Friday, December 29, 2006

MOGUME GANE TUTORIAL

MOGUME GANE - Step#1

Roll out several sheets of different colors, cut them into 1"x2" pieces.



MOGUME GANE - Step#2
Roll each piece at the thinnest setting on the pasta machine, stack them and press lightly with the roller.


MOGUME GANE -Step#3
Roll the whole sheet through the pasta machine at the second thinness setting, cut it in half. You can make another piece using the reverse color. Do not roll it at the thinnest setting because the colors will blend into each other.


MOGUME GANE - Step#4


MOGUME GANE - Step#5
Place the Pink log at one end, roll it tightly until it turns into a log.


MOGUME GANE - Step#6
With a sharp blade, slide off small pieces of clay.


MOGUME GANE - Step#7


MOGUME GANE - Step#8
Slide off at random patterns. Keep those small pieces so you can make beads later.




MOGUME GANE - Step#9
Push both ends in with your fingers and roll the log until it becomes a round, smooth surface again. Keep sliding off more thin sheets. You can slide it off at the same place or just randomly slide it. You will never get the same pattern.


MOGUME GANE - Step#10
After pushing, rolling and sliding for about 3 times.

MOGUME GANE - Step#10


After pushing, rolling and sliding for about 10 times, this is what it looks like. The more you slide, the more rings of color you get.

At this point I would roll it to the shape that I like, poke a hole,bake, sand and buff. Well, you know all the routines.

Wednesday, December 27, 2006

BUMPY BEADS TUTORIAL
BUMPY BEADS-STEP#1
You will need: several black beads 12mm., Jelly Roll cane of your choice, with black clay on the outside, knitting needle, texture tool. I covered the handle of bead reamer with double stick tape (the orange kind) and covered it with the Micro Beads. Roll the cane until it gets about 3mm in diameter, then slide it to about 1mm thick pieces. Do not slide them too thin.
BUMPY BEADS -STEP#2
Stick the black bead on to the knitting needle, with the texture tool, roll it on the surface of the beads as shown. No salt is needed. You know, usually you roll the bead onto the salt to texture it, bake and then wash off the salt.
You can also texture the bead by rolling it onto the sand paper. I prefer the random pattern I get from my microbeads tool.
BUMPY BEADS-STEP#3
Texture the whole surface of the black bead.
BUMPY BEADS-STEP#4
Stick the jelly roll slides on to the black beads.
BUMPY BEADS-STEP#5
Lightly press all the slides onto the beads, bake and enjoy. Yum-yum.

Wednesday, December 06, 2006



Here's how to make rings

This is how I make my rings. I used 16 gauge silvered wire. Wrapping it around ring mandrel, or what ever you can find around the house, 3 times. The wire is quite soft and easy to bend. You can use Sterling silver wire if you want. It probably looks better but a lot more expensive. Curl both ends up and tie the top part with smaller gauge wire. Roll a thumb size ball from Black clay and push it down to the ring. With a pea-size ball of clay, cover the back of the ring. Smooth and reshape the ball. Let the clay sit for a while to firm up. Decorated it with what ever you want. Have fun!

Sunday, December 03, 2006

EVERGREEN KISSING BALL TUTORIAL
These are my latest Holiday Beads (12-02-06). It looks like evergreen Kissing Balls to me. Just a new twist from my previous Christmas beads.
Roll out the tiny snakes of clay using different shades of green. I mixed these colors myself. Just mix green with white a little bit at a time. Donna Kato has a container full of different colored clays like this with her at CHA-06. I just borrowed her idea.
Combine all those tiny snakes together, roll and twist. Cut out about 3/4 inch off, then roll it as shown in the picture. Roll a lot of those. You will need about 15-18 of those per ball.
I then roll a ball from Green clay, one by one, start putting those curly-q pieces on the green bead until it's covered up. Roll the bead between the palm of your hands, press lightly and there you have it. Each one will be different. Then I will decorate them with small holy leaves and tiny red berries as shown in the picture.
Now you know how I made my Flower Topiary Beads.