I have to thank Katherine for her wonderful handmade sculpting tools.  In the beginning of her book she has you sculpt a number of tools and the needle tool is my very favorite.  Using her directions I’ve made a number of needle tools with polymer handles and fount them to be of great use while sculpting flowers and leaves, lace and mendi designs, imitating wood grain etc.

If you haven’t tried these kinds of tools for your self.  Take a few different types of needles, some with rounded points and a few large sharp ones.  They’ll all do different effects in the clay.  To make them easier to hold, use some scrap clay and embed the needle in the end of a roll of clay.  Once the needle’s eye is embedded in clay then roll a bit to center the needle (the same way you would if you were making a bead).

Give yourself at least the width of a pencil to work with, I’m a fan of something a little thicker so I make mine the size of those large crayons.  Then cook according to the manufacturer’s directions.

Ta Da, new tool to sculpt with. For more on Katherine or to purchase her books, check out Elvenwork her webpage.

Ever since I saw Rachel Ashwell’s book on her Shabby Chic decorating style I’ve been longing for a floral chandeler to hang in my beadroom.  We’ve looked and looked, the one I want is about 4 feet in diameter and a focal point of a local boutique I absolutely love.  It’s not for sale.  I visit it often, and I thought that some shabby little daisies would look right at home on my antiqued little pendant.