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.
I’ve been blending colors and making tons of Skinner blends for my up coming class at Beads F.O.B. in Sarasota, FL. I had such a good time the last time I was there giving a class and I’m delighted to be going back. I’ll be there not this weekend, but next weekend, Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 14th and 15th. If you’re in the area, I hope you’ll come join us. And if your not in the area, I hope you get out of the cold and take a trip to FL. Call Beads F.O.B. to sign up and reserve a spot. 941-921-0871
The class will be about canes, canes, canes, and how to make this shaped bracelet. You’ll love this bracelet, I get a million compliments when I wear mine. As a bonus, we’ll be looking at color mixing as well.
I am going to expand on the canes I’ll be teaching and this class is for new and relatively new caners. I have been collecting inspirational photos for years and will be spending the next week constructing canes.
Just tapping into the world of geometrics provides a unlimited amount of ideas for canes.
Looking at colorful graphics is enough to get my brain spinning. It doesn’t mean that once I sit down to actually make a new cane that it will end up looking anything like these. Photos of all kinds are just a jumping off point for me, with color, shape and shading.
Just do a google search for say…..circles. click on the “image” link at the top lefthand side of the page and tada…….all the inspiration for circles you could ask for. You can to the same for any shape, color or subject. Just don’t get lost and forget about your clay.
Of course I can’t make Skinner blends without making scraps and scraps always lead to a Stroppel cane. I make this one with orange and blue as my separator colors and the rest of the scraps are just waiting their turn. Naturally, we’ll be making Stroppel canes in this class too.
Come on…join me in beautiful Sarasota, I’ll love to meet you.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
I think with the new Twilight movie just out this bracelet might just fit right in. I didn’t intend for it to be so gothic but the black and white with just a touch of color seems to make it that way. Kind of mysterious don’t you think?
Both this bracelet and the one below are the newest additions to my Etsy shop.
I know that I’m late to this party and that almost everyone owns one or at least knows about using a food processor to condition old hard clay. I’ve never bought one because I don’t use one of the harder clays. Plus I couldn’t justify spending the money for a new one.
But honestly even my clay that is years old, clay that I bought online, is still in pretty good shape. I looked for some to test in my “new” food processor and really couldn’t find any. The clay that has always given me a problem is clay I or a student of mine has purchased in a hobby or craft store. My belief is that they store it in a hot warehouse and it bakes a little bit. So make sure when you purchase clay in the store, you check each package to see if it has some give and feels pliable.
But I have digressed……I wanted to share this “find” with those of you who may be new to pc. If you have clay that is hard to condition for whatever reason, conditioning it in a food processor will do the job. Just remember that once it’s been used for clay, it shouldn’t be used for food ever again.
I’m really glad I waited and didn’t buy a new one because this one is the king of food processors, probably one of the first ones made. Looks like one I had in the 70s. This baby weights a ton, the motor must be strong enough to run my treadmill. Nothing will tax this monster, no matter how hard the clay.
A lady was selling it during our town’s monthly garage sale. Anyone can come and set up on the side walks and sometimes you can find….well….great garage sale stuff. I don’t go very often, maybe I should.
Anyway she had a price of $15.00 marked down to $10 and before I could say anything she said she did not want to take this thing home with her anymore and I could have it for $5. I laughed and was glad to give it a home. What a deal!
My husband carried it to the car for me so I never picked it up until I tried to move it around my studio later. What a riot, I could hardly lift it, the motor must weight 10 pounds.
Sometimes the smallest thing can make for a happy day.
The second issue of The Polymer Arts has arrived, at least the digital addition landed in my email box the other day, and I’m pleased to tell you I was one of the featured artist. Iris Mishly, Laurel Steven and Christa McKibbens are featured as well. Many thanks to Sage Bray for the opportunity.
I review the first issue in August and this post is not because I have a small part in this issue but because I know you’ll find things in the issue you might relate to in a big way, at least I did.
It’s a very timely thought filled edition with excellent articles from Christi Friesen, Barbara McGuire, and the Editor-in-Chief Sage Bray. I enjoyed every page of this issue and I suggest that you will too.
There is a great article about the IPCA’s 2011 retreat as experienced by a new attendee, Susan O’Neill that you don’t want to miss if you’re thinking about attending next time.
Also congratulations to my friend Patrice Pfeiffer for her Inspiration Challenge win.
You can order a yearly subscription to this magazine or just one issue at a time by visiting The Polymer Arts website. You can order it delivered to your door or to your email account. The digital version comes to you in a pdf or in a fun flip magazine format. You’ll love it either way.
Come on…join me in beautiful Sarasota, I’ll love to meet you.
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