Ms Maddies Flowers

 This was my Bead & Button Bead Dreams submission.  I received a rejection by email yesterday.  I basically knew it was not going to make it, but I swear, there is always this little kid inside that has that thinks "just maybe".  I entered it in the new "Ms Maddies" category.  The piece had to feature some of her flower beads (click HERE).  I really did love how it turned out and am going to wear it (carefully).  It consists of right angle weave, bead embroidery and fringing.

I really enjoyed making this piece.  I learned a great deal (mostly patience).  But, seriously, with any new adventure starting from scratch, there is much to be learned.  So, I did gain a lot and am thankful.

Progress & Possibilities 2012

I am doing the happy dance!!!!  One of my entries in the 2012 International Polymer Clay Association's international competition "Progress & Possibilities" won first place in two categories!  Thank you judges and thank you members for voting for my piece.  I am so honored.

Functional Objects - Intermediate:

First Place:  Marlene Brady - Sea Nymph

Members’ Choice - Intermediate

First Place:  Marlene Brady - Sea Nymph

To see all the entires, the categories and the winners, click HERE.

Bead Dreams Finalist

 It is an extraordinary experience to enter a polymer clay piece into an international competition and to be chosen as a Finalist.  I did not win 1st, 2nd or 3rd place, but it is a phenomenal feeling to have my piece displayed with the other five polymer clay jewelry pieces at the Bead and Button Show in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  There are 9 categories with a total of 80 pieces that will be viewed by 10,000 people who attend the annual Bead and Button Show.  I am honored to be a 2012 Bead Dreams Finalist.

 The magnetic enhancer feels exactly like leather and has great flexibility.  The faux fibers feel wonderfully supple and drape beautifully.

I worked on the Magnetic Polymer Enhancer and Faux Fibers last January and February and barely made the deadline of March 6.  We had an extremely stressful Christmas that continued through January and February. Bad stress is horrible, but we made it through it all.  Working on this piece was the best therapy.     A sweet victory indeed.

Polymer Faux Leather Cuff

This was my third submission to IPCA's 2011 Progress and Possibilities (click HERE). I had researched armor and learned that most early armor ended at the elbow, so some type of wrist guard was necessary. I was inspired by this, and as a result, yesterday's post of the Contemporary Wrist Armor and today's piece "Modern Wrist Guard" were my polymer clay interpretations.

Contemporary Polymer Wrist Armor

A dramatically over-sized cuff was my second submission to IPCA's Progress and Possibilities (third, and last-tomorrow). My central theme for all three pieces was "Protection". The top photo was the piece submitted. When it didn't win, I played around with it a little more and added some crystals and a "brass" highlight. I think I still may add some lacing to the underside.

Polymer Chinese Fingernail Guards

This was one of my submissions to IPCA's Progress and Possibilities this year. In dynastic China, the upper class people grew long fingernails in order to distinguish themselves from the laborers. Manual labor was virtually impossible with excessively long fingernails, so long nails or just long pinky nails separated the working class from the aristocracy. This type of fingernail protector or guard ensured their nails would not get damaged. I loved how the fingernail guards came out, but they didn't photograph well. So I sculpted a strange looking textured hand to display them. A very unusual little sculpture indeed.

I'm A Bead Dreams Finalist!

Yesterday I received a letter from Bead & Button magazine (click HERE) saying one of the pieces I submitted to their Bead Dreams International Competition (click HERE) was juried in! Along with the letter was a contract giving them the rights to publish my piece. I feel like I have won the lottery! My piece will be on exhibit from June 3 to June 12 at the Bead & Button Show (click HERE) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It is the largest consumer bead show in the world. The Bead Dreams exhibit (photo below) is visited by over 10,000 people each year.

Unbelievable. My feet haven't touched the ground. Bead Dreams Do Come True!

First Place Gourd Sculpture

The judging was today...got a call that I won First Place in the Gourds category! Very happy about that! I also entered one of my Bottled Up polymer clay pieces and won First Place in the category! How lucky is that?

Might as well finish telling you the rest of her "parts". I used dimensional liquid polymer clay to create tiny clear bubbles to texture her skirt and top. Air dry polymer clay was used to cover the small gourd and for her head wrap. I used Golden acrylic paints for all the painting.

Her collar was sculpted from air dry polymer clay and hand beaded. Because air dry pc is porous, it can easily be sewn using a beading needle. I beaded her little arm bracelets, glued the felt on the bottom and she was done. Yay. I did sign her on the side and gave her a light sealer. I like her a lot. I'm so happy...I'm re-energized. Such a good feeling!

Progress & Possibilities

This is the piece I entered in the competition. I created it using extruded polymer canes for the lower half. The top half is sculptural peyote stitch done in seed beads that change tonal value from white to a light beige.

The circles and squares are life's moments. Some dark spots mixed in with the brights (ups and downs), but ever changing. Some of the patterns flow smoothly and others are jammed on top of one another. Sometimes life takes a hard turn and sometimes it goes in circles. You go along kind of taking things for granted, day after day, square after square, moment after moment, and then, one day you find a lump on your body that wasn't there before and the pattern of your life changes forever.