I made this chunky polymer clay, gemstone and silver beaded necklace before I knew that I would be launching a new line of products under my trade name Polly Ceramica. At the time I made it, I just wanted to make something novel to my own eyes, but not so novel that it would not be comfortable, attractive and durable. I had on my work table a bowl of smooth green beads faintly marbled with white. They had come out of the oven so smooth that just a bit of sanding with extremely fine grit paper finished them to be very appealing to the touch. They are wearing their own skin; I have not waxed or glazed them. They feel like an unglazed vase made from the finest earthen clay.

The large columnar beads are lightly glazed. But their story does not begin with glazing. It was while making these beads that I learned that it was not in my nature to follow someone else’s pattern or instructions when working with clay. I should have known that, because I never follow a recipe; I always adjust the spices to my own taste.

I learned that it was going to be the same when I made beads or pendants or brooches or earrings. This means that all my designs are my own.

The columnar or tube beads developed from a stack of early Spring-like, dainty floral colors. The stack of green, lilac and peach strips of polymer clay I folded back and forth upon each other, twisting and turning them until I decided that if left like that, they would blend too closely with each other in the sight of someone looking at the necklace that I planned to hang them on. So I sliced apart the log of pretty Spring colors, and I added enough white to make the colors pop out. White was just the foil they needed. So the dainty floral colors could be made into chunky tube beads, shaped by my own hands. I was careful not to overwork them so that I could prevent the colors from blending too much.

The mother of pearl white beads and the marbled green polymer clay beads harmonize with the small green aventurine and white jade gemstone beads at the top of the necklace. The metal beads and clasp are silver plated zinc.

All my listings are guaranteed to please. There is a bonus for you buyers of my facingEASTdesigns and Polly Ceramica designs. Buyers in those categories receive a ten percent refund for buying more than one piece of jewelry in the same checkout cart. I am faithful in refunding the discount of ten percent off the price of the second item and all subsequent items in the cart.

Measurements:
Necklace length – 22 inches (56 cm)
Pendant bead dimensions – 13 mm x 40 mm (0.5 in x 1.6 in)