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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Some of these charms are made with my Stroppel 2 cane. Here’s the how to!
Just like the white rabbit, Oh dear, Oh dear, I’m late, I’m late. And like Alice, I don’t quite know which door to open first.
I’m going on retreat and just finished the charms for the charm exchange, finishing up the brown bag exchange gift, figuring out what to donate for the auction and washing clothes. Whew!
The stressful part is trying to stay under the 50lb bag limit. Packing, weighing, taking important stuff out and then putting it back in again and leaving out some clothes. I figure I’ll just wear the same thing over and over. Better that than leaving out important polymer clay stuff…..
I was very happy to see that my rabbit and I were featured on Polymer Clay Daily today. Cynthia is spot on today, I feel just like the other Alice running around in wonderland. But I actually feel like Alice more often than not, after all I am Alice. *Grin*
I hope today finds everyone having a Wonderland kind of day. Just stay off the roads if you are. hehe
Cynthia Tinapple’s new book, Polymer Clay Global Perspectives arrived at my home yesterday, exciting news, the problem was, I wasn’t home. But thanks to Linda Mosley’s post I saw that I could download it to my ipad. So while I was visiting my mother, I was able to take a look at the book and my place in it right away.
It’s a beautiful book, but what makes it special for me is that so many of the artists I know personally, many of them are my friends, I consider myself so lucky to have had the opportunity to become apart of this fascinating polymer clay world and to share a small part of the stage with such talented people. And it is such a world wide stage thanks to the internet.
I am amazed to be including at the beginning of this book along with Meisha Barbee, Donna Kato, Maureen Carlson, Gwen Gibson and Bettina Welker. To have my name listed in on the same pages as these ladies, as well as other well known names, is a dream. My Stroppel Cane has truly become a part of the history of polymer clay and it’s incredibly exciting.
Cynthia takes a closer look at 13 artists and each of them share a project with you. You’ll be tempted to put the book down and get started right away creating your own version of each project. I enjoy ed getting to know the artists I haven’t met and felt even closer to the ones I consider friends.
One of my Stroppel Sweater Girls is pictured as well, right on a page with some of my favorite people. I can’t ask for more. in all over 125 artists are included in this global look at polymer clay today.
So this is another special publication for me, but I’ll be willing to bet you’d love it too. You can take a quick peak at some of the pages on Amazon and of course place your order there as well.
I just wanted to take a minute to celebrate with Cynthia Tinapple. Today marks her 2,000 post on Polymer Clay Daily. Cynthia has created a window into the studios of polymer artists from around the world, introducing us to work we might not have ever found on our own.
We’ve been inspired and entertained by, in awe of, and delighted to be introduced to the artists Cynthia has shined a light on. PCD is an important stop in most polymer artists’ day.
I am most impressed by Cynthia’s continuing support of the women of Nepal and their quest for individual freedom and expression. She shared her polymer clay Shisha technique with the women of Samunnat on a visit to Nepal.
You can see her Shisha necklace in the picture below and you can order your own Shisha bracelets made by the ladies here in their Sumunnat Shop on Etsy.
Recently, Cynthia, Wendy Moore and Ron Lehecky have succeeded in helping to fund a building project for the women of Sumunnat. And there is still time to donate and I hope you do. Here’s a link to learn more about this worthwhile project.
I also want to congratulate Cynthia on her new Book Polymer Clay Global Perspectives: Emerging Ideas and Techniques from 125 International Artists. It is sure to be an exciting book to own. I’m thrilled to be a part of such a wonderful group of artists.
Thanks you Cynthia for the enjoyment you bring to so many!
Look what came in the mail yesterday! This beautiful set of Shisha bracelets made by talented women of Samunnat Nepal.
I’ve been following the women of Samunnat Nepal ever since Cynthia Tinapple said she was going to visit the women there to share her polymer patterns.
I found out about Cynthia’s trip at a retreat we were both attending. We had a slide exchange and her slide was made from the polymer patterned “cloth” she was planning on teaching the women of Samunnat Nepal.
You can see they go together so well. What you can’t see is the reflection from the tiny little mirrors embedded in the pattern.
I wanted these bracelets because they go with Cynthia’s slide and I watched as she worked on one of the pattern sheets. And because it all means something to me, as Maureen Carlson always reminds me, everything has a story. So these pieces have a story with a beginning and a middle with the ending nowhere in site. The women of Samunnat Nepal are writing the rest of their story.
The main reason I wanted to own this bracelet set is because all the proceeds go back to the women and I wanted to support their efforts. You can read more about these beautiful women on A Colourful Journey website. It is the website “for Nepali women who have survived domestic violence and are developing ways to generate an income for themselves and their families. These women are affiliated with the non-religious, non-profit, non-political Samunnat Nepal project.”
Sometimes we polymer clay artists think that because we make polymer clay jewelry, we don’t want to buy others polymer clay jewelry, but I would encourage you to think about lending your support to these ladies and empowering their escape from violence. You won’t be sorry for a second, these bracelets will make you smile from the minute you open the package. And every time you look at them you will know you helped in a small way.
You can own your very own Shisha Bracelet, just visit Samunnat Shop on Etsy. Tell ’em Alice sent you. If nothing else, mark their shop as a favorite so your circle can get a chance to take a look.
Oh and by the way, they have other wonderful pieces of jewelry and are adding more all the time.
My hat is off to all those involved in bringing this project to life. Wendy Moore, Cynthia Tinapple, Wendy Basnet, Genevieve Williamson and the women of Samunnat Nepal. A big thank you to you all.
 I know, you tried to click on the video above and watch it right now, but it’s just a screen shot of the video featured on Cynthia Tinapple’s new premium weekly newsletter StudioMojo.
Once again I was surprised when I checked my email on Saturday and saw that this weeks copy of StudioMojo was titled The Stroppel Phenomenon! The cane certainly has been a phenomenon that is hard to explain. I’m overjoyed that this simple idea has made so many people so happy and given new life to many a sad cane and all those slices that have been hidden away from the world……..
Needless to say, I’m thrilled to be featured this week in StudioMojo, but I wanted to let you know about this newsletter with it’s interesting close up look at the polymer clay world from artists to the latest products.
Last month I became a subscriber to StudioMojo and have truly enjoyed it. The artist’s interviews include some of my favorite people and there’s more to come each week. The newsletter centers around “sparking your creativity.” It certainly has done that for me.
Thank you Cynthia Tinnapple, one more time, for featuring me.
 Melanie Bright's Stroppel Cane The very first person to send me a picture of her Stroppel cane was Melanie Bright, so her cane is the first one in this post. Actually her’s will be the only one talked about individually in this post.
This was funny, Melanie’s email had jadejeweler in it and I wrote back calling her Jade. When I realized my mistake, I wrote her back to say I was sorry and then I just decide I’d call her Jadegirl. We both had a laugh. Thank you Jadegirl for being the first to share your cane, I love the bright pink pops.
I have been trying to keep up with all the pictures around the internet and the world, (I’m grinning here) and I was going to post each one because I need to say thank you in a big way.
That was before Cynthia Tinapple from Polymer Clay Daily posted a link to my video. There are way too many cane now and that’s a wonderful thing, thank you Cynthia.
But I don’t want to leave anyone out or put anyone first, so I’ll just give you a link to my Pinterest site where I have been gathering as many as I come across. Thanks to Cara Jane fro the UK for the idea to use Pinterst to gather them together.
If you have posted a picture of your Stroppel cane (if you’ve try it that is) send me an email with the address and I’ll pin it.
Here’s a preview of what’s there, but once you get to Pinterest if you click on each picture it will take you to that person’s website or Flickr site.
A great BIG thank you to each and everyone of you, it’s been such an incredible experience.
This might be a long post…just so you know….
Thank you, thank you, and thank you some more. All of you who left a comment, joined my newsletter list, emailed me, ordered one of my videos from my Etsy shop, left a comment on Polymer Clay Daily or just stopped by to take a look at the Stroppel Cane.
I was truly blown away by the amount of traffic that my funny little blog generated in just a few days. I owe a great deal to Cynthia Tinapple at Polymer Clay Daily and to my blog and newsletter followers.
I knew I liked my new cane, but really didn’t realize just how much everyone else was going to like it. I’m thrilled to be able to share it with everyone. When I first started with polymer clay, I learned so much from the generous people on the internet and it was all free. Now, just to keep up with all the fees out there one has to make a little money here and there, but I will always give away as much as I can, kind of a play it forward kind of thing. So feel free to share the Stroppel cane with anyone you think would enjoy it.
Again, it makes a big difference to know that there are people out there reading, watching and interested. The comments that you all left really meant so much to me. Thank you all.
Now on to other things. This picture is of what I did yesterday between answering all the wonderful correspondence. These are bracelet blanks covered with clay and baked. I call them canvases because they are ready for the next step of ink, markers and TLC.
I have several reasons why I needed to make these blanks.
1. I need more stock in my Etsy shop
2. I made a trade agreement with two very famous delightful pc artists
3. I’m teaching a class on the 15th and need samples to show
I cover the blanks with a layer of black, then sections of white and in between I place black and white canes.
 Laurie Prophater The first trade I made was with Laurie Prophater and I already have the bracelet and have been enjoying it so much. It is simply gorgeous, I am thrilled. Laurie’s blog is that fabulous one we all love to visit Ornamental Elements. Here’s more good news, you can own one of these fabuloso Faux Ivory Bangle Bracelet bracelets for yourself Just visit Laurie’s Etsy site.
 Laurie Prophater Each side is different and so lovely, plus she makes the accent pieces herself. I need to hurry up and get her piece finished. I have a couple started and will probably give her a choice like she so graciously did for me.
I’ll let you in on a big secret. Laurie’s bracelet has given me so many ideas to try using my style and she has given me the okay to use the basic idea. But if you know me, you know my crazy mind will take me places no one else has been before. lol. I already have one (actually two) made, but am not ready to show you yet, when have I had time anyway? The past few days have been very busy and so much fun. And I’m all about the fun!
The bracelet on top is more colorful and I’ve added some canes for hats and accent pieces. The bracelets on the bottom uses more of the white background giving the faces a kind of gothic feel I think. Next group, I’ll do just black and white and red lips, maybe some color in the eyes, like some of the first bracelets I did when I developed my pen and ink technique.
 Pen and Ink Class I’m teaching a class on the 15th of the month in Mount Dora, FL at the Mount Dora Center for the Arts. Come on and join me, you’ll love this quaint southern town that loves the arts.
Here’s a link to the information and the phone number for registration is 352-383-0880.
Back to drawing faces. Thanks again for everything, you guys are the best.
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