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 :)