Here's a quick tutorial for making studded beads (for more detailed information, check out my book Enchanted Adornments). Start by clearing an area away from dust or other small particles that could marr the surface of the clay, then use a piece of plexiglass, or a thin cutting board as your work surface. Gather the tools: *polymer clay (I like premo) *small picture hanging nails (I prefer the golden domed ones) *metal rod/mandrel to use as a handle and hole maker (I like steel ones used in lamp work) *wire cutters *oven *sculpting tools or cuticle stick *liquid polymer
Press conditioned polymer onto the mandrel until they are secured and not loose, then bake.
Apply liquid polymer clay in a thin layer.
Wrap bead with a layer of conditioned clay - this bead was wrapped twice.
Press out any air bubbles and smooth the surface carefully, too much force may loosen the bead.
Clip the nails with wire cutters or bolt cutters. I left about 3mm on the head.
Then push them into surface. This is a very satisfying step.
Then bake the finished bead....some of the nailheads got a little buried, but I don't mind.
Process: 1.Condition the polymer by kneading it until it is soft and warm. Don't skip this step, since it ensures completely mixed polymer which means stronger beads.
2.Decide how large you want your finished beads to be and roll out beads half that size. These will be the core beads that clay will be added to.
3. Push the clay beads onto the mandrel, compacting them to the metal so they adhere well.
4. Cure them in the oven at 275F for 15 minutes for every 1/4" thickness. Allow them to cool, or dunk them into cool water.
5. While the core beads are cooling, use wire cutters and trim the nails to about 1/8".
6. Apply a thin coat of liquid polymer to the cores (you can use a brush or your fingers), then roll out some conditioned clay and add a layer to the core bead, careful not to trap any air bubbles. This is best done by working from one end of the bead to the other, pushing out air as you press the clay onto the core.
7. Smooth the surface with your fingers, using the cuticle stick to get around the mandrel.
8. Press the trimmed nails into the clay and make a pattern or cover the surface. Smooth out any blemishes on the surface.
9. Cure the clay in the oven and while still warm, twist off the mandrel and cool. Tips: Rubbing alcohol works well to smooth uncured polymer clay. Twill works well to buff finished beads.
I admire this picture everytime I use my phone. It makes me so happy to see my babies so loving and sweet. I wonder where they get it from? 
In many ways, my little brother Andrew and I are alike. One thing we have in common is our sensitivity to the 'outside world'. We tend to cacoon ourselves, carefully avoiding the ugliness and sensationalism that plague our society. Everytime I hear about something terrible, it seems like all I can do is think about it for days and days, wishing I were more useful. Of course that is a fairly depressing line of thought, but is unavoidable when you make pretty things for a living and the world is in need of heroes. So, Greg and I try to use our skills in creating beauty for good. We are very pleased to have contributed 300 dollars from our last two shows to help the tragedy in Japan. 
Greg has spent a lot of time on the road these past couple of months, which means my studio time diminishes quite a bit. He is so nice to take Max for a few hours to let me have some time to myself. I took this pic from the top of my studio stairs, after spending a pleasant afternoon making a little teddy bear. I guess they wore temselves out! 
I made this bear from a pattern I found on an etsy store called The Old Pincushion. I was inspired to sew it after gazing at vintage Steiff bears I saw at a toy show. They felt different, sturdier, heavier, with jointed limbs. I've always found stuffed animals charming, a sweet symbol of childhood innocence. It was a tactile pleasure working with the fur, cotton stuffing and wool felt. This was my first creature and I have a feeling I'll be making more.
Hi! I've decided to extend the contest deadline for another month, since it was pointed out that a couple of weeks isn't a lot of time and the short deadline wasn't conducive to creativity. I think it will be fun and inspiring to see what people make. I will post a quick tutorial of the studded bead if you don't have Enchanted Adornments and also some examples of the technique. Send in your pics and see if you win this sweet mechanical owl, which is only available at shows at the moment.
