Frankfurt, Here I Come! :)

You can never know what will be the result of a small local showcase.

I am so excited to share with you the news:

In exactly 6 days I will be on my way to Germany for a very special event as a guest artist of Staedtler - The "Creative World" 2012 fair.

But first things first, here is some background -

A while ago our local FIMO importer along with Staedtler Germany and the Israeli polymer clay guild held an event discussing new trends in the polymer clay world and introducing new materials by Staedtler.

The event included demonstrations, goody bags (of course!) and artistic showcase by the local Israeli polymer clay guild members.

Since I was in the middle of my "Bags Fever Season", I chose to present 3 of my "Brocade Collection" pouches, in 3 different sizes.

At the end of the event, one of Staedtler representatives approached me and complimented me on the unique design of the bags, asked technical questions about the design, technique and materials, and then we said goodbye and I returned home.

Few weeks later, I got an email from Staedtler asking me to be their presenter and guest artist in "Creative World 2012" trade fair, taking place at the end of January in Frankfurt, Germany.

This show is introducing new trend of hobbies, as well as providing interesting workshops and live demonstrations, and they asked me to showcase my unique purses designs.

As you can guess I was very proud and happy to accept this wonderful offer!

The fair will take place on 28-31Jan @ Messe Frankfurt, with more than 50,000 people from all over the world coming, I will demonstrate my special flower canning and the "Brocade Collection" purses, giving a glimpse to an endless world of possibilities.

For the last couple of weeks I have been working on new bag designs using the new FIMO texture sheets, these sheets are wonderful, easy to use and they include fabulous new designs and patterns such as leather pattern, wood, crocodile skin, music notes, lace, baroque designs and many more!

The bags colors were influenced by the new color palette by FIMO (pastel colors) using new combinations and shapes (glasses bag).

In addition, I contributed my own edition of elegant fountain pens, which will be soon available in stores and joining the great collection of accessories by Staedtler.

This event is going to be a wonderful artistic experience, I hope I'll have some time to see a bit of that "creative goods" and I promise to keep you posted.

More photos of my new designs can be seen in my flickr gallery @

http://www.flickr.com/photos/irismishly/

If you get the chance to come and visit, or live close to Frankfurt - Please come and say hello!

I will be more than happy to see polymer friends! :)

Polymeri Online 17.1.12 | Red dotted acorns, Sleeping cat tutorial, Pirate decoration & 19 steps face cane tutorial

Don't you just love these adorable red ornaments acorns?

Patricia Buzo is the creator behind Doodle Bird's terrarium designs, She comes from a long line of artistically-minded family and originally started out as a watercolor artist in her teens, In 2008 she began to have health issues and started looking into other creative avenues. These acorns are made with real acorn caps and polymer clay, the "nut" is sculpted to fit perfectly into it's cap.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/62108208/set-of-5-toadstool-farm-acorn-ornaments

Cara Hayman's sleeping cat tutorial is a quick and easy project to play with, Cara used polymer clay since childhood creating tea sets and miniature food for her dolls house. Now as a stay at home mum she finally finds the time to develop her passion for polymer.

http://www.carajane.co.uk/2012/01/my-sleeping-cat-tutorial.html

http://www.flickr.com/photos/surfingcatclay/

Bébelles de Lou's flickr tutorials "folder" is filled with cute ideas, you are welcome to check out her blog for more projects.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bebellesdelou/sets/72157624494160326/

http://polyblog.canalblog.com/

And another quick tutorial project for a face cane by Galka Vasina, 19 steps and you're all done! ;)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/27568198@N04/6660398311/in/contacts/

The new PolyPediaOnline eCatalog - With 37 tutorials, how could you not get creative?

Polymer clay, as a new material in the craft world, is constantly evolving.

New ideas, new techniques, tricks and tips; Inspiration and innovation are a part of our daily life as artists in heart and soul.

I feel very fortunate to be "an ambassador" in the polymer clay world and introduce these new ideas to you, challenging you to pull your artistic limits to new dimensions.

PolyPediaOnline is celebrating 2 years now, growing bigger and slowly becoming the most detailed and comprehensive polymer clay teaching resource online.

It's only obvious that the need to organize all the materials offered in the website is becoming a-must.

In a special project I summarized all the information on the 37 tutorials, dozens projects, kits, videos and PDF's and gathered them in a single PDF file available for free download -The PolyPediaOnline eCatalog.

This eCatalog will help you find your preferred subjects and go through the complete variety of the tutorials offered in PolyPediaOnline website in an organized file including vol. numbers, class level and details.

If you want to learn new techniques in polymer clay, improve your skills, find out the most important time saving tips; or maybe you want to become an expert, and turn your hobby to your livelihood - You are welcome to join the thousands of PolyPediaOnline members and hundreds of students and choose from the 37 most innovative, informative, up-to-date, advanced and high-quality tutorials offered online.

The eCatalog is organized according to vol. numbers or subjects, under each tutorial you will find an active link to direct you to PolyPediaOnline website for more details and pricing. Some tutorials have special deals or bundles so check them out.

For the special launch of the eCatalog I will be offering a one-time discount of 15% off all my tutorials for 1 week only- until 21 Jan 2012!

This special discount will give you the option to purchase your "wish list" tutorials in a special discounted price even if you missed their launching promo sales.

Mention "eCatalog SALE" in the message to the seller and a 15% refund will be send to you in PayPal.

I am certain that you will find a new and exciting technique you wish to learn and give yourself a special gift that will upgrade your polymer clay skills.

As always, I will be happy to answer any question or query regarding my master classes, and if you have a special request, please email me to imishly@gmail.com and I will consider creating a special tutorial matching your request! :)

Let me know what you think about the eCatalog!

If you think something is missing or you found a mistake - I'd be happy to know.

Click here to visit the eCatalog page -

http://www.polypediaonline.com/133688/polymer_clay_ecatalog_polypediaonline

Thank you!

Iris :)

Polymeri Online 5.1.12 | 3D beads, Watercolor jewelry, Knitted doll brooches, Polymer razor art

Conny lives in northern Germany and has some eye catching designs on her website and flickr gallery, her mokume gane beads are perfect and I loved her recent design made of small circles placed in layers, giving a wonderful 3D feel to the clay. Take a look a her flickr and you'll find lot's of goodies.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/way-of-clay/

http://www.way-of-clay.de/

Alica's water color beads and necklace looks like wrapped pearls, the turquoise shades and creamy spacers reminds me of a clear clear sea shore water with white-creamy sand.

If you need a reminder on the technique, here is Maggie Maggio's tutorial to create the watercolor beads.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/alica19/6634418865/in/photostream

Irina Rybak from Ukraine creates funny brooches that will make you smile, they are "polymer knitted" with scarves, sweat-shirts and hats. so cute!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/IrenkaR

Take a look at what can be created from the handles of razors! Beautiful lines, designs and textures! Marlene Brady was featured about 2 weeks ago and this one is another treasure of hers! Time to go "shave'in"! LOL ;)

http://itsallaboutcreating.blogspot.com/2010/12/disposable-razors.html

I am working like crazy on new samples to a new event I will be attending abroad in 3 weeks, more details (and photos!) soon :)

Clay away!

Polymeri Online 28.12.11 | Irregular polymer earrings, Particles necklace, Nuna the cat and Naive jewelry

Jillian Moore designs has special irregular amorphous shapes, earrings, beads, brooches, no standard beads and jewelry in her gallery, she works with polymer clay, resin, paints and sometimes foam to build her ooak designs.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jillian_moore/

http://www.etsy.com/shop/phlaznatch

Veruschka is the artist behind Veru Designs polymer clay jewelry, There is a very unique story that precedes the birth of every necklace, bracelet or ring which determines its shape, size, coloring and meaning. According to her, In the necklace shown here, it's "the beauty of tiny creatures in the microscopic universe: particles, bacteria, viruses, etc. Each of the five "bulbs" in this necklace are inspired by a handful of these strangely creatures, in an effort to make this invisible world visible to the human eye".

http://www.flickr.com/photos/veebeads/4746461581/in/set-72157623921674160/

http://verudesigns.com/

Kathy De WitSint-Pauwels from Belgium is an illustrator, designer and dreamer lives in a little village in the northern part of Belgium. NUNA was born out of polymer clay and hand painted with acrylics. I admire such kind of painting, it's amazing how many details in such a small piece!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/88969680/nuna-brooch

http://www.flickr.com/photos/_eldibujodelgato/

Matilda Broz is from Stockholm, but living in sunny Montenegro, like many of the artists she got an university degree in another field (law), but upon realizing that law is not for her she dedicate her energy to design. She works as a graphic designer in an advertising company, but in her spare time she plays with fimo and wire. Her Etsy and Flickr are full of hand painted delights, cute designs that reminds me children books. I loved her birds studs!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/matildabroz/6573966259/in/contacts/

http://www.etsy.com/shop/Ribizla

Hope you're having a wonderful holiday!

Merry Christmas!

To all my dear polymer clay friends,

From warm and sunny Israel, I am wishing you all a wonderful, warm holiday, with lot's of creative spirit in heart for the coming 2012!

and a moment before the holiday is at your door step, here is a cute tutorial, by Wendy Orlowski.

Something to play with on your holiday vacation :)

Best wishes for a joyous holiday season,

Have a great time!

Polymeri Online 20.12.11 | Christmas & Hannuka, Poinsettia cane tutorial, Lemon's teeth, Crochet "finger" and Christmas tree ornament tutorial

Everywhere I go online I see Christmas or Hannuka designs and ideas, dreidels, Christmas ornaments, menorahs - Festive and holiday-ish! :) Here is another decor celebration by CrazyKwilter made with the Stroppel cane,

and Filigree decorations by Amber Elledge

Gifts, decorations - Lot's of preperations for the holidays! I hope you're not too exhausted!

Another holiday themed project is offered in Sandy's blog - A Poinsettia cane tutorial

I also loved her idea for the Flower variegated cane tutorial -

http://blog.simple-inspirations.com/2010/05/flower-variegated-cane-tutorial-week-20.html

Moving to another thing -This lemon bag is something. I found it in Teia Fetescu blog and had to take another look. Teia is so funny and writes so well! The story starts with a dog called lemon who started to loose it's baby teeth, Her friend came up with an idea to incorporate them into a clay piece to preserve them so he made a lemon head around a metallic tea strainer and used Lemon’s tooth for the face. When it was ready he used it a scented bag in his car. What was surprising to Teia is that the teeth were not oven proof! they cracked while baking! A bit funny - don't you think? This is such an original idea I had to share with you!

http://claycorner.hubak.ch/blog/?p=749

And last, more related to the previous holiday - Halloween - take a look at this polymer "finger" crochet hook by Marlene Brady. It's so funny! She almost fooled me! :)

http://itsallaboutcreating.blogspot.com/2011/10/polymer-crochet-hook.html

Really last - I am reminding you about my free Christmas tree ornament tutorial offered in YouTube -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMTc4CNcYPY

Have a great Hannuka and a Merry Christmas!