Crazy Canes

Remember that slew of late blog posts I told you about in my last entry?  Here's the first of many!

I went on a crazy caning spree last July.  This is a huge deal for me, since I am not a cane person.  Ironic, because the first few beads I sold were actually cane slices.  Now I no longer work with canes, simply because I am lazy.  Reducing canes can be such a chore!  Plus, few customers appreciate the intricacy of caning, and fewer still are those willing to pay a premium.  So I stopped caning altogether.

If you've been following my work, you'll notice that I stick to projects that are sweet, romantic, or vintage-inspired.  But pumped up by the last guild challenge (amazing cane work in those tiny beads I received in the swap!), and inspired by all the talented ladies in the Philippine Polymer Clay Guild, I was challenged to go outside my comfort zone. 

I decided to give the art of polymer clay millifiore another go.  This time, I won't allow myself to be daunted by the tedious task of cane reduction (is that even the right word?).  I won't think about the commercial value of the project, and focus on just the process itself.

Here are a few of the canes I came up with.  I still couldn't shake off the bright-and-happy colorway I am so used to (I like pastels and bright colors).  But check out that scary-looking red and black cane on the left!  That is so not me!  I shuddered after I made it.  But on hindsight, I actually like it's tribal appeal.

What drives me crazy is how, sometimes, some of the intricate details get lost when you reduce the cane.  I wasn't able to take photos of the larger versions of these, but take a closer look and you'll notice, for instance, that the round pink and white feathered cane on the right is actually the top portion of the triangular cane beside it.  Do note that these are blown-up photos, and the canes are actually the size of a fingernail.  So in real life, you won't notice all the lovely details unless you really stare.

The hubby says this fact actually gives the final product more charm - because the more you look at the finished pieces closely, the more you'll notice all the work that was probably involved in creating it.

So now we're back to the questions I dread the most: how much will I sell these for?  Will people actually buy these?

To test the waters, I made a couple of earrings for a bazaar, and yes, somebody actually bought them!

The ones in the pictures above are still with me though. I still can't decide how I'll string them into necklaces: on a beaded chain, on a cord, on a long link chain?  I'll keep you posted once they're ready.