Day 86 – 100 Days of Polymer Clay

Technique: Makume Gane flower pendant
Win: Yes

Challenge:

• To create another Makume Gane slab, this time focusing on poking gold into the layers so that flashes of gold would definitely appear in the final reveal
• To experiment with circles and dots in an attempt to guide and control the patterns within the layers a little more intentionally

Lessons Learned:

• I used a collection of leftover scraps because my clay supplies are running dangerously low, and it reminded me that scraps can still produce something unexpectedly beautiful
• The combination of green, white, and gold feels rich, earthy, and slightly enchanted, like something dug up from an old botanical treasure box

Confidence Level: 8/10

Notes:
Even with a little more control introduced through the use of dots and circular patterning, the final slab still unfolded like a surprise package from the polymer clay universe. Makume Gane continues to be wonderfully unpredictable, and part of the joy is accepting that the clay always has its own opinion.

I also realised again how naturally I gravitate toward flowers in my work. There is something endlessly comforting about organic shapes, but I wanted this pendant to feel a little different from my usual solitary flower designs. The layered arrangement gives it more movement and personality, almost like a tiny cluster blooming together.

Joining components neatly is still one of the trickier skills for me. Precision work asks for a kind of patience and exactness that does not always come naturally, but every piece teaches me a little more about balance, structure, and slowing down long enough to make the details behave