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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 #2 Pen and Ink Lips Business Card Case I’ve finished two business card cases with black and white canes and pen and ink lips. These are really fun to do and I might have to do one just for me. These two are for sale in my Etsy Shop.
 Pen and Ink Lips Business Card Case I have three more bracelets ready for drawings, so I’d better get going. Oh….by the way, my new motor got here last week and I’m very pleased with it. Only has one speed, but it’s high, so that’s perfect for me.
Seriously, if you don’t have a motor for your pasta machine and do alot of claying, you should really consider a motor. Your neck, arm and wrist will thank you.
 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.
 Business Card Holder My playing around yesterday resulted in the business card holder from the last post and this one that was glued on a plastic holder. It was easy breezy and maybe a great gift for kids to make for the adults on their list. Any design will do, it doesn’t have to be a girlfriend. Geometric, flowers, or more manly designs for the guys. You could match any profession.
I googled the plastic holders and found tons of them from .50 on up. Office Depot had them for .99.
Make your design, cure it and glue it to the holder with super glue. Do not bake the holder.
I put this girl on the wrong side for my cards, I didn’t realize it until it was already baked. But I’m not keeping it anyway, I’m keeping the one from the last post.
Tomorrow? The last idea from my day of the clay. Hint…..remember Pet Rocks?
I have a couple of things to talk about today. The first thing is this too funny for words business card holder for your desk. I love this girl, she makes me smile, I loved making her and now that she has joined the other memorable items on my desk, I love looking at her. It was one of those moments when I was making something else and that led me to this holder and then on to another holder design.
I’ll show you all of these things tomorrow. I have hurry up and get this posted because I have to finish preparing to lead my book club discussion tomorrow. I’m looking forward to it, but I have to make sure I’m ready. Plus the other pieces are in the oven and I can’t take pictures until they cool down.
I was very excited to create this card holder. It’s solid clay, probably about 3 oz. I have 20 or 30 packages of Sculpey III that I will never use and have wondered what I was going to do with them. Now I know I’m going to use some of it for the base for some more of these card holders. I covered the base with black clay and then made the indentation to hold the cards, then add the face. Covered the edges of her face with more black “hair”, added her simple hat and she was ready for the oven. The whole time smiling……I love my “job”.
The second thing today was..my pasta motor died. I should have known it would happen sooner or later but I was just thinking that I haven’t ever had trouble with MY motor. There was a thread on Polymer Clay People yahoo digest about motors and people were talking about motors stopping on them. I thought HA, not mine. Then yesterday…it happened.
So today I had to order another one. I really wanted to buy the Dream Machine from Polymer Clay Express, but as I already have 9 pasta machines, I really couldn’t justify another.
Now I have to wait until my new motor gets here. I know, I can crank the pm by hand, but come on, after all these years, I’m just too spoiled.
Okay, I know I won’t be able to wait 4 or 5 day so I guess I’ll just be cranky. See you tomorrow.
 Business Card Holders Two more crazy girlfriends join in the fun. I used the same new face cane that I used on the business card holder in this post from the other day. Just goes to show you that each slice will look a little different.
I like these in black and white and I’m happy with this new face cane. I have some really cool new things in the oven right now. Can’t wait to see how the turn out and share them with you.
Going to list one of these girls in my Etsy Shop right now. Hmmmmm just can’t decide which one.
 Business Card Holder Just listed this in my Etsy Shop. Did quite a few black and white items yesterday. Many went on to galleries per request.
I love black and white! It’s so visually demanding and bold that it’s fun to work with. It’s a great way for the new clayers out there to really see the effects of the canes they are experimenting with. Mine are never perfect, therefore I will probably never be a shining example of a great kaleidoscope caner. I don’t mind that my canes are a bit wonky, it’s what makes me enjoy what I do. (I don’t think wonky is a real word, kinda like my canes are crazy originals once I get through with them, wonky just suits them)
If you’re new to clay and want to cane, what would you like to learn first?
Thanks for taking a look today, Alice
 Funny Girl I made a new face cane today, a bit different than all my other girls, but that’s the fun of it all. I’ve put the first face on this business card holder and given this girl a funny hat to go with her funny blouse.
I’m listing her in my Etsy Shop.
I’ve been busy with more bangle bracelets and just life. Enjoying the cooler weather and keeping up with Facebook, Twitter and Flickr. You can follow me on any of these sites, and I’d love to follow you back.
 These guys are headed to The Creative Native, who by the way is having a reception and exhibit tonight from 5 to 9pm. Titled Go Figure! and featuring artists: Kelly Savery – paper, Margaret Conte – mixed media, Ricklene Wren – acrylics, Susan O’Hara – clay.
If you are in the area, you really should stop in this wonderful gallery. The range of work is wide and the talent represented is outstanding.
I’ve covered a card holder, a pill box and made a pin with an articulated tail. they are in the oven now.
Making this cat was easy and I used several canes that I already had. The eyes are from the face I made with Barbara McGuire and the rest of the older canes were put together using freshly blended Skinner blends. It’s amazing to watch the cat come to life as each element is added.
Here’s a way to use some of those older canes you have way too much of. If you want, draw a picture to go by or use clip art or a picture from a card or coloring book.
Here’s a clip art cat I got from the internet. Clker.com. I just googled free clip art cat and this one was on the front page. You could make the lighter part a skinner blend and each darker section a different colored and patterned cane. An easy project, even the eyes are just black snakes with a highlight of white. Remember, you can just use this picture as a guide, let your cat decide for itself what it wants to look like in the end………it’s only fair.
 Flamingo Bracelet I’ve almost used all of my flamingo canes. I make my flamimgo in parts and then put them together as I go. I just like doing it that way.
I’ve made many things out of these canes. Dozens of salt and pepper shakers, business card holders, and now bracelets added to the list.
I still have just a little bit left of the canes, these are some of the last items until I make another set of canes. I have a special order to make before it’s all gone.
 Flamingo Business Card Holder Both of these items are going to my Etsy Shop.
 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.
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