Avocado Cane - Polymer Clay Food

I've decided my weekly challenge to myself will count as a cane a week created anywhere in between Sunday and a Saturday.  Therefore, the fact that this cane comes 13 days after my last one is okay, since the pot of gold was finished on a Sunday, and this one was completed this past Saturday.  Are you following?  Either way, it makes me feel better knowing I still accomplished something.

I had started another flower cane last week but only got as far as the center.  I had to stop there because I didn't feel inspired by it to create.  It made me think of late summer or autumn with it's golden colors, so really, it's time has just not come yet and I will finish it another day.

Maybe part of my problem was that I had avocados on my brain, not flowers.  This is my favorite food, I could eat them everyday and never get bored.  In fact, I have done that for months at a time.  I usually just cut them in half, grab a spoon, and call it a meal.

 

I realize there is no background there.  But in my defense, I don't have enough of the colors I want to use.  Since I'm the one who has made the rules to my own challenge, and right now I'm the only one playing along, I call this a perfectly legit entry.

I'm thinking avocado tacos for dinner.

February wrap up

Well, it's been quite a month.  The worst seems to be over for now, but life goes on and new challenges arise, we'll see what March brings our way.  We're hoping for weekends where we get to decide how we spend them.  It might be a pretty lofty goal, but one I think we can attain.

I've got this unspoken (and soon to be spoken) goal of making one new cane a week.  That's a big goal for me.  So far I'm on track, but I've got to get planning my next one so that I can stay on track.  Maybe I'll just make a bunch of canes this week and get a few of my smaller ideas out of my head. 

One thing happening is that we invited two boys over for a sleepover on Friday night.  I have to clean our house for this event, nothing too crazy as impressing 10 year old boys is relatively simple, but I still have to clean it.  And call a plumber to fix the drain in the basement so I can do laundry again (forgot to mention that part, haven't been able to do the laundry for a week and a half).  There's lots of other stuff on my todo list but it's making me a little dizzy to think about. 

Bottom line is that this could interfere with clay time.  I might not be able to follow through with my own goal of a cane a week and it's only the second week.  Time will tell, I'll keep you posted.

Pot of Gold

Well, Saturday's empty house clay time went amazingly well.  The baby slept for over three hours (which is rare!) and I got all my initial colors mixed in that time.  Saturday night I got to start construction and then Sunday I got to finish it and reduce.  Today I made some beads and pendants.  I feel so productive. 

Here are the pictures.  The raw cane was before reducing was skinnier than my usual (if you can believe that) but also a bit longer, so I still have LOTS of it.

 

There are little shamrocks on each gold coin...

  

I was happy to see that the design still held its own even at the smaller size....

All in all, it was a lot of fun to be claying in my new studio area in my basement.  It's a little harder to get down there and steal moments like I could when my clay was taking over the entire first floor of our house, but I have a happier husband and lots of shelves to put things on.  Almost all my supplies are off the floor, and that's saying a lot.

Empty House!

I'm excited to report that my baby is sleeping, my husband and the two boys are out of the house helping friends with their move, and I'm in a quiet house!  I don't know why I'm even still sitting here, I have to go clay, I think I have about two hours of good claying time before a baby wakes up.

I have some St. Patrick's day designs in my head right now that really want to come out.  I love holidays, it might be cheesy, but that's fine with me.

Time to go work on my pot o' gold!

Canes are my Therapy

Whenever things get tough I get creative.  It's like therapy.  So last week after an emotionally trying few days spent worrying about some loved ones I spent some time with my clay.  There's something cathartic about  reducing great big hunks of cane.  For now, the worries have subsided and I have a new flower design to play with. The inspiration for this one came from a Chinese flower motif I saw and enjoyed.  I have no idea if it still has a Chinese vibe to it but I like how it turned out.

 

I had an extra challenge with this being the first cane I've made since my five month old daughter discovered she can grab things.  Only took one close call for me to remember to put the blade out of reach of her chubby little fingers.

I'm excited to create more jewelry from this flower, and it's lead to lots more ideas and sketches of more projects.  Only thing holding my up now is that my "studio" is still in the process of moving into it's new designated spot in the basement.  I'm not letting myself make more until it's done, I thought that would motivate me to get it done.  And now I'm hoping that the public declaration of finishing the setup will motivate me further.  I'll keep you posted on how it goes.