In 1996 Carolyn, started her present career working with polymer clay. In a few short years, she has developed over 2 dozen separate commercial lines of woman's accessories and fun jewelry.

Carolyn's organization, called Carolyn Eland Art, is a cottage industry. She attends national wholesale shows, regional craft shows, is presented in a number of electronic catalogs, and is online under her website.

The Jewelry is made with a polymer clay using a process called 'MILLEFIORI'. This technique can be traced back to ancient Egypt and Roman Empires.

It starts with a coil, the simplest of designs. One layer of clay over another, like a jelly roll. The clay is rolled into a coil is called a CANE. After it is rolled to the desired size, it is cut, and baked. The individual pieces are called BEADS. The next design is a checkerboard. One square of colored clay over another of a different color and formed into a block or check pattern. A flower is formed by making a petal and duplicating it a number of times for the other petals. The designs get more complex until the face, probably the most difficult of all designs. The face can take up to 8 hours to make and use up to 10 lbs of clay.

After the air has been squeezed out of the cane and is cut into a workable length, rolled to a desired size, the beads are cut and baked.

The beads are used in bracelets, necklaces, earrings, and other accessories.

"Mokume Gane" is a Japanese technique which uses 10 sheets of different shades of clay and gold or silver leaf layered between each sheet of clay to reveal a variety of amazing patterns.

All hand made. There is no painting or machine work involved.