Progress Since 2013 & 100k Amazing Followers on Instagram!

Hi everyone! Wow, this has been a wild journey since I started messing around with polymer clay in 2013! I wanted to use this milestone to take a look back to where it all began, so I decided to remake one of the first charms I ever made and talk through the differences a little. Chii from Chobits is the first character charm I made. Chobits is also the first manga I ever read, and the style of Chii has stayed with me for years - you may have noticed that some of my spirit charms are still heavily inspired by her hairstyle! So here are the two side by side so you can see the changes:

To make the first one I think I was still using some Sculpey III along with Premo, which made the clay very soft and difficult to work with. I also didn't mix Du-kit translucent into the clay, so the texture is different - slightly less luminous if that makes any sense. I also used Sculpey Gloss Glaze on the first one, which hasn't really stood the test of time. It has not become sticky, but has chipped and looks a little patchy. Now I use a matte glaze by Golden (Polymer Varnish with UVLS) or a gloss glaze which is actually a floor polish by Holloway House (Holloway House Quick Shine Floor Polish).

 The new Chii is 'rounded,' looking more like a 3d chibi from a side angle as well, whereas the first one is a bit flattened. The paints that were used for the details are actually still the same, although I've swapped out the magenta I used to use. It would go fluerescent once glazed as you can kind of make out on the hair ties of the first one.

  

The hair is not textured at the back on the original, although the length of that one's is more appropriate for Chii's long locks.

When I first started I ordered a bunch of cell phone lariats before realising the pieces get destroyed on them! I remember feeling so proud of how professional everything looked on its very own phone strap >.< Also the first pieces I made had eyepins, which tend to slip out, whereas I mostly use eye screws now.

I made two Chii inspired pieces in my first batch; with this one I decided to give her pink hair, and  include her little bunny plush, Atashi (which was remade as well). The new one is a bit simpler but a lot cleaner and less smushed :) Also, I am less excitable about colours than I used to be and tend to try to keep colour clashing to a minimum.

One of the things both of these little ones have in common is that they can STAND!! 

So that's the end of this little walk down memory lane :) I hope it gives anyone just starting out hope that improvement happens naturally over time and you can start at any time of your life (I started at 29 years old I think - And a more inspiring example is my Dad who is finally studying and doing what he loves in his 60s). I will be doing something special to celebrate and thank you for helping me reach the huge milestone on IG, most probably a giveaway- It won't be right away as I have only just finished setting up my work area and really need to focus on the next update first. Let me send out a huge THANK YOU to everyone who has stuck by me since the beginning or joined along the way! I haven't found more than a few people in my life that have been remotely interested in what I do, and the ones that tolerate me are mostly my family or closest friends. So to be able to connect with thousands of like-minded people is simply incredible. <3