Cuff Bracelets « Polymer Clay Etc.

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.

Etsy Bound Bracelets, Card Cases and Bottle Stoppers

A funny thing happened. I was so happy that the shop I stopped in while I was in Tampa wanted to buy some of my pieces. So happy I shared it with you. Now I have to tell you that I emailed the shop and haven’t heard a word since.

Because of that shop, I realized that there were so many other possibilities out there that I wasn’t looking at. So It’s okay!

I began to look at dress boutiques and other speciality shops. I found quite a few and have emailed several. I’ve heard back from one, but she only carries local artists. she still was a bit interested and asked for some time to think about it.

As you can see, I am still stuck on Zentangle canes. I really have had fun with them.

I did my emailing on Friday and this week end was Halloween, so I’m not discouraged yet. Besides, I still have the whole United States and Canada left….and I’ve started receiving commission checks from Julia’s Art Gallery on Pine Island. I told you about that trip in September.

So all of these items are now listed in my Etsy Shop with more to come. Life is sweet.

New Polymer Clay Face Bracelets

Polymer Clay Face Bracelets

Getting ready to take tons of artwork to a gallery. Been working to get my stock up. I’m taking bracelets and bottle stoppers, perfume pens and face pins. Salt and pepper shakers, letter openers, and card cases. I am trying some different things, I show you when I get them finished.

I also made smaller tags for my items. 1″ x 1 1/2″, half the size of the ones I use for direct sales to customers. They really look better on most items for galleries. I can’t use my information anyway, so I don’t need as much room.

Talk to you soon.

Polymer Clay Skinner Blend Cuff Bracelet

Skinner Blend Cuff Bracelet

Still having fun after all these years! I’m still amazed that there are so many people that don’t know anything about polymer clay. Have never even heard of it. But I guess there are hundreds of things I know nothing about. Okay thousands……Millions? But polymer clay is such apart of my life and has been for the last 15 years, with it the main focus for at least 10, that it’s hard to imagine that there are people that haven’t heard of it.

Even when I wasn’t “into” pc, I had tried my hand at it. In the ’80 I made fruit ring candle holders. I know I have them somewhere and I’m going to look for them and see if they are anything like I remember them.

Anyway, I’m always so happy to hear from people who have found my blog and say they want to find out more about pc. The more interest we have the more related product there will be. Besides, it’s such a satisfying art form. Anyone can do just about anything with pc. So if you’re new to pc, go get yourself a few ounces and just play. Find a class near you or online. Do a search online and you’ll find hundreds of free tutorials for you to try.

The bracelet in the photo is a Skinner blend, roller into a plug flatten out and cut into two equal parts and formed into a cane. I cut this cane into four equal part to form the final cane (shown below). I covered a bracelet with a thin layer of black clay, then cut and place slices of the finished cane on top of the black, covering the whole bracelet.

Skinner Blend Cane

Okay, cheerleading over. Go forth and have fun! Christmas is coming, gifts to be made. But if you want, I have bracelets for sale on my Etsy site. Just in case you run out of time…….

Zentangle Polymer Clay Bracelets

Dora from Dora Explorations posted a picture of a Zentangle to her flickr site. I said to myself, I gotta do this. So 16 doodles later, I decided that I needed to translate these doodles into canes and then on to bracelets, wall hanging and more.

So all day yesterday, I created black and white Skinner blends and turned them into canes for my designs. I’m pretty excited about the outcome.

So thanks Dora, you are a constant inspiration. Here’s the second bracelet, both are going to my Esty Shop. Lots of work, but fun! And that’s what I’m always about, Fun!

Polymer Clay Face Cane Bracelet

She's a Brunette

Another girl bracelet going to AliceStroppel.etsy.com. I’ve been spending too much time away from my clay table. But it’s all good. Coming up . . . . . birthdays and visits and kids coming home, my mother coming to visit. Nothing could be sweeter.

I’m working on my tutorial for the profile face cane, but it takes quiet and large blocks of time. I haven’t had much of either lately, but I’m not complaining. Okay, one complaint! I have all these other ideas in my head and I haven’t finished with what I’ve already started. Anyone else other there like me? Come on I know you’re there.

Polymer Clay Cuff Bracelet and Flamingo Bottle Stopper

Polymer Clay Flamingo Stopper

New listing in my Etsy Shop. Got my head down and working hard on several projects.

I love working with Skinner blends. If you are new to PC and think you might want to make canes, learn how to make a skinner blend. Unlimited things are waiting for you and hours of fun and imagination wanderings.

Skinner Blend Cuff Bracelet

Blonde Headed Girl 1 – Polymer Clay Cuff Bracelet

Blonde Profile Cuff Bracelet

Blonde Profile Cuff Bracelet Side View

Why don’t we say “blonde headed girl” ? We say Red headed girl..so why not brunette headed? I swear I really don’t have too much time on my hands. I am just surrounded by these girls and now writing the directions, they are all I think about.

I’m trying to make at least 4 girls a day, plus work on the instructions and video script. It’s working, but the problem is the weather has changed. Oh it’s still hot, but a cool front came through last night with a cooler one coming in a day or two. They say “cold front” I laugh and say “cool” It’s like when the stores start putting out sweaters in August to get ready for fall. I want to yell, “we are in Florida, it will be in the 80s until after Christmas.” and besides that, they take way all the shorts then too. Crazy. Okay off topic. The point is I want to just go sit by the lake and read…….

Polymer Clay Cuff Bracelets

Red Headed Girl 4

I seem to be on a roll with these crazy bracelet girls. Here’s another one going to AliceStroppel.etsy.com I’m having too much fun here. I’m trying to get my stock up in my Etsy Shop, plus keep up with special orders and my galleries. Life couldn’t be better.

Red Headed Girl 4

Red Headed Girl 4 side 2

Black and White Cuff Bracelet

This one should go with the business card holder that I listed, don’t you think. Whoever buys the one should just buy this one too. I love the boldness of black and white.

New Polymer Clay Face Cane Bracelets

Polymer Clay Face Cane Bracelets

I made another profile face cane this week. I am working on a tutorial to sell in my Etsy Shop. It’s coming along and I hope to have it ready soon.

In the meantime, I’ve made some bracelets with it and another mermaid with the older cane. This mermaid is going to one of my galleries and the other bracelets are going to be sold on AliceStroppel.Etsy.com

To photograph these ladies, I used the background in the pdf that I gave you in the last post. These girls are truly crazy and funky, but I have to tell you, they do get attention. One of my customers emailed me to tell me her sister was forever borrowing hers. I love that!

Mermaid Bracelet Listed on Etsy

Polymer Clay Mermaid Cuff Bracelet

Okay I’ve figured my time and materials and have listed my mermaid bracelet in my Etsy store, I’ve listed her for a price of $60.00. She is all clay, no other materials were used. I don’t have a metal base on the bracelet like I do on most of my other ones.

However, there is much more clay used. The clay itself wouldn’t amount to very much money, maybe $4.00 or so, but the time that has been spent on the canes amounts to about 4 hours total. Plus the baking cost and spending time on the photos. Yes, I have some canes left over, but the point is, without spending that time in the first place, I wouldn’t have the canes to make my mermaid, so I’m generous in figuring the time spent.

Then I add the time spent on the mermaid bracelet, about 2 hours and I come up with about 6 hours to get this bracelet to my Etsy shop.

So, at the price of $60.00 minus $4.00 for the clay and $4.00 for the oven, that leaves me $52.00 for labor. Divide $52.oo by 6 hours and I will make 8.66 per hour. Hmmm. Oh I forgot, I still have to list it for $.20, then I have to package the bracelet nicely to send to my customer if it sells and drive to the post office. Then I have to pay a commission to Etsy, and one to PayPal.

Plus I have to spend time on my blog, Twitter, and Facebook to make sure everyone knows I’ve posted a new item. But I still don’t have the “right ” customers linking to my blog, Twitter and Facebook.

By that I mean, unfortunately, other polymerclay artists aren’t really interested in buying my polymer clay creations, they have their own.

If the item doesn’t sell right away on Etsy, people suggest that you re-list your items over and over. Just figure out the right time to re-list when the most people are on the front page of Etsy and there you go. What??? I know it probably works, but I’d rather spend time making something.

But I do like Etsy, I’ve had a few good sales and I’m happy. But I want to branch out further and continue to find galleries and shops to take my work.

Back to the money…..So now that $8.66 per hour isn’t looking very fat. (Not that it was a ton of money anyway) But that’s okay. I enjoy making my items and I really like it when other people buy them and I know they are enjoying them too.

If I sell it wholesale, because I could by the way I priced it, I would divide the 8.66 in half. Leaving me with $4.33 per hour. Not even minimum wage. But I don’t have to do anything but get it to my retailer. With my items I can send them by mail and send several at a time.

I’ve made the seconded mermaid bracelet, using the same canes. this bracelet took less time because I already had the canes, increasing my profit somewhat. Providing they both sell. I’m going to send this one to a gallery and see which one sells first. I’ll let you know.

Part 1 Selling Your Polymer Clay Artwork
Part 2 Pricing Polymer Clay Artwork to Sell Wholesale
Part 3 Mermaid Bracelet Listed on Etsy
Part 4 Inventory Lists for Your Polymer Clay
Part 5 Display Cards for Polymer Clay Pins and Necklaces
Part 6 Creating Tags for Your Polymer Clay Creations

Polymer Clay Canes for Beginners

Online Workshops with Alice Stroppel

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