PMC -- What the Heck Is It?

As the first bead store in the Phoenix area to teach Precious Metal Clay classes, we hear a lot of questions about this remarkable material.  "How do you work with it?"  "What can you so with it?"  "What the heck is it?"  Precious Metal Clay (or PMC, as it is more commonly called) is a mixture of .999 silver ground up into a very fine dust, water and and organic binder. It has a texture similar to polymer clay and can be molded, shaped, rolled out, stamped and cut with cookie cutters. When fired in a kiln, all that's left is the solid fused .999 silver.  What this means to a crafter is the ability to make custom silver charms, pendants, findings and more without having to learn silversmithing skills.  Many items that are time consuming and difficult to create using traditional methods are a snap with PMC.  It's so fun designing unique silver elements that it becomes an addiction!

PMC comes in a variety of formulas. They vary in firing time, firing temperature, workability and finished strength. Choosing the right PMC formula for a given project is very important, so we strongly recommend taking a beginner's class to help you get started.  If you live in the Valley of the Sun, I know some great bead shops that teach PMC classes!  Bead World markets PMC in several ways. Of course, we teach PMC classes and sell PMC products, tools and supplies. We rent kiln time and workshop time to clients who have not yet invested in their own full home studio. We also sell several beautiful books on PMC.  If you don't live in the Phoenix area, PMC and PMC supplies are available through many bead stores throughout the country and in online stores.

If the idea of creating custom silver pieces is appealing to you, check out PMC and all you can create with it.  You'll be so glad you did!

Put the Pretties Front and Center!

Put the Pretties Front and Center!

There are few things I love in this world more than a beautiful, substantial toggle, but I hate wasting all of that silvery goodness at the back of my neck.  No matter how much I love a clasp, there's no sense paying for something that people may never even see.  What's a girl to do?  I say...put the toggle in the front of the necklace!  When you use a high end designer clasp, it can be the most stunning element of your entire piece.   (The toggle shown above left currently retails at Bead World for $16.50.)

Once you get used to the idea of  placing a toggle at the front of a piece, it opens up a whole new world of engineering options.  A toggle is a great place to anchor a pendant or large gemstone.  In the piece shown at right, turquoise and a pearl were wire wrapped onto a sleek, modern toggle.  This creates a "Y" neckline while maintaining the necklace's clean lines. 

You can wire wrap on any number of different decorative elements.  You can even add a cascade of mutiple dangles and drops.  In the necklace shown at left, three dangles shimmy down from the center toggle.  Each dangle is composed of multiple elements from the main necklace, and they are individually wire wrapped together.  It's an expensive, elegant look, but take note: it's made up entirely of leftovers that the designer had on hand! 

Have fun with big toggles and don't let them scare you.  Once you start experimenting, you'll see how much fun they can be!  I can't wait to see the gorgeous ideas y'all come up with!

If beautiful gemstones are the meat and potatoes of a lovely jewelry meal, then spacer beads are the herbs and spices.  While they tend to be small, they never go unnoticed.  They literally determine the tone of a given piece of jewelry.  Imagine a pearl necklace... now add simple Bali silver daisy spacers every few pearls.  You have a traditional, classic necklace.  Now change those daisies to large sterling silver rondelles.  Suddenly the same piece is modern and bold.  Throw in stamped Thai silver beads, and now it's funky.  Maybe skip the silver entirely and use a gemstone rondelle... Get the picture? 

My current favorite spacer bead right now is the Bali sterling silver potato chip spacer (shown above in various sizes).  It's a disc of silver, pierced through the middle and curved like a Pringle chip.  Stacked together in pairs (or more), they create a fun wavy texture that is somehow both modern and funky.  It gives a fresh look to all of your favorite beading materials.  Check out the fun necklace we have hanging in our Scottsdale store.  It's great inspiration!

I am madly in love with TierraCast's newest line, Viva Mexicana!  I'm a major fan of TierraCast in general, because their quality is impeccable.  Their highly detailed lead-free pewter charms are richly plated with gold, silver, rhodium or copper, creating a gorgeous finish that does not wear out.  (I'm always a bit skeptical about plated items, but trust me -- this is good stuff.  And yes, they are in line with the new California lead laws.)  I was completely thrilled when these new charms and findings came in that they exceeded even TierraCast's high standards for excellence.

      

Living in Arizona, we have a strong appreciation for Mexican art and culture. It's all around us every day!  The Viva Mexicana! line features elements from the Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos), as well as symbols of religious iconography and milagros, Mexico's very own kind of home grown miracles.  All are depicted in a way that honors Mexico's folk art heritage.  The sacred heart charm and sassy dancing skeletons (shown above) are perfect examples of the spirit and fun these new pieces can bring to your beaded jewelry.  TierraCast's website showcased the gorgeous lapis lazuli rosary (shown below), utilizing the collection's rosary center and folk art cross.

I'm excited to make fun Dia de los Muertos jewelry with these fun little pretties!  Maybe my grandma needs another rosary...   Let us know what you think!