Linda's Magic Workshop - Linda Britt Design

What have I been doing this week?  Setting some of the Mojave Stones that my dad cut and polished into my silver metal clay settings  I’m really happy with these two pieces!  I’ve also read an e-book that just might be of interest especially if you have an etsy shop or a website store.  When I received an email from Hunting Handmade asking if I would like to review the new ebook, ‘The Art of Audience Building for Etsy Sellers’, I said ‘YES, please!’  I’m always looking for ways to improve my two Etsy shops and I’m always interested in new ideas.  The book was written for Etsy sellers but after reading it, anyone with a business on the internet will find it interesting and  useful.  I also enjoyed their website and thought you might also:     http://www.huntinghandmade.com/ If you have shopped on the Etsy site, you know that there are thousands of shops represented.  It is so easy to get lost looking for some...

Taking a walk through a forest, on a mountain trail or through a meadow, always inspires me.   One of my favorite flowers on these walks is the thistle.   The details of that flower make me smile.   When I found this thistle stamp in a store, of course, I just had to have it.   I put it on my work table waiting for the right time to use it.   One day I decided to make the thistle in fine silver clay and put a wire staple on the back.   That staple would allow me to make a backing of polymer clay and attach it securely to the silver.   I also made a silver flat bail with a hole toward the bottom so I could put it between two layers of polymer.   Both the staple and the hole would force polymer clay into those openings locking the silver in place.   These are the 3 slabs of polymer for the Illuminance & Clarice beads The back of the medallion is made from the sunburst slab in the front of the picture. Combinin...

Last Friday I shared by first sterling silver clay project - the bead end caps that I formed by hand.  This Friday I wanted to share my next experiment with bead end caps.  These are made with fine silver clay and I used a 2 part mold mixture from Cool Tools instead of hand forming them. The mold I made 2 parts to the mold and rolled my clay to 2 cards thick.  Placing the clay into the deep mold was more difficult than I anticipated.  The clay cracked and I had to repair it in several places.  It was a little scary taking the two parts of clay out of the molds.  After I wiggled the silicone mold, both pieces popped right out.  While they were drying on the cup warmer, I rolled the clay for the next end cap.  This time I rolled it 3 cards thick and it was easier to put into the mold halves.  It did not crack. Drying in the mold Drying on the cup warmer After both halves were dry, I attached them with clay paste a...