Saturday, April 21, 2012

Stacked

I've made many polymer clay cuff bracelets since I first started working with the stuff. I'm teaching a class at this year's ArtBliss on them too. Lately I've been making bracelets with lots of dangles on multiple chains, very layered and complex. But not exactly stacking layers.



So when I found out from my good buddy Cindy Wimmer about the Wrapped, Stacked and Layered Challenge that Tracy Statler was organizing, I knew I was in. I didn't know that stacked bracelets were such a big trend, I could just imagine what an amazing opportunity for design it would be. Excess in jewelry-- what's not to love? My notebook doodling was fast and furious and of course, I could not complete every idea I had but I think the stack I completed displays some of the better ideas I had.

My dear Douglas brought home some heavy paper cores that were a perfect diameter for a bangle so I sawed one in half and wrapped ikat-dyed silk ribbon around it and attached a jasper rectangle to the front with copper Whim-Z Wire.


I love memory wire bracelets and have made myself several. I like substantial bracelets and I use these to showcase my favorite stones or very special OOAK treasures. This one incorporates mastodon bone beads, amber, copper beads of all sorts, several kinds of jasper, and some very old African pipe beads.


I used a blank metal cuff as the base for the deerskin suede-wrapped cuff. The rough edges were dyed with alcohol inks and then I wrapped the pieces around the cuff and added some fine copper wires and tiny copper beads.


This last bangle was the most fun to make of all the layers. I got the idea from Mary Hettmansperger's book "Mixed Metal Jewelry Workshop" and used polymer clay instead of copper metal clay to save time. I mixed up a bronze-color polymer snake, wrapped it around some 16 ga. wire, cured it and then used some gilders paste to add highlights.


Here's the completed stack. Makes me wish I had long, skinny arms so I could wear all of them at the same time but they mix and match nicely so I'll probably wear a couple together. Thanks, Tracy, for setting up such a super challenge! I definitely see more bracelet stacks in my artistic future.



Cave of Dreams stack


Check out the 80 other links too to see what they've designed by going to http://makebraceletsblog.com/
(Sorry-- couldn't get the list to work on my blog!)





40 comments:

  1. Love the deerskin cuff, the colours are awesome. What a great idea to use polymer clay in the last bangle.

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  2. I love the eclectic memory wire bracelet and the deerskin cuff ... great collection!

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  3. I love the deerskin as well. How do you fix the ink on it so it doesn't rub off?
    BTW the 80 some links you have posted don't link up-it just show an error message. Love your site!

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  4. Magnifcent!! Thank you for all the making details. Love the hide bracelet and the idea using hravy cardboard. And all of yours so vibrant and tribal

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  5. i love your natural elements... your work is lovely!

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  6. Christine, each bracelet is a piece of art! My goodness, this must have taken time! Just stunning! See you in September!

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  7. Christine, I couldn't wait to see what you had in store for us in this challenge! I called Randy over and we've both been ooohing and aaahing over your work. He loves that first grouping and just said over and over how great the colors are - you are amazing. Your new work is really incredible - like the bangle with the jasper rectngle. Wow. I can't wait to see these in person - and I think you can pull it off! Please bring them to artBLISS! :-)

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  8. I love the idea of the deerskin wrapped cuff. Great combinations used.

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  9. Hi Christine. I'm glad you were able to join and play along. I love the poly clay bangles and memory wire is awesome for showing off stones! I will likely be at Art Bliss in September so I am looking forward to meeting you. Your class looks great!

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  10. WOWEE! That is a lot of fun Miss Christine! I want those bangles in the first picture. I wanted to try my luck at making some 'simple truth' bangles but just ran out of time. That is next on my list! ArtBliss you say? Hmmmmmm.... not sure if I can swing it but you are tempting me and learning about polymer clay from you is on my Bucket List for sure! I love the colors and textures you have going on here. So awesome! Enjoy the day! Erin

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  11. That stack is just too cool...with a tank and this stack...stunning!!

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  12. I love your poly clay bangles they are gorgeous!! I like your mixture of elements.

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  13. Christine, love how all these are so different. Thank you for sharing your stories about them. And wow, my favorite one is the polymer clay snake. Had no idea this could be down with it. Just great!

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  14. I love every one of these so much. I'm impressed that your unique style shows through even when you didn't make the components yourself (specifically thinking of the ribbon jasper one- looks like something you'd make in PC). Excellent work as always.

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  15. Wow, what stunning and unique bangles! I love the interesting beads and natural components you used in them. The colors are fantastic!

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  16. fabulous stack! I really like how you used so many different kinds of bracelets in your stack

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  17. Christine, you always amaze me with your colorfully creative creations! I love your deerhide cuff, how wonderfully cave-woman, reminds me of the Lascaux caves!

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  18. What wonderful, warm, earthy colors! Love the stack! Gorgeous in all respects.

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  19. really, really good work...you have a stack of skills going on ...fantastic...Reminds me of just how much I have to learn...

    cheers and have fun today..
    Cynthia @ Beatnheart

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  20. Beautiful stack! Love your cuffs!

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  21. I am just amazed at all the different materials you used to make these bracelets. And they all work so well together. I really want to try the technique you used on that last bracelet. It is just awesome!

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  22. You really took this challenge and ran with it!! Your results are super cook. I especially like the bracelet with the polymer clay. Such a unique design. . .and I like unique!

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  23. Gorgeous cuffs! All of your bracelets look great together

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  24. OMG they are stunning. I think my fav is the one with the paper core and jasper.

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  25. OMG they are stunning. I think my fav is the one with the paper core and jasper.

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  26. I love the earthy feel of your bracelets. You did such a great job mixing different materials and they work wonderfully!

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  27. Just lovely -- really like the different materials and techniques you used.

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  28. Oh my! Loved every one and the fact that you tied them all together with the ethnic, tribal element that you are true to in your work is so impressive to me!

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  29. W.O.W! LOVED them all...so very unique and creative and beautiful and ... :)
    I am going to have to check out ArtBliss...would SO love to learn how to make the PC bracelets

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  30. The deerskin suede-wrapped cuff is very beautiful and it is a fantastic idea to make such a thing...stacking can be fun really.

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  31. Very cool so many textures and surfaces playing off each other!

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  32. Absolutely love your cuff bracelts.
    The combined stack is gorgeous.

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  33. Really creative use of all your materials. If I knew you better I would try to swipe the bangle from cardboard and the deerskin cuff. GORGEOUS!

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  34. Beautiful bracelet stacks! I love your colors and textures! Thanks for sharing.

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  35. Oh, my, I love your polymer clay work...just incredible! And your stacks? So very yummy!

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  36. Creative use of polymer clay and I like the rustic feel of the stack.

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  37. These are so yummy! Love all the polymer clay, it just looks amazing!

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  38. Love that you mix it up with your polymer clay cuffs. Super cool stack! xoxo Beth

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