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]

Adrienne Lindsey Has First Entry for Polymer Clay Fish Mosaic Contest

Adrienne Lindsey's Fish Mosaic

Adrienne Lindsey's Fish Mosaic

I was very excited yesterday when I received an email from Adrienne Lindsey with her entry for the Summer Polymer Clay Contest for Newsletter Members.

Adrienne’s fish is the first entry and it is always so much fun when the first one arrives. Aren’t her colors rich? I love this fish!!! Thank you Adrienne for being the first. I can’t wait for the rest of the entries to start flowing in.

If you want to enter and win the perfume pen shown in the column on the right hand side of this page, simply join my newsletter list and watch the 20 minute video showing you how to create your own mosaic fish. Then look for the July Newsletter in you email box and follow the link to find out more.

Covering Glass With Polymer Clay

My First Covered Vase 2001

My First Covered Vase 2001


Color Vase 2

Color Vase 2

Someone asked me the other day how I came up with the fish mosaic technique. I thought about the progression that led me to create that first fish.

The Color Vase in this post was covered with polymer clay canes by me in 2001 and even listed on Glass Attic. It was my first polymer clay work to be shown on the internet and let me tell you,  I was thrilled.

It was when I still had my old business website, Talented Friends. The link is no longer active to say the least, but the listing is still there on Glass Attic under covering glass.

Color Vase 3

Color Vase 3

From this vase, I covered many other things and experimented with all sorts of techniques that I saw online or in books or classes.

Several years ago, while I was director of Highlands Art League, we were having  a members exhibit and I wanted to do something in PC. I decided I didn’t want to cover an entire vase, I just didn’t have the time. Plus I thought there had to be an easier way to create the designs with clay than trying to do it on the actual vase.

I wanted the design to be recognizable, and something that would lend itself to cane work. I drew out a fish shape on paper and taped it under a flat piece of glass. From there I created the fish vase below and displayed it in our members show along with the Color Vase and two other vases I had done over the years.

Fish Vase Art League

Fish Vase Art League

I stepped away from the art league late last year because of my husband’s health. I was home now and had time to actually grow my clay work and expand my horizons. I opened an Etsy shop and decided to try and make small things that I could sell in my Etsy shop and went to clip art for my general pattern for the fish and even a crab. One thing always leads to another as you can see by the cuff bracelet I did this week with the same technique.

This fish led me to share this technique with you. By signing up for my newsletter on the right hand side of the page,  you can view the 20 minute film showing the technique I used to achieved this design. I hope you decide to enter my contest too.

What I have discovered is that nothing replaces just getting your hands in the clay and letting the work evolve. One idea will lead to another. Be bold, experiment, enjoy the process. I know I do.

Group of Vase shown at Highlands Art League 2007

Group of Vases shown at Highlands Art League 2007

Polymer Clay Mosaic Bracelet Finished

Polymer Clay Mosaic Bracelet

Polymer Clay Mosaic Bracelet

Well, I couldn’t wait until tomorrow. I finished the cuff bracelet tonight and I kind of like it. Just one more experiment added to the already long list. Hmm…I think I’m thinking of something else to try.

Polymer Clay Flamingo Salt and Pepper Shakers

Flamingo Salt and Pepper Shakers

Flamingo Salt and Pepper Shakers

Flamingo Salt and Pepper Shakers Back View

Flamingo Salt and Pepper Shakers Back View

I have been making flamingo salt and pepper shakers, business card cases, wine stoppers and I don’t know what else for a couple of years now. I love flamingos, they make me laugh. And maybe I relate to Alice in wonderland and her flamingo croquet stick. Poor Flamingo.

Flamingos continue to be a popular item with all kinds of people, tourist, natives (of FL.) collectors, artists… artists love to paint, sculpt and even cane them. Plus I don’t think there is an age range for people who like the pink wonder.

Flamingos really are a beautiful bird, but they still make me laugh. They’re Florida’s Christmas equivalent of the northern snowman. We put a santa hat on him and there you go!  I think I’ve even seen them trying to take over  for the reindeer that pull Santa’s sleigh.

Cover a Business Card Case With Polymer Clay – Video

Are you like Arlene Harrison? Do you have business card cases that you purchased and they’re still in the box they came in. Okay, maybe you opened the box.

(Of course you did, what was I thinking, we are internet ordering specialist aren’t we? When the boxes come, we open before the mailman can get out of the driveway.)

But maybe you just didn’t exactly know how to apply the polymer clay to the case. So you thought about them for awhile. Then you thought about them some more. Then you forgot about them.

Then one day you came across them in the bottom of the drawer or the back of the closet. How did they get there?  You promise yourself you are going to do something with them soon. Hey, if they were going to make great Christmas presents last year, well, they still will this year right? You have plenty of time, it’s only July.

You put them on top of everything else in the drawer. If they’re on top, you’ll be sure to see them now and you’ll get around to figuring them out soon.

Well, procrastinate no more. After Arlene watched my video she finished her “closet” cases and you can too. Who knows, you might even purchase more. I purchase mine at Polymer Clay Projects.

Watch the video below and combine this technique with your favorite polymer clay technique to create your own fabulous cases. Enjoy!

I’d love it if you’d leave a comment now and then to let me know how you like my videos and maybe a picture of what you do with your cases.

If you enjoy this video, be sure and take a look at my other videos.

New Polymer Clay Video – Fish Mosaic Tutorial

Fish Mosaic

Fish Mosaic

The fish mosaic tutorial is my newest video and available through my newsletter sign up on the upper right hand corner of the page.

Simply add you name and email address and you’ll have access to 20 minutes of instruction on how to create your own mosaic. Let me know how you liked it. Was it helpful to you? What else would you like to learn to do?

Leave your comment here on this post and we can talk.