Over the summer, I wrote a review of Ronna Sarvas Weltman’s unique polymer clay book called Ancient Modern.  Well, now I’ve got a copy to give away!!  If you remember, I told you that Ronna’s style is primitive, organic, and full of joy.  Now here is your opportunity to drop all the rules and enjoy yourself with clay!
***FREE STUFF ALERT***FREE STUFF ALERT***

Would you like to have this book?  Just leave me a comment below telling me what’s your favorite jewelry style: classic?  edgy?  cyberpunk?  elegant?   Whatever description best fits your faves.  Next Monday, I’ll be randomly selecting a winner!

With art books, you often really can judge a book by its cover.  In the case of this new polymer clay book, I WANT IT!!  I am drooling, and all I’ve seen is the cover and a couple of reviews!  Look at this:
Polymer Clay Color Inspirations
by Lindly Haunani and Maggie Maggio
Now tell me that isn’t the most scrumptous cover you’ve seen in a long time.  I want to learn to do that!  Can this book deliver?  Well, according to the reviews so far, it can.   Lindly Haunani and Maggie Maggio focus on color, giving a studio exercise for each principle …read more

Bead & Button Magazine has published a catalog of over 70 glorious photos for Bead Dreams 2009 competition in pdf format.  Subscribers can download it for free at the Bead & Button website, and non-subscribers can purchase it for only $5.95.   Included are winners from these categories: lampwork and glass, polymer clay, metal clay, beaded objects, seed bead jewelry, crystal jewelry, and finished jewelry.
There is a video preview that you can watch on the website as well.

Question of the Month: What’s the best thing you’ve made so far this summer?
Check out this amazing polymer clay pendant made by Laurel Steven!  And you can keep up with her class schedule by checking out her blog.
Rue’s Daftique blog
Rueschka by Laurel Steven

Laurel writes:
Here’s my favorite piece from this summer. It’s a hinged polymer clay locket, with a beaded and wireworked necklace. Some of the beads match the locket in polymer clay, and the others are marble beads from Firemountain Gems. I’ve also used Gun Metal wire from Artistic Wire. It’s one of a series of classes that …read more

Technique Tuesday!
Originally, I had planned to make this a much more complicated necklace, but as I played with a few ideas, I finally realized that I really didn’t want to distract too much attention from the central medallion. So I settled on three knotted cords and a strand of ribbon yarn. I chose colors that would not only look good with the fish, but would also look vaguely like running water.
Step by step instructions

Make Art Monday!
Several months ago, we devoted ourselves to polymer clay artists.  Well, I didn’t quite get enough!  I started thinking about all the wonderful jewelry that we saw, but I realized that I just don’t want to personally work with clay, at least not enough to get really good at it!
So, turning our attention back to polymer clay for a brief moment, I want to share a necklace with you that I made using one of my friend Amy E Fraser’s polymer clay medallions for the centerpiece.   This piece commemorates one of my favorite summer pass-times…fishing!
Tomorrow, I’ll show …read more

This is one of the most unique polymer clay books that I’ve seen!  It begins with the usual solid information on materials, tools, and techniques that you’ll find in many books, but that’s where the similarity ends.
Ronna’s style is primitive, organic, and full of joy.   If you’ve been looking for opportunities to shed the rules and just see what happens, this may be the perfect book for you.

Ancient Modern Polymer Clay and Wire Jewelry
by Ronna Sarvas Weltman
The style of this jewelry will not be for everyone, so if you don’t care for the piece on the cover, it is very indicative …read more

Krissy Fernandez, of Junk & PO, shared her wonderful cupcake series with us!  She calls them the “No Fat, No Sugar, No Calorie Cupcakes (…. Without all the artificial stuff.)”  Isn’t that great!  I can imagine simply hanging one of these off of a plain cord necklace.
Here’s more from Krissy:

These are the perfect cupcakes for all you health nuts! And if you’re not a health nut (like me), even better — these cupcakes are sure to satisfy any sweet tooth! Each cupcake necklace is one of a kind, and I’m not just talking about its handmade nature. You will never …read more

Ancient Modern Polymer Clay Design Challenge
Deadline: June 5, 2009
To celebrate the publication of the new book Ancient Modern by Ronna Sarvas Weltman, Beading Daily is hosting a design challenge.  To enter, design one original polymer clay bead (any size, shape, or color) using any technique and send BD a photo.
You must be a member of BD to enter the contest, but it’s free to sign up, so what are you waiting for? 
More information and submission forms

Image: Interweave

Rickie Leiter, of Rickie Leiter’s Ocean Stone Jewelry, has a totally unique inspiration for polymer clay jewelry pieces.  I love the idea of combining a precious antique material with something as accessible as polymer clay.  Rickie writes:
Childhood experiences started me on a path of looking at nature with appreciation and awe. Collecting stones, shells, and pieces of pottery from trips around the world always kept those memories alive in a special way. Some tokens became necklaces or pins, as I learned new ways to create jewelry with different mediums.

The pieces shown are built with polymer clay and are embedded …read more