Eco Eggplant

I like to incorporate recycled materials into my artwork wherever possible. Many don't realize that being a Polymer clay artist is one of the less wasteful kinds of art there is. We do accumulate scraps but those scraps are saved and recycled. There really is no need to throw any away. The least you can do with it is to mix up your scraps and use it for the base of so many things. But you can also use other recycled items as well. I have plenty of jars saved to cover as well as many other things , but one day I was changing a light bulb and realized I couldn't put this in the recycle bin, but what could I do with it?

Actually I had some others saved with some dried oranges, some wasp nests and other things I was going to use to spray all gold and make a wreath with some day. Never got the round tuit though, so they sat in a box. I emptied out the box, kept the bulbs and have now started to designs ways I can incorporate them in my clay art. This is my first. It is with a premium light bulb that is longer than most. I thought it was perfect for an Eggplant. I wanted it to be a rather whimsical sculpture so I used various mini stamps and texturizing tools to give the fruit some interest. The stem is actually molded from my mold I made last year from a fairytale eggplant. I have many more ideas in mind for my growing collection of burnt out bulbs, I will share them with you as I do them.

2374

Ever Wonder?

About your art, you know you have those days you think what you came up with is really cool, then there are days you think that everything everyone else does is so much better. I fluctuate between this all the time. I was given a chance recently to advertise in a well known, art magazine. At first I turned it down, knowing my old camera couldn't take a decent picture good enough for magazine work, and secondly because I didn't feel my art could hold it's own with all the names I could imagine would be there. Ones I've long admired in the Polymer clay world as I have courted and left and come back to this medium even more enamored after time away.

So after much encouragement I decided I would give it a try. I didn't realize how hard on the nerves something like this would be. I went and purchased a new camera, after not having a new one since like 10 years ago. Wishing my old Canon SLR could function with instant success but knowing not to go there, I can just imagine the film developing costs. As it was I took over 60 pictures of what at first I thought I should feature, and it was suggested to me, then I decided to go with something else, so more pictures, probably over 100 this time.

Do you have any idea what it's like to go through 100+ pictures ( and being a perfectionist) to find the perfect one? I can't tell you how many hours it took me to decide on one, just one, and to finally submit it. Then when It came time to approve I had changes, I didn't like how my background looked, so asked to use another picture with a gradient background I quickly photo-shopped in. They were so very nice and very accommodating. But I really wasn't so nervous for myself, it was about being amongst all these top artists and I didn't want to bring their art down by having 'me' there.

But all in all I think I blended in quite well. It is simple but it is also as complex as you can get , since my pieces come directly from the source. I just try to make sure I don't make them look bad. :)

Oh, here is the winning picture, it is of one of my favorite to immortalize in clay, even though I don't much care to eat them, the beautiful aubergine, the Eggplant and its companion, one of the Eggplants fuzzy leaves, that leave such a wonderful texture.

Oh, and if you are interested in which magazine, check it out here, but to see my ad, you will have to visit your local Borders or Barnes and Noble and flip through it in the Polymer clay article section.

Mixed Media Pieces ( my version)

Well I finally got this done! I bought the yarn on Nov 11th after weeks and weeks of frustrated search on etsy to find one of these little neck warmers to display my 80's revision of button covers! First it took me awhile to track some down, hardly anyone carry's them, in fact I found some vintage ones on etsy and snatched them up. I had a few of the smaller size back from the 80's when I used to cover them will all kinds of things and sold quite a few sets.

These however are not just glued on things, but rather the cover is embedded into the clay to lie flat and not giveaway that it is a button cover.

While I was at Joannes for a clay sale, I decided to just make one of these scarfs myself, so I choose three different kinds of yarn, and tried to get some on sale, these new yarns are soooo expensive, more so than when I used to knit and crochet years ago. But then again we had very little selection in those days. I hadn't a clue how to go about this and wanted something totally mine, not someone else's pattern. So I sat down with a couple of pattern books ( for stitches, not articles of clothing and such) and dug out my needles and decided I would not go the knit route this time. I realized why I loved crochet so much, you don't have to worry about dropping stitches! So I choose a hook that I thought matched the yarn and just started in. I just used some basic crochet stitches but with the yarn so variegated and slubby, anything more would just get lost. I finished it off with a ruffled edge and then worried about not placing the button holes.

I searched around through my boxes of fabrics, and trims and found some beautiful hand dyed silk ribbon that matched perfectly. So last night I sat down, figured where I wanted these beauties to sit on the scarf and sewed on the buttons. Then I took the silk ribbon and made buttonholes magically appear!


I then buttoned the buttons, and snapped on the button covers, or Button jewelry as I like to call them and Voila` it was finally done! Actually I had finished the scarf and am currently working on another with a totally different design, but I couldn't find a darning needle to sew the button holes with until yesterday! So now I have taken some pictures, not the best, but it is so dark and dreary today, can't get a good natural light one, but I couldn't wait any longer.

I'll be listing this a little later today, and hope it does well, it sure was a long time in the making and I know it's definitely one of a kind because I am not repeating this one! :)

I do know one thing, If it doesn't sell soon, I may take it out of the store and keep it for myself. I really like how this came out and I love the idea of not having ten yards ( or so it seems some times) of extra scarf you don't know what to do with. This serves it's purpose, to keep your neck warm and not hinder your movements, it's bad enough it's winter and you have to bundle up with bulking winter clothes, no need to get frustrated in the middle of it all!

Oh I forgot to mention. This Scarf is beautiful, functional and artistic, but it doesn't' end there. As I said there are buttons sewn to the scarf and they are buttoned like regular buttons, through holes, then the 'Button Jewelry' is snapped on over the buttons. But when you get to your destination, if you've planned right, you can remove the Jewelry from the buttons on the scarf, and now add them to your blouse! The only requirement is that the buttons on your garment will fit the button cover. The one in the leaf is for your average shirt button, while the one for the eggplant will take a bit bigger button. So now you have cool looking button jewelry to wear throughout the day, so you don't have to leave these lovelies hanging out in the coat closet! Pretty cool, huh?