Dragons!

The painting still continues on my table today, but here's a peek at what's finished so far:

Four pewter dragons with rubies from last week, and a few new additions: 2 pewter dragons with a lovely artisan glass bead by Beads & Botanicals, a blue dragon with a white agate, and a red dragon with a black and white crackle agate. They each have their patina now and are ready to be strung on necklaces.

Well, that's it. Back to painting for me! Twenty-six little critter beads and 3 daisy pendants are waiting for their last coats of paint... It's going to be a busy night!

New Fire Agate Dragon Pendants

One dozen little dragon pendants nearly ready for their debut at Lazy Daze!

New Pewter Ruby Dragons...and Some Old Ones Finished

More dragons for the festival! Four little pewter guys this time.

And here are a few photos of my first two pewter ruby dragons...made into necklaces. It took so long for me to find the right beads and then to have enough time for photographing that I forgot to post them!

The single dragon necklace:

And the double dragon necklace:

Gunmetal rollo chain, pewter stacked beads, and tiny red rondelles - a bit gothic don't you think? ...I'm sure I'll be doing more of this style. It's surprising how things turn out sometimes, but that's what keeps creating so much fun!

You can find both necklaces now listed in my Etsy shop.

Black Ruby Dragons

More dragons in pewter - actually this is where my new pewter designs started. I found these ruby red drops on Etsy a while back and they've just been waiting for a dragon to hold them. So a couple days ago I mixed up some faux pewter. Now I just have to wait for the chain and beads to arrive...

A single dragon - this one is 40mm long.

Here's how I did the back - I started with an oval contouring it around the drop (the bulge in the middle) and curling the edges toward the back. Next I sculpted the dragon and placed him around the stone. Then it was off to the oven to cure. Next, after cooling, I added more clay to the back, making sure it would lay properly when worn. Then I embedded two gunmetal rings for the chain and baked it again. And finally I applied the patina to make it all pewter like.

And of course I had to do a double dragon pendant with one of the drops! It's always fun to work with more than one. This pendant is 53mm long.

The back of the double dragon pendant.

New Dragon and Phoenix Pendants Finished!

Four finished pendants cast in both faux bone and faux pewter:
They each measure approximately 73 x 37mm.


The dragon in bone.

And the back showing the bail. I work these designs by first casting the dragon or phoenix and contouring it a bit (the bail fits better...and it just looks better that way). Then I cure it for about a half hour in the oven. Next I add a thin layer of clay to the back, smoothing it along the sides and adding texture (my fingerprints!). I place the bail and bake it one more time. And finally, I paint the entire surface thickly in Galleria artists acrylics and quickly wipe it off leaving a nice patina in the detail.

The phoenix in bone.

And here's pewter - I just started using this mix this week. I'd been wanting to get a pewter effect for a while and I was surprised at how well it turned out...You'd never know seeing the clay before the patina! Sometime I'll have to remember to get photos before adding it.

I did the bail the same on the pewter.


The phoenix in pewter.

New Dragon and Phoenix Pendants in Progress

Technically I guess these pieces are molded - they are very similar to my stamps, but with more depth.

I'm going to try them out in the "bone" mixture I use for my Little Dragon necklaces. I haven't decided if I want to create necklaces or just list them as pendants...I love the sculpting and painting part and once I get going it's hard to stop and decide on a necklace design. ;-)

Back with more photos soon...I've got some Little Dragons waiting to be made today (I'm using a couple glass ruby drops this time)...maybe I'll have the time when I finish them to mix up some "bone" clay for these new molds!

New Bracelets and More Earrings

I finished these bracelets a couple weeks ago:


A sculpted dragon holding a fire agate combined with antiqued rings.

An exotic bloom bracelet. I really like the smoothness of the bloom contrasting with the coarseness of the knotted cord and beads.

A swirly black and white bracelet.

And a winged heart - this is a new design I started working with just before Christmas - there are so many possibilities!

A pair of winged heart earrings.

And a pair of exotic bloom earrings. I have just a few slices left of this cane and it'll be gone...time to start a new one!

Today I'm working on new stamps for earrings and pendants (like the ones I used for the tree earrings in yesterday's post)...I'll post photos of them tomorrow morning after baking and a few test runs.

Another Little Dragon and Some New Eggs

My 6th dragon is finished! The other 4 have already left for their new homes - every single one! Christmas gifts for special dragon lovers!

I used aventurine chips with this new little guy and I also tried a new length in the cord, making it 24 inches long - a nice length so the wearer can see their Little Dragon.

And now for my new dragons - or their eggs! I bought these fabulous crab agates from AJewelersStash on etsy.com. They are about 30mm. Don't you just love them? I think I'll make the dragons a stone grey with black washes...they're still taking shape in my mind... it won't be too much longer. ;-)

Little Dragons - They're Necklaces!

Here they are - all finished and ready for their new homes! I just listed the first one in my Etsy shop!

More Little Dragons

Here's my latest little dragon pendant. Working with two dragons was a bit of a challenge - I had to be doubly careful not to smash the detail on their faces and wings while wrapping them around the fire agate bead and shaping their tails. But for my first double dragon, I think they turned out pretty well.

I have a batch of matching faux ivory beads going into the oven this morning, so it won't be too much longer before all my little dragons are strung on their cords and are ready to make their debut in my shop - just in time for Christmas!

Little Dragons

I've always found some of my best designs are born when I'm creating for someone else. This necklace was a gift to my sister - she just turned 15 on the 9th. I hand sculpted the little dragon with all its tiny scales in an ivory/pearl mixture and wrapped it around a fire agate bead. After baking I added the washes to give it an aged look.

A couple days later three more dragons hatched out:

What do you think? Kinda cute? Maybe one day I'll manage a fierce looking dragon! ;-)


Dragon number 2.


Dragon number 3.


And dragon number 4 - I know number names aren't great, but they sure are easy!


A handful of little dragons - who could resist one of these little guys sitting close to their heart!

I still have 5 beads just waiting for a dragon and then they'll be off to my Etsy shop to hopefully find homes. And after that it's on to more dragons with more beads - and there are a few other creatures taking shape in my mind - maybe an owl, a phoenix, a horse...

Finishing The Dragon Slayer - Part 2

In part 1 of this project, I decorated the front of this jar with a knight and dragon shield - now it's time to finish the back - the dragon's lair.

I start with making another doorway. I want the back of this bottle to be a view of inside the dragon's lair, so I add two windows, matching them up with the front ones.

My inspiration - a conversation with Smaug from the Hobbit.


Building a wall and adding smoke to the lair.

Here I'm adding the dragon's treasure - coins and rings of gold collected from a hundred years of plundering.

Now, to shape the dragon's head - horns and a scaly neck - he's ready to do battle with any one who dares to enter his lair!

I shape his wings using the same technique used for the dragon on the front. And then add his tail going out through the door - don't ask me how he gets his body through - he's grown very large lying for many years wrapped around his treasure dreaming of glittering gold.

Here's the final detail - oops I missed some photos of the neck and the entire back… Don't worry it's all baked now and the wash added - I'll be sure to get more photos shortly…

The Dragon Slayer Flask at the Lazy Daze Festival - read more about it here.
And now you can find it featured in my Etsy Shop.