Workshops « Polymer Clay Etc.

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.

Polymer Clay Cane Workshop with FGCPCG

Thank you Kim and Sydney for the photo. The always fun group at Florida Gulf Coast Polymer Clay, thank you all for having me.

Well everyone’s smiling, that’s always a good thing I think. I know I had a great time and was so excited to see the canes everyone made. The exciting thing is that there is going to be a part two to this workshop.

I’m going back in June and we’ll explore how to turn all those canes into wall art, objects and more. So everyone has homework hehehe.

I also shared my new Stroppel Cane #2 with this group. It’s a little different and fun. I’m going to film it today and post it tomorrow so you can play with your scraps tomorrow if you like the way it comes out.

Here’s a picture of some of the Premo blends and the canes we worked on in this workshop. I have to send a big shout out to Iris Weiss and Polyform. they generously donated all the Premo clay for this workshop. Everyone went home with clay to “do their homework”. Thank you so very much Polyform and Iris.

I’ve always used Premo polymer clay. I wasn’t interested in putting forth the effort to condition the harder clays and I was so invested in Premo by the time the others came out with a softer clay that I just never switched. I love many of the Premo colors. I make my face canes with Premo and they are more complicated for sure, so Premo works for me with my more complex canes.

My approach to caning is a bit different than the norm. I don’t worry too much about everything being perfect, I don’t mind if my canes are a bit wonky so my caning style may make some want to look away.

Some caners are producing more than just a few pieces for sale. Either in their online shops, in galleries, at festival, or they are wholesaling to stores. Others are doing precise design work and have refined their caning skills.

I don’t sell that many finished pieces, so I never make very large canes. There a several more reason why my canes tend to be small to tiny. I don’t want to surround them with translucent, I don’t want to have to reduce then very much and I want to create a new design each time I make something from the canes.

Example: I could have made a large cane for this cat bracelet but I used lots of smaller canes. There will never be another one exactly like this one, I like that. I call my process Cane Mapping but you could say it was like mosaic work without the grout.

This fish is made the same way

As are all my wall pieces.

Explorations – Alice Stroppel

I have a very laid back approach to cane making. there truly are NO mistakes with my canes. It kind of takes the stress off of building canes, at least it does for me.

The artists that can be exact and create those fabulous intricate designs have my complete admiration, their work is stunning, I just can’t do it so I don’t try.

There are lots of you out there that are just like me, I know it. You want to cane but are afraid, you don’t want to waste all that clay, it makes you nervous to even think about it, you don’t think you’re good at it.

By starting with a bit of freedom attached to you caning, you can learn without stress and then later if you want to evolve, move on, learn to make the more complex canes. Or stay here with me, it’s all good.

Online right now is a great group on Facebook led by Rian Sanderse called 52 Weekly Cane Projects. It’s a fantastic way to practice canes with any pressure and it’s free. It’s a pretty wonderful thing Rian is doing for the pc community. This last week she featured my Stroppel Cane and Ronit Golan’s scrap cane. go join, you’ll have fun.

If you or your group is interested in taking my canes and/or cane mapping workshop/s please leave me a message on the comment page or on Facebook. I’d love to come met you all if I could.

Teaching at Florida Gulf Coast Polymer Clay Guild

I just finished making goody bags of Premo for my cane workshop on Saturday and wanted to give a big shout out and thank you to Polyform and Iris Weiss for providing the clay.

I’m teaching a cane workshop with Florida Gulf Coast Polymer Clay Guild. I’m going to share my method of stocking my cane draws with canes of different colors and sizes. It’s all about having a variety of canes and cane components ready and waiting for your next project. It certainly makes me more productive.

Polyform is always so generous and provides clay for my workshops and I can’t tell you how nice it is to have it to share with my students. Thank you again Iris and Polyform.

There is still space available in this cane class on Saturday, Feb. 1, 2014 in Palmetto. Leave a comment here if you’re interested. Or send me a message on Facebook.

Pen and Ink on Polymer Clay – Cuff Bracelet

I really enjoy creating pen and ink faces on white polymer clay covered bracelets. I’ve drawn many and continue to strive to improve. This is different views of the same bracelet.

I’m teaching Pen and Ink on Polymer Clay on Jan. 10th at McKilliams Promotions in Oddessa, FL. That’s just north of Tampa.

For more information visit McKilliams Promotions, Inc. Hope to see you there.

While I was away from my studio for a few months, I practiced drawing faces using pen and ink. Here’s one I did using a Vogue cover from the 50’s. I’ve always loved this picture and it was a perfect one for me to try and recreate. I’m happy with it except the face doesn’t look like the model at all.

I don’t think I’ll ever be able to do a likeness, but that’s okay I’m happy just drawing imaginary faces. Practice, practice, practice…..it’a all fun!

Teaching in Tampa Bay Area

Hi everyone, I’ll be starting off the New Year by teaching Pen and Ink on Polymer Clay at McKilliams Promotions in Oddessa, FL. That’s just north of Tampa.

I’m the opening act for the ever delightful and funny Julie Eakes and her workshop , “I’ve Been Framed”. She’ll be showing you how to make micro canes and use them to make frames.

For more information visit McKilliams Promotions, Inc. Hope to see you there.

Next I’ll be at the Florida Gulf Coast Polymer Clay Guild on Feb. 1st with my canes. For more information visit their Yahoo group.

A colony of flamingos and a muster of peacocks

Look at these great flamingo bracelets made by my friends Sydney Carter, Emma Simpson, Charline Ahlgreen, Tyra Ahlgreen, Sara Pietruk and Linda Eastman. We had so much fun they all wanted to do it again the next day only this time it was Peacocks. I just love how each one turned out.

A giant thank you to Polyform and Iris Weiss for donating the clay for this workshop. Everyone was delighted and they used every bit making canes and Skinner blends for these funky, fun bracelets

Charline decided to made something different with her peacock. So cool…

Thanks everyone and I’ll see you again soon.

Orlando Area Polymer Clay Guild – Pen and Ink on Polymer Clay

I always enjoy spending time with the Orlando Area Polymer Clay Guild. Their group has so much fun together and there are always new members to meet and old friends to greet.

Once again I want to thanks Polyform Products and Iris Weiss for sponsoring this class with a generous amount of Premo clay.

Many thanks to Kem Eid for all the bookwork, manning the ovens and help, Eva for sending out notices….and all the rest of the group for making the day a delight.

And because of Crazy Nancy we have a group picture. I reminded and she remembered. It takes two….:-) I also managed to get a photo or two of some of the work, thanks guys for reminding me before you left.

It sounds like I have a really bad memory, okay I do, but…I’m also busy at the end of class and before I know it, people are gone. Forgive me if I don’t show your work here, we had some great pieces and lots of fun as always. Send me your Pictures and I’ll update this post.

Here’s just some of the work….

Workshop at West Coast Polymer Clay Guild, The Polymer Arts Blog and Art Deco

The Polymer Arts

My Circles and Squares necklace was featured yesterday by Sage Bray on The Polymer Arts blog. I do enjoy this piece very much and always have one or two people tell me how fun it is! When I’m told that my work makes people smile of makes them happy, I consider my job accomplish!

I’m always so excited to see my work featured in The Polymer Art magazine or blog, I appreciate the fine work that Sage is doing for our polymer clay community and feel privileged to included with the vast array of talented artists working in polymer clay. Thank you Sage.

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West Coast Polymer Clay Guild

No picture here! I can not believe that I spent the whole day with this lovely, funny group and didn’t take one picture. I blame the guild member actually, I asked them to remind me and to not leave without a group picture. But every single one of them forgot to remind me. 🙂

I really apologize ladies, it was my fault after all. Next time I won’t forget.

All of us at this workshop want to send a giant thank you to Polyform’s Education Manager Iris Weiss and Polyform Products for supplying all the clay and then some.

We had a really great time though, what a talented group of women. I hope to get back to New Port Richey again soon.

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Art Deco

I’ve been drawn to Art Deco all my life. Maybe it was visiting Miami when I was a kid and seeing all those fabulous art deco buildings, or just the clean lines of the jewelry or the advertisements and art work created in that style. I think it might be the romanic vision of the ’20s that draws me in. Such large changes taking place in clothing, hair styles, woman’s rights…the world was changing dramatically.

Right now I’m working on this bracelet using my pen and ink technique. I wanted something new with pen and ink to take to the Orlando Area Polymer Clay Guild when I teach there next week. Working on slides in this style as well.

Having a ball actually, one more panel on this one and I’m finished.

It was all about the Face, Friends and Fun

I was at the Florida Gulf Coast Polymer Clay Guild in Palmetto teaching my profile face cane and everyone did a really great job. I can’t wait to see what they make with these canes. They can use this short video to make hair canes and this video to attach everything to a bracelet blank after it’s baked.

But these funky faces aren’t just for bracelets, I’ve used them on all kinds of things.

A cocktail shaker, or

salt and pepper skakers, or

a canister, just to name a few.

I always have the best time at this guild, they’re fun and really enjoy the clay. And they always have the greatest pot luck! Thanks ladies and a special thank you to Sydney Carter for asking me and making the arrangements.

Everyone was delighted to the Premo clay for this project donated by Polyform. That you Iris Weiss.

Next week I’m teaching at the West Coast Polymer Clay Guild in New Port Richey, FL. It’s a great class to teach and I’m looking forward to seeing friends I made at Orlando Clay Fandango and making new ones. And making more great faces……..

A Visit to My Studio – SEFPCG

Mary, Andree, Sue, Lori, Earnestine, Alice, Niki, not shown, Ruby and Audrey

I was so excited to welcome some of the members from the South East Florida Polymer Clay Guild to my studio. We spent two days playing with clay and enjoying each other’s company. Thank you all for coming……

I’m sorry to say that I did not take any pictures on the first day and Ruby and Audrey had already left by the time I remembered my camera. This time I was lucky to get in the picture because my husband happened to drift through the studio and I enlisted his help, a bit blurry, but hey!

Oh and our wonder dog Ceasar is shown at the bottom of the picture, okay, “kind of ” shown, really blurry…but he was so happy for the company.

We made face canes and then we made Flamingos. Not everyone wanted to make bracelets, so we have Lori’s punk candle ring and Andree’s sculpt to go on a mirror frame. Lori’s needs some feathers and Andree’s needs some skinny legs, they’ll finish up at home. Everyone else is going to be sporting a funky new bracelet. I think everyone did a fabulous job and enjoyed working with Ultralight.

Thanks so much to Mary Marzano for all the time she put into organizing the weekend. I’m not sure who had more fun, me or everyone else, I think maybe me!

To find out more about this guild, when they meet and where, visit the SEGPCG website or join them on Facebook.

The group came on a great weekend. It was downtown Sebring’s second Friday event and my good friend Janet King was the featured artist at Highlands Art League’s Yellow House reception. So we all met at the hotel and went to Janet’s reception then back to the hotel for dinner. There was Jazz on the circle and all the shops were open downtown. The next day was the Roaring 20’s craft show downtown, but we were busy in my studio with clay.

Janet F. King

Janet’s work is incredibly beautiful and I’m lucky to own a piece or two. Once you see her work, you’ll want to own a painting of her’s too.

If you’re in Sebring, be sure to take the time to visit the Yellow House, if not, visit Janet on her website at Janet King Watercolors. com

Making new friends at Florida Gulf Coast Polymer Clay Guild

What a great group and what a good time I had in the Palmetto at their monthly get together. Thanks so much everyone and especially Sydney Carter.

I’m just sorry that as usual, I forgot to take a picture before some of the group had to leave. I did manage to get one of Sydney and me, yay.

Polymer Clay Canes for Beginners

Online Workshops with Alice Stroppel

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