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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I’ve been obsessed with birds over the last few months. (I’m blaming Laura Prohater and Barb Harper, you two know why *g*) It’s all ending with this crazy bird, or maybe its just the tip of the iceberg, maybe there are more of these guys in my future.
He’s 18″ tall and I’m either going to frame him or free hang him. I’m working on a hanging solution that will allow me to hang my characters without a frame.
Now the real reason birds have haunted my dreams. I’ve been working on these bird bowls for an exchange I’ll be taking part in. In the beginning I thought I must have lost my mind to think I would ever finish 26 bird bowls. especially since several broke apart in the oven until I figured out you can’t take the bowl out and add more things and then bake again. I think it was late one night and I was oh so tired. But lesson learned.  I really have learned so much about making bird bowls so there might be more on my table soon, or maybe even a workshop at Studio 215.
I used quite a bit of extruded canes with these birds and with my Charming Canes. Looks like I’m on an extruder kick. It fun, effective, and attractive. so what’s not to love?
Some of these charms are made with my Stroppel 2 cane. Here’s the how to!
Just like the white rabbit, Oh dear, Oh dear, I’m late, I’m late. And like Alice, I don’t quite know which door to open first.
I’m going on retreat and just finished the charms for the charm exchange, finishing up the brown bag exchange gift, figuring out what to donate for the auction and washing clothes. Whew!
The stressful part is trying to stay under the 50lb bag limit. Packing, weighing, taking important stuff out and then putting it back in again and leaving out some clothes. I figure I’ll just wear the same thing over and over. Better that than leaving out important polymer clay stuff…..
I was very happy to see that my rabbit and I were featured on Polymer Clay Daily today. Cynthia is spot on today, I feel just like the other Alice running around in wonderland. But I actually feel like Alice more often than not, after all I am Alice. *Grin*
I hope today finds everyone having a Wonderland kind of day. Just stay off the roads if you are. hehe
 Sherry Moon My fabulous trade from Sherry Moon.
I’ve had a very exciting week. I took a class with Kate Church and created a very funny and cool doll. I received two trades in the mail from two extremely accomplished artists and I finished 20 something charms for an exchange. Whew.
I’ll tell you all about each of them in separate posts, the first one being this over the top cool mosaic magic carpet I received from Sherry Moon.
When I first saw her large carpet I just fell in love, here’s a picture, tell me you don’t feel the same.
 Sherry Moon
It’s just so luscious and looks so much like a real carpet. I was thrilled when Sherry said she wanted to trade for one of my cane mapped butterflies and she agreed to do a mini version of her carpet. Here’s the butterfly that now lives with Sherry. Thank you so much Sherry, your work is sterling and I’m honored to own this bit of magic.
Synergy was wonderful for many reasons, but getting to meet in person people you have become friends with online has to be one of the highlights.
My friend Nikolina Otrzan (Orson’s World) surprised me with with this so very thoughtful gift in memory of Ceasar, the oh so sweet dog we just lost. I was touched and so appreciative. Thank you Nik.
Nik creates some fabulous polymer pieces and some very cool tutorials for sale in her Etsy shop. She also has a class on CraftArtEdu
She is such fun to be around, meeting her after month and months of online friendship was a such a treat. She traveled all the way from Croatia to attend Synergy and I hope to see her again when Synergy happens in Europe.
I’m lucky to own another piece of Nik’s work, we traded when she made me something from one of her Stroppel Canes. Love it.
Cara Jane Hayman is another friend from the other side… she surprised me with the darling little Stroppel Cane piggy. It was so thoughtful to bring it all the way from Bristol, UK just for me. Cara Jane started the Stroppel Cane Flickr group so that everyone can share their canes. Care Jane also has tutorial for sale. Thanks so much Care Jane.
Can you believe I am the proud owner of this fabulous piece of a art by Julie Eakes? Julie’s work in impeccable! We made a large trade and I am more than thrilled.
The wording is, “As you’re pretty, so be wise, Wolves may lurk in every guise.” I wish you could see this piece up close, I think Julie said she made at least five canes to incorporate in this necklace. Julie and I have traded before I’m lucky to own a couple of other Julie Eakes creations.
Julie teaches and if you can take a class with her, you should! Here’s one on CraftArtEdu
Julie is soooo much fun and I’m lucky to call her friend…….Julie, I can’t thank you enough.
And finally, Meisha Barbee and I traded pieces and look what I got, a wowzer. Meisha doesn’t have a website, but I have a feeling that she will soon, In the meantime here is a google search with some pictures of her fabulous work.
Meisha has recently started to teach, if she’s teaching near you, run don’t walk to take her class.
Meisha, you make me laugh way too much, you rock friend, thank you.
You see how lucky I am, not only to own such wonderful work, but to have made such wonderful friends through my love of polymer. It’s a wonderful life.
The post office was a happy place for me this week. Three packages arrived with Stroppel Cane treasures inside. Two I’ll share with you now and another amazing prize I’ll share with you tomorrow.
The first package was from Peg Gerard, a Massachusetts polymer clay artist that has used my Stroppel Cane technique to create some wonderful designs. Several caught my eye, especially the pendant above, I loved the bold black and white spiral cane slices that she added to her Stroppel Cane, they make such a statement.
I’m delight Peg decided to trade with me. I sent her a Stroppel sweater girl and I’m now the proud owner of this striking piece. I’m sorry to say I didn’t take a picture of this sweater girl, Peg, if you read this and want to send me a picture I’ll add it here.
You can see more of Peg’s work on her website Polymer Peg’s Clay Jewelry and on her Flickr site, Polymer Peg’s . You can find her work for sale at the galleries listed on her blog. I first saw Peg’s work in 400 Polymer Clay Designs and have been a fan ever since.
Thank you so much Peg.
Then I was thrilled again to receive this fabulous Love NY skyline from Anne Marie Rodellar or amerena as she is known on the web. I was happy to send her this Stroppel sweater girl in exchange.
Anne Marie is from France and had recently visited New York and when she got back home, produced a line of abstract New York skylines using a Stroppel Cane for the building and sometimes the taxi cabs. I’m headed to New York next month for my nephew’s wedding and am going to take it along with me, perfect.
You can see more of amarena’s work on her blog, amerenabijoux her Flickr site, amarenabijoux’s photo stream or better yet, you can purchase a New York slide for yourself on her Dawanda site.
Thank you Anne Marie.
On a side note, I am staying in the Dumbo area of Brooklyn. Dumbo….”Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass”. It’s one of New York City’s premier arts districts full of both non-profit and for profit art galleries. And..Etsy is around the block ….literally.
This trip piggy backs on a trip I’m taking to Colorado to meet with a couple of my favorite polymer clay artists. We plan on a couple of days of clay and a couple of days of galleries and museums and fabulous eateries. I’m going to be so full of inspiration when I get back, just watch out!
Once again I’m thrilled that a talented artist decided to try the Stroppel Cane and then to top it off was willing to trade with me.
I love this piece that Nikolina created just for me using a Stroppel cane and her signature crossword puzzle accents to spell “alice”. I can’t wait to for it to get here, it’s coming all the way from Croatia.
As I said before, it’s a wonderful experience with the added bonus of being able to see fantastic work up close and learn from one another. Thanks Nik!
You can see more fabulous work for Nikolina on her famous flickr site Orson’s World.
Here’s my part of the trade.
 I’m thrilled to say that Angela/Cleobs sent me her Stroppel Skyline bracelet. She has combined Stroppel Canes with some other polymer clay techniques to create this fabulous piece.
When I saw it I really wanted it. I asked to buy it, but Angela said no she would send it to me, but I wanted to trade. So she chose some of my girlfriends and the bracelet now lives at my house and the girls are on their way to Italy.
Thanks so much Angela, it’s a treasure. You can see more of Angela’s work on her Flickr site cleobs. I love Flickr.
Here are the girlfriends I made for Angela.
Orlando Clay Fandango
I want to make an addition to my post about Orlando Clay Fandango. I forgot two important volunteer and I’m so sorry. These two women come each year to Fandango and they aren’t even members of the guild. They don’t take classes, they work.
Nita Sherer-Baker runs the boutique and allows us to sell our work. Such an important part of our experience and a lot of work. Thank you very much Nita.
And Tanya Johnston…what would we do with out the Oven Queen? She takes care of all the curing of every piece of clay. It is a giant job. Thank you so much Tanya.
 Teia and Mario I received this cutey pie in the mail all the way from Switzerland. She is a Winter Lady and she came in a great little box with her own stash of Swiss chocolates. Speaking of Swiss Sweets, Teia and Mario make the cutest mini baked good, so neat and colorful. Check out these cupcakes.
Teia Fetescu and Mario Hubak are a polymer clay team that own Clay Corner, with a website, a blog, a Facebook page and a Flickr photostream where I saw this sweet little Swiss lady.
 Teia Fetescu and Mario Hubak
I asked Teia if she would be kind enough to trade one of her girls for one of my girls and luckily she said yes. So off to Switzerland went this Stroppel sweater girl and now I have a Teia girl hanging in my studio. What a great trade, just a bit of international exchange and once again, I win. Thank you so much Teia and Mario.
 Stroppel Sweater Girl
I’ve been neglectful in posting the wonderful things that I have received from other polymer clayers in the last couple of months. I’m always delighted when someone thinks enough of me to actually give me something they’ve made, it’s such a welcomed surprise.
 Kathe Keck Kathe Keck gave me this oh so cool Stroppel cane giant bead made with Christine Dumont’s Tutorial. Kathe and I met last year at Fandango and she has attented two of my classes at Beads F.O.B. in Sarasota where we shared a room. She’s great fun and I was thrilled when she said I was the lucky owner of this Stroppel bead. Thank you Kathe, I love it.
 Berit Hines Berit Hines came to see me a couple of months ago and we had a great fun clay day. She left me this beautiful little box to keep treasures in. Thank you Berit, I have it right here on my shelf and I’m thrilled to have it. I hope to see you again before you leave to go back north.
 Sydney Carter Sydney Carter must have read my mind and knew how clay coated my hands are all the time. When she attended my sculpting class last month, she brought me this fabulous mixture that she made from a recipe from Polymer Clay Cookbook by Jessica and Susan Partain. Plus she made some of the best snacks to share with us all…..yummm. Sydney is an active (very) memeber of Florida Gulf Coast Polymer Clay Guild that meets in Palmetto, FL. If you’re in the area, you might want to check it out. Thank you Sydney, you’re the best.
 Tyra Alhgreen Tyra Alhgreen attended the same sculpting class and brought me this oh so funny fish. I just love his crazy self. Ihave him hanging on a stand along with the jelly fish below. Thanks you so much Tyra.
 Charlene Ahlgreen Charline Ahlgreen was in that sculpting class too, in fact you could say she was the reason and cause of the class. She brought everyone together. This is a clever jelly fish that together with Tyra blowfish make the perfect underwater scene. I have really enjoyed it.
Charline is the President of the Orlando Area Polymer Clay Guild and is very busy about now with the auction for Fandango, their annual retreat. I’m going to be there demo-ing my pen and ink, so come on if you want some great fun claying and visiting and being inspired and claying and etc.
 Margit Böhmer MargitB and I are Flickr friends and have been for a couple of years now. I love her bright cheerful colors and the unique construction of her pieces. I feel like we are sisters in our love of color and clay.
We were both in the Winter Inchie Swap with the Polymer Clay Italia and swap mistress Leila Bidler. Sadly we weren’t in the same groups so we decided to swap with each other.
When I opened my package from Margit, I found these fabulous earrings she made just for me. I am so excited to have these, they’re gorgeous I’ve always wanted a piece of her work.
 Inchies Margit Böhmer On top of that, I also received two inchies. The Santa Claus cane is made by Mary Webster from Oregon and the inchies are Margit’s, colorful as always! How lucky am I? What a happy Christmas present to me. Thank you Margit, you’re a doll.
Spend some time on Margit’s flickr page if you want to be inspired or just want to enjoy some truly exciting work.
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