Workbench Wednesday...It Has Been A Long Time...

It has been a very long time since I have done a Workbench Wednesday...

Not because I have not been creating.

I have.

I just have quite a mess going on in my studio this time of year.

Today I wanted to share some of the process of bead making.

First I hand-form my beads and components from Sculpey polymer clay.

Then I cook them in my toaster oven.

Next is the adding color process. 

Sometimes I use dyes.

Sometimes I use paints.

These were dyed.

I did not have any photos of the finishing processes.

There is a lot of steps and layers to the final steps.

Once the beads are done, I keep them in various containers.

First they go in a can or plastic container.

Next I sort them into my printer's trays and shadow boxes.

I started putting them there in the spring last year.

They sit on my dining room table most of the time.

I find just looking at them makes me so happy.

I am known to be a bead hoarder.

I love pretty ones but if I allow myself to actually buy them, I am afraid to use them.

Now that I am making my own beads, I am much better about this.

I know if I use them up, I can just make more.

I am a texture girl.

How about you?  

Do you love color or texture?

I also love beads that are special in some way.

I like to incorporate cool embedded items, new bales, shimmery colors.

I find that when I look at other people's work, I am fascinated by how they made it.

I want to try to get the same look.

I also like to play around while I am working to see what happens.

I am 1 part scientist and the rest artist...

Maybe all artists are more scientific than they think.

Thanks for stopping by...

Linking up with these blogs.