Sea Snail 'Trap Doors' from Bahia Kino My last two posts share my trip to Bahia Kino Sonora Mexico, my collection of sea shells, and how I'll use them in my jewelry. The polymer clay molds from the shells (see the previous post) Silver Metal Clay Shells just out of the molds. You can see the 'imbeddable silver connectors in two on the left. After experimenting with polymer, it is time for silver metal clay. For those of you not familiar with this material, silver metal is cut into micro filaments and a binder is added making a pliable clay. It is then fired at 1650 degrees in a kiln. The binder burns out and the micro filaments of silver fuse together to make 99% fine silver. When I saw these shells, I knew silver beads would be my goal! 'Imbeddables' are fine silver jewelry components that can be fired at the same time as the silver clay to become part of the piece of jewelry. I sandwiched them between the...