Floral Lace Earrings and Pendant Set

1. Prepare, knead and soften each package of clay for the white flower cane (material list). Roll out most of the white clay into a large snake. Tip: Be careful not to have air bubbles trapped inside snake. Cut into six or eight equal flower petals as desired.

2. With left over white clay, mix brown and white to make a light earth tone shade. Roll out a small snake for the center of the flower cane and set aside.

3. Assemble flower cane:

• Pinch each of the petals on two sides with equal points arranged together, fitting in small light brown snake for center.
• Pinch the outside of each petal to make each of the petals even and as pointed as desired.
• Tighten cane very little, mainly at the center.

4. Follow step #4 in Lace Cane, packing and reducing the cane.

Steps:

1. Prepare base color, glow-in-the-dark with a pinch of color blended or an opaque blend, or a swirl of glow-in-the-dark with opaque and translucent mixed together. Put this base blend through the pasta machine on setting #1. Stack this double thickness and cut out with Kemper cutters or other small cutters. Cut one for beads and three or four sections of clay for a pendant (figure E). Roll these cut outs into balls and set aside on smooth surface.

3. Randomly appliqué patterns on each of the balls of clay. Remember which colors, sizes and patterns used to keep them uniform in size and appearance. That is why you cut the designs and kept them in rows above to keep track of how many were used. Make sure your overlap a little to cover the base clay (figure G). Set each one aside on your work surface.

• Use the dental floss container to roll the beads smooth, holding the box on an angle until you achieve a bicone shape (or shape by hand into a lentil shape). Tip: Be careful not to press too hard and be sure that the clay is not too warm or the patterns will become smudged and distorted.
• Gently with fingers make each bead even with a slight rocking motion to smooth the shape.
• After all beads are shaped and cooled on the work surface for a few minutes, gently pierce each one half way through each side with the needle tool (figure H). Tip: Use a knitting needle for larger hole.
• Put on a prepared baking sheet and bake according to clay manufacturer's directions.
• Fill a small plastic bowl with enough water to cover the beads and pendants and place into the freezer while your beads/pendant are baking.
• Submerge the beads in the ice water as soon as they are done baking to achieve a wonderful translucence.

6. Strand pieces on headpins with coordinating filler beads. Using pliers to make a loop and wrap remaining wire around each headpin (figure J). Place bead headpins on ear wires. Strand pendant on bail and put on a neck chain.

E-mail: acjewels@excite.com

Website: www.acjewels.com