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]

Girlfriend Pins – Polymer Clay

Girlfriends Pins

Girlfriends Pins

A couple of girlfriend pins went to The Creative Native Gallery this week along with the girlfriend ornaments. I see a mother and daughter in the one and a very funny character in the other one.

I’ve been busy with bracelets and ornaments. Claying away and keeping the oven busy baking load after load of colorful, funky, fun, things. While others are making witches and goblins, I’m thinking of line green, turquoise and fuchsia. Funny how life changes without you even realizing it. I was a halloween queen when I was younger, with children at home. Love everything about it, made things and patterns and decorated the house….all great fun.

Now we live far from town and not one trick or treater has ever come to our house in 15 years. Kind of sad I guess, but on the other hand, I can turn my focus to other things. Actually, it’s kind of freeing to be out of step sometimes.

Now back to my clay table and the non Halloween bracelets……

Another Treasury and It’s My Favorite Subject – Smiling!

Etsy Treasury - by Skywind

Etsy Treasury - by Skywind

I’m thrilled…my Coco-nut girl is famous and she’s making people laugh. Thanks to Pat Carlson, who by the way makes the most adorable mini books you ever saw, Coco-nut girl is in the treasury, “Smile, it makes people wonder what you’re doing”.

Pat’s books actually open and  you can read the stories. If you have a doll house or a miniature collection, you have to take a look at Pat’s shop, Skywind on Etsy. I mean really…….. look at this.

Skywind - Thumbelina

Skywind - Thumbelina

Bangles – Just for Fun!

Bangles

Bangles

I’ve been working on the finishing touches to ornaments going to The Creative Native Gallery in Tampa and while they were in the oven I needed to make a birthday present for a friend. I have already given her dozens of girlfriend things, vases, ornaments, salt and pepper, etc…..so I decided to make some fun bangle bracelets. Here are three and there are two more in the oven.

Ornaments are finished, packed and ready to be delivered, the weather is beautiful, dog and cat are asleep on the porch and I have another hour before I have to make dinner. All is right with the world.

My Pen and Ink Faces Bracelet Featured in Etsy Treasury Yin Meets Yang

Yin Meets Yang by LunasLoot

Yin Meets Yang by LunasLoot

My Pen and Ink girls were featured in this very cool black and white treasury. I’m honored and very pleased. You should check out LunasLoot on Etsy. Great vintage stuff……..Thanks Marsha

Girlfriends from OAPCG Workshop

When I taught my Profile Face Cane class to some of the members of the Orlando Area Polymer Clay Guild, I was delighted to have 14 people attend and all of them create faces with their own individual style. I asked them all to send pictures of their finished girls and I want to show them here.

If you were in that class and want to send me pictures, I’m waiting. But I didn’t have to wait for Charline Ahlgreen, president of OAPCG, she brought this cool glass vase with her to class and by the end she had her face placed on it, added hair  or maybe they are butterflies? Plus a cool collar.

Charline

Charline

Mary Jenkins, Treasurer, had a great start on her girl as well. Before we packed up to go home she had a fabulous slice of her face cane complete with collar, hair and very cool hat. Looks like she was going to end up on a bracelet

Mary

Mary

Sherry Caley was the first to send me a picture of her girl. I was waiting for a clearer one, but I’m posting this one now and if you send me another one Sherry, I’ll replace it. Her hair, hat and collar look great, very 3d.

Sherry

Sherry

Rose Long was next with this great photo of too small journal covers. I love how she used flowers for the hair on the first girl. I can tell she went home and made another face. The more you make the better they get, trust me. I love both of these girls, each has it’s own special character. Very cool idea.

Rose

Rose

Then there is Crazy Nancy Welch. She called me to see if I would teach this class, so I owe all the fun to her. She has been very busy with her girls and has created tons of great things. You can see that she made another face cane too. Love em both.

Nancy

Nancy

Nancy

Nancy

Nancy

Nancy

Nancy

That’s it for the photos from Orlando. Maybe I’ll get some more someday.

Each of the students received links to the pdf and video from this class. If you would like to make your own face canes, the pdf and video are available in my Profile Face Cane Tutorial for sale in my Etsy Shop. Or if you would like to sponsor a class with your guild or group or at your retail store, contact me for further information. Or you can check out my teaching information here.

Thanks everyone, I had a blast.

Salt and Pepper Blondes – Profile Face Canes

Salt and Pepper Blonde

Salt and Pepper Blonde

One of my most popular items are my salt and pepper shakers. The girlfriends of course. But I also sell quite a few of my flamingos too. I’ve made two sets for a customer to choose from and the other will be available for sale.

I’ve used two different profile face canes on these S&Ps, but I’ve made them both blondes. Then I used complimentary colors for each shaker.

These are kind of fall like colors and would be good for your Thanksgiving table. Oh come on, surprise your family, crazy girls instead of turkeys…why not?  Their hats kind of look like turkey feathers don’t they???

Salt and Pepper Blonde

New Listings in Etsy Shop

Autumn Girl

I’ve listed several items in my Etsy Shop, getting ready for Christmas Shoppers. These two bracelets were made entirely from polymer clay. The great thing about Premo clay is that the bracelet can be squeezed to allow it to slip on your wrist easier.

Mermaid

Mermaid

Ornaments Galore for Friends Galore!

I’ve been on a roll, covering these ornaments and creating these girlfriend ornaments. By using different skinner blends for backgrounds I’m not using traditional Christmas colors for a reason. I want these ornaments to be able to be viewed and displayed at other times of the year too.

We all have one of those ornament stands that will display one special ornament. Well why not add one of those to a polymer clay ornament that has a special message for the recipient. I did a google search and found them for 2.50 and up.

Order an ornament from my Etsy Shop (adding a couple by the end of the day today) or create one yourself. But get started, Christmas is just around the corner.

BFF Ornament Going to The Creative Native

Best Friend Forever

Best Friends Forever

Pam Moody from The Creative Native Gallery is having her annual ornament display this year and I’m making some best girlfriend ornaments to add to the mix. Each will a have a witty saying on the back, but you’ll have to stop in The Creative Native to choose yours.

I’ll be making more for my Etsy Shop and The Highlands Art League too, but I promised Pam that I would get some to her soon.

Here’s an ornament I made in 2005 when I was still working on perfecting my faces. (actually, I’m still working on perfecting my faces)  This one had 7 girls on it and it hangs in my studio. I thought this year was a good year to revisit these ornaments and take a look at how far I’ve come.

2005

2005

I made this ornament to celebrate my Best Female Friends. We are still friends and it’s a great thing to have this group of fabulous women standing beside me, plus covering my back…….

What? Why? Polymer Clay and Wire

What?

What?

Okay, I know that maybe, just maybe I stayed up too late last night. I’m making ornaments for Christmas. This What?  just happened. I was just playing and not trying to make anything at all. It was a fun to just see where it would end up.

This morning I thought, oh this is too strange even for me and I should just put it on my shelf and get back to ornaments. But then I remembered that this blog is about creating and you can’t say this doesn’t fit. So here is the What? ……Why? just for fun.