Thursday, May 26, 2011

Animal Farm, A peek behind the curtain

It's been a while that i was waiting for an opportunity to create my own animal collection of charms, ever since i saw felt and fabric folks do it, I wanted to make some from polymer clay.

A week ago I got a phone call from a lady, she is a director in one of the collages here in Israel, theater department. The lady asked me if I can create animal keychains, she said that they are doing a play called "Animal Farm" based on a novel by George Orwell, each actor will receive a special gift at the "finale'" of the play featuring his own character.
What a great idea!
Exactly what I was waiting for.

I made about 25 charms, some not even in the play (penguin? polar bear?)
I had so much fun creating them I couldn't stop :)

You can see how 4 of them were made in 2 videos - The pig, the sheep, the horse and the chicken.
It's really all about working with cookie cutters and creating a flat, 2D design, playing with colors, shapes and having fun.
Let the show begin!
Part 1 - Pig and sheep

Part 2 - Chicken and horse

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Polymeri Online 21.5.11

I was digging a bit in Etsy and found this COOL group called PCETeam = Polymer Clay Enthusiasts Team. This team is for anyone who makes, sells, & enjoys the art of polymer clay (and is on Etsy).

Lot's of goodies can be found under their team - wonderful artists!

Here is the 1st batch, I'll have to find some time to go over the rest -

Fauxhead! After years of working with paper sculpture, Stephen
Kinsey made the leap to working with polymer clay - faux wood,
ivory and steampunk! so cool!

Freehearts has been creating things with some form of clay for
38 years and discovered polymer clay about 27 years ago, started at a very young age carving animals out of soap, knitting Barbie Doll clothes, and building tiny houses complete with furniture, her main goal when she designs something is to get a smile :)

twistedcreatures grew up on a farm surrounded by animals of all kinds, always loved drawing and other creative activities. Some years ago came across polymer clay and ever since have been having fun combining this medium with the love of animals. All animals are ooak, each individually sculpted, many including
embellishments such as beads, crystals and metallic paints and powders.

This Polymer Clay Bear Roasting Marshmallows is perfect!
Today we are having "Lag-Baomer" holiday, and the most well-known custom of Lag BaOmer is the lighting of bonfires. The traditional "dish" (if i can call it a
dish") is roasting marshmallows on fire! Thank you Molinda from BranchesofMyArt for this cutie! check out her lovely sculpturings!


last one - If you're into sculpturing and always wanted to know how to sculpt heel shoes - here is a tutorial for you by Doll Street Dreamers website - You'll find many other tutorials related to doll making (although not all polymer clay related)

Have a great weekend!

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Oreo Model :)


I'm 39, turning 40 in 6 months.
That sounds like old to some people (my 15 yrs daughter?) but I feel young! I do! 40 is the new 20 when it comes to being a model.

Several months ago I was going to buy cloths at my favorite shop, they sell casual, soft fabrics, "flowing" cloths, ~gipsy like cloths, some of them are for pregnant women (and some for those who can't stop eating Oreo - me!) - Rainbow Gipsy is their name.

Any way, I bought a dress and a shirt.
The lady at the counter looked at me and asked -
"We're getting ready for summer, would you like to be in our catalog?"
"me? In a catalog? why? are you sure?
"We're looking for REAL women, not models, and you'll look nice (thanks!) and fit exactly to our needs, in fact, there will be about 30 women, if you have friends - please invite them to send us an email".

That sounds like fun! I said yes and waited for the day.

The catalog shooting took place on a nice sunny day, in a small wonderful house surrounded with trees and flowers, It was so nice to meet new friends who all were dressed so nicely, talked, chatted about everything and in between photos were taken all the time.
What a day!

Why am I telling you all this?
Because the catalog photos made me think again of my fears - camera fear.
Dealing with our fears, whether it's every day fears, artistic fears is something almost each of us do.
The fear of rejection, of fail, embarrassing ourselves and many others.
Over time I found out more about how I think and overcome my shyness and fears (camera fear as well), I proved myself I can!
How? placing the fear in front of my face and dealing with it! trying and trying again! till I accomplish the mission!

I try to do one thing that scares me each day.
Can you do something today that scares you? whether it's art related or personal. I'm sure you'll feel different once you're done. success or fail - this will always lead us to the next step which will be much MUCH better.

Psychological & emotional talk, sometimes that's all we need! :)

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Becoming an "ELITE Caner" - 24 Hours Left!

I got this wonderful feedback from Maria -
..." Iris! I can't tell you how excited I am with my new purchases!
Up until these 2 new tutorials were published I was making flower canes but wished I could see HOW YOU do it in person.
Since I live so far from you, I can't come to visit, BUT! the videos made me feel as if I was sitting next to you in a private class.
THANK you so much for sharing this, everything looks so much clearer!
Now I can become an ELITE caner!..."
Maria, NC USA

Millefiori canning looks so much easier when you clearly see the steps, video is the perfect
medium, and you got 9 of them included! Each cane with it's own video tutorial.

The new PolyPediaOnline Vol. 26 & 27 invites you to a spring tour with fresh ideas for new flower petals and canes, elaborated and more intricate designs - Learn all my secrets for accurate & perfect results with your millefiori canes!

PLUS - a bonus of a free tutorial - Vol. 1 backgroundless flower canes or any other from vol 2-10! FREE!

100% quality guaranteed!



price will be 20% higher on the 16th!

Polymeri Online 14.5.11

"ThatBluCat" is the artist behind these wonderful shawl pins, the special structure, form and colors, you can almost feel the texture! don't forget to check out her beautiful bracelets.





Another amazing jewel purse by Tanja using my "Brocade Collection" tutorial, Tanja is taking this tutorial to her own unique style with carving, bats and skulls - love it!

Olga's flickr gallery is full of graphic designs using polymer clay: stripes, curls, dots, retros & skinner blends over one shaded clay sheets - a celebration of colors.


Croatia polymer clay artist - Sandrarts creates these colorful one of a kind polymer clay jewelry, buttons and miniatures - small street pendants, a vegetable necklace - so beautiful!

p.s. - PolymeriOnline blog is mentioning 601 posts! thank you all for being part of it :)

Saturday, May 7, 2011

Polymeri Online 7.5.11

Mags Bonham has been working with polymer clay since 1999. I couldn't agree more with her say that "the special properties of polymer clay allow for an infinite range of techniques and final outcomes and each day in the studio is a revelation of what can be done with this medium".
Take a look at her purse necklace and other goodies in her site and flickr gallery.

Celine B. from France has a beautiful collection of designs in her flickr gallery - jewelry, pins & beads in wonderful colors, some millefiori based, some with an organic "touch", rounded, soft, with a perfect sense of color.

Ravit, a fellow polymer clay artist from Israel, recently got married and made herself a wonderful polymer clay flower bouquet! What a brilliant idea! This one will last forever!
I loved the design and wish i worked with polymer clay 20 years ago... :)

Pilar (amatista) created a cool variation of retro canes, combined with sheets of clay in between, all made into round millefiori canes, she also made disc beads using the same canes or oeftovers

Have a great weekend!

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Polymeri Online 3.5.11

Georgie Galante from NY is a mixed media artist, working in polymer clay and metal clays, recycled parts. Her designs made me take a 2nd and a 3rd look, the mix of materials sometimes leaves me wondering, what is what, hard to tell the differences :)

Thanks god I am not gaining weight every time I see miniature sweets made of polymer clay, Cindy Teh from Singapore is a very talented artist creating beautiful items you'd want to take a bite from. Cakes, ice-creams, vegetables - Yummy!

Here is another example of the wonderful options with polymer clay by Rachel Grieg, a stamped book, polymer clay cover, she added vintage pages together with some watercolour papers inside and bound it all with silk ribbon.

Lostinwonderar's Etsy store has "Quirky home accessories" in it as she calls them. She creates sugar skulls. I had no idea what they are until i read in her listing - Sugar Skulls are typically made of compressed sugar with icing decoration and other embellishments. They're made for the holiday of Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos). Her sugar skulls are made of polymer clay. It can grace a shelf, decorate a cabinet, or sit charmingly in a potted plant.
She has been making and selling her crafts since she was about 12 years old, dreaming of having her own shop where she could sell her art.

Natalya is an artist from Russia, her cute stapler caught my eyes - so cute!
Her flickr site and blog is filled with beautiful jewelry as well - pendants, bracelets and more - take a look.