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]

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

Fandango and Faces

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

Blue Moon Polymer Clay 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.

Woman Creative Class Update

I’m sorry to say that my two classes at Woman Creative in Buford, Ga. are postponed until another time. I’ll let you know as soon as I have a new date.

In the mean time, there are several clayers here in central Florida that have expressed an interest in the classes, so I’m going to be offering both classes in the last part of June. I just have to make sure of a date or two and then I’ll be posting the time and date here.

If you think you might want to attend, shoot me an email at alice@polymerclayetc.com and I’ll be sure and put you on the list to contact.

Pen and Ink

Pen and Ink

Cane Mapped Mosaics

Cane Mapped Mosaics

An “Eye” Catching Polymer Clay Pendant

Polymer Clay with Face in Pen and InkThis pendant was made by combining a black polymer clay base and black and white canes together, then drawing the split face onto white polymer clay squares.

The combo has proven to be well received and I’ll be teaching the pen and ink technique along with cane mapping mosaic class at Barbara McGuire and Ellen Prophater’s Woman Creative Art and Jewelry Center in Buford, GA.

For more information and to sign up visit BarbaraMcguire.com . If you aren’t able to attend one of my classes, you might be interested in the other classes offered by some very exciting instructors.

More Face Pendants Ready to Go to Woman Creative!

face pendant - alice stroppel

I’ve been working on several pieces to  send to Woman Creative. These are a few face Pendants that use Barbara McGuire’s Vintage Hardware door plates Shapes rubber stamp (boy that’s a mouth full), polymer clay  and my Pen and Ink technique.

face pendant - alice stoppel

You can order the rubber stamps from Barbara online, or better yet come and join me at Woman Creative on Saturday June 4th from, 11:00 to 5:00 and make one with me. I promise you, we’ll have fun.

face pendant - alice stroppel

Teaching At Woman Creative

I’m thrilled to tell you I’ll be guest artist in June at Barbara McGuire and Ellen Prophater’s new fabulous Woman Creative Art and Jewelry Design Center just outside Atlanta in Buford, GA.

The fun will begin on Friday night June 3, where I’ll be the guest of honor at an Artist Reception to kick off the week-end. It’s going to be a great time and I hope you can be there.

On Saturday and Sunday I’ll be delving further into two favorite techniques that I’ve developed using polymer clay. The first class on Saturday from, 11:00 to 5:00, will be Pen and Ink Polymer, using Polymer clay as your canvas you can soar as high as your imagination can take you.

Pen and Ink

Pen and Ink

You don’t have to “know how to draw” to have fun with this technique and create colorful results you’ll be proud to wear. Read more about it here.

The second class on Sunday, June 5th,  from 12:00 to 4:00, will be Cane Mapped Mosaics. I’ve given away a 20 min. video cane mapped mosaics for free since the beginning of my blog. This class will bring us all together too explore the many  possibilities with this technique and to take a closer look at color choices.

Cane Mapped Mosaics

Cane Mapped Mosaics

Read more about this class here. I hope you can join Me and Barbara, Ellen, Sue and the rest of the ladies at Woman Creative the first weekend in June. To sign up for one or both of these classes visit Woman Creative Art and Jewelry Design Center.

Polymer Clay as Canvas for Pen and Ink “Story”

Cat and Mouse

Cat and Mouse

I love this black and white “story” bracelet, it makes me laugh.  This cat is NOT a happy kitty. It seems the mice are having way too much fun.

Moth Versus Butterfly

moth mosaic

I was checking my clipart disks for butterflies to do using my mosaic technique and ran into the moth section and I realized that moths are pretty spectacular. The guy above is a moth, fantasy colors of course. I still have a butterfly on my table and there are some fabulous butterflies as well. I’m going to make a necklace out of this one.

You can learn this technique by signing up for my newsletter (in the upper right hand side of this page) and watching the free 20 minute video tutorial.

Stay tuned, because I’m going to be teaching a full day of this technique very soon. It’s lots of fun and the applications are limitless.

Polymer Clay Fish Mosaic

Fish Mosaic

I ‘ve been doing lots of new pieces involving the mosaic technique that I share with you when you sign up for my newsletter. I’ve made this fish and placed it on the underside of a 6×6 plate. It will make a perfect desert plate or a catch all for a dresser.

I have other things I’m working on that I want to share with you soon. Just wanted you to know I’m busy working at my clay table.