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Angela Natali (cleobs on Flickr) just commented on my Florida Sunshine picture. I went over to her flickr site to see what she has been up to and look what I found. This skyline bracelet is just fabulous..don’t you think so? I’m simply delighted. Go tell cleobs what you think……..
Here’s a pile of colorful fun Stroppel Pins I’ve made for the pin exchange at Orlando Area Polymer Clay Guild’s Fandango. I’m about half way there, even though we don’t have to make pins to exchange with everyone, I don’t want to miss any very cool pins by running out of mine. I’ve been having a great time with these and might just keep these as something I do all the time. There are so many possibilities with each little canvas. Now back to making some face canes for my class at Creative Journey Studios on the 21st and 22nd of this month. Both places still have room for more students, so pick up the phone and reserve your space. If you are new to my blog and haven’t seen my Stroppel cane video, it’s to your right on this page. Several months ago I share a technique I’d been using for awhile to use up my scrap cane slices and keep them from the mud pile. It kind of took off around the world when Cynthia Tinapple posted it on Polymer Clay Daily.
Since then I’ve had the pleasure of seeing polymer clay artists from beginners to professionals give the Stroppel cane a try with some stunning results. Guilds are sharing it, there are swaps and Challenges. This Challenge from Parole de pâte had over 125 entries.  Nolwen The Challenge was to create a piece using the Stroppel Cane or Julie Picarello’s Lazy River. The entries were about half and half between the two methods. Here’s some really wonderful pieces using the two techniques together.  Ysseym There are so many pieces to choose from I can’t show them all here so I’ve just post a few.  Aneliz Thank you to all those who participated and to Parole de pâte for hosting this challenge.  Anne
My problem is, I get distracted by all the other ideas that come into my head. The bracelet above contains simple yet vibrantly colored canes and I just couldn’t help myself, I had to make this outrageously (choose one of these dictionary definitions……..1. shockingly bad or excessive 2. very bold, unusual, and startling.) fun to wear bracelet. Naturally, each people can choose their own colors and don’t have to be crazy, so I think we’ll have fun. I have flower canes and several more complicated canes to share as well. There is still room for a couple more people in this class, we have a large space, so if you’re in the area, come join us. Oh and I’ll be showing the Stroppel cane too. But some of these woman were the first ones I showed it too but it’s grown just a bit since then. I also got some dies and the new book from Tracy Holmes and Dan Cormier right after Christmas. I have some ideas that I want to try out, but haven’t had time, so my thoughts drifted in that direction for a few minutes. Then the idea of translucent clay being colored and looking like sea glass caught my eye on Polymer Clay Daily, my brain began drifting again. This conversation started on FB as a result, ( I tried to link directly to the conversation but couldn’t figure that one out. So here’s the link to my page, you’ll have to scroll down about half way on the lefthand side.) While you’re there, friend me. lol. So many patterns and colors on Pintest now that it has my mind jumping all over the place. I have a sculpting workshop here next month and I’m very excited about a couple of ideas I want to add to the workshop, but I have had to keep those ideas simmering until after the workshop this weekend. Plus….information from artists is starting to pour in for Suzanne Ivestor’s and my new magazine Polymer Portfolio. The work is amazing, the artists sterling and well, the whole project is exciting. So I’m starting off the new year with a full plate and very excited to be so actively involved in this wonderful world of polymer clay, thanks to you all.
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.
When Randee Ketzel sent me two of her Stroppel cane bracelets, well I was blown away by her thoughtfulness. I will always treasure them. I wanted to send Randee something in return so I decided to make a girlfriend wearing something well…..Stroppel! If you want to see her in her Stroppel cane sweater, she’s on Randee’s flickr site.
I sat down to make more girlfriend slides and thought why not do a series of Stroppel Sweater Girls. So now I’m just laughing and making sweater girls. I figured you can wear one or two or even three. You could collect as many as your neck will hold. lol… Okay now I’m just being silly. Both of these girls are for sale in my Etsy shop and there will be more to come. Thanks Randee for the inspiration. |
