helps a tiny bit for finding things!) If you have any suggestions, feel free to leave a comment.Sidebar: I've included places that have some non-vegan items, simply because it's

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-33268360855707140032010-02-15T17:33:00.001Z2010-02-15T17:39:28.191Z

I finally managed to take pictures in something resembling actual daylight: A mix of sparkly beads and caned ones (and some that cross the border between sparkly and caned! Gasp!)More can be seen here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/continuumdesigns/

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-72208616477877310002010-02-13T18:50:00.000Z2010-02-13T19:00:01.556Z

So many polymer clay beads to photograph, so little time (and so little photographic talent, which is even more of a hurdle).I've gone on a cane making spree lately, mostly because despite all the teeth-gritting, it's fun to slice the end off a mushed up log of clay and see a tiny picture inside! Another good thing about canes is that reducing them (well, reducing them the way I do it!) makes

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-7349819724945074082010-02-01T17:04:00.001Z2011-03-06T20:24:25.367Z

(This is just an on-going project post) It's sometimes kind of difficult to make sure that craft/art supplies are vegan...so, this is something for me to compile when I'm randomly surfing the internet. If you'd like to make a suggestion about products to look into, feel free to comment. Polymer Clay Eberhard Faber: Makers of Fimo products. An e-mail from customer service states that these are

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-71319444072441236782010-01-28T18:03:00.000Z2010-01-28T18:40:18.375Z

June from Beaujolais Beads has just given me a Sunshine Award! Getting it really is a little bit of sunshine in the day.June and Ken at Beaujolais Beads produce absolutely gorgeous handmade lampwork beads, always in fresh, incredibly vibrant colours. Just look at these: Sweet Lime (June also makes fantastic chainmaille - award-winning, even.) Right, so - The rules for accepting the Sunshine award

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-529872918958172913.post-78644665884089992532010-01-23T13:11:00.000Z2010-01-23T13:23:49.811Z

I've just finished off my last bag of the most perfect chocolate food in the world. It's very sad :( Mainly because to get more, I have to go through mail order and pay largish postage charges. On the other hand, it's worth it: it's akin to a Crunchie, but more chocolatey, more lush, gooier and crunchier all at the same time. And, of course, it's vegan:Golden CrunchThe Vegan Store - where it's

Hazel Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10765047914826349203noreply@blogger.com2