Designs to make from polymer clay

Imagine a material that looks and feels like clay and yet, when fired, becomes pure, solid gold and silver! That’s metal clay, and here are the fabulous techniques and instructions, lavish photos and projects that will open up endless creative possibilities to every crafter. With this versatile product, metalwork becomes easier and faster, and it’s simple to create meaningful gifts or add techniques to the forms you’ve already mastered. Combine the clay with lampworked and fused dichroic glass, enamel, and beads. Make exquisite jewelry, sculpture, carvings, and more. Try a great new liquid gold for coating silver objects. Among the glittering, gorgeous projects: an African Mask Pin, Groovy Flower Earrings and Ring, Puzzle Piece Bracelet, and a Twig and Leaf Condiment Spoon.

“Has the...advantage of tapping into the different expertise and styles of a variety of practitioners. Crafters can pick from among 31 projects, ranging from traditional (Chinese good-luck lantern) to extraordinarily modern (tiny jointed teddy bear)....A gallery of artists...adds insight and inspiration.”—Booklist.

Discover a world of inspired and colourful jewellery-making from the comfort of your own home. Just make, bake and wear! In this comprehensive guide to modern polymer clay techniques, artist and designer Heidi Helyard reveals the simple techniques that can be used to create one-off, contemporary jewellery pieces with minimal tools and equipment. Polymer clay, which has been around for nearly eighty years, is currently finding itself popular amongst contemporary jewellery makers as the bright colours and sheer versatility of the material allows makers to create bold and graphic modern designs. The beauty of polymer clay is that it presents so many opportunities to explore colour combinations, patterns and texture. In this book you will learn ten easy yet exciting techniques including slab and cane making, marbling and colour mixing, inlay techniques, printing onto clay, surface embellishments and more to create twenty unique jewellery pieces. The projects in this book vary in complexity, but are accessible to both novice and advanced makers alike. If you are a beginner, the extensive step-by-step photos and instructions will help you develop your polymer clay skills and complete the projects with confidence. As you build your skills and learn the techniques via the book, you will realise that you can combine techniques to create all-new results. The skills you learn in this book will open up a limitless world of further experimentation for you to discover.

Metal clay starts as clay and turns into metal. Does it get any more magical? Now it does—withMetal Clay and Mixed Media Jewelry. Author Sherri Haab takes this compelling material, today's hottest craft item, to the next level, brilliantly combining it with other media ranging from the timeless to the unexpected. Ribbons, gold leaf, pottery shards, transparent resin, polymer clay, leather, and more are used to create stunning jewelry. Beautiful photography showcases these innovative pieces, and full step-by-step instructions make it easy to re-create them. New formulations of metal clay and newly developed firing techniques are presented clearly so that crafters can achieve professional results. Sophisticated enough for artists yet simple enough for beginners,Metal Clay and Mixed Media Jewelryis the only book that blends metal clay with such a variety of mixed media to make magic. • Follow-up to the best-sellingArt of Metal Clay—over 35,000 copies sold! • Author has sold more than two million books! • Metal clay is hot with crafters, artists—anyone who wants to try alchemy

Projects: embossed bolo, bead transformation, simple stud earrings, spiral galaxy, domino theory, hollow bead earrings, bauhaus bold, bead ring, cherry blossoms in spring, a day at the beach bracelet, bejeweled pendant, falling leaves, bamboo garden, autumn dragonfly, child's cuff bracelet, golden ivy, stacked ring set, forged link necklace, simple and elegant linked bracelet, gold and cubic zirconia ring, silver twig pin, patience in a square, lunar phase ring, garnet and silver necklace, kum boo fan brooch.

"Polymer clay is easy to work with and very versatile, as the necklaces, rings, bracelets, and earrings in this beautiflly illustrated book show."--