Handmade wire bracelets with coloured wire and polymer clay fruits

These lovely, cheerful bracelets already made an appearance some time ago, and while searching for beads and a Liberty ribbon to craft something else, I remembered I have these colourful wire spools in my stuff.

I selected green wire to match the shade of a piece of kiwi, and blue wire to have a beautiful contrast with a slice of grapefruit... or blood orange... it's a bit tricky to pinpoint exactly what it is, but whatever!

This time, instead of leather, I used black waxed cotton cord, and added to each bracelet a silver-toned lobster clasp, complemented by a matching extension chain for adjustable sizing (as I am pretty sure these will be snatched by my daughter, but just in case...).

The small fruit charms are made from Fimo polymer clay, from canes I purchased a while ago, the two beads around the fruits are wood, for a bit of a natural, earthy touch to the design.

More Handmade Good Luck Charms

Under the gentle sun (so far) of March, here are two good luck charms I don't think I've shared here before. One in pink, the other in green, both part of an ongoing series of handmade charms keyrings featuring cabochons, bias tape, and other polymer clay beads I made. Each charm is embellished, with a small cabochon for one, and a rectangular mosaic bead created with a polymer clay claygun, along with a Liberty print polka dot bias tape for the other.

Handmade polymer clay creations: a few new additions

Here’s a mix of new (and not-so-new) pieces (the creations and the photos), a mix of different handmade jewellery pieces.

A new keychain to add to the collection, which has been pretty popular. They're just so handy to attach everywhere... (although it doesn't seem to stop me from regularly losing my keys in my handbag, which was the starting point of the whole story). 

This time, I used two strips of cotton bias tape. To make them I used my super-handy bias tape maker - proper must-have to avoid burning your fingers with the iron!

I’ve also made some new drop earrings with "lace" beads, which are incredibly lightweight and a personal favourite of mine at the moment (and with a lawn that’s just a little too green for a good photo).

I’m also sharing some older designs – these blue earrings with "calavera" beads that I love very much, with their vibrant colours and playful skull design.

Fimo beads - The Rolled Paper Effect

Or not. I was looking for a name for a pair of handmade Fimo earrings that reminded me of rolled paper beads. Which took me back to my childhood, when I used to make them using my trusty bead-making machine – all you had to do was dip a strip of paper in glue, attach it to the spindle, and turn the handle. Beautiful (but often sticky) "tube" beads would emerge, very much like these:

(lovely photo I found on the Ka'fête ô mômes website – I’m sure my own beads weren’t quite as successful so they’ve all disappeared by now, big up to my parents who had to hang on to so many "creations" I produced for so many years...)

However, when I searched for "rolled paper," I discovered that the term actually refers to quilling (at least in French) – an art form where paper strips are rolled and shaped to create cards, pictures, and decorations (but apparently not really beads). It’s quite a lovely craft, though! But it didn’t really relate to my beads... and I decided to keep calling them “rolled paper effect” beads anyway – oh well!

Flower Power

One of the most enjoyable aspects of working with polymer (Fimo) clay for me has been sculpting. I’ve come to love creating simple yet beautiful (most of the time) shapes – circles, lines, dots... and of course, flowers.

Another thing I really love is the variety of effects you can create with powders. Random powders. Gold powder, silver powder, charcoal powder... when brushed onto clay beads, they add a unique touch to all creations. To experiment with these, I made two sets of textured beads: one in soft pastel green and the other more vintage pink.

For these, I started with spherical Fimo beads, onto which I added thick flowers and leaves. I then coated the beads with a layer of black powder. The charcoal creates a lovely, aged, yet satin-like effect. After baking the beads, I gently sanded them, which revealed the flowers in their original colours while maintaining the black details on the rest of the beads.

Next, I added a layer of varnish, using two new Cernit finishes – matte and glossy – to test out a new look. I find the glossy finish incredibly shiny (which I love, so far so good), but was a bit disappointed in the matte varnish. It wasn't as matte as I hoped; it felt more like a satin finish, possibly due to the charcoal powder’s effect.

The pink beads are still sitting on my desk, waiting for me to decide on their final design and what companions I’ll pair them with. 

The green beads transformed into a nature-inspired necklace with a lovely gradient of green hues – perfect match for my desk plant!

Tips for Fellow Crafters: Working with Polymer Clay

If you're a fellow polymer clay enthusiast, here are a few techniques and ideas:

Sculpting Simple Shapes: I am not an amazing sculptor (euphemism, who said that), but I find that starting with easy shapes like flowers, circles, dots... work pretty well as a basis for many designs, they can be assembled or layered together to create more intricate pieces.

Using Powders for Effects: experimenting with metallic powders like gold and silver, or charcoal powder, is super fun. Applying these powders with a brush can create depth and texture, even on simpler shapes. And I'm sure they are many more colours available out there (of course if you use them before baking your fimo beads, think about how well a powder is likely to behave in the oven!)

Sanding and Polishing: After baking clay pieces made with powders, sanding is even more important than for other Fimo beads, and offers more possibilities.

Varnishing: If you're looking for a glossy finish, Cernit’s glossy varnish gives a beautiful shine. For a softer, satin finish, try the matte varnish, but be mindful of its less-than-matte result. You may want to test on a small section before committing to a full coat!

Working with polymer clay offers endless opportunities for creative expression, and there’s always room for experimentation. If you’re looking for more tips and inspiration for your own polymer clay jewellery creations, stay tuned for upcoming posts where I’ll be sharing new techniques, ideas, and projects!