Polymer Clay Canes for Beginners 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.
Online Workshops with Alice Stroppel
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 If you’re looking for my OWOH giveaway it’s here
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 I finished these Girlfriend Galore bracelets yesterday and popped them in to cure last night. Spent the morning taking pictures and cropping etc., loading two of them on my Etsy site and flickr, and now here. Yikes. It’s 2pm and I’d rather be claying……
But that’s the way it is and I guess I just need to get over it. But I am glad to be using backgrounds instead of cutting each item out in Photoshop. My printer has gotten a bit sad and I’ve just ordered a new laser printer. I’ve wanted one for years and could never justify the expense when I had a perfectly good inkjet sitting right here.
But to tell you the truth, this “free” printer really costs more to operate because of the ink. Anyway, I’m waiting for it now and I can’t wait to print all those background with the laser.
Anyway, back to the “girlfriends”. I’ve listed two of these bracelets in my Etsy shop. The wider one below……
and this smaller one…..
I made one of these to go to the auction at Orlando Area Polymer Clay Guild’s Fandango coming up in May. It’s a super fun event and if your thinking about going…..stop thinking….just go, you’ll love it. Beautiful place, beautiful weather, beautiful people. Check it out on their website here.
What are you working on? Thanks for stopping by today.
I was working on some Alice in Wonderland prototype pieces for a client and was incorporating black and white checks. I had this piece left over and as is my M.O. I couldn’t let it go to waste and made this funky hat for one of my girls.
So I call her Alice, maybe in wonderland, maybe just what I feel I look like sometimes. I’ve mounted her on a piece of black foam core and framed her. She is actually quite large, about 4″ x 7″.
Up she’ll go on my wall, and after I look at her awhile, I’ll decide if I want to sell her. I’ve been thinking of doing a family series. Framed portrait of woman like Alice that you could claim as you sister or Mother or great Aunt…well Great Aunt Alice.
A collection! That’s it! lol I am having way too much fun….I think my samples are cured, back to play, er……… I mean work.
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If you’re looking for my OWOH giveaway it’s here
I’ve added some Girlfriend Wine stoppers to my Etsy Shop. I’ve made so many of these and they still make people laugh.
They’re fun to do and if you want the perfect gift for that girlfriend of yours who is always there for you, and that is the first person you call for the “leave the husbands, boyfriends, or significant other at home” night out. Then this is the gift for you! All my girlfriends have one. So stop in my shop to see what else is new.
Or make one yourself, I buy my bottle stoppers at Boston Craftworks. You don’t have to make a girlfriend stopper, I’ve made some funky flamingos that I’ve posted in my shop too. I really laugh at these guys.
The flamingo is several canes that I put together directly on the piece. It takes more time, but I like the results.
Alice
P.S. If you own a blog and would like to win one of my bracelets, just click on the link below to participate in One World One Heart.
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If you’re looking for my OWOH giveaway it’s here
I’m doing two trades with two incredible mosaic artists, Laura Pattison and Doreen Bell. It all started when I saw the rainbow mosaic above that Laura made for a trade with Doreen. Polymer Clay canes are similar and have long been compared to glass millefiori canes so it’s no wonder that I was drawn to their work. Laura is living in Spain and Doreen is here in the U.S..
I loved the rainbow, it was so colorful and fun, I asked Laura if we could trade too or if I could buy one. Happily she agreed to a trade, she wanted my funny girl business card holder below. I’ll post a picture of my rainbow when it gets here.
Laura does some really wonderful work, you should see the cat she’s making for her parents, plus check out all the other cool things on her flickr pages.
 Funny Girl Then Doreen emailed me about buying some of my girls for a project she has in mind. I had already seen her work and loved all her crazy women and off the wall pieces, so I was delighted when she said she’d trade.
I sent her the 7 girls below to use in her work and I am so excited to see how she’ll do that. How interesting to be combining the two mediums. It certainly has my head spinning with possibilities.
I’ve seen a few pictures of my prize from Doreen, but will wait until it’s completely finished before I post her here. You can check out Doreen’s so cool work on her flickr site
Thank you Laura and Doreen for making these trades a highlight for me. You are making me laugh and giggle and that’s the most favorite thing I do. But most of all I’ll own some wonderful pieces of artwork from two incredible artist and make some terrific new friends. What a great experience.
 I was making inchies for the International swap and fell in love with the little squares. After I finished all my valentine squares for the swap, I couldn’t wait to put some of my girls on the little squares and make some beads. This bracelet is for sale in my Etsy Shop.
And naturally they have to be friends, a blonde………
Another blonde………
And one with black hair…….a twist on my girlfriends bracelets.
And how could I not include a set of big lips???
I used buna cord for stinging. I didn’t want to have to make four more focal beads or a bunch of little ones. It seem to have worked very well. I wore it around the studio all day yesterday and it was very comfortable.
Still working on pen and ink…more tomorrow.
 Santa Ornament I haven’t been doing very much clay work in the last week, I’ve been painting gift bags, cooking and getting ready for Christmas.
I didn’t want Christmas to be over before I wished you all a very merry one. I hope all your wishes come true and I hope that the Christmas spirit is with you each day of the coming year.
Since I didn’t have anything recent to share, I thought I’d share an ornament I made about 8 years ago maybe. The face is not mine, it is from a member of City-O-Clay cane swap, City-O-Clay is a yahoo group full of very helpful people and a great place to get help with questions about anything polymer clay.
When I saw this face cane, I was so amazed by the detail, that I knew I had to make face canes. The sad part is that I can’t remember who made the face cane. I was so excited to receive it as one of my swap items. If it looks familiar, I’d love it if you’d leave me comment.
He was just a face, beard and those so funny teeth. I started to laugh the minute I saw him and I still laugh each time I see him. I added the santa hat, hair and suit. I added holly and large Ho Ho Ho letters on the back. I love him, he’s so funny and not your typical santa. I enjoy getting him out each year.
See you again before the New Year.
I’ve been enjoying seeing all the profile face canes that people have made using my Profile Face Cane tutorial. It’s amazing how different they all look and what each person adds to the faces to make them their own.
 Kem Eid This is a necklace made by Kem Eid. Kem was in my face cane class in Orlando. She added her face to a great necklace and is already enjoying wearing this girl and getting lots of compliments I bet.
 Donna Ingram Donna Ingram was one of my first customer. She bought the tutorial, downloaded the pdf and watched the 40 minute video. Donna added a hand and a cell phone to her girl. What a great gift for a girlfriend that never gets off the phone. It could be a pin or a magnet. Great idea Donna.
 Bonnie McIntyre Craig Bonnie already has these bracelets ready to go……lucky girlfriends at Christmas time. It looks like she’s coated these and made them sing with a bit of shine. And I think Bonnie is having a great time with these faces. Making her smile I hope.
Thanks to all who have purchased the tutorial and sent me pictures. If you are wondering if this tutorial is for you, here are some reviews from my customers that might help you make up your mind.
“Super easy to understand and great pictorials to watch and follow off your computer.”
“Fabulous tutorial. The video is awesome and very easy to follow, I am looking forward to making these. ”
“This tutorial and video are very detailed and easy to follow. The graphics in the printed instuctions are excellent. Alice your video adds visually to the printed directions beautifully. Either way you win with this tutorial. Fast and easy transaction. Thank you Alice”
“Great tutorial and great service – I would recommend this tutorial to anyone wanting to learn face caning – very detailed pdf and video. Would purchase again.”
So, are you ready to make so fabulous gifts for christmas? Only 44 day left, but more than enough time to make some fabulous faces.
 Best Friend Forever Don’t forget about covering ornaments for your girlfriends. Write a funny or meaningful phrase on the back and you’ll make em’ all smile.
I started out yesterday to continue to list more items in my Etsy Shop, but ended up here instead. I had this idea…..I know, so what else is new? I’ve been wanting to make larger items to hang on the wall for quite some time. The clay part of this one is 8″x 10″
It was another one of my wild ideas that turned into The Most Fun. I find that when I let go of the goal of making something to sell, I enjoy myself so much it makes me laugh out loud and realize that I should Never, Ever, Worry about sales. There are many things that I would do differently, but I learned alot and had a ball.
But taking sales out of the equation is a hard thing to do since it’s what I’ve done all my life. And now is really no different, I have to sell things, it’s just the way it is.
I’ve always known that letting go is the best way to create, I just have to keep remembering it. This one was for me…..however, I was thinking about turning this into a greeting card…….(grinning here) ……….. what do ya’ think?
It was a busy day yesterday as I uploaded item after item to my Etsy Shop. This Flame Necklace is an interesting piece with large unusual beads.
It will prove to be the same tomorrow I believe. Most of the items I’ve made in the last few months and just haven’t taken the time to do all the legwork needed to get them ready for Etsy.
 Another crazy girlfriend bracelet. She’s a single lady.
 This is one bracelet in a series of 13. I really want to make more of these interesting face canes. Maybe after Christmas.
 Black and White Treasury by Patricia Paquin I’m very excited to be listed again in another Black and White Treasury on Etsy. I guess there is a reason that I have been doing so many things in black and white. Fashion trends are featuring black in everything from eye glasses to home decor. The hot HBO series, “Mad Men” is leading the wave and the 50s and 60s are to the younger generation what the 20s and 30s were to the older generation. What goes around comes around I guess.
But black and white has always been a strong fashion statement and it shows up heavily at least once each decade and never really goes away entirely. I have always made things in black and white and have been waiting for it to come back strong. Well here it is and I for one am dancin’.
The curator of this treasury is Patricia Paquin, a very talented ceramic artists from Canada. You can find her funky faces and fine work in her Etsy shop, ARTISTS’ LOFT Patricia Paquin.
She is now the owner of my “Baby Blues” necklace with the crazy lips and eyes, and I am very lucky to own not one but two of her “Funky Face Trivets”. Not this one but like this one. Can you see why we like each other’s work?
The internet is such a wonderful place. It allows us to find artists that we would never be able to come in contact with. I really do have a wonderful time here.
Thanks Patricia, and if anyone stops in to see her, tell her Alice says hello.
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