Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Meeting with Lacy

Yesterday I had the privilege of meeting with the talented Lacy of Catholic Icing.  Being an artist, she had wanted to "get her hands on some clay" for some time, so I was glad to show her how I make my beads.   When we realized that we lived only an hour and half away from each other and that we had the "Steubenville" connection, we decided that we needed to get together soon!

Lacy lives in a cute old farmhouse decorated Lacy-style...purple! Her house is very charming and unique, but I'd have to say her children are the most charming of all.  Our kids enjoyed playing together for half the day while Lacy and I got work makin' beads.

First I showed Lacy how to make a simple flower cane (above). Then we moved onto a more complicated rose made with blended petals using the skinner method.  The sequence of photos below shows how the skinner method is done.  This was the first time I had done this method too.  I've seen this method many times, but I don't use this method on my beads because it only makes a small amount of blended clay at one time. 

First we started with two pieces of rolled out clay- the pink and the white. After forming them into a square, we sliced them diagonally and put together a new square with each color. 

Then we rolled it through the pasta machine many times--folding it in half each time. 
After folding and rolling about ten times, it started to look like this.  We rolled the clay into a "jellyroll" to make the petals for the rose.
Here I am making the center of the rose. Lacy says I should always wear my own art- or at least some funky jewelry made by some else. I agree. My neck looks too bare- some big, chunky clay beads would really give me the eccentric artist look!
The finished rose.  It turned out very well! Lacy is a natural at cane work. Look at her work below.


Can you believe this was the first day she had ever made polymer clay beads?!  I just love her signature cupcakes at the bottom of this photo.  And her stars and stripes are so fun and patriotic! Way to go Lacy!

I think this is a start of a good friendship- and to think- we met on the Internet through our blogs! Just goes to show bloggers are REAL people- and they make great friends- on and offline.

9 comments:

Lacy @ Catholic Icing said...

I just read this post and I'm smiling ear to ear! I had such a great time. Thanks for coming over and teaching me how to make beads! :-)

Julie Cragon said...

Sounds like fun!

Allison said...

Sarah: How nice to have a kindred spirit relatively nearby. Some of my dearest friends I met, believe it or not, through the Internet. You all can meet halfway at a park with the little ones. I have done this many times with my best friend, who lives one hour from me.
God is good.

Unknown said...

I am so jealous! You got to meet Lacy and she got to meet you! lol I absolutely love your work and have one of your rosaries on my Christmas list ;)

Robbie said...

Just found your blog through CI, and you do such amazing work! (And I appreciate how much effort must go into it, since I tried the rosary-making group at church once!)

Jamie Jo said...

I'm so glad you two live close enough to meet!!! How fun!

Love seeing your cute little baby tummy!!!

Oh, and Lacy's cute little baby!!

Beautiful beads, you both are amazing!

Darcy said...

OM! Your work on beads is absolutely beautiful! Is there a place that you sell your rosaries? I would so love to get some for various people and for my 5kiddoes. I loved seeing how the Lamb of God one took shape. I always thought they did 'shrink' somehow, but your explaination was great. I am just stunned at how much work really goes into it. You do a great job! I would love to see what I may be able to get as gifts.

Sarah Harkins said...

Darcy, You can buy my rosaries, chaplets and bracelets from my website: www.clayrosaries.com or you can click on the pic of the rosary in the upper left hand or the words, "my website"

Thanks for your interest! God Bless!

Gae said...

Dear Sarah,
I have loved the creativity in your work. I have suggested to my daughter she may want to try this. Whe loves working with sculpy.
Thanks for shring this with us.
I am so keen to try it too
God Bless
Gae