Still no step by step pictures... but here are more sample photos/scans:

Sample page

A pasta machine is Essential for this project.

Step 1:

Condition all your clay well, even the little bits for the colored layer. Roll out a sheet of white about 10 inches by 3 inches in a medium-thin thickness. (heck of a size description, I know)

Step 2:

Roll out the pearl clay in a medium-thin thickness. Same size as the white. Lay it on top of the white clay, and brayer.

Step 3:

Next roll out the translucent clay in a thicker setting of your pasta machine. Same size as before, and layer it to the pearl. Brayer as before.

Step 4:

Now comes the fun part. Take a large pinch of any colored clay, condition and run thru the pasta machine at the same thickness as the translucent.

Step 5:

Lay the colored clay down on your work surface, and slice it into bits. Don't worry about them being even, just hack it up!

Step 6:

Pick up the bits and place them randomly over the translucent layer. As you get more bits on there, you can overlap some instead of trying to fit pieces in the empty spots.

Step 7:

When you have the translucent clay pretty well covered with colored clay, brayer the whole thing and then put it thru your pasta machine on the thickest setting.

Step 8:

Cut one short end of your long strip of layered clay off for a starting place. Make a small snake from this clay, as even as possible, and lay it over the end you just cut. This will give you a center to roll the clay around.

Step 9:

Roll the cane up starting with the end you evened off. Keep it tight and try not to roll up air bubbles. Instead of trying to make both sides line up, just concentrate on one side (long end) and don't worry about the other.

Step 10:

Roll the cane a bit. How much is a bit? Don't reduce more than say 3/4 the size you started with after rolling it up. Mainly what you want is to smooth it out and make sure the roll is nice and tight.

Step 11:

Now take your ruler and a sheet of baking parchment to fit folded over the ruler. Lay the edge of the ruler down the cane lengthwise, and push it into the clay until you reach the center. Pull it out, turn the clay 1/4 turn, and press the ruler into the clay again. Repeat twice more so that you've quartered the clay with the ruler.

Step 12:

Again with the ruler, press into the clay in between each of the quarters. You want a total of 8 cuts into the clay, but more or less will be fine. The more cuts you can do, the more petals your flower will have.

Roll the cane again some after making the cuts to round it up.

Step 13:

Optional: roll out a very thin sheet of pale pearl color (you can tint white to any color you like) and cover the cane with that before slicing.

Cut the ends off, and Voila! You have a chrysanthemum cane!

Large bead instructions:

I used the ends to make the middle of a large bead. You can use any scrap clay, don't want to waste good stuff. Roll the scrap ends into a ball, and cover with thin sheets of a pearl color, then with slices of cane.

Or, after covering some mud clay with sheets of any plain clay, roll between the palms to smooth. Apply thin slices of your Chrysanthemum cane, and roll between the hands to smooth.

For a key chain, flatten the ball of clay.

Twist up at least 3 lengths of wire for the eye of the key chain. Scraps or failed experiments work well. Just want it to be strong, so use at least 3 strands. Fold the twist over to make a loop, and twist the ends together. Don't try to smooth or even up the ends, we want it rather messy and poking out. (but flat)

Make sure your loop isn't going to poke right thru the flattened ball of clay, that is... cut it off so that when you poke it into the clay it only goes part way thru.

Hold your clay steady on the work surface, and poke your loop of wire into the flattened ball of clay.

If your wire made a big hole going in, use your fingers and or a flat tool to smooth the clay around the wire. I also flattened it a bit more to tighten up around the wire.

Burnish any big finger prints off, and smooth the clay as much as possible before baking.

Bake! Sand! Finish! And then add a split ring to hold your keys.