Polymer Clay Canes for Beginners 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.
Online Workshops with Alice Stroppel
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I drew this woman on canvas last June with the idea that I was going to frame her, she has been patiently wanting to become something. I found this perfect wooden stool at a garage sale this week-end, painted it black and now my girl has a home. I have several other pieces I’ve been working on and will be sharing soon.
She is going to be for sale and I’ll be telling you more about that by the end of the week. I have some exciting news to share and can’t wait for it to happen. See you a a day or two or three.
I have a slide exchange coming up and I have been experimenting with different designs. They have to be black and white with one color. The exchange is with a very talented group of polymer clay artists and I want to make something new and different. Different for me anyway.
This was the first idea that I had and I made a bracelet to go with it. I saw a pendent like this except instead of my dot-dot-dot cane there were real diamonds draped around. I like this one and got several compliments when I wore it.
Next I made these three, once again using my dot, dot, dot, cane in each one. I like the one in the middle the best.
 Yesterday I made these hoping they look a bit like ceramic bisque.
And then this “just a bit crazy” one that uses… what else but the dot, dot, dot, cane again. 
And the experiments continue.
I love black and white. I haven’t made any black and white bracelets for sale in awhile and decided I needed to take a minute and create some.
 These are for the Pen and Ink class I’m teaching at the Creative Journey Studios in Buford, GA on the 22nd of this month. I’ll user these to show how I draw my faces directly onto the cured polymer clay.
On the 21st I’m teaching my profile face cane. So I’ve been busy with blending face clay too. Oh and while I was making black and white scraps, I added some colorful scraps and made several Stroppel Canes that have magically turned into pins for the pin exchange during Fandango next month. Still have a bunch to go…but I’ll get there.
I’m just smiling and clayin’…..
I’ve worked on the arms from the other day (photo above) you can compare it to the arms before (photo below).
 They still aren’t perfect and the shading just doesn’t look as good in these photos as it does when the bracelet is on my wrist. But I find that looking at most pieces of work in a 4″ picture is not how you see it on the bracelet. The actual drawing is only 1″ x 1 1/2″ so a lot of things you see in the photo just don’t show up on the actual drawing.
I also worked on two other bracelets, this one is using one of the face patterns from my pdf. I still have the third side to finish.
This brightly colored face is totally different and was oh so much fun to do. More work needs to be done on this one too, I like to give the ink time to dry completely and rest for awhile before working on the next panel. If I don’t, the colors tend to run a bit even if I heat set them, so usually I’m working on more than one bracelet. That’s why when I cover bracelets with the panels and canes, I do a bunch so that they will all be baked and ready for me when I feel like drawing.
Don’t forget I’ll be teaching my Pen and Ink on Polymer Clay at Creative Journey Studios in Buford, GA on the 21st of April 2012. And on the 22nd I’ll be teaching my profile face cane class, so grab and friend and come stay at the B & B right down the road. It’s going to be a fun weekend for sure.
The I’m off to Lake Yale in FL to do demos at Fandango. Days and days of fabulous classes you won’t want to miss. There is still time to get a late room or day pass. May 3-7th 2012.
June 10th and 11th will find me in Davy, FL with the Southeast Florida Polymer Clay Guild, details to come.
I’ll also be teaching this class at Maureen Carlson’s Center for the Creative Arts in Jordon, MN on Sept. 23, 2012. this is another long weekend with three classes I’ll be teaching. Just imagine what a great time we are going to have at Maureen.
 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.
I can’t stand to throw anything away, even when things go a bit wrong. I was working on two pen and ink bracelets (using the techniques shown in my video tutorial for sale in my Etsy shop) for Woman Creative – Art and Jewelry Design Center when somehow my oven when crazy and I had a couple of scorched bracelets on my hands. Not totally black, but not fit for sending to Ellen at the Center.
But today as I was taking them off the blanks, I just couldn’t throw them away. So I began to play around with them and I cut them apart and repositioned them on other pieces of clay and I began to really like the antique look of the pieces.
What didn’t work as one of my usual bracelets really did work in a different setting. In the beginning I thought I might want to add some more antiquing to them, but I really like them just the way they are.
I’m thrilled to have saved them and I think I might be on to something else. But that’s the way it is, too many things I want to do and too little time.
I guess what I really wanted to share with you was that sometimes what you think as failure might just turn into success, never give up!
 Zentangle This is a bracelet made from Zentangle canes I made several months ago. I don’t know why I haven’t made more in all this time, too busy making other things I guess. But a tutorial is on my list. I’ve listed this one in my Etsy Shop.
 I’ve also listed black and white cuff in the picture below in my Etsy shop. I don’t care how many bracelets I make like this, they still continue to sell well.
They’re fun and bold and really stand out with a pair of black jeans and a crisp white shirt, my favorite look still.
My Lady in Blue is in another Treasury…I’m so delighted everyone like her. Thanks again to Patricia Paquin from artistsloftpaquin1.
 I got very focused for the last couple of days and have really accomplished quite a bit. On Wednesday I couldn’t get online at all and spent the whole day on the phone with my carrier. Yuck….but I’m back here and ready to go.
I have two finished black and white bracelets, one Zentangle, and 7 black and white waiting for pen and ink. I’ve listed this bracelet in my shop and will list the other two tomorrow.
I’ve also just finished 20 inchies for a Valentines inchies swap with Polymer Clay Italia, the first Italian polymer clay guild. I can’t wait to get 20 inchies back from this group. Actually it’s an international swap with Leila Bidler from Polymer Clay Italia as the sway mistress.
There are swappers from Italy, USA, Germany, Serbia, UK, Switzerland, and the Netherlands, exciting! I can’t show you mine yet, but I will after everyone has theirs, next month sometime.
Plus, I’m in another Treasury. I can’t believe it and I’m thrilled.
This Treasury was currated by artbymar, Maria Soto Robbins, and she’s from South Florida, Miami to be exact. You can see here tropically influenced artwork in her Etsy shop. Thanks Maria
 I must have lost my mind, I’m doing Roosters now, at least this one time. This bracelet is one of two that I made the other day and they are both listed in my Etsy Shop. This is the only rooster bracelet though.
 I had fun I must say. But I truly don’t know where the rooster thing came from. I’ve been doing faces, lips and eyes, then Bam! chickens and rooster jump in my head.
 Plus I still haven’t finished the necklace I started the other day. But I love that about what I’m doing, I get to do what and when I want. Can’t ask for more than that I guess.
I don’t now about where you are, but I know it’s getting colder here. Needs a hot beverage asap.
 #2 Pen and Ink Lips Business Card Case I’ve finished two business card cases with black and white canes and pen and ink lips. These are really fun to do and I might have to do one just for me. These two are for sale in my Etsy Shop.
 Pen and Ink Lips Business Card Case I have three more bracelets ready for drawings, so I’d better get going. Oh….by the way, my new motor got here last week and I’m very pleased with it. Only has one speed, but it’s high, so that’s perfect for me.
Seriously, if you don’t have a motor for your pasta machine and do alot of claying, you should really consider a motor. Your neck, arm and wrist will thank you.
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