I took time out from cane mapping to finish this face bracelet. It’s pen and ink on polymer clay. I’ve had the bracelet covered and baked for months so it was about time I finished it.
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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.  Member IPCA |
 Polymer Clay Bracelets More bracelets. The crazy one is made from scrap slices that I cut and didn’t use on other projects. Maybe I cut too many or maybe I decided that cane just didn’t work. I can never bear to smash perfectly good slices of cane, so I just put them on a piece of deli paper in one of my clay drawers. (See this video for clay drawer ideas) When I have enough, I make something crazy out of them. Not everyone’s cup of tea, but if you have an adventurous spirit, maybe you should try it. If nothing else it’s kind of a record of your canes.
I know, you might be saying enough already. Well I think I might just be getting started. Okay, as soon as this order is finished, I think I’ll find some places to go teach. Anyone up for a class in face canes? Leave a comment. Really, I mean it.
Seriously, I’ve been having more fun than I thought I would making these girls. I really don’t like to do the same thing over and over again. Done too much in that in my life. But with the girls each one takes special consideration.
I have to decide what hair color, what color will look right on her and whether she is sweet sassy or showy.
Another wonderful thing that is happening is I’m using up lots of canes and I’ll have to make more. Some of these cane are my favorites and I might make another just like it, and others I’ll be happy to not see them again. Not that they are bad canes, it’s just that I’ve made so many things out of them, I’m ready to move on.
If you haven’t been here before there is a link at the very top of the page that says “Video Tutorials” or just click here. Let me know what you want to learn, maybe I can help. Leave a comment. I’ve been working hard on an order for my face canes. It was rainy this weekend. Perfect for clay and creating, I really enjoyed it. Still have more to go. I just thought I’d share some here.
 Skinner Blend Cuff Bracelet Still having fun after all these years! I’m still amazed that there are so many people that don’t know anything about polymer clay. Have never even heard of it. But I guess there are hundreds of things I know nothing about. Okay thousands……Millions? But polymer clay is such apart of my life and has been for the last 15 years, with it the main focus for at least 10, that it’s hard to imagine that there are people that haven’t heard of it. Even when I wasn’t “into” pc, I had tried my hand at it. In the ’80 I made fruit ring candle holders. I know I have them somewhere and I’m going to look for them and see if they are anything like I remember them. Anyway, I’m always so happy to hear from people who have found my blog and say they want to find out more about pc. The more interest we have the more related product there will be. Besides, it’s such a satisfying art form. Anyone can do just about anything with pc. So if you’re new to pc, go get yourself a few ounces and just play. Find a class near you or online. Do a search online and you’ll find hundreds of free tutorials for you to try. The bracelet in the photo is a Skinner blend, roller into a plug flatten out and cut into two equal parts and formed into a cane. I cut this cane into four equal part to form the final cane (shown below). I covered a bracelet with a thin layer of black clay, then cut and place slices of the finished cane on top of the black, covering the whole bracelet.  Skinner Blend Cane Okay, cheerleading over. Go forth and have fun! Christmas is coming, gifts to be made. But if you want, I have bracelets for sale on my Etsy site. Just in case you run out of time……. I sent out Octobers newsletter today. I know I said I wasn’t doing any pc for Halloween. I know I did…but as soon as I sent it, I was sitting in front on my black and white and gray canes and decided to make a face cane. I need the practice…. This witch was born! I had fun and that’s the point. Probably too late to sell on Etsy, but I’ll put her up anyway.
 Two Girls Salt and Pepper Shakers A Beautiful day. Only finished two girls for one sale item. Lots of canes used on these girls. Also worked on the face cane tutorial and enjoyed the lake and the day late this afternoon.  Two Girls Salt and Pepper Shakers Back  Perfume Pen Three more items going to AliceStroppel.Etsy.com. Perfume pen, bottle stopper and card case. All great gifts for the holidays.  Queen Bee I had a special request for a wine stopper for a friends mother. She was “The Queen Bee” to her family and loved a good glass of wine. Perfect! I made two so she could have her choice. This is the second one. I wanted you to see the piece of costume jewelry that I used for her crown. Another way to use found objects to make your pieces unique. There are little bees flying around and flowers on the back of this fun and crazy piece.  Business Card Case I’ve sold quite a few business card holder and continue to hear from my customers that they gets tons of compliments on their unusual case. I buy my blanks for all these great things at Boston Craft Works.  Polymer Clay Face Cane Bracelets I made another profile face cane this week. I am working on a tutorial to sell in my Etsy Shop. It’s coming along and I hope to have it ready soon. In the meantime, I’ve made some bracelets with it and another mermaid with the older cane. This mermaid is going to one of my galleries and the other bracelets are going to be sold on AliceStroppel.Etsy.com To photograph these ladies, I used the background in the pdf that I gave you in the last post. These girls are truly crazy and funky, but I have to tell you, they do get attention. One of my customers emailed me to tell me her sister was forever borrowing hers. I love that!  Polymer Clay Mermaid Cuff Bracelet Okay I’ve figured my time and materials and have listed my mermaid bracelet in my Etsy store, I’ve listed her for a price of $60.00. She is all clay, no other materials were used. I don’t have a metal base on the bracelet like I do on most of my other ones. However, there is much more clay used. The clay itself wouldn’t amount to very much money, maybe $4.00 or so, but the time that has been spent on the canes amounts to about 4 hours total. Plus the baking cost and spending time on the photos. Yes, I have some canes left over, but the point is, without spending that time in the first place, I wouldn’t have the canes to make my mermaid, so I’m generous in figuring the time spent. Then I add the time spent on the mermaid bracelet, about 2 hours and I come up with about 6 hours to get this bracelet to my Etsy shop. So, at the price of $60.00 minus $4.00 for the clay and $4.00 for the oven, that leaves me $52.00 for labor. Divide $52.oo by 6 hours and I will make 8.66 per hour. Hmmm. Oh I forgot, I still have to list it for $.20, then I have to package the bracelet nicely to send to my customer if it sells and drive to the post office. Then I have to pay a commission to Etsy, and one to PayPal. Plus I have to spend time on my blog, Twitter, and Facebook to make sure everyone knows I’ve posted a new item. But I still don’t have the “right ” customers linking to my blog, Twitter and Facebook. By that I mean, unfortunately, other polymerclay artists aren’t really interested in buying my polymer clay creations, they have their own. If the item doesn’t sell right away on Etsy, people suggest that you re-list your items over and over. Just figure out the right time to re-list when the most people are on the front page of Etsy and there you go. What??? I know it probably works, but I’d rather spend time making something. But I do like Etsy, I’ve had a few good sales and I’m happy. But I want to branch out further and continue to find galleries and shops to take my work. Back to the money…..So now that $8.66 per hour isn’t looking very fat. (Not that it was a ton of money anyway) But that’s okay. I enjoy making my items and I really like it when other people buy them and I know they are enjoying them too. If I sell it wholesale, because I could by the way I priced it, I would divide the 8.66 in half. Leaving me with $4.33 per hour. Not even minimum wage. But I don’t have to do anything but get it to my retailer. With my items I can send them by mail and send several at a time. I’ve made the seconded mermaid bracelet, using the same canes. this bracelet took less time because I already had the canes, increasing my profit somewhat. Providing they both sell. I’m going to send this one to a gallery and see which one sells first. I’ll let you know. Part 1 Selling Your Polymer Clay Artwork |
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