ABOUT SMUDGES PERSONALIZED ORNAMENTS, MADE WITH POLYMER CLAY
If you are ever looking for an ornament that you don’t see here, visit the website below. I have a line of ornaments, called Ornament Central, designed by me and manufactured overseas. You cannot buy them directly from me, since I sell them wholesale only.
However, I am providing you with a link to an Ornament Central customer who carries my entire line. I am confident you will recognize my designs, and since the line is based on my Smudges ornaments, they will be a good match to any you have collected over the years.
When you click on the link and go to the website, put “ROOC” into the search at the top of the page. You will then be able to easily find most of my Ornament Central designs. Naturally, you can search by what you need, but this is one way to find my designs, since the owner carries a number of ornament lines. The website is:
Thank you, and have a wonderful Holiday season.
Christine Casey
Smudges
I began making my ornaments in 1983, long before polymer clay was on the market. At that time I sculpted my figures from salt dough. I switched to polymer clay in the mid-1990s, because of it’s flexibility and long-lasting nature. Polymer clay has characteristics that allow me to sculpt designs in action and with more detail than I ever could have with dough. It is long lasting and impervious to moisture, so my ornaments can be stored in the attic or basement with no worry that they will mold, mildew, soften or disintegrate.
So, to the process: We use many tools in our work sculpting Smudges personalized ornaments. We condition the clay with a food processor and a pasta machine. We also use the food processor to mix colors of clay together to get the shades we want. I mainly use Premo clay, manufactured in this country by Polyform Products. Premo colors are based on the oil paint color chart. I also use some Fimo clay, which is manufactured in Germany. These are my personal preferences because I find these clays finish harder than other polymer clays, and because they are available in the best colors to suit my needs.
After the clay is conditioned, the sculpting process begins. Each ornament is hand sculpted with the use of many clay tools and cutters, and even a garlic press to get the hair and beard textures. We put a hook in the top of the ornament so the ornament can be hung on a holiday tree or an ornament stand (which we sell.) When the ornament is completed, we fire it at a low temperature after which we cool it. Then I draw faces with graphic artists' ink, and we paint on details. We also attach ornaments to light switch plates, plaques, picture frames and door hangers, which we can personalize with the recipient's name as well.
If you are a verifiable store owner, or have a mall cart or kiosk, you may be interested in my wholesale line of ornaments. Each of these ornaments is designed by me, but they are manufactured overseas, in order that we can sell them at a reasonable price for retail businesses. For more information about ordering this wholesale line, please go to www.ornamentcentral.com. Ornament Central ornaments are sold ONLY wholesale, after verification that you have a retail business, and in minimum quantities.
