tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52276737133584445642024-03-08T16:36:38.566-08:00Melody O'Beau DesignsWearable Art from Polymer ClayMelobeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02399794521185504956noreply@blogger.comBlogger78125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5227673713358444564.post-21138077511152621082016-10-01T15:36:00.000-07:002016-10-01T15:36:08.050-07:00New Southwestern Sedona Navajo Horse Ornament for Christmas 2016
New ornament for 2016 from MelodyODesigns at Etsy
My new horse ornament for Christmas 2016 is a design based on traditional Navajo horse-painting. As with the other Southwestern Sedona ornaments in my collection these are handmade with artist quality polymer clay and contain a touch of "magical" real powdered Sedona Red Rock. Some of the designs are painted on with tinted Liquid Polymer Melobeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02399794521185504956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5227673713358444564.post-7129759174786394202016-08-15T13:31:00.001-07:002016-08-15T13:31:42.789-07:00Santa's Arizona Workshop full of Southwestern Sedona Ornaments
Here in sweltering Cottonwood my studio is jam packed with ornaments and has a kind of Southwestern Sedona Christmas in August Santa's Workshop look to it that's colorful and FUN!
A lovely gift shop/gallery called Dragonfly Local Art in Old Town Cottonwood is now carrying my ornaments, both the Southwestern Sedona Ornaments (that have a touch of Sedona Red Rock Dirt) as well as the Melobeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02399794521185504956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5227673713358444564.post-52521727170135982992016-08-10T10:48:00.004-07:002016-08-10T12:30:50.158-07:00My Favorite Polymer Clay Tool: 1/4" acrylic rod for smoothing
This 1/4 (6.3mm) diameter acrylic roller is my favorite polymer clay tool. I use it all the time for adhering and smoothing applied cane slices and appliques, as well as for general all around smoothing of clay surfaces. I love it so much I dubbed it the "Magic Wand" for Carolyn Stearns when she used to sell them.
This cool little acrylic smoothing rod is so useful I feel quite sorry for Melobeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02399794521185504956noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5227673713358444564.post-70207487076343819852016-05-14T10:38:00.000-07:002016-05-14T20:53:20.422-07:00MelodyODesigns Faux Bakelite Cherry Necklace Customer Appreciation Day Part 5, Nozomy
Valued Customer Nozomy looking vintage glamorous in her Faux Bakelite Cherry Necklace from MelodyODesigns at Etsy
Anita (the "Melody" in MelodyODesigns): I'm so blessed that I have the most special of customers and they are what drives my passion for my business. I recently found a wonderful and unexpected gift waiting for me when I happened to visit the blog of a lovely customer named NozomyMelobeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02399794521185504956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5227673713358444564.post-26776074167930442032014-12-25T16:31:00.000-08:002015-03-25T06:31:44.376-07:00MelodyODesigns' Faux Bakelite Cherry Jewelry Customer Appreciation Day Part 4 and the new Short Stemmed Cherry Necklace that Ann-Marie helped design
Chic Anne-Marie from Australia looking stylish and lovely wearing her new SHORT STEM version of the Faux Bakelite Cherry Necklace Reproduction from MelodyODesigns at Etsy that we designed together especially for her.
Many years ago I saw a segment of "Antiques Roadshow" on PBS television that featured a iconic vintage Bakelite Red Cherry Necklace from the 1940's. It was love at first sight,Melobeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02399794521185504956noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5227673713358444564.post-79896944738509623112014-10-21T10:11:00.004-07:002015-03-13T06:49:03.362-07:00Making the Temperature of your polymer clay studio work FOR you and my newly redesigned Sedona Arizona appliqued Red Rock Disc Earrings
I live in the high desert of Arizona where summers are bikini hot and winters can be down jacket cold. There are also wide daily swings of temperature that can sometimes vary by as much as 30-40 degrees. Over the years I have observed that the temperature of my polymer clay studio directly affects the ease and outcome of various techniques I utilize in making my jewelry and ornaments. Some Melobeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02399794521185504956noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5227673713358444564.post-27102445783012706572014-08-13T07:21:00.002-07:002015-03-13T06:42:53.233-07:00MelodyODesigns' Faux Bakelite Cherry Jewelry Customer Appreciation Day Part 3, Rosie Dennington of Rosie Red Corsetry and Couture
Rosie Dennington, owner of RosieRedCorsetry and Couture (in center), shown wearing her cherry necklace from the vintage Bakelite inspired Red Cherry Jewelry Reproduction Collection at MelodyODesigns at Etsy She is flanked by Natalie (on the left) and Ally (on the right).
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Melobeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02399794521185504956noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5227673713358444564.post-18167229734197196882014-07-21T08:56:00.003-07:002015-03-13T06:45:36.644-07:00MelodyODesigns' Faux Bakelite Cherry Jewelry Customer Appreciation Day Part 2
Fabulous and Flirty Pin Up girl Kirstin wearing my faux Bakelite vintage inspired cherry necklace from the faux vintage Bakelite inspired Red Cherry Jewelry Reproduction Collection at and MelodyODesigns at Etsy (photo courtesy of Studio Betties Pinup and Boudoir Photography, Minneapolis, MN)
I love it when I have the opportunity to get to know my customers a little bit. When they Melobeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02399794521185504956noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5227673713358444564.post-48480442091969984222014-07-07T11:50:00.000-07:002015-03-13T06:46:06.316-07:00MelodyODesigns' Faux Bakelite Cherry Jewelry Customer Appreciation Day Part 1
Elegant customer Kate in her lovely cherry ensemble with cherry jewelry from the from the faux vintage Bakelite inspired Red Cherry Jewelry Reproduction Collection at MelodyODesigns at Etsy. She is escorted by debonair Terry at Disneyland's "Dapper Day".
Over the years I've been blessed with some very special customers, especially the fans of my faux Bakelite cherry jewelry. I Melobeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02399794521185504956noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5227673713358444564.post-53587340021858379582014-07-01T12:33:00.000-07:002016-09-23T19:56:59.391-07:00Favorite Customers, longtime Cubs fans Bob and Diane and the Baseball Necklace
Favorite Customers, longtime Cubs fans Bob and daughter Diane wearing her Tribute to Baseball Necklace in 4th of July colors
Over the years I've been blessed with some very special customers. Legendary Cubs #1 and #2 Fans Bob and his lovely daughter Diane are two of my very favorites. I first "met" Diane when she sent me an email asking questions about my making a customized baseball Melobeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02399794521185504956noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5227673713358444564.post-24262905572196190202014-03-21T14:02:00.001-07:002015-03-13T06:50:13.721-07:00tute: Varnishing Polymer Clay with Rustoleum Varathane ©; also introducing my new shiny Red Dangling Cherries Faux Bakelite Bracelet
Ever since I caught my first glimpse of vintage Bakelite Dangling Red Cherry jewelry on PBS's "Antiques Roadshow" I've been hooked and in love with them. The first piece I saw was a Red Cherries Necklace, followed by a Red Cherry Bar Brooch and bracelet, all incorporating red plastic chain links into the design and all with the most spectacular of SHINY finishes on the dangling cherries that Melobeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02399794521185504956noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5227673713358444564.post-66829708188076005692014-01-08T09:42:00.000-08:002015-03-13T06:51:33.882-07:00Makins Extruder easy on the hands retro fit CRANK handle from clayalley.com and my hamsas
The Sedona Red Rock Monarch Butterfly and Sunshine Hamsa is available for purchase from MelodyODesigns at Etsy
After the holidays I challenged myself to make store inventory of a Sedona Red Rock Hamsa wall hanging that I love, but is the most labor intensive and difficult to make piece in my portfolio. It turned out that making them was also very challenging to my delicate wrists and Melobeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02399794521185504956noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5227673713358444564.post-18880466827929398122013-12-18T12:34:00.002-08:002015-03-13T06:52:25.959-07:00The Crafter's Studio stash, the Creative Process and Polymer Clay
During the months before the holidays I spend a lot of time in my studio doing repetitive production work making hundreds of Christmas ornaments from Polymer Clay. It gives me a lot of time to ponder and reflect........often on very mundane subjects. While making my favorite ornament, the Sedona Christmas Angel, I realized that the number and variety of items in a crafter's hoarded stash Melobeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02399794521185504956noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5227673713358444564.post-71848979395814097862013-11-30T13:24:00.000-08:002015-03-11T06:57:51.704-07:00New Palomino horse necklace unveiled and Sedona Red Rock pendants get a new look
For several years I've been having fun making Sedona Southwestern jewelry and ornaments for my shops using a faux red rock polymer clay base that includes a bit of "magical" Sedona Red Rock Dirt in the mix. A customer (now an Internet friend) asked me to design a pendant to pay homage to her beloved Palomino horse, "Sunshine", and I thought it would be a great time to shake things up inMelobeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02399794521185504956noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5227673713358444564.post-54282370654979665472013-11-10T16:10:00.003-08:002015-03-13T06:53:41.330-07:00The joy of seeing one's own handmade ornaments for sale in a retail shop
My Sedona/Southwestern ornaments (made from polymer clay with a touch of "magical" Sedona red rock dirt) have been selling at two local Christmas shops for almost a year, but I'd never actually SEEN them displayed in a shop. Last Saturday we visited them for the first time. What an incredible high to see the decorations hanging amidst the many gorgeous holiday displays. Seeing them displayed Melobeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02399794521185504956noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5227673713358444564.post-78295184648491764882013-10-28T09:14:00.000-07:002015-03-13T06:54:20.279-07:00Production work, Zen and our 2013 Family's Sedona Southwestern Christmas tree with polymer clay ornaments
All the decorations on the tree are available in my shop MelodyODesigns at Etsy
Though it's not yet Halloween, Christmas is on my mind. It's the time of year that I like to decorate and photograph our family's small Christmas tree so that I have time to share all our 2013 MelodyODesigns ornaments before most people are even thinking of Christmas decorations. I supply two Christmas Melobeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02399794521185504956noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5227673713358444564.post-49500043653035773782013-09-10T12:00:00.001-07:002015-03-13T06:55:40.941-07:00Sedona Angel Christmas Ornament from Polymer Clay with Sedona Red Rock Dirt Inclusions
Sedona, Southwestern, or Mexican Angel Ornament available at and MelodyODesigns at Etsy
I had so much fun designing this new Southwestern angel ornament which has joined my 2013 MelodyODesigns Southwestern Christmas Ornament Collection. She's made from terracotta colored polymer clay with real "magical" Sedona red rock dirt in the matrix and is targeted to the Sedona tourist Melobeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02399794521185504956noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5227673713358444564.post-11513923403377258402013-08-28T08:54:00.000-07:002015-03-13T06:56:48.940-07:00Arizona Saguaro Cactus, decorated Saguaro Christmas Ornaments and behind the scenes Studio Photos and Tips
The Christmas Saguaro ornament is available at MelodyODesigns at Etsy
As a tribute to my adopted home state of Arizona I've designed a new
decorated Saguaro Cactus
Christmas Ornament made from polymer clay to add to my Southwestern Christmas Ornaments Collection. Saguaros are iconic images that
immediately come to mind when one thinks of Arizona. They are native
to the warm Melobeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02399794521185504956noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5227673713358444564.post-6121206084663282972013-08-20T11:59:00.000-07:002015-03-13T06:57:26.279-07:00Santa's Workshop, Southwestern Kokopelli Christmas Ornament from Polymer ClayIt's August and once again here in Arizona my studio looks a bit like Santa's Workshop, filled with Southwestern and Sedona Red Rock polymer clay Christmas ornaments in various stages of being birthed. It's my favorite time of year because making ornaments reminds me of all the happy times we had as a family making ornaments and Christmas cards together around the family dining room table.
Melobeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02399794521185504956noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5227673713358444564.post-72241120132291561512013-07-24T12:13:00.000-07:002015-11-08T11:02:23.919-08:00The value of Listening to Customers (and the customized softball jewelry market)
Listening to Customers can sure be well worth the time and effort! Earlier this year I designed a collection of baseball jewelry and softball jewelry with the "hook" that they could be special ordered with most colors of beads on the beaded chain and a fake scribbled player's "signature" to make them unique.
As I mentioned in a previous post on the softball jewelry, it was originally a Melobeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02399794521185504956noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5227673713358444564.post-59677579478462146912013-07-07T15:00:00.002-07:002015-03-13T06:59:44.908-07:00Softball Necklace and Earrings and spotting a Niche Market
Neon Dayglow Yellow abounds in this new Softball necklace handmade from Polymer Clay
Last spring I wrote a blog post about some baseball jewelry I had designed in honor of Major League Baseball, including a necklace with a beaded chain that could be custom ordered in the team colors of most teams.
I was wearing my baseball necklace and earrings while shopping recently and struck up a Melobeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02399794521185504956noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5227673713358444564.post-7746431642055091252013-06-13T11:23:00.000-07:002015-03-13T07:01:31.903-07:00Patriotic Cat Necklace and Ornament for Fourth of July - Independence Day, Flag Day celebrates the USA and Freedom in Red, White and Blue polymer clay
Our newest cat necklace is a Red, White and Blue Patriotic Cat that's designed in honor of the USA and celebrates the freedom we enjoy in our country. It also honors the founding fathers and those who gave their lives in the name of freedom, as well as all those in the military and their families. The Patriotic Angel Cat version seen above is a hanging ornament decoration version that's Melobeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02399794521185504956noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5227673713358444564.post-5940053222968258212013-05-19T07:22:00.001-07:002016-09-23T20:02:33.996-07:00Diamondbacks Baseball Necklace and Microperm pens for writing on / signing Polymer Clay
My husband and I are staunch Arizona Diamondbacks baseball fans. Last February, in honor of the opening of Major League Baseball, I had designed a baseball necklace out of polymer clay for me to wear to show my true colors, complete with fake pretend "autographed" bat, glove and dangling baseballs. The team colors for the Diamondbacks are Sedona red, sand and black. Sedona red is the color Melobeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02399794521185504956noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5227673713358444564.post-82783534288901826872013-04-29T13:15:00.000-07:002015-03-13T07:05:47.026-07:00Orange Tabby Ginger Marmalade Tangerine Cat with Blue Morning Glory Collar Necklace
I just finished a new necklace featuring a light tangerine orange cat in a garden of blue Morning Glory flowers, leaves, buds and vines with ladybugs dancing on the leaves. As I was writing the listing and trying to figure out what color/breed to call the cat I started reading up on orange cats and the various names given to them. Who knew there were so many kinds and so many names for these Melobeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02399794521185504956noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5227673713358444564.post-28968782835295608122013-04-20T18:07:00.000-07:002015-03-13T07:06:49.760-07:00The designing of the Pink Rose Cat jewelry, a tribute to Mother's Day and my Moms
Rose Cat Brooch
Whenever I see pink roses I think of three important women in my life whom I consider my "moms", my grandmother (mémère), my mother and my mother in law. They all loved flowers and pink roses were a particular favorite. They all loved cats, too, so I designed these Rose Cat pieces as a tribute to all three in an early celebration of Mother's Day.
I couldn't find a Melobeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02399794521185504956noreply@blogger.com3