Polymer Clay Etc.

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.

Polymer Clay Fish Decisions

This is kind of my finished fish piece. Kind of…..I’m still playing with it and not sure I like everything about it and might do something different with the flower stems. The metal leaf was left over from the fish and I thought I try it as stems. It wasn’t what I had in mind and I’m not sure I won’t try my original idea after all.

I haven’t glued the pieces down yet, I had a black background in mind, but now I’m not so sure. I don’t want to try to do the background in polymer, so if I want a different background I have to think of something else. I’m not much of a painter, but I’m thinking of painting a lighter background on board. Plus I’m still arranging and rearranging each piece and wondering if I need more fish.

I might have to let this percolate for awhile, but hopefully not too long. I like to finish projects and get them either out the door on the way to a new home, or among my many polymer clay keepers.

Anyway, it was fun and if nothing else I’ve added metal foils to my cane mapping techniques and I’m ready to see what else I can do with it besides fish………love fish but……. well you understand I’m sure.

More Shiny Fish for WIP

I’ve been working on more fish and some other fantasy flowers for my WIP but it’s not finished yet, so I thought I’d share these fish today.

I find that I am using more and more of those little canes I made from scraps of other canes like the ones I show you in my video Don’t Waste That Little Bit of Skinner Blend. In fact while I’m doing these fish, I am making more little canes to use. It’s just plain fun because nothing has to be perfect and you kind of create as you go.

I usually create that way, just begin and see what come from it. Some days I like to just mix colors and have them ready for making a series of canes that coordinate. Other days I like to make skinner blends for the same reason. It makes creating a project so much easier, working flows easily when you have canes made up but also when you have bits of left over colors from your canes so you can make quick little matching canes to accent a piece.

I’ll try to post a picture of the flowers tomorrow. Hopefully I can finish the whole picture by then, maybe!

Cane Mapping Mosaics With a Little Bling

These fish with their own bling are a part of a WIP, but I wanted to share them with you today because I am excited about how they look.

It’s one of those slap myself on the forehead moments…ever since I attended a class with Kathleen Dustin, I’ve had every color of Gilding Material, gold leaf, variegated blue leaf, red variegated and silver too. This class was years ago maybe 2005, can’t remember. Anyway I made a few thing using the techniques I learned in her class and then move to other things.

This metal leaf has just been patiently waiting for me to remember it. Today, 6? years later I incorporated it in these cane mapped mosaic fish. You can learn the basic mosaic technique by signing up for my newsletter in the upper right hand side of this page.

I’ve been framing some of the other fish that I’ve done for my classes and I wanted to create a large piece that contains several fish and other subjects. So I’m not finished yet, this has exploded me into a whole different group of ideas. Like I need anymore to add to the ones I haven’t gotten to yet. But maybe I’ll add some of these to the front of the list.

It’s so great to be able to share what I’m doing each day. I know there is someone out there checking in once in awhile, thanks……….

Pen, Ink, Markers, and Polymer Clay, Oh and a Frame

I got carried away. but with what exactly, I’m not sure. I used another of Barbara McGuire’s stamp sheets to makes some shapes to play around with pen and ink on.

I just let my self go and there she was. I kind of like her. She’s going up on my wall. Love, love, love, playing with clay and colors.

New Girlfriend Galore Bracelets

I sold the last of my girlfriend galore bracelets at Fandango and needed to make more and here’s the new gaggle of girlfriends.

I was honored to be asked to donated something to the International Polymer Clay Association retreat this year and I’m sending one of these cuffs. I only wish I could go this year. I would love to meet all the other wonderful clayers that are going to be there. Maybe next time.

I’ve also made the largest GG bracelet yet, showing in the photo above are all sides of this 1 1/2″ wide cuff. It really looks great on a large girl like me. This bracelet is listed in myEtsy Shop.

It’s hard for me to decide which size I like the best, I like them all I guess. Someday I have to save one for myself. Maybe it’s one of these because I’ve used the last of at least one of my face canes and so these really represent my faces over the last few years. Kind of a road map of my journey.

The next group of bracelets will be welcoming some new faces because I’ll be making more this month. I can’t wait to see the new personalities that show up. That’s really how I feel about my face canes, each one kind of decides who they are going to be and sometimes I don’t have alot of say in the matter. Kind of fun.

Next….. More Finishing Work From Fandango Faces

Here’s the second necklace made with faces from my Fandango retreat. More black and white and pen and ink. Can you tell I’m having fun!

Pen and Ink on Polymer Clay

I’ve been working on finishing up the face pendants I created at Fandango. This is the first one and I’ve mixed black and white canes with the pen and ink face. I also made black and white beads and strung the whole thing on black Buna Cord.

This is like one of the projects planned for my up coming class on the 25th of June here in my studio. We’re going to make a pen and ink bracelet first, then spend the rest of the class working on the necklace.

The class is full, but I will be posting another one for July 16th, so if you think you might be interested, mark your calendars.

Polymer Clay Faces with Maureen Carlson’s Molds

I wasn’t able to take Maureen Carlson’s class at Fandango. Everyone was making these fabulous necklaces with What a Character^®mold from Maureen. I couldn’t resist and came home with a couple. I’m busy making more Girlfriends Galore bracelets because they are all gone, but I just had to play with the molds……… so what did I make but a bracelet of course.

I usually do my own faces, but I just wanted to play with these. Actually I wanted the little stamps embellishments all around the faces as much as anything. They are really just so cool.

This is a WIP but I just want to let you know I am at my clay table working er …..playing……away. So if you see this Maureen, I’m not finished yet.

My class here in my studio is full and I’m looking forward to a great day. If you are interested in taking a class with me, leave a comment or email me at alice@polymerclayetc.com and let me know. I’m going to be having at least one class a month including my Full Face Cane class the last of July. As I said, I only have room for 8 or 9 so be sure to let me know if you’re interested.

Fandango 2011 and My Studio Class

I promised you and myself videos and photos from another wonderful Orlando Area Polymer Clay Guild’s Fandango, that’s true, but all I have is this one photo taken here at home. And it’s only of my stuff, not of the instructors, not of the demo artists, the students or the wonderful Fandango Committee.

You ask why??? I packed all my cameras in my large black camera bag and left it by the door, put my very huge tripod in the trunk the night before so I was all set, right! The problem was, at 6:00 the next morning, I left the camera bag sitting right there by the back door. I was 50 miles away from home before I realized what I had done, or rather hadn’t done.

There is an up side to this, I didn’t have to worry about getting the pictures, rounding everyone up and being responsible. I just played, visited and enjoyed my short time there. So even though I’m paying for it now and you don’t get to see videos from this year, I truly had a carefree time at Fandango.

I really did have a great time, seriously, I met so many wonderful new friends and loved seeing all the friends from last year. I have to tip my hat to this years Fandango committee, they did an outstanding job. Wait until you see who the instructors are for next year, start saving now! And don’t worry, I will still shamelessly plug fandango and the Orlando Guild throughout the year.

The picture above shows some of the faces I worked on while I was at Fandango. I also finished another bracelet with eyes and lips and that went home with my new friend Kathe Keck, thanks Kathe.

The face on the right was one of the first faces I did using my Pen and Ink Technique and a stamp from Barbara McGuire’s collection. The other faces I’ve done recently. I can see how I have improved, can you?

Granted, they are still silly faces, not realistic at all, but that’s the point with these guys. But I like the definition in the nose and better coloring.

The solitary eye is on a 2″ x 2″ canvas. I painted it with liquid clay and then used my technique. Fun! I’m getting closer.

Everything we do, we do better the longer we work at it. Clay, drawing, life!!! I decided I wanted to draw faces and in the beginning I wasn’t doing too well, but I have continued to try and I’m happy with how far I’ve come. There is still miles to go before I’m able to show my work next to some of the artists I look up to, but that’s okay, I am truly having the best journey.

And as I learn, I want to teach what I’ve learned because I enjoy teaching and sharing! I can’t wait to share this pen and ink technique and I’m going to be teaching here in my studio in Sebring.

I met several wonderful clayers at Fandango that said they would like to spend the day creating their own special pen and ink “masterpieces” so here is the first of many classes I’m offering.

Join me in my studio on

June Saturday 25th 9:00am to 4:00pm

$50.00

Optional $8.00 – supply package that includes

1 Brass bracelet blank

Black and white cane slices

Necklace cording

Sebring, FL

Lunch included

Students limited to 8

email me to register alice@polymerclayetc.com

Download the flyer here

Pen and Ink on Polymer Clay Class

Fandango and Blue Moon Polymer Clay and Pen and Ink

Tomorrow morning bright and early I’m leaving my husband home with the dog and cat and I’ll be on my way to Orlando Area Polymer Clay Guild’s Fandango. I can only manage to get away for one day, but I just couldn’t miss all the fun with the Saturday night auction. Plus I could stand knowing all those clayers were only 2+ hours away and I wasn’t going to see them again this year.

My plan is to see if a can’t get the instructors and demo artists together again like last year for a short video. I have to laugh when I think about last year and how hard it was to get everyone in one place long enough to film. You can watch it here.

I made the Blue Moon above to wear to Fandango, I used my Pen and Ink Technique along with a ploymer clay shape and canes. The shape was made using a stamp from Barbara McGuire’s collection.

Polymer Clay Canes for Beginners

Online Workshops with Alice Stroppel

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