Vol-044-4 Mirror Image Heart Beads PcT Tutorial (Intro)
Video #240: “Would love to see more in your valentines series… and unique one of a kind heart shaped beads.” ~Drew-G
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** This post is an introduction to one of our paid tutorials.
With Valentines just around the corner, it is time for another Heart Bead Tutorial. Here is a video tutorial on how to make heart shaped beads that we did in the past. If you want even more, there’s also several relevant blog articles you can look up by using appropriate keywords in the search box (i.e. hearts, heart beads, valentines, etc.).
This week’s heart bead tutorial combines two different polymer clay techniques… Mirror Image Beads (aka Natasha Beads); and the Split Heart Bead Shape.
“I made some really cool Natasha beads with scraps. Since they’re like the Rorschach Inkblots on four sides, it’s fun to show them to people and see what “pictures” they see.” ~Tanya-L
“I love the Natasha Beads too – I can’t wait to “reveal” what is inside… like a present!” ~Michelle-N
“For Valentine’s Day, my husband decided to take me shopping (early) for all the polymer clay supplies my little heart desired.” ~Bonnie-B
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Although flowers, hearts and other such frilly stuff aren't often my cup of tea... I have learned to be pleasantly surprised by Cindy, and just let it happen. The videos that I initially wonder at, have often become my faves... a chance for this old tomboy to relive my girlhood in a more feminine style!
Monique U
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My younger grandson and I made these tonight, boy, did they turn out pretty. He's seven and very proud of himself. I just gave instructions and he did all the work, and now he has presents for his mom and step mom. After he goes home tomorrow I'm going to make some for myself, 'cause I love how they look.
Andrea P
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What a lovely project! It was so cool when you sliced the teardrop and it became the heart, just wonderful. Also I have to commend you for providing really good ideas for using up our scrap clay. I wish all of you a happy heart day.
Jocelyn C
Transcript coming soon...
Transcript coming soon...
Our goal is to translate these videos into as many languages as possible. If you are interested in helping with this initiative, then please do contact us and we will figure out a way to make it worth your while :)
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Want to chat about today’s post? That’s what the comment section below is for. Scroll Down… We’d love to hear from you!
Or... if you would like to request a topic for a future post, here is the link to do that… PcT Suggestion Box
Cindy,
Do you think one hour baking is enough time for the Mirror Image Hearts?
Yes Suzanne, I think 1 hour should be fine unless you make enormous hearts. You can always bake them for longer if you are worried. Just make sure that the temp stays between 265F and 275F for Premo and you should have no problem baking for as long as you want.
Linda, welcome and good luck with your first project. You can mix the Fimos. But you may find it a challenge to work with the old clay, depending on how it was stored.
Go to the search facility and request topics like
conditioning clay
old clay
Fimo
reconstituting clay
leaching clay
and certainly gift yourself with Cindy and Doug’s entry to polymer clay course. This is a fun and satisfying craft, hope you love it as much as I.
H i Jocelyn,
Thank you for your kind welcome.
Polymer Clay is something I’ve been wanting to try for many years, but life always seemed to get in the way. However after battling Cancer for the past year, I have decided not to wait any longer!
I did purchase the Beginner’s Course as well as subscribing to the monthly offerings, and I’m hoping to buy some of the back issues as well.
I’m at the collecting stage at the moment. As I said I found these old packets and I also have some Sculpey III which is all I can find locally (I don’t live in a major town). Still it will be okay for me to learn the basics with.
I purchased a cheap Halogen Cooker last week and have already checked the temperature. It seems to hold it very well, and I bought a Pyrex chopping board that already has circles and measurements marked on it. Perfect I thought.
So, I’m just about ready to go.
I have been enjoying reading the comments as there is so much information there, and everybody seems so helpful.
Linda H
Sorry, Linda, if I hurt your feelings.
I’m a jr chemist myself, reconstituting stuff I’ve picked up on sale and in bargain bins for years, stockpiling for the future, lol.
I always seem to err on the side of too soft and need to leach out the excess…but, thanks to all of Cindy’s inspirational scrap based tuts, I can find uses for even the hardest bits.
It’s a noisy hobby here…..the food processor/grinder, the pasta machine motor, the Dremel, and the rock tumbler and vibrator. The next door neighbor says she loves my work……hmmmmm.
Oh Jocelyn,
You didn’t hurt my feelings. I’m sorry if you got that impression.
I was really pleased that someone replied, and I was just giving some background so you could see where I was at. Probably too much information!
You certainly seem to be well equiped.
I noticed that you have a tumbler and a vibrator, do they do different things?
Linda H
Yep. LOL. One runs to do rough stuff (Lortone) and the vibrating tumbler does fine finish.
Hi Cindy,
This looks like a great project even I could do as a beginner.
I do have a question though about Fimo clay.
I found some old packets of Fimo clay in a cupboard which I must have bought when I was going to try polymer clay before. They are probably quite old but I’m not sure what they are.
The packet just says Fimo. Not classic or soft.
There is also one packet of Fimo Soft which I must have bought at the same time.
Can I assume that this is probably Fimo Classic?
It does seem quite hard, but that could also be age.
There are several colours which will be nice for me to use.
Many Thanks
Linda H
Hi Linda, I would also like to add my warm welcome to our clay family! I am so glad that Jocelyn came in to say hi. It is always nice to hear from others, isn’t it?
You can definitely use up that old Fimo, like Jocelyn suggested. Use the search box as she suggested to find articles on how to soften hard clay. There are absolutely tons of helpful articles on the topic. Try and read the comments in these threads as well, since there are often great suggestions added from our members. You can almost always get an old clay to ‘come around again’ if you follow the tips. Sometimes it can take some work though. :)
If by off chance the clay is so hard that it just crumbles no matter what you do, then it could be partially cured, by being stored somewhere warm. In that case, you can still use it by chopping or grating it up fine, for techniques like faux rocks or pebbles, faux jade, faux granite or even this mirror image heart. Never throw out clay, good or bad. It can always be used for something!
Have fun searching, reading and making friends around the blog. Let us know if you need any help!
My younger gs and I made these tonight. Boy, did they turn out pretty. He’d seven and very proud of himself. I just gave instructions and he did all the work. Now he has presents for his mom and step mom. When he goes home tomorrow I will attempt some cause I really like how they look.
Pollyanna: It’s great that you let him “do his own thing”. I find it hard not to “help”, when all the little ones really want is to do it themselves. You are like his own personal Polymer Clay Tutor LOL
I had video problem earlier also. I followed the suggestions…[went against my nature…..lol.] and was able to see the whole thing. Wow Love this tute. Can’t wait to try this one. I like it better when it’s not chopped too fine. Just personal preference.
Nwna and Tantesherry: I had the same problem earlier today, was thinking it was just high traffic from everyone viewing at once. But I clicked on the “Video Problem” tab at the top of the page (under the header) and followed Doug’s instructions to clear my cache. I also restarted my computer (I do that whenever I don’t really know what I’m doing, which is often LOL). The video works perfectly now! And it looks like an addictive bead. too. Thanks Cindy and Doug!!
thanks Monique off to try that now
YES
thank you hon it worked!!
What a wonderful spin on a tech that I’ve done for years
Lovely heart shaped result
You are Awesome Monique! Thanks for chiming in on the tech issue. You have no idea how much it helps for you guys to help one another out like this.
Since web browsers have so many moving parts, it is not uncommon for video issues to crop up for individual members. Fortunately, most of the problems are easily solved by following the posted trouble shooting tips… just as you suggested Monique. Again, thank you!
Hi Doug
sorry to bug you but
this is the 1st time I’ve ever had any kind of video problem
tried 3 times to watch it and every time at 3m 52s it just freezes up
so I would log out and try again…
I’m using a laptop w/ xp just like always
thanks-sherry
Unfortunately I can not watch the video, but is only two minutes
What a lovely project!
Only wish I had my nieces back at six seven eight……because the ooooo’s and ahhhh’s that would have resulted when the teardrop sliced into the heart would have been wonderful.
Still good for me, and I’m in my late fifties, lol.
Also commend you for really providing good ideas for the use of scrap clay.
I wish all of you a happy heart day.
Love it! Thank you. Is there anything special we need to know if we want to make a shape other than a heart?
Now you have me thinking Kathy… I have done the ‘normal’ rectangular shape 4 sided Natasha bead many times and of course the heart, but haven’t attempted any other shape. The only thing that I can think of that would be special about any shape you tried, is that one side should be straight so that you can match the center line, to get that mirror image. But then again, why not break the rules? Will have to play around with the concept and see if there are any other shapes that could be made with the mirror image concept. Now you’ve got me curious!
Hi Cindy, just watched the new video for the mirror image heart shaped beads, or natasha beads.. Another very cool tute, I guess I have been with you on here close to a year now. I can’t really remember when I signed up, but it feels like forever.. :) That’s how easy and fun you make it, you never cease to amaze and inspire me.. I just want to say Thank you all so much for sharing your talent and making this wonderful website possible.. You, Doug and Willow are all so talented, Thank You, Thank You from the very bottom of my heart.. :)
Patricia you are so sweet. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. It is your joy and kindness that is the reason why I love to teach. Thanks again for your comment!
Will be trying this really soon. Is there any reason you couldn’t use the food processor to chop the clay, like you do in some faux turquoise techniques?
You can, but those suckers work fast. More than not, you’d end up with a granite looking blend. Hand control gives you big and little.
I agree with Jocelyn. The processor may be a bit of an overkill on this technique.
Hi Cindy,
It’s 4;10 AM and I coulld not sleep( I m on the coach when I heard the.bling that I got an email just what I needed a fantastic tut form my guru . Absolutely love his new tut… I make a lot of heart beads ans bookmarks and I love your easy way of making mirror image…neve heard of them called Natasha wads…..can’t wait for my hubby to pick up my supplies. It this is one that I can do. With out all my fancy stuff …. don’t need my pasta machine Thsnks for making thing so easy to follow… XTo may clay tuts have way to Many steps that I get frustrated and just give up….especially if the are tooooo wordy with few pixs …..can’t thank ldoug enough for his great videos of you…you guys are a great test
Natalie aka Safti.also. Soled twinkle toes by my Son( he thinks he’s funny)
I meant great team… This iPod touch key board is sooooo small. … Not great for spelling words correctly….. Can’t wait to be ableto it up Anthony on the computer!!!!!!
Natalie aka Safti ( twinkle toes…..ha ha on me)
Hi Cindy and all,
I make Natasha beads and so seeing this as another way , making a heart is great. I do use bails like the one in the video, so am familiar with those.
I think this is a better way than even using a heart mold, quicker and easier,and a great way to use up the scrap clay, amazing the designs that come up.
The tear drop bead has done a lot for us, using it in all kinds of ways.
Thanks again Cindy for another nice Friday tutorial.
Bye
Love
Elizabeth K.
Funny…the first time I made a Natasha bead, I messed-up the shape while trimming. Instead of removing even more clay, I popped it into a heart mold…making sure to keep the center aligned properly. So, my first “mirror image” bead was in a heart shape! I guess that’s not all that strange, as hearts are a very popular shape, and perfect for Valentine’s Day. Can’t wait to see what clever tricks Cindy’s come up with for this video — no doubt I’ll be inspired, and learn something new, as usual! (Unfortunately, I can’t see it yet…video’s still not working on my Vista PC.)
Thank you! ~Kat
These little hearts represent what I love the most about Cindy’s ongoing video series. Just as with flowers, hearts and other (to my mind) “frilly stuff” have never been my cuppa tea. Well, I have learned to expect pleasant surprise here at PCT! I just “let it happen”… the videos that initially have me raising an eyebrow invariably become my faves. I guess it’s a chance for this old tomboy to relive my girlhood in a more feminine style! LOL (I am a little late in commenting on this post, but I was so caught up in all the other interesting streams since coming online today.)
Very pretty and intriguing. Have never made Natasha Beads.
Another “scrap” tute. We all have lots of left-overs, so this is another way to use them. Hearts are always welcome. Looking forward to the whole tute tomorrow !
Oh my gosh!!! These are wonderful. Love the color combinations.