Donations - 6th Annual Fandango Polymer Clay Retreat

Orlando Area Polymer Clay Guild in Central Florida, is holding the 6th Annual Fandango Polymer Clay Retreat at the May 19-23 this year. I was asked by Charline Ahlgreen, OAPC Guild President and Donations Chairwoman, to donate some of my favorite items to be used in the auctions and "goodie bags" for the participants.

As I was told the proceeds raised from the auctions will be used to fund polymer clay community outreach programs (demonstrations, public library classes, "Bottles of Hope" for cancer patients and many more). The guild also provides two internal scholarships annually that enable their members to take master classes so that they can expand their polymer clay skills.

It was an honor for me to donate these items given for such important causes, I hope they will raise enough! :)

Have fun! wish i lived a little closer...

Polymeri Online 24.3.11

Wall cakes's store is full of wonderful hand crafted decorative switch plates.

Her story reminds me a little bit of my own, when she lost her job she re-discovered her love of art. She says that "losing something is sometimes the best thing that can happen to anyone". As a teenager, she took classes, made things on a loom, watched and helped, her mother and aunt ran a small business making ceramics. Her inspiration comes from the mediums she works with. Polymer clay can be whatever you want it to be - so true.

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

Olena Mysnyk is a 26 year old designer, studied architecture in Kiev, but once found herself in creating jewelry - she tried to work with polymer clay and could not stop. She creates delicate, bright and tender flowers made into beautiful jewelry.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/HoneyCase2

Katie Oskin has been crafting for the majority of her adult life, but about 2 years ago she began to experiment with polymer clay. Since then she has fallen in love with its affordability, its multi-purpose uses, and the relaxation it provides (squish, squash, bake, crack, paint, oil, cure, etc.) Their designs are mostly whimsical, fun, and humorous in nature. From the cute & cuddly, to the monsters & robots!

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

Amy was always into the arts in one way or another since she was a toddler. Her latest obsession is working with polymer clay. She has been trying different techniques & experimenting, but still pretty new at it. She loves sea creatures, mainly cephalopods. Octopus & squid are her favorites as you can tell by looking through her shop.

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

Think Outside Of Your Jewelry Box!

It's been quite a while I've been looking for a new design that would be both innovative, creative and challenging to create - Thinking outside of the box.

Mix media was something i was very interested in when i studied fashion design in high school.

The combination of materials and techniques seemed very appealing to me.

One day, I was sitting at my craft table and looking at fabric leftovers i had from sewing my daughter's 'Purim' costume (Purim is like Halloween); Suddenly a throught came to my mind! (Imagine a huge light bulb on top of my house) How about creating a mix media design: fabric, clay, zipper and chain?

From that moment on, I "heard" the ideas running in my head and started to make variations of purses, pouches, bags and boxes designs.

The combination between the soft materials (fabric & zipper) with the stiff polymer clay, were a perfect match.

The Hemisphere pouch, Prism square case, Pyramid box and the bracelet are only the beginning of an ocean of ideas.

The simplicity and practical uses of this design can show you how you can develop it further with any design, pattern, color or texture - There are infinite options!

If you want to learn more about my new innovative Brocade Collection in a step by step tutorial, with 8 videos & a complete Kit to create your own hemisphere purse and other 3D designs - Follow me!

You are a click away!

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

Polymeri Online 18.3.11

Amber Elledge working with polymer clay since age 11, but still discovers new things every time she picks up a block (like all of us, I guess). She makes unique and fun pieces that are also useful. Her favorite technique is "filigree", a process of coiling, placing and cutting individual strands of clay by hand.

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

Kristie B Kristie-Lou is a full time artist with a split personality. Her two passions include creating wire wrapped jewelry and polymer clay faces. She never knows what the day will bring and let her hands guide the way.

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

I've stumbled across Anna Shchelkunova flickr gallery and loved this pendant! the mix of flowers, coiled clay and the pearl look was so nice and delicate.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/59089123@N06/5532744503/

Here is more of her interesting pieces made into beads

http://fenek.gallery.ru/watch?ph=qim-bV9JT

Katrin Joonas from Estonia posted a magical poppy pendant with a necklace inspired by Estonia's ethnic embroidery. She is using Premo! Sculpey, Sculpey Ultralight & Sculpey III, Acrylic paint, brown antiquing medium & glossy glaze

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8304472@N02/5519443770/

https://picasaweb.google.com/olikolm/Kati#

Hemisphere Quiz - WINNER!

WOW! 110 comments! So many creative ideas from such creative people!

This guessing game was so much fun, with every comment I discovered a new way to use my "things" :)

These new "things" are the a part of a new and exciting tutorial launching this Friday - Here is another sneak pick to the final project ~The Brocade Hemisphere Tutorial~

THAT'S ONLY 1 project out of 4 included in the tutorial!

Can you tell what they are now?

Only 9 of you were very close to guessing what these small half "bowls" are planned to be -

guesses like "jewelry box", "pill box", "wedding ring case", "Box topper" were almost it, all of your wonderful ideas can be easily executed with the new tutorial, but no one mentioned a pouch or a purse - what they really are :) I know it was a tricky quiz but that's the best part of it - imagination!

BUT! I couldn't leave this fun game without a winner!

All 9 "finalists" in the order they commented - Anna (9), Fymux (49), Melitta (50), Phil (54), Cherie (69), Debbie McLelland (71), Webdzynz (85), Eclectic beader (91) & Judit (110) were entered into a random number picker and the winner is....

Cherie!

Congratulation! :)

The 8 "runner ups" will receive a 20% discount when purchasing the new Vol. 25 - Please email me and i will be happy to send you a discount coupon.

For all the others, you still have a chance to win -

Christine Dumont from "Voila" website is having another "launch party" - and 2 additional lucky winners can get a FREE copy of the tutorial! all the details in "Voila" site.

An official announcement with all the details, photos and other deli's will be posted here on Friday -

Stay tuned!

Want to guess what these are?

Quiz!

here is a little teaser to my new upcoming tutorial :)

want to guess what they are planned to be?

They are part of a final piece.

The correct answer will WIN my new tutorial for FREE!

let's "hear" your comments and don't forget to leave your email or contact info!

Quiz ended! - thank you!

Here is the winner announcement

Polymeri Online 10.3.11

Australia!

Melody Tallon from Australia, like very many people, has always needed to create and was fortunate to have parents who encouraged both her and sister to explore different ways of being creative while children, her designs in polymer clay are multicolored and unique and match the fact that her favorite subjects in school were science and art - it looks like a pure research in polymer clay abilities :)

http://www.melodytallon.com

http://www.madeit.com.au/Artefacts

http://allchainedup.wordpress.com

Donna Griggs lives in the east coast of Tasmania and inspired by so much around her ,always documenting journeys around her beautiful state using photographs along with the colours and textures she sees. She discovered polymer as a medium two years ago, and after her studies in Contemporary Art Craft and Design at Tasmanian Polytecnique College she uses precious metals with polymer in her work.

http://www.artaspace.com/certificate-iv-galleries/jewellry/150-donna-griggs

Debbie Crothers lives on the west coast of Australia, she has been a "clay addict" for about 3 years :) Her favourite things to play around with would have to be liquid clay. She has been working on trying to create faux-glass for a while with medium success - "still lots more to play with though" as she says :).

She is the manager of the Aussiepolyclayers Online Forum, through it she made some fantastic contacts and many friends and learnt much from her extremely generous and talented Aussie clayers.

They are a fairly small but very active group and involve with their monthly challenges and swaps and numerous other fun stuff throughout the year.

This year they have organised a major competition for the group with some great prizes, so keep a look out for more information on this one!

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

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

Zarina Ahmed is a west Australian, her passion for polymer clay began many years ago by chance and has developed into somewhat of an obsession.

In her home studio, she hand-makes each bead lovingly using her favourite techniques such as mokume gane, canework, inks, metallic powders and metal leaf.

Her jewellery is classic , yet contemporary and inspired by nature.

and... Jon Anderson uploaded a new and exciting video on his canning process - watching it again and again and still i can't believe the detailing in his canes - speachless.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYhnTu7Mz6g

Have a great weekend :)

Polymeri Online 5.3.11

Dimitra is a greek living in the Netherlands, since she can remember herself, she was always creating things with her hands. she has worked with different kind or materials : oil and acrylic paint, papier mache, wire, porcelain, wood,and many others. Polymer has always been her biggest passion. Take a look at her colorful circle shape beads necklace using millefiori canes

http://www.etsy.com/listing/51640107/circles

Polka dots sheet tutorial by Grgalina from Russia, and there are several more in her blog

http://grgalina.livejournal.com/99194.html#cutid1

Polymer clay crochet hook handles are one of the hundreds ways we can use millefiori canes, UK artist Cara made these lovely decorated hooks

http://surfingcatclay.blogspot.com/2010/05/crochet-hooks.html

Tapestry blog also posted about covering her crochet hooks with polymer clay and have a video showing it, she says crocheting with a hook that has a handle is better than crocheting with a naked hook. Not only do you look very cool crocheting with a one-of-a-kind work of art, the handle makes crocheting tightly much easier.

http://www.tapestrycrochet.com/blog/?p=398

To tell you the truth, i am starting my affair with crochet, you'll be hearing about this soon, this is one craft i can take with me anywhere!

FloRaeMe decorated drill tools handles also using colorful millefiori canes

http://floraeme.blogspot.com/2010/11/tool-handles.html

You may also want to check her Makeshift light box post on how to photograph her art

http://floraeme.blogspot.com/2011/02/makeshift-light-box.html

Have a great weekend!