...so thrilled with this little gem, if I do say so myself! I haven't started selling these Li'l Jewellery Boxes as part of my product line, because they really are quite time consuming, and I have to develop a technique to refine the interior of the little cylindrical boxes, but I am loving them!
This is technically the 3rd one that I've made, though the 2nd is as yet incomplete, I haven't figured out a design for a lid for it yet. There's another problem too, they are made from Sculpy, a brand of polymer clay that I use for my classes. Sculpy is great because (9 times out of 10 at least), the clay is very soft and supple, and is very easy and quick to use, but when baked it can be very brittle, if you're not careful about securing every little detail firmly together before baking. So my second box needs a lid, but since waiting for inspiration to overcome me, my little box design has suffered a few bumps and bruises, and I have some repair to take care of too. Fimo Classic (the brand I typically use for my Li'l Art framed sculpture pieces and for ALL of my Li'l Bouquet jewellery, Li'l Newlyweds wedding cake toppers, and Li'l Decor ornaments) on the other hand, can be temperamental...sometimes quite crumbly and dry, which makes it very difficult to condition (soften) and use. Both brands have their advantages though. Fimo Classic may be a little stiffer, and can be a challenge to blend colours and hard on the hands, but when you do shape delicate, fine details, they hold their shape really well. Sculpy, as I mentioned, is almost always soft and supple, making it quick to use (great for a 2hr class setting), and it can be moulded and blends really well with tools and fingers. This is perfect for this Li'l Jewellery Box project.
I believe there's a blog post in here somewhere about the first Li'l Jewellery Box I created. I started making these (though there are yet few), as a project for my art classes (taught with the Town of Richmond Hill). It is a project that spans two, 2hr classes. We spend one class making and decorating the bottom half (though in most cases, students end up decorating, or finishing the details at home), then we spend the 2nd class making and decorating the lid. This is because the bottom has to be completed and baked in order to map out the size of the lid.
As for this design? I started it during my last class session (just this past winter), and I really had fun with it! I spent LOTS of time detailing this one, having created 3 analogous colours in the coral range, I detailed the whole exterior of the box with little clay beads in a vertical stripe pattern, then repeated for the lid in a bulls-eye pattern. Wanting to pick up on the vanilla colour base and trim that I started with, I decided to add the little floral and vine detail to the top of the lid.
The little round feet I decided to add after I had already finished the whole case, feeling that the added vanilla trim created by the combination of the lid with the base made the design a little top heavy (to the eye only), and so was inspired to create the little bulbous feet (which I baked and then glued to the bottom of the jewellery box). So thrilled with the results! I'm keeping this one for sure, as it currently stands on my bedroom dresser. :-D
Interested in taking clay classes and learning how to make one of these?
Please visit the Town of Richmond Hill Spring Program Guide at
http://www.richmondhill.ca/documents/leisureguide_adult_programs.pdf
page 53
"Art - Sculpting with Polymer Clay"
begins Wednesday, April 11
7:00pm-9:00pm, then continues on the following 4 Wednesday nights.
