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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Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

Margit Böhmer’s Beautiful Work – A Gift

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.

Polymer Clay Italia 2011 Winter Inchie Swap

Polymer Clay Italia 2011 Winter Inchie Swap

Yesterday at the Post Office I was doing a small dance after I checked my mailbox and found a package from Leila Bidler.  My inchies from the Polymer Clay Italia 2011 Winter Inchie Swap had arrived.

And you can see why I was excited. This is the second inchie swap I’ve participated in with the remarkable Leila Bidler. I have always admired those who take on the task of a swap, it all seems so large and such a lot of work. But I’m delighted she is enjoying it because I sure am.

Leila said this was a winter swap and to do something wintery and not necessarily the holidays. The only thing I can really relate to about winter is water and palm tree, oak trees and sunshine. So I used a mini Stroppel cane to make the palm fronds and that was inchie #1. I thought I might make some of my fellow swappers smile.

Leila has been doing some incredible work with polymer clay and bargello for some fantastic results.  Just take a look at her blog post. I am thrilled to say that she sent me a wonderful piece of her purple bargello work. This picture doesn’t do it justice.

Leila Bidler Bargello

You really need to go look at her blog to see how fabulous these are. I just can’t decide if I want to frame it, wear it as a pin or make it into a slide. What I do know is I’m thrilled to have it. Thank you Leila.

I sent 20 inches and received 20 + back. I love each and everyone of them. Inchie #2 was a Stroppel cane inchie, not wintery at all, but I was in the middle of all the attention focused on the cane, so I just went with it. Most of them looked kind of like stained glass I think, the one I kept for myself, not so much.

Thank you to all my swap buddies. Happy Holidays.

Polymer Clay Italia 2011 Winter Inchie Swap

P.S. Margit, yours will be on it’s way after Christmas.

My Stroppel Cane is Older Than I Thought

In April of 2010, I was experimenting with a different kind of face cane and made 13 bracelets from it. I’ve sold several of them and have but a few left. I started photographing this one to put in my etsy Shop to sell. It has a flower that looks like a poinsettia so I thought it would be perfect for the season and I’d better get it posted.

When I looked through the lens, what did I see but a Stroppel cane that I used for a collar and a hat band. I started to laugh because my memory is so bad. At least about dates and when I did what. I knew I’d been making Stroppel canes for quite awhile, but didn’t realize it’s been almost 2 years.

If you look close at the bottom of the bracelet, you can see the date. Now I’m thinking I’ll keep this one, I have another one that is even more Christmasy. I hope this made you laugh, it sure made me glad that I date things.


I did list another pen and ink face bracelet that I finished last week. It’s in my Etsy Shop.

Sample Issues of The Polymer Arts

I just love Flip magazines. I’ve been working towards one of my own for years and have finally found the right partner in Suzanne Ivester. We’ve been working on our online publication for several months now and have just recently put it in high gear.

Our magazine, Polymer Portfolio, is very different than the one featured here, I can’t wait for you to see it but it’s in the beginning stages and it will be awhile before we are ready for a coming out party. Stay tuned……….

Sage Bray and her team produce The Polymer Arts, a wonderful new magazine with the polymer clay artist in mind and I applaud her efforts. Take a look at the sample magazine then go on and try an issue or get a full subscription.

I’m thrilled to have been asked to contribute to the 2nd issue and to be included in this sample.

Helen Breil Texture and Stroppel Cane

A friend is having a birthday this month and several of us met for dinner and had a great time. This friend has so many of my “girls” in every form I’ve ever made so I thought it was time I’d make her something totally different.

I made this neckpiece for my birthday friend using one of Helen Breil’s texture sheets and a piece of Stroppel cane. The funny thing is the colors blended so well in person, you couldn’t see the blue tones in the cane as much as you can in this photo. I still like it, it’s interesting and different and hope my friend likes it too.

I’ve had the texture sheet for several months, I bought it at a retreat where I met Helen for the first time. What a talented lady, just take a look at her fabulous work.

I was lucky to be in a slide swap with Helen and this is the very cool slide I received.

Helen Breil and Alice Stroppel Swap

The back side of my piece is fun too because of the great texture from the sheets.