A Trip Back in Time

 Faux Carnelian

Faux Faience with Faux Carnelian

Last month, when I borrowed the book Faux Surfaces in Polymer Clay, by Irene Semanchuk Dean, I had no idea where it would lead.  As I flipped through the pages of techniques, I was particularly intrigued by the chapter on Faience.  Since I had never tried this technique before I decided this would be my first project.  Whenever I try a new faux technique, I turn to the trusty internet to get a look at the real thing.  Well, I hit the motherlode.  I have always been interested in all things ancient Egypt and when I found this page I knew how I would use Ms. Dean's instructions.  Go here to see what I'm talking about.  Scroll down to the bottom of the page to see the necklace that inspired me.  http://www.ancienttouch.com/egyptian_faience.htm

I was completely enchanted by what I found.  I've spent hours looking at ancient Egyptian jewelry. It's all so beautiful and historically significant AND prohibitively expensive.  As much as I would love to own the real thing, they are out of my reach.  I'll  have to be content with the ones I make.

It was so much fun sculpting the faience beads and figuring out how to recreate the carnelian beads.  I loved how the carnelians looked so much with the faience, I had to make one that was all carnelian.  I've worn that one a couple of times already and it has fooled people until they touch it.  Success!!

I have a couple more similar ones in progress.  In fact, I'm off to the kitchen sink to sand a batch of beads now.
Kim Schlinke
Vice-President