Every so often I get inspired to do some arts and crafts. Sometimes I get these ideas for a project, I collect all the tools and materials, and then I never start or complete the work. This happened recently with my idea to make and send Halloween greetings. I purchased special purple envelopes, stationary templates, ancient looking paper, spooky stamps, fountain pens, inks, and even a wax seal. However, I never even sent one letter. Other times, I find determination and discipline and I get it done. Fortunately, Halloween comes around every year, so I have more opportunities in the future to utilize the supplies that I’ve gathered. Also, I was learning and practicing a nice handwriting alphabet, but I only made it halfway through the alphabet before I got distracted.

My favorite type of art is wearable art. It’s nice to have art hanging in your house, but most of the time it remains hidden to most of the world. It’s more fun to have interesting conversation-starting pieces of art that you can wear wherever you go. I respect and admire custom-made DIY, handmade, and unique fashion. Perhaps, this is why I’m such a fan of Etsy.com.

I read a quote once about creating art that has always stuck with me. “The frustration of creating art comes from the fact that our tastes exceed our ability.” We have these lofty ideas of creating masterpieces like Michaelangelo, but our skills are elementary, and our art ends up looking more like Picasso or Basquiat. I have no artistic training. I never even took an art class in junior high. A few years ago, I realized that drawing is the foundation for everything artistic and I needed to learn how to do it, so I started reading and doing the lessons in the book “Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain” but unfortunately, I didn’t keep up with it.

I’m a lifelong student at Youtube University. It’s where I learn how to do everything. A few years ago, I watched a video tutorial about sculpting a bird with polymer clay. I think that the guy was making it for a journal cover, but I don’t remember, maybe it was a pin. Anyway, the first piece that I attempted was a raven pin. I’m attracted to spooky, gothic art and architecture, but I hate horror films. My imagination is quite vivid and I have nightmares and get scared too easily. If I want to see some horror, I’ll turn on the world news.

According to Google, “Polymer clay is a synthetic, oven-bake modeling clay made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC). It's a versatile material that's often used for arts and crafts. It’s malleable, durable, and waterproof.” There are a variety of different brands that manufacture polymer clay. I tried Sculpey and FIMO and I found working with the Sculpey brand easier and more enjoyable.

Sculpey III 12 Classic Colors of Polymer Oven-Bake Clay, Non Toxic 12 oz. for $12.79 after applying the currently available coupon on Amazon. The other supplies you will need are some modeling clay tools like this highly rated set: Langqun 41pcs Plastic Polymer Clay Art Tools Set for $7.99.

Raven pin/brooch
Sculpey Black polymer Clay 2oz.- $2.29

This post is more about inspiring you to take on a new art project, maybe a polymer clay one, rather than a guide on how to do it. Check Youtube for video tutorials on how to sculpt with polymer clay.

My other reason for this post is that I want to show off what I’ve been able to make with determination, vision, and effort. I’ve only worn a few of these pieces and only a few times. They are somewhat delicate and mostly just sit in my drawer. Perhaps I would sell them if I thought that I could make more, but when I look at many of the things I’ve created out of polymer clay or other materials, I’m left surprised at the results and wonder how I ever accomplished making these things. I know one of the techniques that I’ve employed is I don’t stop until the project is finished. I tend to not complete projects and ideas if I spend too much time on them or take a break, so I try to work and give all my free time to it until I’m done with it.

All of the following pieces are wearable necklace pendants.

I purchased mini bottles in different sizes and shapes for this project, including these mini cork-top bottles. I started making vintage potions and obscure specimen vials. Above, I used candle wax to create the dripping blood effect. Affinity Photo is the photo editing software I used to design the label. It’s comparable to Photoshop except no monthly fees and they constantly update it for free.

Mini Gothic Door with padlock, key trinket, and glow-in-the-dark painted skull.

Glob of Unicorn Poop (front and back view)
That’s a heart sitting on top of a cloud on the top. The unicorn poop is a multi-color swirl floating in resin.

Lightning In A Bottle.
Lightning and cloud top with clouds and glow-in-the-dark lightning in the bottle.

Phoenix bird with yellow Swarovski crystal eyes

Mini waterfall (resin), tree, and lagoon.
I am particularly impressed with my work on this one. This is slightly larger than the size of a quarter.

Pirate’s Treasure Guarded by a Great White Shark
I bought this gold-plated chain and skull bail for these pieces, and I wear this one the most often.

The following books were made with the idea that the front would be nice, the side would get naughtier, and the back would be fully naughty. The front and back covers feature real vintage book covers that I slightly edited and miniaturized. The only exception is the “Book of Shadows” cover that I created. I printed them and used Modge Podge to affix the paper to the polymer clay. Then, I used the Modge Podge again as a sealant.

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