Wand Pendants ?

So, I've been mucking around more with polymer clay. And yesterday actually turned out a new Miniature Treasure Chest that I'm quite fond of. It's Mermaid themed, and I may like it even more than my earlier attempt (see last post.) Like the last one, it's a thin cardboard box with polymer clay sculpted onto it, then little hand done details (like the shown octopus lock on the front, and shell corner caps). I like the little idea of making the ball feet look like pearls, and the "hinges" are seaweed. There's also a couple of small pressed metal charms on top of the lid.

Aside from playing with my treasure chests, I've been toying with this other idea. My boyfriend suggested I might try making miniature magic wands as pendants. I've been playing with this idea, though I'm not entirely sure on the execution yet.

First, I tried polymer clay; just something simple and basic. I picked out a nice , six-sided, fully terminated quartz crystal and made a small wire loop for a cord to pass through. I made the shaft first, by rolling until it was a perfectly smooth and even cylinder and baked it a little better than half way. Then I sculpted the ends onto it. I was surprised that wet polymer clay does not want to adhere to baked polymer clay *at all.* But I managed to get some rough semblance on either end, and twisted and wrapped vine-like tendrils around the crystal to fully hold it in place. After baking it again, I painted it with acrylic. I've been looking at it for a while now; and I still feel it needs *something* but I'm not sure what.

So, I also thought about doing something kind of more like an inverted version of my Magic Vials; where I used wood and gems and I got some copper wire. It didn't go over as well as I had thought. I used Holly wood, which once you feel away the bark, is a beautifully smooth and white wood underneath, with another six-sided quartz spear, and copper wiring. I think it would have gone better if I'd've gotten the 18 guage copper wire and not the 24 guage wire. My silver toned wire is 20 guage, and I like it. I was afraid that 18 might be too rigid, but the 24 was really too soft. Joining the crystal to the wood was just really hard.

I'm not giving up! I just need to keep experimenting.

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Now, related, here's some full-sized *real* wand makers on Etsy.

Interior Glass Designs is a fellow FAEetsy-er. Her wands are made with beautiful glass shafts, with large crystals, silver settings, vintage rhinestones; and are just glowingly gorgeous! She has some of the most beautiful, decorative wands I've seen on Etsy.


The Ace of Wands, on the other hand, is the quintessential in what I think of as magic wands. He uses various kinds of woods with different attributes, joins and carves them with excellent precision and style, and adds fine details like Celtic knot work, gemstones, leathers and metals to finish off his creations.