Showing posts with label polymer clay tips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label polymer clay tips. Show all posts

Thursday, December 12, 2013

6 Tips to protect your polymer clay work from being stolen while in an art & craft show


The upcoming Christmas is a a fantastic opportunity for many of us to show and sell our polymer clay work and even though it's actually an enjoyable as well as pleasant setting, it’s also important to be aware of theft.

Here are six methods to "get rid of thieves" while working at art & craft shows:

1. Welcome Shoppers
Smile and be sure to welcome every person which approaches your presentation area. :)
This really encourages sales, tends to make shoppers feel desired, as well as discourages thieves.
I have discovered that numerous suspicious individuals will shift and then leave if you provide them with a friendly greeting making eye-to-eye contact. If you're able to recognize somebody and point them out if you see them again, these people don’t wish to be caught taking anything of your stuff.

2. Employ A Companion (friend? A teenager neighbor?) & Be Watchful
It truly helps to have more than one person in the sales space.  One could help you along with shoppers while the other one can finish a sale and wrap the gift.  That way you can continually be watchful and provide excellent customer service simultaneously.  Having someone (or even two) to work at your own presentation space is one of the ideal way to prevent theft.  An additional pair of eyes may slow down any thief's tries.
Also, do not ever abandon your booth un-watched.  Asking additional participants to protect your booth when you go to the ladies room isn't best because they could possibly be occupied with their own customers which leads the way for skilled thieves to view your display as well as walk off with goods.

3. Become An Ideal Neighbor
Speaking of additional participants, having a good working connection together with your nearby neighbors may also prevent thieves. Once you set up, be sure to clear boxes as well as packaging content. Mess could make it more convenient for any thieves to act.  Additionally, make sure to be totally organized once the people are permitted inside so you aren't pre-occupied and you will be able to focus on customers.

4. Create Your Display To Prevent Theft
Arrive early and set up your exhibit so there is nothing away from your sight. This particular is especially essential with your money.  Putting on a vendor apron with cash pouches or perhaps a  purse to hold your cash is extremely important.  Don’t leave it available where somebody might get it.

5. Know The Rules/Contract
Understand your contract with the exhibit administrators. A standard agreement says that the vendor's property is your own risk rather than the show's responsibility.  Many agreements declare that the show managers will not be responsible for theft, damage or loss of property.

6. Why Not Change The Display?
Shows running several days provide a chance to change your presentation area. Examine what worked and what is actually a better set up.  This will give you a chance to design your area better.  There is an additional advantage because some exhibits provide a lot of repeat participants who are able to become repeat customers the next day if the booth will be set up to display different items.
Also, it is wise to keep a watchful eye on potential customers even though you may helping another customer.  Remember, someone may inquire simply to draw your attention away while someone else may take products from the display.  Caution is necessary at all times.

And most of all, Enjoy! There is something SO fulfilling with the thought that your beloved jewelry or polymer clay art being worn, given or owned by a new person in a new home! (Sometimes it is hard to parted from it but this is a whole different post to discuss)...
Don't forget to check out my post regarding what to take with you to your show!



Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Polymeri Online 6.11.13 | My winter promises, Rustic polymer clay buttons tutorial, Dreidels and ornaments, Polymer airlines, Reversible necklace moon and stars cane and Dragon heads fantasy

It's the middle of the week and I'm getting ready for a special polymer guest coming to visit me here in Israel. I'm so excited to see her again and we plan to enjoy a full week together, touring around the country and see the main attractions.
If you're wondering who it is, you'll have to wait for my next post or follow me on FB, I guess we will post pictures there...

After the intensive work I am taking a short break from polymer clay work (no worries, just a short one) and working on another favorite craft - crochet. This winter I promise myself to start (and hopefully finish) a "granny square" blanket, so I purchased a tutorial by Lisa Clarke and started to work on my squares. Some of them will be flowers, some others. I am still a beginner with crochet but the repetitive process is so relaxing and enjoyable.

A crochet carpet I made from torn bed sheets, 
Guess who is enjoying it's beauty and comfort? 
Starting to work on my squares


Lisa Clarke's Rustic Buttons tutorial
Lisa Clarke, my virtual crochet mentor, which is a very talented knitter and a polymer clay artist, shares in her blog many of her trials, projects and ideas.
Here is one of them showing a cool way to create rustic-looking buttons by using clay, powders, cutting and exchanging shades/shapes and these are rolled flat to create a pattern sheet as a base to her buttons. Really cool!
http://www.lisaclarke.net/2013/10/24/how-to-make-rustic-buttons-even-when-it-all-goes-horribly-wrong/

Shulamit Raanan's Dreidel
One of my Israeli colleague, Shulamit Raanan is already organized her shop for the holidays - both Christmas and Hanukah with fun dreidels and ornaments. Every year I want to make my own dreidel and every year something is keeping me from doing it... maybe this year?
https://www.etsy.com/shop/ShuliDesigns

Polymer on planes?
Thomas Otto is covering air planes! No, seriously, it's not United Airlines planes, they are a bit smaller, He then add a cool looking pilot (mouse!) and Tada!
He shares his process of creating an armature with wire and aluminum foil and after the base is ready, he is covering it with clay.
Looks like a lot of hard work!
https://www.facebook.com/thomas.otto.100


Moon and stars cane tutorial on YouTube
Teresa Pandora Salgado published a video on YouTube showing you how to create beads. It is a basic class but it is always nice to see new ways of work and Teresa mentioned a new material she is using as a finish to her polymer clay pieces - Aleen's Jewelry Pendant Gel. She mentions it in her next Reversible necklace video. Teresa is also recommending to save your coffee lids to use as side support while reducing your canes. Recycling!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJzkzmUlwWc&feature=youtube_gdata_player



Dragon heads by Makosla
Makosla Creations (Canadian artist Astrid Ayora Carvajal) focuses on Dragons and fantasy sculpture. She is doing mainly dragon heads but you can find cats and other designs as well.
https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/MakoslaCreations
http://makosla.com/polymer-clay-jewelry/

Have a great week! Weekend is only few days away :)

Sunday, October 6, 2013

Polymeri Online 6.10.13 | Zipper your pendant, Flipped tin foil tray as baking surface, Kate's amazing cosmic ceramic beads, Brrrr..Fleshlettes and Playing with dots

Wait! Wait! Before you throw your rotten tomatoes at me, asking where did I disappear, you will understand in a week or so. I was 200% occupied. Believe me, I look like a chair and feel like a chair after so many hours of sitting...and my chair is not even comfortable!!

But let's leave that aside,
What's new in the Polymer clay world Webosphera?



I'll have to rely on fellow friends and share with you some of their goodies, Eva Susanska found these 2 great links - One by Avalin from polymerclayfimo blog, Avalin is demonstrating a short and fun tutorial for creating a faux zipper for a pendant or any other creation of your choice.
http://polymerclayfimo.livejournal.com/2470618.html

And Kralemie is sharing a simple and un expensive idea to bake your beads on - Use a disposable tin tray, cut it's edges and you have a channeled tray for your pierced beads!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/krale-mie/6222488909/
Although she is into crocheting, she is offering her ideas on polymer clay.

Kate's cosmic ceramic beads
Kate Golding surprised me with her BEAUTIFUL cosmic ceramic beads. They are all listed in her Etsy store but if you want to enjoy her gems all in one shot, press on this photo to enlarge. I was so excited to see it!
Art and Craftsmanship have always been a part of her life. Thanks to her mother, who introduced her to a world of crafts and skills, Kate's youth was filled with, drawing, painting, basket weaving, beading, macrame, sculpting ( including 70s version of polymer clay).
https://www.etsy.com/shop/SkippingRockStudio1

Jonathan's faux eyes
Beware of this link - scary stuff -
California-based artist Jonathan Payne has created a series of grotesque-looking sculptures called the ‘Fleshlettes’.
Made with polymer clay and acrylics, each Fleshlette has a unique personality and has been molded to look like a human body part such as the eye, tongue etc. Amazing how realistic this looks, if only we could use these as replacements... Brrrrr, seems like a great gift if you want to scare someone to death!
http://designtaxi.com/news/355075/Grotesque-Sculptures-Of-The-Human-Body/

Kollika's polymer clay owl tutorial
Let's finish with an elegant mini-tutorial; A wonderful owl brooch using thin snakes and balls by Kollika. A tooth pick is used instead of hands/finger. I truly believe that artists who create such a work deserve a medal.
http://kopilka.rv.ua/?p=5116

My next post will be (almost) announcing my new tutorial and playing a fun game with you guys. Stay tuned.

Sunday, March 10, 2013

Polymeri Online 10.3.13 | Dancing switch plates, Martha's polymer clay Easter eggs, Lace buttons tutorial and use your drawer mat for...



Diane's Polymer Clay Switch Plates
An artist from Flickr sent me a friend request and I was intrigued. Dmanzi (Diane Manzi) is the artist behind beautiful mosaic pieces - frames, switch plates and jewelry.
She uses a reverse mosaic style and incorporate other canes of clay designs, faces and flowers. Some of them have dancing figures drawn as a stencil first and then cut out of the clay.

Martha Stewart and Liz Smith
Demonstrating an Easter egg project
I have never decorated an egg before so I enjoyed this easy video tutorial which was posted on Martha Stewart website. Liz Smith demonstrated the process of creating a Millefiori Easter egg.
Martha was all excited about this decorating technique but on the same breath said that this takes quite a looong time! :) But she enjoyed every minute as you will see in her video.

Polymer clay buttons tutorial
Viktoria Slutsky posted a super easy and fun tutorial for making lace polymer clay buttons. All you need is paint, lace and a real button to measure the holes!

A new "brother" to Pinterest is craftgawker. This site is a curated photo gallery that allows a visual search and discovery of handmade arts and crafts to inspire your own projects. You can use the search to view all kinds of beautiful photos, inspiration and future projects.

Colored Pencils
And an outside inspiration as Sage bray calls it - These breath taking pieces, posted in "Daily Art Muse" website, belong to an Australian artist - Lionel Bawden which uses hexagonal colored pencils as a sculptural material, forming amazing shapes. I can see some extruder work here if you're looking for  inspiration...

A TIP!
In my last IKEA visit I saw this cool drawer mat and thought it can be super useful as a.... texture sheet!
I tried it and the result was great!
You can purchase a huge roll of this mat and cut it into smaller pieces to use on your clay. It is flexible, non sticky and the texture is nice as well.
You can see the visual effect of this texture on both Sharon and Rose's name tags.
Drawer Mat from IKEA