New earring designs

Earrings are difficult.  The scale is small, you're working in pairs and the engineering has to be right, including balance and weight.  And don't forget the earwires!  Why would anyone put a fabulous earring component on a flimsy commercial earwire?  Yet I see it all the time.  Earwires are an essential design element and should not be left as an afterthought.

Now that warmer weather is upon us, I'm back to my signature black and white Japanese stencil patterns.  It's amazing how contemporary these Edo period designs can be, considering that some are more than 300 years old!

   

 

My new shape for this season is a stylized lily pad.  Each pair has yummy custom mixed color on the back.  The wires are a slightly elongated classic french earwires and fishooks incorporated into the polymer.

Sealing polymer

I avoid sealing polymer whenever I can, preferring to sand and buff for a natural shine.  But a lot of my techniques involve surface effects with paint and ink transfers, so sealing is necessary to protect the finish. A couple of years ago I discovered PYMII and what a difference it has made!

It sprays on, so no more brush strokes and globs.  It dries quickly, so that you can apply multiple coats without having to wait all day.  And best yet, it dries to an even, glossy shine.  I've found that the trick is to put your piece back in the oven for 5 or 10 minutes to heat set the PYMII.  The result is a rock hard, durable and waterproof finish.

Here are some pieces sealed with PYM II: