I've recently started to work with polymer clay again...making brooches, pendants and earrings...it's so rewarding because of the instant gratification and lovely color possibilities....a lot of my energies go to designing and producing my purse handles in resin(see below)but sculpting the original for the molds means working with white polymer clay only, so creating jewelry in color is such a welcome change...plus I'm not limited at all in what I make, so jewelry making is wildly stimulating and I find myself wanted to do that more and more...
I have always loved wearable art... the idea of expressing my own personal sense of beauty by what I wear or carry led me to try my hand at making purses. After doing much research I was disappointed at the choices that I found for handles...so I decided to design my own. This soon became my main focus and now I am offering them to the many people I have discovered who make their own handbags.
I start by honing my designs on paper, drawing ideas from a lifetime of work in graphic arts and painting. Then I bring them to life using polymer clay, a process I enjoy in itself. From there I make RTV molds of the originals and cast them in resins...tinting them with different colorants, dyes and metal powders. When the pieces are cured, I remove them, sand and polish them and do any hand painting, staining, buffing and finishing they require.
Each piece is handcrafted this way and not mass produced, every one gets individual attention. Because of this process, there may be some slight variances...never in quality though. The cured resin is very strong, and light in weight-perfect for handbags. The colors will not fade, though there may be a slight bit of yellowing due to exposure to UV rays over time.I prefer to think of this as "mellowing". I personally guarantee them and know they will give you many years of beautiful service. For more info check out my website www.labeanabags.com
