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.
But these funky faces aren’t just for bracelets, I’ve used them on all kinds of things.
A cocktail shaker, or
salt and pepper skakers, or
a canister, just to name a few.
I always have the best time at this guild, they’re fun and really enjoy the clay. And they always have the greatest pot luck! Thanks ladies and a special thank you to Sydney Carter for asking me and making the arrangements.
Everyone was delighted to the Premo clay for this project donated by Polyform. That you Iris Weiss.
Next week I’m teaching at the West Coast Polymer Clay Guild in New Port Richey, FL. It’s a great class to teach and I’m looking forward to seeing friends I made at Orlando Clay Fandango and making new ones. And making more great faces……..
Photo by Cynthia Tinapple - Collaboration by Alice and Meisha Barbee
I was thrilled this morning when I saw that the Stroppel Cane was highlighted on Polymer Clay Daily.
Once again, thank you Cynthia, because of your wide audience more people will see the video and maybe it will spark some fabulous new pieces. Makes me happy just thinking about it.
Oh and can you guys guess which piece Meisha claimed? I didn’t even have a chance to fight over it.
Seriously, we both had fun and made some great memories to go along with these pendants.
The Stroppel Cane – Saving Unused Cane Slices From Ending Up in the Mud Pile!
I am very excited to share my newest invention with you. I call it The Stroppel Cane! For the last couple of months, as I clean up my workspace after a project, I make a Stroppel Cane from the “not so perfect cane slices” and any other scraps I have on my work tile.
You can use these canes in any number of ways and I’ll be featuring some projects here on my blog in the future. From time to time, just do a search for The Stroppel Cane and see what comes up.
Please leave a comment it you liked this new video. Without feed back I don’t know if what I’m sharing is reaching anyone or if you are enjoying or finding what I’m sharing useful. And do share it on Facebook and Twitter and send the link to your friends. I love hearing from you in any form. Enjoy!
It’s been a busy month! Yesterday I sent a large package to Ellen Prophater at Woman Creative in Buford, Georgia. (Scroll down to the bottom of this post and watch this short video I made while I was there earlier this month. ) Barbara McGuire is Education Director and Founder and Ellen is Exhibit Director and Gallery Manager. It’s a beautiful space and a must see if you are anywhere near by.
The Pen and ink bracelet above was one of the items that I sent for my display. ( It’s a composite picture of one bracelet, showing all sides) I created it using the techniques shown in the Pen and Ink on Polymer Clay video that I have for sale. You can purchase it by clicking on the image in the upper left hand corner of this page, or visiting my Esty shop here.
I love making canes and working with the colored clay, but I am thrilled to be able to combine both the drawing and the clay together. Exactly what one of my customers just emailed me about this tutorial.
I started out creating items with black and white with a touch of red, and still love those pieces, but have started to add color to the whole design and really am enjoying the color very much.
All of my items will be for sale in the Woman Creative Gallery along with many other well known artist’s work. Of course this is the place to see Barbara’s work, both current and some of her earlier pieces. Plus there are all kinds of classes you can take, click on this link to Woman Creative website, then on calendar on the right hand side of the page.
I sent all of these girlfriends to Ellen Plus other fun things. Can’t wait to see picture of how she displays them. Ellen has such a wonderful eye for display, she knows just what to do.
I also sent one of the large Girlfriends Galore Bracelets to Charline Ahlgreen for the Orlando Area Polymer Clay Guild’s annual Fandango auction. Plus two of my tutorials. So if you’re there and bidding, bid large..*g*
Don’t worry, I still have some for sale in my Etsy Shop. I am getting low on faces and need to spend a few days making more, so you might not see all of these same faces next time you look.
I’ve finished my Tropical Leaves tutorial and it is now for sale in my Etsy shop. It’s another 40 minute video with 7 full 8 1/2″ by 11″ pages with step by step instructions. Colored drawings clearly show you the way to complete each cane.
Tropical Leaves - 9 canes
You’ll learn how to create all of these canes and yes the “vine” is a cane as well. I reduced them all down a bit to create the frame above. I also added a few other canes and bit of color to complete the overall effect.
I’ll be making a couple of other items with these canes so stop back soon.
I posted this short little video on Facebook for an old high school friend. We have been following each other there and she has been watching all my posts about canes. She sent me a message asking about the canes and wanted to know what they were exactly.
So if you’re a clayer already, you’ll probably just want to skip this short subject, but if you are new to polymer, you might enjoy it. Either way, this one was made because Karen Pepper Ingram asked. Thanks Karen!
I am so relieved. My internet connection is actually working today and I was able to upload the following video featuring my new bracelet.
This New Bracelet video gives my Etsy customers a better look at these new bracelets and a simple explanation of what a cane is. Visit my Etsy Shop for the bracelets that are for sale.
Here’s a new video showing how to attach pc to metal bracelet blanks. Just a quick note, I get my bracelet blanks from The Clay Store. Tell them I sent you.
I’ve left Barbara McGuire for last because I had a chance to get to know her better than the other artists at Fandango. I’ve already posted about the incredible face class I had the opportunity to take with her and how much fun it was.
One of the demos Barbara McGuire gave was placing one of her faces on a base to make a large focal bead like the one in the photo above. I purchased this one from Barbara that night. She used her new stamp on this one and demonstrated those as well.
But before that, I was truly excited to watch her demonstrate her color mixing techniques. This demo had Barbara with her pasta machine and an array of colored clay. After watching Sarah Shiver and Julie Picarello mix their colors using the skinner blend method, I was finally driven TO the edge by watching Barbara. It actually took attending that small face class to send me OVER the edge and soaring into a world that I have been just sticking one tiny finger in. I haven’t been this excited since I made my first face cane almost 10 years ago. The combination of all of the artist’s techniques came together for me and I was gobsmacked.
I loved learning how to make a face the way Barbara does, but I have my own voice that I am still training. I may never produce anything but jingles, but I will continue to strive for a symphony. Just this last few days I feel like I’ve been set free. Mixing colors will never be the same again.
It was such a pleasure to get to know Barbara and I appreciate all that she shares with us.
I feel that finding our own creative voice and a way to use it is what we are all striving for and I know Barbara has started a new publication to help us do just that. She was kind enough to share a bit about her Woman Creative postcards in the following video. Enjoy.
To find out more about Barbara, her products, where she’s teaching next visit her website. Be sure to take a minute to check out Woman Creative.
I spent 3 days and 4 nights nights at the Orlando Area Polymer Clay Guild’s annual Clay Fandango at Lake Yale in Florida. It was quite an experience for clayers of all skill levels.
When I thought about filming my experience at Fandango, I knew I wanted to give an overview of what went on during those three days. But quite frankly that all changed quickly, I was so caught up in enjoying myself and working on what I was learning each day that I didn’t have the time nor did I even want to be running around filming everything.
I was impressed by the instructors and demonstrators, they were all so giving and dedicated to their work and their students that I wanted you to meet them in a different way than you normally would. I wanted them to tell you a little bit about themselves.
The classes might have been scheduled to run from 9am to 5pm, but in reality, the instructor and students were working until 9 or 10 at night. Maureen and Barbara demonstrated off and on until 10pm. This all happened with smiles and laughter. Who are these women? What does the rest of their lives look like? How does their life compare to mine or yours?
Maureen Carlson is such a wonderful story gathering soul that she naturally knows how to bring out the best in people. So, what better person than Maureen to conduct this interview? Maureen, I am forever grateful, thank you. And thanks to the all of you for taking time to slow down long enough for me to get this delightful moment on film.
I was at the Florida Gulf Coast Polymer Clay Guild in Palmetto teaching my profile face cane and everyone did a really great job. I can’t wait to see what they make with these canes. They can use this short video to make hair canes and this video to attach everything to a bracelet blank after it’s baked.
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