Studio Saturday with Creative Impressions In Clay on Art Bead Scene

Welcome to Studio Saturday! Each week one of our contributors gives you a sneak peek into their studio, creative process or inspirations. We ask a related question of our readers and hope you'll leave comments! As an incentive we offer a free prize each week to bribe you to use that keyboard. The following week we choose a random winner.

This weeks winner is Shaiha, Congratulations! You have won a digital copy of Erin's Bohemian Knotted Earrings TUTORIAL. The PDF file will be sent to the winner via email once I receive the winner's email address.

Send Erin an e-mail with your email address and she will get it right out to you.

This week we visit the studio of Tari Sasser at 

Creative Impressions In Clay.

I didn't have time to participate in the ornament blog hop.
So, I thought I would make one for Studio Saturday.

Lets start with cutting the top and bottom off of 2 Sprite cans.
Cut the can in half lengthwise. Cut those two in half, you should have 4 strips. Cut the 4 strips in half.
8 strips total from one can, 16 from 2 cans.

I drew out a shape on a piece of 1/4" luan plywood. My darling husband cut it out for me on the bandsaw. Put a wash of green on the tree and brown on the trunk.


You need a wicked sharp pair of scissors. Cut your strips of the aluminum can into scallops.


Start from the bottom and layer (like shingles on a roof) your scalloped strips using a glue gun or in my case, since I couldn't find the glue gun, double backed carpet tape. Bend over the edges to the backside. This may take a bit of coercing on the sides of the tree so the strips on the back are straight.
Keep layering and overlapping your strips till you reach the top.


Fully layered tree. I then applied Modge Podge and sprinkled fine pearlescent glitter on the tree so it looks frosted. You may choose not to do this step.


I used Vintaj 25mm Altered Blanks, metal stamps and acrylic paint for the topper. A wooden dapping block was used to round the disk. The tree is decorated with my charms and felt balls from Ornamentea. I put a jump ring through the disk, added 10" of ribbon, a glass donut and a decorative copper ornament hook. Voila!

My question today is:
What Makes you happy?

I love to create! It keeps me happy. I haven't had much time in my studio lately but take the time when you can. My job lets me create displays for art. Plus I get to be around art everyday. Happy, Happy!

Leave a comment on Art Bead Scene's Blog answering the question and you could win a snowflake button. 

Holiday Collection

Feeling Sassy as usual!

Tari Sasser

Creative Impressions In Clay

Art Bead Scene: Studio Saturday - Creative Impressions In Clay

Welcome to Studio Saturday! Each week one of our contributors gives you a sneak peek into their studio, creative process or inspirations. We ask a related question of our readers and hope you'll leave comments! As an incentive we offer a free prize each week to bribe you to use that keyboard. The following week we choose a random winner.

This weeks winner is Claire Maunsell Congratulations! You have won a three pendants from Jennifer Jangles!

Send Jennifer an e-mail with your address and she will get it right out to you.

This week we visit the studio of Tari Sasser at 

Creative Impressions In Clay.

It's summer. My daughter and grandchildren have been in the country for nearly a month and will be leaving Tuesday to go back to Oslo. How could time go so fast?
The goings on in the studio have been slow. I've been working on glazing orders in between grandchildren running in. They love coming in to the studio where "grandma lady" works, "yets go to the tudio." There is a stash of licorice that is the incentive to go there more often. Alexander, 3, points to everything and tells me "my do dat when my bigger." He is hilarious. He will be using pliers, wire cutters, drills, pottery wheel and other assorted tools when "my is bigger." My will miss them very much come Tuesday.
Summer is filled with shows for many. Busy, busy, busy. Mine is filled with children and not much time in the studio. I would love to start to do more shows but I wouldn't trade my time with my grandchildren for anything!


My question this week is:
How is your summer going?


Leave a comment at Art Bead Scene answering the question. You could win a "Goddess Bless You" button.

Feeling sassy as usual.

Tari Sasser

Creative Impressions In Clay

Art Bead Scene Monthly Challenge Sponsors & Prizes

Our wonderful sponsors for the July Monthly Challenge. 

We will have 2 lucky winners this month.

Creative Impressions In Clay

Tari Sasser of Creative Impressions In Clay form of Art Beads is comprised mainly buttons but also includes beads, pendants, components and jewelry. Low fire white clay is used with underglazes to achieve bright colors for her designs. Tari makes her designs, then creates a prototype, so a mold can be made. 

Spice up your wardrobe and other items with handmade buttons!

Tari is donating a the buttons shown above worth over $70. 

 Visit Tari on her website, blog, Twitter, and Facebook.

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Golem Design Studio

Vladislav Ianov and Kremena Ianova of Golem Design Studio create beautiful ceramic beads, buttons and jewelry components. Golem is husband and wife design studio based in Bulgaria. They use many different types and colors of clays, underglazes and glazes. Beads and pendants are hand shaped then they are either stamped or hand drawn/carved. 

Vlad and Kremena are donating the beads shown above worth $50.

Visit Golem Design Studio on their website, etsy, blog and Facebook.
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Submit photos of your wonderful creations using one or more Art Beads.

Two Acrobats and a Dog by Pablo Picasso has with many different elements that can be used for inspiration varying shades of blue, pink, yellow, male form, dog, and the harlequin pattern.

We can't wait to see where your creativity takes you with the art for this months challenge! 

Please remember to put JULY ABS in the title or tag of your submission(s).  

Provide us with the artist of the Art Beads used and we always love to know all the materials you used. 
Art Beads MUST be used in your entry.

Studio Saturday at Art Bead Scene

Welcome to Studio Saturday! Each week one of our contributors gives you a sneak peek into their studio, creative process or inspirations. We ask a related question of our readers and hope you'll leave comments! As an incentive we offer a free prize each week to bribe you to use that keyboard. The following week we choose a random winner.

This weeks winner is Andra. Congratulations! You have won a new Flower Pendant from Heather of Humblebeads.
Send Heather an e-mail with your address and she will get it right out to you.

This week we visit the studio of
 Tari Sasser at Creative Impressions In Clay.

Happy Saturday and welcome to all!

I have been long overdue to make something new. I saw a bracelet with similar construction. In my mind I figuring out, can it be made out of clay? The answer is yes! Truthfully, I like mine better. The ones I saw had a very messy solder job on the back. Of course I'm thinking I can fire the wire into the clay then there isn't messy soldering involved. The clay pieces needed to be thick enough for the wire to go all the way through but not too thick to look bulky. 

Being the last minute person that I am, I hand formed these Thursday night, fired them last night and put the bracelet together this morning. Most events are like this for me. I formulate a plan, mull over it for far too long before it materializes. More tweeking needs to be done as with anything new. For a first time prototype of sorts, not bad if I do say so myself. They remind me of bugs with antennae. 

So, I know have Connector Bugs.  I think these would work with most of my button designs too.

My question is:

Do you see these as individual pieces for your creations or just put together as jewelry pieces?

Do you like or dislike them? Other color schemes that would good?

Answer my questions at ArtBeadScene and you could win the Connector Bug shown above.

To the potential winner, I am leaving the country for 3 weeks (I'm going to Norway!) next Wednesday. You may have to wait till I return for your prize to be shipped. That is unless I can convince my husband to put it in the mail.

Feeling sassy as usual.

Tari Sasser

Creative Impressions In Clay

Get Ready for Bead Soup Blog Party sign up!

Its time once again to sign up for the Bead Soup Blog Party. My friend Lori wanted help getting the word out to all you lovely bead and jewelry makers.

Remember, this time it's a lottery for 200 people (so Lori doesn't lose her mind with all the work from last time!)

Get crackalackin' on your soup ingredients in case you are one of the lucky 200!

Studio Saturday with Claybuttons at Art Bead Scene

Welcome to Studio Saturday! Each week one of our contributors gives you a sneak peek into their studio, creative process or inspirations. We ask a related question of our readers and hope you'll leave comments! As an incentive we offer a free prize each week to bribe you to use that keyboard. The following week we choose a random winner.

This weeks winner is ErinS. Congratulations! You have won a Holiday Pendant from Jennifer Heynen of Jangles. 
Send Jennifer an e-mail with your address and she will get it right out to you.

This week we visit the studio of
 Tari Sasser at Creative Impressions In Clay.

Happy Saturday to all and welcome to the glamorous life of buttons! Wait, it's glamorous?! I didn't get that memo. Above is what I have been working on. Snowflakes and Alpacas...sexy (hmmm, right.) 

Clay is a muddy business and it only became remotely sexy with the movie Ghost. Believe me, Demi Moore I am not. Most potters detest even hearing that reference. 

I haven't thrown on my wheel for quite a while but really need to just for therapy. Like Calgon, take me away. There are times you need to have your mind go somewhere besides the task at hand.

Or the mess at hand. This is the usual mess on my work counter. Take your arm and push any and everything to the side so you can begin another project. At some point you will have the time to clean up the mess. 

Time is something I haven't had a lot of in my studio. I have started working outside of the studio. Something I haven't done for many, many years. You do what you have to do. 

I work at a wonderful gallery. What better place to be than a gallery and be able to look at art all day. It's an American Art and Craft Gallery. Yes, some of my jewelry is being sold there. 

I get to explain how items are made and techniques used. I love that part of my job and it helps customers understand what is put into making art. Along with the prices that go with the art.

The owner of the gallery uses Wholesalecrafts (lots) and also attends shows to purchase items for the gallery. I just realized yesterday that she placed an order with our own Virginia Miska. 

Since I am now uber curious to learn about Wholesalecrafts, 

My question(s) is:

Do you use wholecrafts.com? Is it worth the cost? Has it been a successful tool?

Do you vend at any of the wholesale shows to sell and market your art?

Answer one of my many questions on Art Bead Scene's blog and you could win the Celtic Buttons shown above.

My sincere apologies to the winner of my last Studio Saturday. 

I have misplaced your info, could you please resend. 

Feeling sassy as usual.

Tari Sasser

Creative Impressions In Clay

Bead Soup Blog Party

My Bead Soup Partner is Tania Spivey of Moobie Grace Designs. She makes beautiful Polymer Clay beads. I received 2 plus a clasp with another bead and her wonderful wire work. 

I stressed quite a while over this. Worried if I would make the deadline and not having any ideas that I thought were great. My daughter was in my studio the other day and I started pulling beads and findings out of boxes. Things are sorta still packed up from rearranging my studio. 

I found these beautiful strands of gemstone beads that I had forgotten about. They were brought from Russia and given to me by my son-in-laws mom. Perfect! The colors were just perfect. Kristen (my daughter) started throwing out ideas. She too knew I was stressed and offered help. I have been working on a large wholesale order and started a new job. I have been exhausted. Staying up till 3-4am glazing hasn't helped. I'm doing a show this entire weekend. My plate is overflowing.

Everything fell together after pulling loads of things out and putting them next to each other. Taking away and putting back..you know how the creative process goes. 

I use bright bold colors and Tania uses, as you can see, colors from nature. The Teal and Coral colors really work nicely. This absolutely pushed me out of my comfort zone. I really don't design jewelry of this type. I'm not the dainty flower kind of person. This was quite a challenge.

I finally got the photography right! I hate the days when I am photographically impaired. The first attempt was a total bust. 

Second attempt, I managed to get one photo I wasn't totally embarrassed to show, even though I didn't.

Three's a charm! You are looking at the results. I am very pleased with these.

Clasp close up.

My Bead Soup Partner, Tania Spivey of Moobie Grace Designs. Everything Tania sent me. 

I tried to use more of what she sent but it wasn't working. 

Please visit Tania, see is a very nice person plus she does beautiful work!
Click below for the complete list of all the Bead Soup Partiers. Visit all 362 of them!

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