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Teardrop millefiori cane slices were manipulated and twisted. When placed in a tip-over-end scallop fashion, the result is a highly dimensional border. this surrounds a star-like millefiori cane center, highlighted with a SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS crystal chaton. Textured, turquoise clay is attached around the lid's rim.
A dome of crystal beads rises above the stripped clay base like a palace. The 8mm SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS bicone beads were assembled together using the RAW beading method (Right Angle Weave). The center of the dome is filled with a crystal rivet. The border is Crystal Clay - epoxy clay with a vintage metallic dot trim I found at Williams Costume (Las Vegas).
I received a heartfelt letter from an employee of the Carmex Corporation telling me about a tragic occurrance. The lives of Carmex workers were lost in a tragic car accident in March of 1996. Only one passenger out of five survived the incident. This tragedy deeply affected the entire company. I am honoring the request to create a tribute jar to the lives that were lost and the other survivor. I offer this creation on the day of her friend Ann Nagy. I felt it was more appropriate to offer this on Ann's birthday which is today. The fragility of life and the suddenness with which everything can change in a heartbeat reminds us of the preciousness of life. I create a rose from polymer clay to signify this thought. The dew drops made with UV resin symbolize tears for what can be taken with no reason or rhyme. Although today's offering is a rather sad tribute, let it be a reminder of the blessings that life and the chance to love one another can be.
This is one of the few lids I have duplicated. I was lucky enough to find two of these vintage Cracker Jack Toys from the 1950's (back when they had real toys!). It's a metal top that spins when you blow on it. This creates and optical illusion of a hypnotic spinning spiral which is delightful in its simplicity. The border is a raised effect made using the Sutton Slice and the Persian Carpet texture stamp, with complimentary colors of polymer clay. The top was attached to the lid after drilling a hole and using my micro hardware screw and nut sets. The other one now belongs to Carmex President and avid art collector, Paul Woelbing.
An open bezel frame with a copper finish was used to create the focal point today. Bright autumnal colors were chosen to create the millefiori cane that fills the center with a puffed finish. Red and white millefiori leaf slices intersected with black clay "veins" accent most of the copper framework. Smaller, gradient cane slices fill in the bottom. SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS crystal bicone beads dangle from the circular openings at the bottom of the frame. A tiny flatback crystal accents the center of the puffed millefiori cane center. Textured clay, covered with red foil, surrounds the rim.
Another favorite vintage finding I'm always on the lookout for are the discs imprinted with room numbers for old hotel room keys. Here is one of the smaller ones I have in my collection. Many are larger and printed on brass. I affixed this one to the a Mokume Gane polymer clay veneer applied to today's lid. The "Phillip's Head screw" is actually a rivet. The key was a flat brad with the attachment cut off. I glued two faceted, glass hearts to the head of the "key." These are vintage Czech components I found through Sandy Schor. The edge of the room number disc was ringed with stripped polymer clay. The outer edge of the lid was textured clay that I antiqued to achieve a vintage verdi gris effect with Amaco's Rub n Buff acrylic/wax finish in "Patina."
Scrap clay slices were melded over a base layer of polymer clay resembling a sort of patchwork design. The sides of the lid were covered in black epoxy clay (Crystal Clay) and textured. SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS 2520 Cosmic flatbck crystals (from Dreamtime Creations) were spaced around the edge. Lastly, Magic Glos(tm) quick cure UV resin was added to the baked surface of the lid to form a glass-like cabochon finish.
An old optometrist's lens is the focal feature of this lid. I have collected these and used many in my creations over the years. This particular lens was unique for it's peachy color. Most that I find in my rummaging and travels are black or silver in color. I thought the brighter finish would make the perfect frame for image transfers from my Tiny Tats collection of waterslide images. Various eye transfers were applied over white polymer clay around the rim. The top of the lid was made using simple, white polymer clay. I added two sizes of black and white clay circles around the edge of the lid, reversing the size and color to form the pattern shown. The image showing through the middle of the lens is a vintage moon face image (also from the Tiny Tats collection). This was added this to the lens on the inside, using Magic Glos quick cure UV resin. After curing, the lens was glued to the lid with two-part epoxy adhesive.
...with today's lid as we see the tiny tree that has made an appearance twice this year (for the first days of Spring and Summer). It now sports the changing and falling leaves of Autumn, invoking thoughts of cooler days, spiced cider and hearty meals. While I sadly bid warmer days adieu, I"m looking forward to cozying up to a fire with a good book and hot tea, snuggling under piles of blankets and donning my slippy dips (slippers if that's not obvious). As with March 20th (first day of Spring) and June 21 (first day of Summer), I created the lid from a sheet of Faux Wood method polymer clay. I cut the tree trunk and leaves around the rim using a scrapbook punches. The leaves on the tree's lid were made using the smallest Kemper teardrop punch.
Today's project is unique in that it's the first and possibly only jar I'm making in the project that's a collaborative effort with another artist. My friend and talented artist Marianne Kasparian (a.k.a. Mak) of MAKU Studio, creates amazing Raku jewelry. I had the pleasure of meeting her and getting to know her better a few years ago at the To Bead True Blue show in Tucson, Arizona. I was an instant fan. I adore Raku. I used one of Mak's hearts as the focal element of this jar and combined some of my Faux Raku technique (for polymer clay) in combination with the heart. The crackle base and Raku style rim are methods included in my last book - The Complete Book of Polymer Clay Techniques. A big thanks to Mak for contributing this lovely heart to today's project.
