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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 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.
 Pen and Ink Ladies I’ve had this bracelet staring at me for months. It had plain white places waiting for drawings. I sold the one that was featured in a Etsy Treasury and decided I’d better get busy and finish this one. It’s for sale in my Etsy Shop.
Here’s a post I did months ago featuring the process and where I think I got my inspiration, from my Dad of course.
Now I think I have about 4 ideas in my head and today I’m going to get one of them in motion, I just need to decide which one. The thing is, even if I make a decision, I don’t always end up where I thought I would. But that’s the exciting part even though it still leaves me with my original idea still undone. Ah, what a life.
 Black and White Cuff Bracelet I’ve produced quite a few things in black and white in the last week or so. Here’s another bracelet going to my Etsy Shop. Black and white is very popular and continues to be a good seller with or without one of my faces.
The little black dress, black slacks, suits and t-shirt will always be a go to staple in our closets. I like working with graphic polymer clay elements and creating these pieces that are bold and eye catching. I’ve used both canes and extruded snakes and dots for this bracelet.
I want to thank everyone on my email list for all the super responses to this last issue. Thanks you guys!!!
 Rocker Girls Okay, here’s the last of my creative streak this week. Actually these paperweight rocker girls are the start. I had this idea to cover rocks with clay and my face cane slices, I made the black haired girl and smiled the whole time. (that’s when I know I have an idea that at least I think is fun)
These are rocks out of my French Drain behind my porch. The blonde is about 3″ x 2″, black haired girl is 2″ 1/2″ x 2″ and the brunette is 2′ x 1 1/2″ . All perfect sizes for a funky addition to your desk as a paper weight or just sitting around on a shelf or counter. They make me laugh.
It was hard to make the clay stick to the rock. (the next girls I made I covered with craft glue and let dry, then it was fine, I was just too much in a hurry for the first girl)
Because the clay wasn’t sticking, it made me think of using my old clay as the core, so I made a girl with clay instead of the rock. Half way through I had the idea to make this business card holder. So I made the slit for cards to fit and there you go.
I had a plastic business card holder on my desk and I had this idea to make something that used less clay. After all, not everyone has tons of scrap clay.
 Business Card Holder So there you have a peek inside my strange mind. Not that anyone really wanted to look…:) Thanks for stopping in today.
P.S. All of these would make great projects for kids.
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
 Bunches-of-Bangles I know, I’ve gone crazy. Okay I was already crazy, I’ve gone over the edge then, the “how many of those things are you going to make?” edge. Well I’ve made so many over the last week that I lost count. I’ve given some away, sold some and claimed some for myself.
The rest of these are going to The Creative Native Gallery in Tampa and Highlands Art League here in Sebring. I don’t think I can sell them easily in my Etsy shop, each one needs to be tried on and each one is a different unique shape. I am having a blast with these guys.
 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.
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