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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[caption id="attachment_102" align="aligncenter" width="100" caption="Member IPCA"]Member IPCA[/caption]

Parole de pâte’s Challenge Yves Creations – Stroppel Cane, Lazy River

If you are new to my blog and haven’t seen my Stroppel cane video, it’s to your right on this page. Several months ago I share a technique I’d been using for awhile to use up my scrap cane slices and keep them from the mud pile. It kind of took off around the world when Cynthia Tinapple  posted it on Polymer Clay Daily.

Nina

Since then I’ve had the pleasure of seeing polymer clay artists from beginners to professionals give the Stroppel cane a try with some stunning results. Guilds are sharing it, there are swaps and Challenges. This Challenge from Parole de pâte had over 125 entries.

Nolwen

The Challenge  was to create a piece using the Stroppel Cane or Julie Picarello’s Lazy River. The entries were about half and half between the two methods. Here’s some really wonderful pieces using the two techniques together.

Ysseym

There are so many pieces to choose from I can’t show them all here so I’ve just post a few.

Aneliz

Thank you to all those who participated and to Parole de pâte for hosting this challenge.

Anne

The IPCA Progress and Possibilities

I woke up this morning to a surprise. Both of the pieces I entered into the International Polymer Clay Association’s 2012 Progress and Possibilities placed. I’m more than thrilled that both the judges and the membership enjoyed my work.

“Tracey”, my giant necklace above tied for 2nd place with Bettina Welker’s hinged bracelet, “Circles”  and with my second entry, “Fantasy Fish Bowl” ( in the photo below). How wonderful is that? I’m laughing because I’m tied with myself.

“Tracey” also placed 1st with the members and “Fantasy Fish Bowl” was second. Really, first and second? I couldn’t believe it, still can’t.  I am honored to have been able to compete with such wide array of talented  polymer clay artists.

Thank you to the judges and all the members who voted for my pieces. And a big thank you to Suzanne Ivester who encouraged me to create something to enter. (Shamed me into it would be a better discription, lol)

The rest of this day…..well…..it’s going to continue to be pretty wonderful, I’m grinning  from ear to ear.

And The Winner Is….Me!!

Altered composition book SHERRY GOODLOEI am so thrilled to tell you I won another fabulous piece of art from another fabulous artist. I won this Altered composition book from Sherry Goodloe. Don’t you just love it? She has been trying to tell me for a couple of days, but I just didn’t get it.

You can see more of Sherry’s work on her blog. And you can take a closer look at the detail of “my” altered journal.

You also might want to take a look at what Sherry’s done with Zentangles. I thought these were so clever, and you know me with faces and crazy girls.

Thanks so much Sherry and I’m sending you my address right now.

I can stop saying I never win anything! I won this lovely watercolor painting by Susan Himmel. It was meant to be. I live in Florida, I’m a big fan of watercolor. I have the perfect spot for this painting. Thank you Susan, I’m thrilled.

www.susanhimmelart.com

www.susanhimmelart.etsy.com

www.susanhimmel.blogspot.com

AND I won this crazy funky girl from Fran Saperstein. Now can you see the absolutely perfect fit here? This girl need to come live we me and all my crazy girls. Fran, I’m so happy to have won her, thanks so much.

http://www.artsyfran.com

http://artsyfran.artfire.com

http://www.cafepress.com/artsyfran

http://www.flickr.com/photos/artsyinaz/

So from now on I’m going to say, “I always win”, “I’m a winner.” That should work right?

Polymer Clay Etc.’s One World One Heart Winner

Jodi Creager from Creager Studios is the winner of my face bracelet.

Red Headed Girl Cuff Bracelet

Red Headed Girl Cuff Bracelet

I’m thrilled to be sending it to one of the most talented Doll Artist in world. She and her husband Richard have been creating dolls together for over 32 years.

Visit Creager Studios blog to view their latest work and a more personal site. Visit their website Creagers for galleries and links to their items for sale. Either way you’re in for a treat.

I’d love to feature this talented couple on my other blog, The Figurative Artbeat. Now that would be great fun.

Thank you to all who took the time to leave a comment to win my face bracelet, I truly appreciate all the kind words about my work.

I had a great time flying around to all the blogs that were involved this year. I stopped at so many wonderful blogs that I never would have found if not for Lisa Swifka and A Whimsical Bohemian. Thanks Lisa.

One World One Heart – My Giveaway – 2010


One World One Heart Giveaway

One World One Heart Giveaway. This is a wonderful idea, a magical event starring bloggers from all over the world. Created by Lisa Swifka from A Whimsical Bohemian. You’ll want to spend so time on her blog and read about how this all started and to see the list of hundreds of other bloggers that have giveaways on their blogs.

This is the first year for me and I’m excited to add my name to the list. As you can tell, I’m a polymer clay enthusiast and am crazy about faces. So it’s only right that I give away a polymer clay face.

All Bloggers everywhere are eligible to participate. Simply leave a comment and you might win this crazy girl bracelet. Tell me what you want to see next….or just say hi.

This event runs until Feb. 15th, I will announce the winner here on my blog. Make sure you leave you’re email address and a link to your blog.  That’s it! Good luck.

Red Headed Girl Cuff Bracelet

Red Headed Girl Cuff Bracelet


Using Old Polymer Clay Canes

Ancient Mystery I

Ancient Mystery I

Here’s how this started! I was going to shoot a video to share about all the items I found while cleaning that I can use with my clay work.

But as always, I had to clean up my clay space before I could begin. There sat slices of canes that I used in my (not finished yet)  Polymer Clay Collage Project…. you’ll see a line of red squares across the bottom. Some were slices that I messed up and then there was this small little piece of cane left.

If you have been following this blog at all, you know me well enough to know that I do not like to make scrap clay. So, I layered the messed up slices with a layer of black #7 on the pasta machine. Then I sliced the remaining cane and added those slices with the  black layers in  between. Ending up with a new cane.

Why I didn’t start filming this for you, I don’t know, except that I didn’t know that it was going to come out this cool.

I sliced this cane into thin slices and added them to a sheet of black. Then placed the whole thing on my bracelet. It looks pretty good, I liked it anyway.

Then I had just a couple of slices left of this scrap cane (and I’m laughing here)! I didn’t want to scrap the rest of the cane I didn’t use because I liked it.

So I decide to play with what I had left. this next bracelet was the result and I like it way better than the first one.

Ancient Mystery II

Ancient Mystery II

I laid the left over slices out on a skinny strip of black and ran it through the pasta machine. It was ragged along the edges and I kind of liked that, so I put it on a layer of ecru clay and covered the bracelet form, added dots and there it was.

It was interesting and fun to experiment and the best part is I made something out of clay that was going to become a gray blob.

But..I still haven’t made the video with the found objects to use with clay. It will  have to wait now, I have a special request for more girl bracelets in my Etsy shop, so I better get moving.

I’ve listed the other two bracelets there, so cross your fingers that summer sales will happen.

Winner – Polymer Clay Fish Mosaic Contest

The winner of the Summer Fish Mosaic Contest is

Adrienne Lindsey

Adrienne Lindsey

Adrienne Lindsey's Winning Fish Mosaic

I love this fish, the colors are so vibrant and full of contrast. Our judge, watercolor artist Janet King, said that it was hard to choose a winner, but she really like the red color choice in Adrienne’s fish. I want to thank my friend Janet for taking the time to be our judge. Janet is a fabulous watercolor artist and  instructor. Please take the time to visit her site and spend some time with her paintings. This bird painting is one of my favorites of Janet’s and represents her humor. See why I asked her to be our judge and why she is my friend?

Adrienne will be receiving the perfume pen in the mail very soon. Thank you Adrienne for the time you spent with your fish. Adrienne was the first to enter a fish and she enjoyed it so much she made another and entered it too. As you can see it paid off, she won!! We do improve with age. (At least with polymer clay)

Thank you to the rest of you who entered this summer contest. I wish I could post all your photos. It was such fun to receive the fish photos in my in-box. But I think what I enjoyed most was talking with so many wonderful people out there that share this crazy passion for polymer clay. Or maybe it’s just the shared love of making things with our hands. The creative process is such a healing, exciting, self affirming activity that it is a necessity for our very being.

Several people told me that this project has rekindled the creativity spark in them. What a compliment for me and an affirmation for  just starting something creative. Thanks again.

I did want to show another fish that came very close to winning that I felt I needed to share it. Laura Lang’s fish is beautifully done and I enjoy her color choices. Thanks, Laura for entering.

Laura Lang's Entry

Laura Lang's Entry

If you want join in the on going adventure, simply sign up for my newsletter at the top right hand side of this page and watch the video.

A Summer Polymer Clay Contest for Newsletter Members

It’s hot, it’s summer, and since I’ve had such positive feed back from my new Fish Mosaic video, I decided that maybe we should have some summer fun.

I’m challenging my newsletter members to create a fish mosaic of their own. I’m giving away the following perfume pen to the winner of the contest. To use the pen, you simply hold the wick in your favorite perfume for about a minute. Screw on the top and it’s ready to go with you anywhere,  tucked into your purse. I love mine, it’s even small enough to stick in your pocket.

The winner’s fish will be posted here in August with a link to their blog, website, Etsy store, and/or flicker account.

If you are already a member of my newsletter list, your should have already received instructions for entering the contest in the July issue.

If you aren’t a member yet and want to join in the fun, simply sign up for my free newsletter on the upper right hand side of this page, view the video and follow the instructions that will be sent to you in the July newsletter. It’s free, and it’s easy.

I’ll keep you posted………..

Perfume pin open