Solar System Polymer Clay Charm Bracelet

If you follow Kitschy Digitals on Instagram, you've seen progress of me making this bracelet. This has to be one of the single most gratifying projects I've worked on in a long time! Ever since Jenny and Aaron got me into crafting with air dry clay, and then that turned into obsessing over polymer clay... well, needless to say, the obsessing hasn't stopped and it's at an all time high. Also? I've never been a YouTube fan, but lawdy-mercy, I am SO a YouTube fan now! Only because of the amazing polymer clay tutorials! Just WOW.

So over Christmas, and into the new year, I was non-stop you-tubing tutorials, and sourcing supplies (and buying, yes lots of buying, new supplies) and I FINALLY put the YouTube down and started making some of my own charms (even though, honestly I was so scared I wouldn't be able to do it!). Of course most of the tutorials I look at are the kawaii ones - mostly charms. And everything has a little smiley face (of course). Slap a face on something and it makes it 100 times better.

I'm not sure how I came up with the idea to do little smiley planets... I'm really not into astrology... or science... or the solar system... but it dawned on me that the idea of a groovy galaxy bracelet could be AMAZING. So, I got busy making these little fellows one night and finished sculpting them in that same night! That part isn't too time consuming (although very, very tedious). The baking, finishing (researching the BEST varnish that's durable and perfectly glossy) and actually assembling the bracelet were the most time consuming parts, really.

And sourcing the supplies. Oh dear, I've shopped the virtual aisles of Etsy and Ebay non-stop for the past many, many weeks. I've also been doing so much research on just HOW to make jewelry! Out of all the many hobbies I have (too many), I've never tried jewelry making... and boy, is it ever it's own gigantic world of knowledge. I never knew how much thought goes into picking JUST THE RIGHT jump ring for a project. Bonkers I say.

I hope to share all the most handy tips I've gleaned from the interwebs, and the best advice I can offer per my own experiences with polymer clay and jewelry making. The best advice I can offer for now, especially with the jewelry is: don't go buying a bunch of findings at the craft store before you really research what the best ones are for your project (says the girl that bought jump rings in several finishes, only to realize they weren't a thick enough gauge for my project, and circular instead of oval!) Also, I'll tell you that I used Primo Sculpey clay because in my extensive research (haha) I found out that it is the hardest out of them all and easier to work with. Of course, everyone's experience is different, but Primo is definitely highly recommended.

And yes I got galaxy nails at the nail salon JUST to match my bracelet. Don't judge.

I found the little black star beads and the large black beads at Michaels and the sparkly beads (which are SO PERFECT for this bracelet! they look like little galaxies unto themselves!) from Etsy.

And being the rebel I am, I totally included Pluto. I mean, really. I grew up with Pluto being part of the gang, how could I leave him out? He seems happy to be included.

I'm going to wear my bracelet out to a Pixies show this weekend and see how it does. Hopefully there will be no sad-face cracked planets or missing charms by the end of the night. This will be THE BIG TEST.

I have to admit, this bracelet has sparked that handmade former (small) business owner in me. I had an Etsy shop years ago where I sold many things I designed, and some handmade things, too, before I dreamed up Kitschy Digitals. I miss selling things I've made by my own hands. Even those Blythe headbands that took FOR-EVAH to make (here's the very first one I made). I have to admit, I'm a slow maker. I think that is why I've never been able to really make a go of it with a real handmade business. I so admire people out there that are handmaking tons of things every single day. It is a lifestyle not for the faint of heart - but, wow, so rewarding.

That said, in my insanity, I keep thinking that I'd love to make some things with polymer clay to sell... some more of these groovy galaxy bracelets... i've even been thinking of cell phone charms, other themed bracelets, pins, sweater clips and more. And I've even been dreaming up the packaging.

Sigh.

We creatives are dreamers, aren't we? But you know what? I've already purchased findings for these items (ha!) so I guess I will actually have to follow through with this!

I'm hoping to knock out some big projects over the next couple weeks, and maybe I can free up some time. (crossing-my-fingers-and-chomping-at-the-bit-to-make-some-things)

After looking through my sold items on Etsy, it was a nice trip down Memory Lane... here are some of the first things I sold (I loved making those necklaces, but again, I'm slow so they took forever!). Here are customer photos of their dolls wearing my Blythe Headbands... LOVED making those... I sold those at my first (and maybe last?) craft fair - the very first BlytheCon here in Atlanta. Memories!