My studio space - "The Claypen"

Lately I’ve been sick with a typical but exhausting beginning of winter cold, however except for the endless coughing, I’m starting to feel better. I thought, then, that I would share my studio here. I really adore my studio, called “The Claypen”, especially since my husband re-fitted the clothes closet that was there with shelves that he built.


He had a beautiful desk that was so big that when we moved it in to his office 22 years ago, we swore we would never move it out. And so we didn’t – instead we took it apart and he used it to make the shelves in this closet for me. Thank you, honey! I can find everything now.


In addition to my work space, I have a second work area that has been used only a little bit lately by our daughter-in-law, April and our granddaughter Dezaree. Since April had the new baby 18 months ago, she hasn’t had time for claying or beading very often. But her chair stays, because I know she’ll find time once little Gracie gets into pre-school. And Dezaree will not be 14 and busy with everything else forever, either. In the meantime, I have two tables to work on. I create my jewelry at the long black table that I'm saving for April and Dezaree to clay on again in the future.


Now that I’ve seen these photos, which were taken soon after the remodel of the room, it makes me see that I need to clean again. It looked a lot nicer before I got in there and messed it all up!

Sometimes the best things just don't work

I made this bracelet when I found these great pink rock beads, and as I made it and photographed it, I thought it was a fabulous bracelet. I still think it's fabulous looking.

I always wear the bracelets and necklaces that I make for a couple of hours after they are made.... to make sure there are no serious flaws, that they are not uncomfortable, and so on. So I happily put on this pink rocks bracelet yesterday, thinking I would love it.

But no.... this bracelet will soon be no more. It was not comfortable, and the clasp kept turning to the top of my wrist, no matter how many times I fixed it. I'm back to the drawing board on these pink rock beads!

Three Necklaces

I've been working on and photographing three necklaces recently. I love them all for different reasons. First I have a really long (31 inches!) almost lariat-style necklace with a front dangle. It is so great that I made two - one for me. And it looks good on, especially with a black or navy blue shirt.

Click on images for a closer look.

We all love Julie Picarello's style (Yellow House Designs), and so here is a pendant I made using polymer clay in Southwest colors with her style of mokume gane, and strung on a simple gold chain.

Finally, I adore this red coral and lava beads necklace! This is one that was in my mind's eye for several months, and it came together nicely. The coral beads are heavy, but the lava beads are light, and it ends up being quite wearable.


I'll be posting them on my Etsy soon... trying to find time! We need to slow down the clock, that's what I say. Thanks for looking!

Soft Flex Beading Wire Website Spotlight Designer for November - me!

I am so pleased to have been chosen as the Soft Flex "Spotlight Designer" for the month of November. It was fun today to go there and read my "bio" and see all my photos. How nice of Soft Flex to do this.

I hope you will click on the link below to check out the Spotlight Designer page there when you get a minute, and tell me what you think.

Thanks - Jackie
Soft Flex Spotlight Designer for November

Copper Metallic Necklace

I love these beads - they are just perfect. They have pretty colors but never bright, slightly textured but not too much, copper without being too coppery, and matte without being dull. What could be better?

Click on the photo to enlarge:

So I created this lovely and unpretentious necklace with them. I'm very happy with it because it has a nice "drape" to it, it's mellow but has a little bit of bling. I added some shiny copper beads in the front to offset the larger beads. I will say that I was very happy when I tried this necklace on, because it looks GOOD!

I'm going to list it on my Etsy, and because I got a very nice price on the beads from a friend, I'll list it for a very nice price on Etsy, as well. Why not pass the savings along?

A November Necklace

The time change has me off balance... it's 5:30PM and dark already. Hmmmmm. The long winter looms.

Please click on the necklace photo to enlarge.



To take my mind off the fact that it's suddenly November, I've been making even more jewelry. I really love this slighly asymmetrical new necklace I made. It has a front toggle clasp that doubles as a pendant, and the square pendant is reversible. How cool is that? It has a grid design on the other side. The shell circles look really good as part of the "chain" look, and the 3/4 round bead near the pendant adds to the asymmetrical look. It has a seed bead section for around the back of the neck.

As a birthday gift to myself, I opened up my new Etsy store, The Pleasant Pheasant! It's my dream come true and I'm having fun filling up the shelves with both polymer clay things and new jewelry. There is a link to my store to the right side of this page, I really hope you will go take a look at what I've put up so far. I have a lot more to come, so please keep checking to see what new things I'll be offering.

My next project is going to be polymer clay. I'm going to move the beads aside for a few days and see what kind of polymer claying I can do. I have some good ideas to work on.