Sea Worthy Weekend

My freedom from the job began this weekend with a wonderful "Date Night" with One Ring. We grabbed some dinner at a new (to us) Thai restaurant, then hustled over to see Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. While it was not as good, in my opinion, as the first one, it was still better than the second and third installment. All of the press that I saw suggested that it was based on Tim Power's novel On Stranger Tides. However, the end credits stated that the movie was "suggested by" the book. Which meant that there was very little similarity to Power's work. Which is a shame, because - as I've posted before - I found the book enjoyable.

Afterwards, One Ring asked me, "So was the movie like the book?" I told her that it was really not like it much at all. When she asked what they had in common, I answered, "Blackbeard and the Fountain of Youth. Maybe zombies. I'm not sure about the mermaids." Vampire mermaids, I might add, who resembled Victoria Secret models trying to look like they stepped off the set of the Twilight movies. Sigh.

Still, it was a enjoyable film. Lots of action, several funny moments, and enough serious points to keep it from being an out and out comedy. Plus there was the added bonus of a Church of England priest being a central character. Finally, the combination of chaplains and pirates! Dude even picked up a sword! I came close to doing a happy dance at that point.

But that was not all that was sea worthy this weekend.

Sunday marked the return of my polymer clay classes. I had taken a six month hiatus due to the Dude arriving in the world, but now life's at the point where I could start teaching back up again. That's pretty awesome on a number of levels. I enjoy doing it, and it helps me to learn techniques. Like this past weekend, where I taught mokume gane - which is a done by layering thin sheets of different color clays, manipulating it by pressing objects down into the clay then back filling the holes they create, and then slicing thin layers off the top. I only had two students, but that worked out really well because I was able to give more attention and help them out.

Anyway, I have been trying to figure out how to create faux driftwood beads out of polymer clay. We don't get a lot of driftwood out my way (Tennessee, I'm sad to report!), and even if we did, I lack the equipment necessary to form them out of wood. Using the class as a jumping off point, I was able to create these beads, which I immediately put to use in one of my sea glass chokers. I'm actually wearing it at work now, which shows how pleased I am with the finished product. The beads aren't exact replicas of driftwood, but it's definitely the best result I've had thus far.

The beads.
















And the sea glass choker where I put them to use.












I also created a sea glass necklace for my mother, with polymer clay beads made with the same technique, only different colors. A busy weekend, craft wise, but a very enjoyable one!