Polymer Clay Canes for Beginners

27 videos, step by step, beginner cane workshop beginner Cane Tutorial What people are saying about this tutorial. jennifer rose Just finished this first workshop on how to make canes, and I must say I learned so much. This is exactly what I have been looking for, someone who could explain cane making in a step by step that process that I could replicate. I watched the videos, went into my studio and began to create all of the canes Alice showed. I finally have results I can be proud of, and I say thank you so much for doing this workshop. My only question now is when do we get more workshops. If you are only going to take one online class let it be this workshop. Thank you Alice for your hard work, and your dedication to helping others learn the joys of polymer clay.

Online Workshops with Alice Stroppel

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Member IPCA

Member IPCA

I’m glad you’re here

This is my oldest blog that I began in 2009. It’s full of all my Polymer adventures until a few years ago. My current work can be seen at www.alicestroppelsstudio215 or on my Instagram account.

For my latest workshops, both virtual and in person, check out www.alicestroppel.com.

You can sign up for my newsletter there as well and I’ll let you know where and when I’ll be teaching.

Online Workshops Ready to Launch

Beginners Cane workshop

I’ve been working hard for the last few months preparing an online workshop to kick off my newest adventure with teaching polymer clay

I’ve started my online school that will feature more than just tutorials. For me it’s a new take on the online video or pdf.

Visit my Blog Alice Stroppel’s Studio 215 for more info.

Polymer Journeys

PJ 2015 Front Cover_1I’m proud to say that one of my pieces is included in this inaugural issue of an exciting new polymer retrospective, Polymer Journeys. Sage Bray is the mastermind behind this publication along with her exceptional magazine The Polymer Arts.

It’s a beautiful look at some of the worlds most talented polymer artists. A fabulous coffee table book even for those who don’t work in clay.

Thank you again Sage and team.

 

International Polymer Clay

IPCA International Polymer Clay  Nov. - Dec. 2015

IPCA International Polymer Clay Nov. – Dec. 2015

I am honored to be the featured artist in the Nov. – Dec. International Polymer Clay Publication. I was interviewed and more of my work can be seen inside.

I’m  humbled by the polymer talent around the world and feel extremely fortunate when I’m asked to be included in that family.

Many thanks to Corliss Rose and the International Polymer Clay Association.  

Are you a member? If not, I suggest you take a minute to look at everything this organization has to offer. Here’s their membership page. 

Even if you are not a member, you can still get a free copy of the  publication. Just email editor@theipca.org and they will send you the e-publication.

Houston Lone Star Retreat

Houston Lone Star Retreat

I’ve just returned from teaching at the Houston Polymer Clay Guild’s Lone Star Retreat and what a great time I had. I’ve blogged about it all here on my Studio 215 site.

And just so you know, I’m teaching a “build your cane inventory” workshop on Oct. 3, 2015 at Studio 215. Read all about it here.

 

Catching Up or What I’ve Been Up To

It’s been over a month since I’ve posted here on Polymer Clay Etc. and so much has happened. All good, exciting and fun.  You might have seen these images and heard all this before on Facebook etc. but this is for my friends who aren’t on those other social media sites.

First of all I had a private Pen and Ink workshop with Mary Jane Reinhart and she created a great bracelet that day. You should see the work she’s doing now, fabulous! Plus she’s so much fun, I love having her in the Studio.

Mary Jane Reinhart

eye - Mary Jane Reinhart

I was over the moon when I received the newest addition of Belle Armoire Jewelry magazine,  just before I left town for a retreat.

Belle Armoire Jewelry Magazine 

Laurie Prophater wrote a wonderful article about a challenge she proposed to Meisha Barbee, Julie Eakes and me when they were all staying at my house and playing at Studio 215 while Meisha was teaching. (Read about the fun we had here.) I’m thrilled to be published along with these talented women. Thank you Laurie for thinking of such a enjoyable project.

Next I met up with several claying friends in Denver, Syndee Holt, Julie Eakes, Meisha Barbee, Libby Mills, and Emily Levine, we had a great time.  Crazy but oh so much fun!

syndee, Julie, Meisha

 

Then it was on to the retreat where we exchanged bowls. 25 incredible bowls came home with me and this exchange started me on my bird obsession. I posted about my bird bowls and my larger bird wall piece here.

I came home with many wonderful things from an auction we have every year and I purchased some lovely pieces from my friends to sell at Studio 215 with more to come. I can wait to share some of them with you. I’ll be posting them on my Studio 215 blog and on my Studio 215 Facebook page. If you’d like to see what I’m up to at the Studio, sign up to receive a notice each time I post, my newsletter, and like my Facebook page.

I can be found on Instagram , Twitter,  and Tumbr too. Whew.

Last week I was featured by Cynthia Tinapple on Polymer Clay Daily  and that is always treat and a compliment. Thank you Cynthia.

I was featured with my newest face that I created for the auction at the retreat. I was flattered that there was many bids on it.

Alice Stroppel Face 8-15

I made this cool graphic using an app called Canva. My friend Meredith Arnold shared this with me and I can’t stop using it. Very cool, thanks Meredith.

Here’s another graphic made with Canva showing off my newest bird weed pot prototypes that I worked on while on retreat. I hope to get more of these done showcasing different critters and characters. I’m smiling and that is always my goal, to create things that make me smile.

Alice Stroppel bird weed pots

The beginning of September brought more laughter and fun at Studio 215 when several of my favorite people came to take a Profile Face cane class with me. We had a great time for sure.

Polymer clay face cane studio215--9-3-15

Dottie, Kathryn, Barbara, AnnaMarie, Majel, and Mary Jane are new converts to polymer and I believe they aren’t getting away without clay sticking in they brains. They’re having as much fun as I did with I first started, but they’re lucky to have others to share the experience. Thanks, ya’ll are making me so happy to see you having so much fun and making such cool things.

Then to top it all off, Kathryn Obidzinski has been my apprentice for several months now and before I went on retreat she started a palette knife polymer clay self portrait. I think she created a wonderful piece. I know she had fun, learned a lot and I hope I can reel her in to explore polymer clay a bit more.

Katherine-Obinzinski

 

I’m spending the rest of the day prepping for the Houston Polymer Clay Guild’s Lone Star Retreat. I’ll be teaching along with Randee Ketzel and Sarah Shriver. Next month it’s Sandy Camp in San Diego. Just too much fun!!!

 

Thanks for stopping in, Alice

 

 

Birds Everywhere

I’ve been obsessed with birds over the last few months. (I’m blaming Laura Prohater and Barb Harper, you two know why *g*) It’s all ending with this crazy bird, or maybe its just the tip of the iceberg, maybe there are more of these guys in my future.

Alice Stroppel's Crazy Bird

He’s 18″ tall and I’m either going to frame him or free hang him. I’m working on a hanging solution that will allow me to hang my characters without a frame.

Now the real reason birds have haunted my dreams. I’ve been working on these bird  bowls for an exchange I’ll be taking part in. In the beginning I thought I must have lost my mind to think I would ever finish 26 bird bowls. especially since several broke apart in the oven until I figured out you can’t take the bowl out and add more things and then bake again. I think it was late one night and I was oh so tired. But lesson learned. Alice Stroppel's bird bowls  I really have learned so much about making bird bowls so there might be more on my table soon, or maybe even a workshop at Studio 215.

I used quite a bit of extruded canes with these birds and with my Charming Canes. Looks like I’m on an extruder kick. It fun, effective, and attractive. so what’s not to love?

 

 

 

Happenings at Studio 215

I now have to blogs and two Facebook accounts, one Instagram, one flickr, a Google + account and two Youtube accounts because ever since Goole merged with Youtube I can’t get on my original one at all. Whew, it’s just hard to keep up.

Here’s my blog link for Alice Stroppel’s Studio 215 where you’ll find all  my workshops listed.

That’s my excuse for not posting here, actually forgetting to post here, so I apologized to all of you who don’t check in to all those other places.

Here’s what I’ve have been working on for the last month.

Alice Stroppel three charms

Alice Stroppel Charm Bracelet

 

These new charms are such fun, I had my first Charming Canes workshop (thanks Cynthia Tinapple and Polymer Clay Daily for the name)  this past weekend and I really believe everyone had a good time and learned a lot. At least they all came back day #two with smiles on their faces.

Alice Stroppel's Studio 215

Michele Backus, Dottie Bade, Linda Easton, Mary Jane Reinhart,
Sara Pietruk, Majel Bowerman, Annamarie Grimes

I worked on a color palette for this workshop  using mainly Premo Cobalt Blue, Fuchsia, and Zinc Yellow. Then all colors where Skinner blended with white. I was pleased with the results. Just look at the charms this group created. It really was a greatly satisfying workshop for me.

Alice Stroppel's Stduio 215 Charming Canes Workshop Alice Stroppel's Stduio 215 Charming Canes Workshop Alice Stroppel's Stduio 215 Charming Canes Workshop Alice Stroppel's Stduio 215 Charming Canes Workshop

Thanks to the support of my community and my friends and fellow clayers from around the country, my studio is doing very well and I’m having the best time. Such a lucky girl.

Alice In Wonderland

I was so happy that my “Alice in Wonderland”  tea set was featured on Polymer Clay Daily in the beginning of this month. But I was upset with myself that I haven’t finished it. I’d been working on it since before Christmas, but I bought my Studio and have been busy with all that brings with it.

Thanks to Cynthia Tinapple and PCD I’ve finished most of the characters. It will always be a work in progress I think. but here’s a look at it as it is now. I hope you enjoy it and get a smile or two.

You can see the tea set in person at Alice Stroppel’s Studio 215 in Sebring  FL .

you can get more information about Studio 215, classes and items for sale at the Studio’s blog. while you’re there, sign up for my newsletter, you’ll be the first to know what classes are being offered and what exciting instructors are coming to teach.

 

 

Into the Garden

Into the Garden Alice Stroppel

My newest wall piece, Into the Garden, 21″ x 29″.  It’s funny, I had this almost finished month’s ago, before I bought my new Studio. I sat down with it again and decided to double the size. I worked on it feverishly for days, took pictures to share on Facebook and realized by looking at the photos that I had actually done two completely different pieces.

I shouldn’t share them with you, but hey, we all make mistakes right? I was lucky that I could save this one and I almost have the second one finished. So I still don’t have my larger one, but I will have two smaller ones instead. Both will be for sale at Studio 215.

Here’s the photo of the larger one almost finished. Can you see the two different styles? Just goes to show you that switching in the middle requires a bit of planning,

Double Wall flowers

The bottom part, the part I did months ago is very tight, with flowers touching flowers. the top part has more background, more loose flowers. You can almost see how much I wanted to get this one finished and up on the wall.

Lesson learned. I always take pictures and take a good look at my projects that way, sometimes we are just too close.

I’ve been posting to my new blog for Studio 215, head on over there and sign up for updates when I post and for my newsletter letting you know what’s going on at Studio 215.  I shared snydee holt’s visit and our encounters with alligators there the other day.

 I also have a new page on Facebook,  Alice Stroppel’s Studio 215  what else? I’d  love for you to like it and share it with your friends.

Here’s a list of all the workshops I have coming up at Studio 215. I’m having lots of workshops for beginners but I have will be adding more classes all the time. I sure hope you can join me some day.