Before every big show and event I hit this point where I just want it to be done and over with. Mostly, I LOVE making clay beads and clay goodies and the whole thing. Sometimes there’s enough to do it is just a slog.
These were 3 of the 11 racks from this weekend. I am beyond happy they are DONE.
Like a lot of the processes in my studio, making the colour blends for the polymer clay beads and canes happens in batches. And not always in my studio. I have a studio but it’s often not clear enough to do big batches of work so I hog the kitchen, as in this case.
We start by unwrapping and conditioning everything. The assistant often takes this to mean she should make domino type effects with the clay packages.
I usually get everything flattened out and cut into the required basic triangles. While a lot of these blends will get work done to them before they end up as whatever, I find it helps to start with a basic blend so that I have it ready to go.
Some of the blends, before they become little plugs stored in my box for use.
And finally, most of the blends. A few went right into the production queue as they got finished but these will last me the next few weeks as I replace canes, make new beads and try out some fall designs I have in mind.
My helper for a lot of this, rocking the new hair cut!
Last week-ish I posted how my batch of canes was going from blends to construction. In between then and now I took the weekend off (and long!) and visited family out of town. I nabbed a pile of clay. I got home and finished up those canes. Here’s a shot of a reduced cane in each pattern:
I think the next batch will be mostly purples, blues, pinks and will roll out towards the end of the month. I’m aiming for a twice a month sort of process on this, the same as I do with beads.
