27 videos, step by step, beginner cane workshop
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.
A friend is having a birthday this month and several of us met for dinner and had a great time. This friend has so many of my “girls” in every form I’ve ever made so I thought it was time I’d make her something totally different.
I made this neckpiece for my birthday friend using one of Helen Breil’s texture sheets and a piece of Stroppel cane. The funny thing is the colors blended so well in person, you couldn’t see the blue tones in the cane as much as you can in this photo. I still like it, it’s interesting and different and hope my friend likes it too.
I’ve had the texture sheet for several months, I bought it at a retreat where I met Helen for the first time. What a talented lady, just take a look at her fabulous work.
I was lucky to be in a slide swap with Helen and this is the very cool slide I received.
Helen Breil and Alice Stroppel Swap
The back side of my piece is fun too because of the great texture from the sheets.
I was working on several things this weekend, more girlfriend slides in my Etsy shop and several of my new bracelets.
Two of the new bracelets were for the International Polymer Clay Associations competition Progress and Possibilities. I have never entered any competitions with my clay work except in a monthly Viola polymeristas once or twice. I hadn’t planned on sending anything to this competition until my friend Suzanne Ivester asked me why not. I told her , “I don’t know, I don’t know what I would send? She kind of wagged her email finger at me and made me think it was time to see if I could come up with a design.
I’ve been working hard to make my work as professional as I can, as smoothly finished and well made as possible. Now it’s time to take the next step and start pushing those other buttons like others approval, how will it measure up, and just plain ol’ fright.
Yep fright! You might think that is totally crazy coming from someone who blogs all the time, exposes my work to thousands of readers everyday, makes videos of my techniques and shows myself in these videos from time to time!
But it’s true, asking someone else to judge your work is totally different than just sharing it with those who want to take a look or actually buy something you’ve made.
But I don’t think I’m alone in feeling this way, so I’m going to pass on my challenge from Suzanne to you, make something and enter it in Progress and Possibilities 2011. There are three categories – Art Jewelry, Functional Objects and Sculptural Objects with three levels of expertise – Beginners, Intermediate and Professional. So you see, even if you are a beginner there is a place for you. If you are Intermediate like me, then I double dog dare you. If you’re professional…..well enough said.
I double dog dare you!
In the meantime, I’m still sending girlfriends to Etsy. I’ll show pictures of my new bracelets another day.
When Randee Ketzel sent me two of her Stroppel cane bracelets, well I was blown away by her thoughtfulness. I will always treasure them. I wanted to send Randee something in return so I decided to make a girlfriend wearing something well…..Stroppel! If you want to see her in her Stroppel cane sweater, she’s on Randee’s flickr site.
I sat down to make more girlfriend slides and thought why not do a series of Stroppel Sweater Girls. So now I’m just laughing and making sweater girls. I figured you can wear one or two or even three. You could collect as many as your neck will hold. lol… Okay now I’m just being silly.
Both of these girls are for sale in my Etsy shop and there will be more to come. Thanks Randee for the inspiration.
Bracelets by Randee M Ketzel - Owner Alice Stroppel
Look what came in the mail today!!!!! These beautiful crazy wonderful bracelet from Randee M. Ketzel and they are actually mine now!
Seriously, where else but in the polymer clay community would you find such generosity? Randee M. Ketzel better known as RMKDesign was one of the first to try the Stroppel cane. Her efforts were nothing short of extremely cool!!!!
I commented on the photos on her Flickr site and she said this to me, “Alice, I love this!! So fun to do–and finally I’m not feeling guilty about all my failed canes anymore–you’ve given them purpose. If I can ever return the favor, please don’t hesitate to ask.”
Weeeelllll I said, “uhmmmmm let’s see…..I should ask for everyone’s first born creation from their first SC….yeah that’s it. Just think what a collection I could have, man……. the vision. lol”
She asked for my address and I said, “oh no I couldn’t” as I sent it to her. And today, in the mail, two babies came to live at my house.
They are beautiful and funky and very cool. They are some of the very first pieces made after I posted my video. Thank you Randee, I’ll treasure these forever. Plus…..I’ll wear the heck out of them along with telling the story. I always say the story is as important as the rest.
Randee, I can’t tell you how happy these made me. Thank you again.
The very first person to send me a picture of her Stroppel cane was Melanie Bright, so her cane is the first one in this post. Actually her’s will be the only one talked about individually in this post.
This was funny, Melanie’s email had jadejeweler in it and I wrote back calling her Jade. When I realized my mistake, I wrote her back to say I was sorry and then I just decide I’d call her Jadegirl. We both had a laugh. Thank you Jadegirl for being the first to share your cane, I love the bright pink pops.
I have been trying to keep up with all the pictures around the internet and the world, (I’m grinning here) and I was going to post each one because I need to say thank you in a big way.
But I don’t want to leave anyone out or put anyone first, so I’ll just give you a link to my Pinterest site where I have been gathering as many as I come across. Thanks to Cara Jane fro the UK for the idea to use Pinterst to gather them together.
If you have posted a picture of your Stroppel cane (if you’ve try it that is) send me an email with the address and I’ll pin it.
Here’s a preview of what’s there, but once you get to Pinterest if you click on each picture it will take you to that person’s website or Flickr site.
A great BIG thank you to each and everyone of you, it’s been such an incredible experience.
I just want to take the time to thank Cynthia Tinapple from Polymer Clay Daily once again for another feature about the Stroppel cane. This morning she linked to several polymer clay artists that have been experimenting with the technique and I have to say that I am truly delighted by the results. Thanks to everyone who is playing and posting about the Stroppel cane, it’s been so much fun!
Now on to what I’ve been playing with……new profile face bangles.
I’ve been working on these new bangles in between having so much fun with the Stroppel cane. In fact the one on the bottom of the pile is one I was working on while on retreat and it has some Stroppel cane on it. But in my head I saw this style bracelet made with my face canes and a couple of other ways I haven’t been able to out of my head and into clay yet.
These are just the prototypes, still working on perfecting the process. But I’ll have some up for sale on Etsy before the week is out. I’m working on more ideas, so be sure to check back and see what mischief I’ve been up to.
I just noticed how much purple is in each of these, well, I like purple and I guess it shows. And lime green……….
This is a view of the backs. These bracelets really make a wonderful canvas for just about anything you want to create. I’m having fun again, but when don’t I have fun when clay is involved?
Thanks to Laurie Prophater and her inspiration bracelet that I’m so lucky to own from our trade. It was the shape that just made my head start to whirl. It was the first time I’d held one like it in my hands and had the free time to ponder. Retreats are a very good thing, gets your imagination jumping.
After reading what everyone else was doing with the Stroppel cane, using up old canes and not just scraps on their work tables, I decided that I needed to dig around in my really old canes and see what I had. Tons! I have Tons of old canes, most of them made from Sculpey III that I won’t ever use for anything else and some of them really pretty bad. So experimenting was it.
I also have a desire to do wall art with polymer clay, I made this cane that has layers as wide as 1/4″ to 1/2″. I sliced it and added what I call my dot, dot, dot cane and am now ready to attach them to the canvas shown below. I just can’t decide what to do with the background, the canvas or which way to place the pieces. I’ve already baked them.
I like the contrast of the black against the white so I might just paint the canvas white. I think I have to look at it for awhile. Maybe they would look better like this……
Just me having fun again. Thank to all of you for your ideas for the Stroppel Cane.
The Stroppel Cane – Saving Unused Cane Slices From Ending Up in the Mud Pile!
I am very excited to share my newest invention with you. I call it The Stroppel Cane! For the last couple of months, as I clean up my workspace after a project, I make a Stroppel Cane from the “not so perfect cane slices” and any other scraps I have on my work tile.
You can use these canes in any number of ways and I’ll be featuring some projects here on my blog in the future. From time to time, just do a search for The Stroppel Cane and see what comes up.
Please leave a comment it you liked this new video. Without feed back I don’t know if what I’m sharing is reaching anyone or if you are enjoying or finding what I’m sharing useful. And do share it on Facebook and Twitter and send the link to your friends. I love hearing from you in any form. Enjoy!
I just have to tell you …. I love teaching …. and …….. I love teaching new caners. The smiles and looks on the faces of the ladies in my class this weekend at Beads F.O.B. in Sarasota just put me in a good mood for the next month at least.
Thanks to Karen at Beads F. O. B. for keeping all the paperwork straight and Marty for all her work and for letting me come join the fun. Looks like I’ll be going back to teach again soon so check back to see when you might be able to come join us.
We made so many canes and turned some of them into beads and some into pendants, I’m only showing the pendants here.
Joan was having a great time and already had plans for a volunteer project and began working on it before class was over.
Marlene
I heard this high little yell from Marlene and wondered what was wrong. It was all excitement at her table, she had just successfully reduced that little leaf cane and was tickled with herself. It reminded me of the first time I reduced a cane and all the possibilities that were running through my head.
Marty
Marty made earrings and enjoyed the whole creative process. She is one fun polymer clayer.
Lois
I looked up one time to see the biggest grin on Lois’ face. She had just made several successful canes in a great combo of colors and I could see the wheels turning behind those smiling bright eyes.
Christine
Christine said she couldn’t go to sleep the first night and couldn’t wait to get back to work on her canes on Sunday. Her enthusiasm shows in her work.
Cathe
Cathe’s work is big and bold. Her color combinations are bright and work so well together.
I’m so sorry that Marina had to leave early and I didn’t get a picture of her work.
(two days later, update) Marina sent me a picture of her work, I’m so happy to be able to include it. I just didn’t feel right for her pieces to be missing. Thanks Marina!
Marina Montagut
I love how everyone created their own colors and Marina loves to do mini piece. I can’t wait to see what she comes up with.
I also didn’t take a class picture. We ran over time, we were having so much fun, and people started to leave before I remembered the group photo. Thanks to all my student, I really appreciate how easy you made it to show you what I know, it was great fun.
I’ve been spending some time developing a class for beginners, beginner caners that is. I know so many clayer that haven’t made a cane or weren’t very successful at caning and just gave up. I also know many people that are interested in learning more about polymer clay, but don’t know where to start.
Marty Montague and Karen Johnsnon from Beads, F.O.B. in Sarasota, FL attended my pen and ink class last month and saw some of my colorful beads and asked if I would teach a caning class in Sarasota. Polymer clay is the perfect compliment to beads of all kinds. Creating a focal bead from polymer and pairing it with other elements gives the beaded an even greater ownership of a piece. I’ll be truly excited to see what the beaders from Marty’s shop will create after this workshop
I’ll be teaching the two day workshop on Aug. 20th and 21st. Learn more in my class section, or download this pdf for all the information. To register for this workshop call Beads, F.O.B. at 941-921-0871.
These are a few of the samples I’ve been making from to basic Skinner blends that I will be teaching in this workshop. Each new caner will walk away with enough canes to make hundreds of different pieces and because it’s a two day workshop, there will be time to create lots of beads or pendants before we all go home.
A friend is having a birthday this month and several of us met for dinner and had a great time. This friend has so many of my “girls” in every form I’ve ever made so I thought it was time I’d make her something totally different.
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