New Tools and Jewellery

I recently bought some new jewellery tools, these tools took me a little while to find as some jewellery web sites didn't sell them. I bought some new stylus ball tools that where of different sizes as I want to make smaller detailed jewellery. I also bought a new saw which I really needed! So I can cut sheets of metal or wire. You maybe wondering "so Raven what was wrong with your old tools, did you make so much jewellery you wore them down?" Well no I

My basic stylus ball tools

didn't I was making do with what I had in my jewellers tool box, as it was quite difficult to find the tools that I needed. You have to understand that sometimes it can be difficult to find professional tools that you need. I had the basic tools but even though they are basic they still did a good job. I just felt that I needed better tools. I have moved from basic tools to more professional tools. When you realise you make jewellery on a scale that is rather big and because it's so big it goes in to the category of statement jewellery because it's kinda large. Just an example when using the basic stylus ball

tools I only had three sizes to choose from which was large,

My new stylus tools, sorry about
the quality of the picture the tips
of the tools are quite small 

medium and small-ish. So the detail and things I was making I couldn't really scale them down, as you can see in the photograph just three sizes. Where as the other tools I have more of a variety of sizes so I can add smaller detail and make smaller pieces of jewellery. I'm not saying my older jewellery is huge! But the pendants where quite big so having a variety of different sized pendants is always better. Especially if I want to make pendants for Gothic chokers. I just think a smaller version takes a skill to the next level, I'll also be able to make earrings to match the pendants when making them on a smaller scale. 

Raven Skull Cameo

When I started to make the raven skull cameo I applied some black polymer clay to the cabochon setting. After smoothing out and making sure the black polymer clay was tidy and free from finger prints. I started on sculpting the ravens skull with my new stylus ball tools. This is the smallest raven skull I've made its about three and a half centimetres, so rather small. After sculpting and shading the raven skull I then attached it to the black polymer clay background. I felt that the raven skull on it's own was a little plain so I decided to add a black rose and a swirly vine going around the raven and rose. I then baked the clay and the cabochon setting, if you do bake polymer clay on a setting please be mindful of the heated metal.

Vampire Fang Cameo

Vampire cameo

I did the same background on the cabochon setting I did with the raven skull cameo. I made each tooth on this cameo individually and then put them on the black polymer clay background. after I put the teeth on I baked the pendant. After it had cooled completely I applied some dark red craft paint for the blood on the fangs. I then put it on a black chord. Quite a simple pendant but effective :)

I hope you enjoyed reading this as I had writing it.

Keep It Spooky Children Of The Night :)

Happy Halloween to you all, I hope you have a fang-tastic and spook-tacular day! I can't help it cliché puns are a guilty pleasure :) I have had fun making some spooky Halloween jewellery. I've also been busy with other projects and not just Gothic or Halloween jewellery, I'm also awaiting word on a course I took I have my fingers and toes crossed for that! Now lets get to the jewellery :)

Vampire Fang Necklace.

I must say that I did make myself one of these because I loved it so much. Here is how I made the fangs. I first got a sizeable piece of night glow polymer clay, I then put the clay through the conditioning machine. I used the thickest setting, Once it had been rolled out I cut out the basic vampire fang

shape. I then added the detail of the teeth with a stylus ball tool. taking care not to make the detail to deep, as the clay may have broke. After adding the detail I then baked the clay and let it dry. Once cooled the fangs where then dipped in a rich red crafting paint so the fangs looked like they where dripping blood. Once the paint had dried I drilled two holes and inserted eye pins so I could hang it from a necklace; here is the finished necklace :)

Cut Throat Necklace!

My sister modelled this necklace and she also gave me the idea of putting it on a ribbon, as I usually use chain or leather chord. So thanks to her! So here is how this gruesome choker came into being! I rolled out a large piece of polymer clay, as with the vampire fangs I cut out the basic blood dripping

shape, smoothed out the edges so that it didn't look so ridged and rough. I also made some little droplets to make it look like it was dripping. I baked all these and let them cool. after they cooled I literally poured the red paint onto the polymer clay to make it look like the blood was dripping heavily. After a day of waiting for the paint to dry, I then drilled several holes so I could attach jump rings and add the chain for the blood droplets and the red ribbon. And ta-da! done :)

Cute Fat Bat Pendant

This little guy was fun to make, because I usually just roll out the polymer clay and cut out a basic bat shape. This guy I formed him by hand. I rolled the clay in my hand and formed it into an oval shape for it's body. For his wings I formed the clay into diamond shapes and with a stylus ball tool added in the wing detail as you can see, For the ears I moulded the clay into cone shapes and again used my stylus tool to flatten the cone shape and add the

detail of the ear. Take time when adding detail, after making the wings and ears I then blended them on to the body making sure they where are attached securely. I then made some eyes for the little chap which where just rolled little balls then flattened. Once the eyes had been put on I then baked him and let him cool. Again I drilled a hole on top of his head and inserted an eye pin, keeping it in place with epoxy glue. I will later put him on a black ribbon. 

Red And Black Twisted Witches Hat

I have written about the witches hats before but I just wanted to show off the latest one. This one is much bigger than the other

two, they were about one inch in height, this one is about four inches, so quite a lot of polymer clay was used for this one! I decided to lavishly decorate this witches hat just to see how it would look. I personally think it looks awesome. I also gave the point of the hat an eccentric curl because I was inspired by the style of the Tim Burton movie 'Nightmare Before Christmas'.

Hope you enjoyed reading Halloween Jewellery part three. It's a day late but due to being busy it got posted today.

Keep It Spooky Children Of The Night!!!!