Day 28: Writing Challenge:: AWESOMENESS Easy Peasy Free Tutorial:: How make a puzzle piece out of polymer clay...

I don't know why I didn't think of this before, but here's a easy way to make a simple puzzle piece.  There are a lot of variations to this piece.  When you have mastered it, which will take about 1 try, you can add cane, change colors,  add different colors.  I'm keep this simple just so that you can see how easy it is and jump right in.  A beginner can make this puzzle piece.  I am assuming that you know how to condition clay and cut it with a blade and cookie cutter.  Easy peasy.



What you will need::
Small Amount of polymer clay
blade
small cookie cutter

Begin by conditioning the clay, then on the third thickest setting of your pasta machine, roll out the clay and fold in half.  Cut a square or rectangle out of the clay the size you would like the puzzle piece to be.

Using a very small round cookie cutter,

on the edge of your square, cut a partial circle from the clay.

Take the half circle out of the clay, and place it on another side of the puzzle.  It doesn't matter where you put it, that's the design you create with your puzzle piece. 

You can do this again in your design. 

Gently roll with an acrylic roller to seal the half circles to the main part of the puzzle piece.  Make sure that both pieces are the same width as the puzzle piece.

Poke a hole in your puzzle piece.
Bake according to manufacturer's directions.

Easy peasy.

You. Are. Finished!

Enjoy and experiment.

Easy Peasy Last Minute Gift or Treat for Yourself, Spiral Christmas Tree Earrings tutorial

Step 1

 Cut 4 inches of wire.

Make a loop at one end of the wire using your round nose pliers. 

Step 2

Using your nylon pliers,

begin to make a flat spiral with the remaining wire.

Step 3

Your wire should look like this.

Optional step at this point, 

add another loop at the end.

If you would like to add seed beads or crystals at the end, do not make a loop here.

Repeat steps 1, 2, and 3 so that you have two identical spirals.

Step 4

Using a pointed tool like a knitting needle or pencil,

push the center of the spiral so that the spirals separate and become tree like .

Repeat with the other spiral.

At this point, if you did not add a loop at the end, add seed beads or crystals.

If you forgot like I did, unbend the loop, and then add your beads!

You can also add dangles from the little loop at the end.

Add ear wires.

Ta-da!

You have some Xmas tree earrings.

Isn't that fun?

Merry Christmas!

Ho! Ho! Ho!

Easy Peasy Free Lampwork Bird Bead Tutorial and one that should be good for Beads of Courage!

I'm sorry that some of the photos are a little bit blurry.

It's hard to make beads and photograph them

in front of a torch.

Remember,

it's free!!!

This tutorial is good even for beginners.

I am assuming that the knowledge for safety is something a lampworker 

will actively practice,

therefore, I will not go into safety in this tutorial.

The birds I will show you how to make are the blue one and the ivory one.

They are the basic bird.

The others are the variations.

You only need 3 rods and two stringers to make the basic bird.

The other colors are for variation.

Decide on the basic color of your bird.

Make a barrel bead on your dipped mandrel.

Heat the barrel to glowing.

The size can be any size you want.

I make the beads for Beads of Courage, so they are about 1-1.5 inches long.

Flatten your barrel.

Heat the flattened bead to glowing a little above the middle of the bead.

Make a dent there.

Don't let the dent touch the mandrel.

That would be way too deep.

Also remember to keep flashing your bead in and out of the flame to keep it warm.

Flash the bead frequently as you work.

Remembering to flash your bead in the flame,

heat the other side of the bead and make another dent in the bead.

Many of my beads end up looking like a "z" with the dents.

Decide which end will be your face and which end will be your tail.

On each side of the bird's face, add a dot of white and melt into the glass.

Remember to keep flashing the entire bead in and out of the flame!

This is the other side of the bird with the eye dot.

Keep flashing that bird in and out of the flame!

Add a dot of clear over the white dot and melt in to the glass.

Flash, flash, flash!

Add a black dot over the clear and melt into the glass on each side.

Flash, flash, flash.

You have now finished the eyes.

Keep flashing that bird!

Add a large dot of yellow where you would like to place the bead.

Make sure it is fused to your base color.

Turn the bird over.  Warm up it's little tail end.  Add a dot of whatever color you like for the tail.  It can be a pretty big dot.  Heat it well to make sure that tail is fused to the body, and keep flashing the bird.

Keep flashing the bird!!!

Melt a bit of glass on the end of the rod and make a swipe on each side of your bird's body for wings. 

I usually swipe the wings a second time with glass and melt a bit.

I used my brass stump shaper to make little dents in the wings for texture.

You can leave them plain if you like.

Keep flashing!

If you like, you can add a little top knot.

I made a couple of birds that have little hats on.

Check out the variations!

Now, before you do anything else,

give that little bird a warm bath in the flame, 

then put this critter in the kiln and anneal it.

You're done!

If you donate your bird to 

Beads of Courage,

you will put a smile on a child's face.

Just click on the link and the link will take you to the 

BOC donate page!

See, I told you this was 

Easy Peasy!

No Sweat Easy Peasy Tutorial Doodle Earrings

It's so hot here!

However, the fun of making these earrings will take your mind off of the heat,

AND

you can make them without breaking into a sweat!

Don't these earrings look just like doodles?

Here's how you make them.

Here's what you need to make them:

a ruler, a wire cutter, a pair of round nose pliers, a file of some sort, a pair of premade earring wires.

You will also need 20 gauge wire.  

I use Para Wire. 

Begin by cutting 6, 6 inch pieces of wire.

Using your round nose pliers, make a loop at the end of one piece of wire.

Make a squirly-que near the loop at the end of the wire like you see in the picture.

Just use your imagination and form a shape.

See!  This is really easy!!!

Repeat these steps for the other 5 pieces of wire.

This step is optional.  I like to do a bit of gentle hammering on the wire to work harden it.

If you decide to do this, you will need a steel block and a rubber hammer. 

I bought mine at the local hardware store.

Here are my six pieces of wire.

They are finished.  Now, connect them by working the wires into each other like following a maze.

If one group of wires is longer than the other, gently pull until the columns are the same length.

Easy Peasy!

Add ear wires.

You're finished!

I told you that was easy. 

You can vary the pattern by making more or less links.

If you like shorter earrings, make one link for each ear.

Change the designs of each link!

Fun and easy peasy.

Other variations might include using a different type of wire such as colored craft wire or copper wire.

Just make sure it's 20 gauge.  

Enjoy, and please let me see your new earrings!!!

Easy Peasy Leather and Lampwork Beads Knotted Bracelet Free Tutorial

I love the lacey look of this bracelet!

Bracelets like these  are fun to wear, and simple to make.

Here's how you do it!

Supplies

1 large button with a shank or holes in the center.

The shank and holes must be able to have a 2mm piece of leather pass through the holes.

54 inches of 2mm leather.

Choose any color you like.

14 - 16 glass beads with 2mm holes.

Clear tacky glue

Tools

Ruler

Scissors

The leather should be 2mm.  Anything smaller would not be strong enough to wear this bracelet repeatedly.

Directions

1) Fold the leather cord in half and thread the leather through the button holes or shank.

Tie a knot behind the button.  Add a couple of drops of clear tacky glue.

Let dry for a couple of minutes.

Add a bead to each side of the leather.

Using your finger as a guide, insert your finger in the leather and tie a loose knot above your finger.

I used 14 - 16 beads per bracelet.

If you have a thicker wrist, be sure to cut your leather longer and have more beads available to use.

 

Try the bracelet  on your wrist after 12 beads.  If you need to add more beads, this is the time to do it.

After the last knot, leave a space so that the button will fit through.  Tie a knot on the other end of the opening.

Add some clear tacky glue to this knot.  

Trim the ends of the leather to a length that you like.

See, what I mean?

Easy Peasy!

Here are some more samples.

You can even make these long enough to be an ankle bracelet!

I love mine!!!

Let me see what you do with this tutorial!

Easy Peasy Tutorial - Swiffer Cloth aka dishcloth aka bath and beauty cloth - crocheted

If you read my blog yesterday, 

you saw this photo of my new Swiffer cover cloth aka dishcloth aka bath and beauty cloth.

If you have basic crochet skills,

you can make it in an afternoon.

Here's how you do it, and here's what you need.

First of all, you will need a crochet hook.

I used a size N only because it was the only one I could find at the time.

You can use other sizes, you just have to adjust the length and number of rows you use to make your cloth.

You will also need 100% cotton yarn - one skein.

Begin by making a slip knot on your crochet hook.

Chain 31 chains.

Skip the first chain.  Make one single crochet stitch in each chain until you reach the end.

It should look something like this photo, but not necessarily exactly.

Chain one.  Turn.  Make one single crochet in each single crochet until you get to the end of the row.

Chain one.  Turn.  Repeat until you have, approximately, 35 rows.

Rather than rely on my numbers, check to see if your cloth will fit your Swiffer. 

It should be a little bit big to allow for shrinkage when you wash it.

If you are not making a Swiffer cover, simply make your cloth as big or as small as you would like it.

That's it!

Here's the final cloth.

Another Swiffer cover/dishcloth/bath and beauty cloth!

Notice how little I had left of the skein. 

Save your scraps to make another Swiffer cover with the leftovers.

Now, wasn't that easy peasy?

Enjoy!