Polymeri Online 23.6.12 | Hunger games polymer, Round PearlEx mirror, Pins curtain display, HUGE candy canes video and Reverse impression tutorial

Hunger Games Polymer
Clay Pendant

Ghie-Trinket Tales, a phillipins polymer clay artist and a chemist by profession presents a nice collection of polymer clay designs in her Flickr gallery - mirrors, pens, steampunk and jewelry, I loved her hunger game themed pendant! (don't tell anyone but I read all 3 books ;)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ghienan/
http://trinkettalesbyghie.blogspot.co.il/2012/03/molding-hunger-games-inspired-pieces-in.html

Polymer Clay Round Mirror

After making my own new mirror, I found another beautiful stylish round mirror project (although from 2008) by The Artful Eye (couldn't find her/his name), The finished piece measures 14" in diameter and clay pieces were adhered with  glue. Most of the clay pieces have been painted with PearlEx powdered pigments.
http://www.artfuleye.com/2008/08/polymer-mosaic-mirror.html

Curtain Pins Display

Not sure it's polymer but take a look at m.misheva's wonderful fabric curtain used as a display for pins.
I think the pins shown here are made of polymer clay although she works with felt as well.
This decoration can be used both to your home curtains and as pins display in your studio.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/56085107@N02/7079192491/

Reducing HUGE candy canes!

The next YouTube video was recently posted in the Israeli guild site by polymer artist Efi Warsh after returning from Amsterdam.
The video shows Papabubble Amsterdam creation of their HUGE candy canes. Did I say HUGE? These are gigantic canes! amazing!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFfA6FxrDs0&feature=related

Another video posted in the Israeli site was Lisa Pavelka's YouTube tutorial for using her texture sheets to create reverse impressions. Thank you Liat Ripp for this reminder :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bI6dCXA0Zd4

Polymer Clay Reverse Impressions

You can also see a design made in this technique by Angela Hickey, she made this barrette by first making a reverse impression using a Lisa's rubber stamp. Next filled in the impression using Kato liquid clay tinted with mica powders.
Her Flickr gallery shows many of her recent creations using this technique -
http://www.flickr.com/photos/polymer_clay_creations/7396625058/

Have a great weekend!

Polymeri Online Valentine 2012 | Hearts ALL Hearts

Valentine is a day away, just in time for 4 additional polymer hearts!

Susan Crocenzi (Sucra) created this elaborated heart wall hanging with ceramic, glass, smalti & millefiore. Susan is a Mixed-media artist teaching techniques for Mosaicists - Tempered Glass and Polymer Clay.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sucra88/6761170411/in/photostream

http://scmosaics.com/home.html

Polymer Penguin is Julee. She discovered polymer clay 6 years ago, At first she worked on the projects in the garage, but quickly outgrew it. Now, she is converted her old quilting room over to polymer clay.

Check out her wonderful heart earring set - antiqued with liquid polymer clay colored with black ink.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/polymerpenguin/6859737885/

http://thepolymerpenguin.blogspot.com/

Adriana Allen has a touching personal story in her etsy profile. Every item she creates is a victory over her unforgiving disease: arthritis. She has it for 30 years but never gave up. Every piece she creates proves her that the disease cannot stop her from doing what she loves.

As I was checking out her cuff in Etsy, it was sold! I hope all hearts will!
This link is to an additional cuff of hers - green colored.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/91712423/10-discount-the-key-to-my-heart-polymer

http://www.adrianaallen.com

Check out this heart charm, looks like metal - right?
RubyShoesSam (Sandra DeYoung) did a great job with this one, sculpted into a heart, textured and highlighted to give it an aged silver metal look.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/87136690/silver-and-turquoise-heart-polymer-clay

Sandra was mentioned before in PolymeriOnline on 2008 so it's time to take a new look at her art.

Have a great LOVEly holiday! I'm off to eat a chocolate heart :)

Polymer clay crocheted heart/flower decor - Free video tutorial for Valentine!

In our family, a fridge is not just a place to put your groceries. It's a photo album+.

Photos, magnets, memos, test schedule, special announcements, calendars, bills - thank god that fridges are so big you can place items on all 3 sides of it ;)

Anyway, it's a while now that my mother asked me for REAL photos of my kids. Not digital photos - real ones.

In the digital age we hardly make photo copies any more, almost all of us have gazillion photos in our hard drive and almost none in our albums and guess what - although this happen we keep buying the newest camera on the market.

So I decided, it's a good time to make 3 special photo decorations for my mom's fridge with all 6 grandchildren photos - mine and my 2 sisters.

For a while now I wanted to combine my basic crochet skills in a polymer clay piece so this was a fun project that can be a last minute gift for your loved ones, Valentine or any occasion, this decoration can be used as a big magnet on a fridge, a wall hanging ornament, a key-chain, bag charm, beads for a necklace or even part of a gift wrap!

The great thing about doing this project with polymer clay is that you can apply any technique you like on it and you'll get an original design. Of course it can be done with paper, air dry clay and many other materials as well, just keep in mind the holes and the hook size.

Basic crochet knowledge is recommended but if you do not know how to crochet you will get the idea by watching me work plus a recommended YouTube channel for many crochet tutorials. This channel taught me so much! I really recommend it.

So mom, even though Valentine is a holiday you mostly celebrate with your other half (mine is going to be abroad) - this one is for you :)

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!

Polymeri Online 12.12.11 | Crown pin, Gauged ears earrings, Embossed pendant tutorial, Fun memory game & Enchanted Garden giveaway

Getting ready for the holiday, here is a super cute polymer clay crown pin for a little princess by Daria. Daria is from Kyiv, Ukraine and designs stuff as far as she remembers, first clothes and accessories for her dolls, fabric flowers, drawing, beading and so much more! she graduated from Fine arts school but choose another way and has PhD in molecular biology. Now, as a stay at home mom, she finds the time to create jewelry, some with polymer clay.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dariami/http://dariami.livejournal.com

These earrings by PeachTreats made me take a 2nd look. At first, I couldn't find how to insert them into the ear, then I realized, that she makes earrings for both gauged ears and for regular pierced ears. if you aren’t sure what she means by “gauged ears”—that is when the earring hole is stretched. They are all made of polymer clay!

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

Elsita posted an interesting tutorial on using both paper and polymer to create an interesting pendant. She is tracing a drawing on paper, cutting and pressing the paper against the polymer to create an embossed design. Looks like a wonderful project!

http://elsita.typepad.com/elsita/2011/12/my-papercut-on-polymer-clay-tutorial.html

http://www.flickr.com/photos/9510030@N05

Here is a fun memory game project, originally not created with polymer clay but we can do the same with clay. Take identical coins (use the smallest exchange you have) and glue on it a pre-baked polymer clay design that matches in size and color or pattern - 2 of each. Now you have a wonderful memory game to play with the children!

http://scrumdillydo.blogspot.com/2011/12/holiday-fun-edible-memory-game.html

I was a "proud mom" this week! 2 of my students - Fimomaus and chiccolove made wonderful "Enchanted Garden" canes and even held a competition between them who's going to be first to create them all! They were sure fast like a pasta machine motor! :)

The "Enchanted Garden" special holiday sale is still on with few giveaway sets left!

You will get "Enchanted Garden originals" to your door as giveaway gifts!

Don't miss your ooak holiday souvenirs!

Polymeri Online 28.11.11 | Doll pins, Flower buds, Israel inspired quilt & Cool stylus tool

Pilar (previously featured) posted some of her cool doll pins (or pendants) made of polymer clay mixed with fabric and metal as a base. There are bunch of those in her flickr gallery so don't miss it, they are so cute.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/amatista/6409447741/in/contacts/

Julie VanDuren made beautiful flower buds made of polymer clay. Millefiori canes and textured sheets all curled up into a beautiful bouquet.

Don't miss her Gerbera flowers posted on facebook, they look almost real!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jvdbeads/5839471039/in/photostream

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2179163333049.116438.1665890246&type=3

Mira Krispil from the Israeli polymer clay guild posted a link to a video showing Laurie Mika's work, which was presented in the Talmadge Art Show in San Diego. The art show featured 83 artists doing handmade, recycled art using materials used for other purposes before.

Laurie's work was a quilt inspired by her trip to Israel and included salt from the dead sea, tiles and more, roll forward to 3:28 minutes in the video. The show took place on November 20th.
Wish I had a better photo of the piece, I'm sure it's amazing as her other quilts.

Another link by Mira was this site - showing a VERY cool blade - Stylus QuickArt to use with metal clay but seems to fit polymer clay as well. Looks tempting - right? This site has some neat tools for you guys, I'm sure you'll add it to your wishlist.

http://www.metalclaysupply.com/QuikArt-Stylus-p/54381.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLZe3GQUzdQ&feature=player_embedded#!

That's all for this week! Have a great weekend!

Polymeri Online 12.11.11 | Chain bracelet, Felt & polymer ring, Chess set, Christmas ornament and Rolled beads

I'm home! Italy was wonderful! a little bit rainy on the beginning but after that the weather was great - Milano, Florence and Tuscany, Venice, Murano, Ferrari Museum (plus a real ride on a Ferrari car!), Piza, San Gimignano, Siena, Roma - an amazing trip and an amazing birthday!

But's it's always good to be back home :)

So back to work!

Spanish artist Mariana Constantinescu made an interesting chain bracelet

http://www.flickr.com/photos/marianna700/3288206081/in/faves-51136446@N06/

she is mostly working in the millefiori technique but you can find more intriguing designs in her gallery such as this black and white necklace -

http://www.flickr.com/photos/marianna700/3375659491/in/photostream

Zuzzik is working with Fimo and felt in her polymer clay designs, this ring, called "fire", is using polymer clay and orange felt bursting out of it - I love it!

She is from Prague, Czech Republic.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/zuzzik/4493786194/in/photostream

http://www.zuzzik.webgarden.cz/

Ana Kuhnen - Marmelinhas' was featured before in PolymeriOnline but this chess set is so cute I had to share it with you.

My DH is still waiting for his personal polymer clay chess set and every time I see one that I like I remember that I have to make one for him as I promised long time ago.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/marmelinhas/5960892058/in/photostream

Getting ready to the holidays here is a tutorial for covering round ornaments by Eilaine of Tooaquarious -

http://www.tooaquarius.com/learn/tutorials/covering-round-ornaments/

Luisa's flicker gallery has some cool beads and a cool tool to make beads using self-made 2 rollers made of plastic pipes

http://www.flickr.com/photos/-_lu_-/6325635575/in/photostream

See you soon with more news, links and new tutorials!

Polymeri Online 2.11.11 | Ghost Shift Fish, Kyoto Geikos mix media, Fimo tutorials & Autumn bracelet

I stumbled upon Sue Corrie's polymer clay and copper designs and was enchanted! This wonderful fish done with both materials is a refreshing combination and the possibilities are endless. When she thought to give up on being a full time artist she fell in love with polymer clay. Her projects are often completed in the moonlight hours when the family is sleeping- the Ghost Shift. She says ‘Dr Who’ fans know that the Ghost Shift was, I'm sure my son does!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ghostshift/6291429338/in/photostream

Sharon House from Victoria, British Columbia, Canada loves to clay, as a mixed media artist she entered into Fine Arts Shows and lately have had accepted into a local gallery. Among her many talents she is also a story teller, not just for kids, for grown ups as well! It took her a while to find her passion with clay and few years into it, she is starting to figure that out. Much to her surprise, it’s not caning but more sculpture and what she would consider “practical stuff”.

You're invited to take a look at her cool "toothpick bead tool" - wonderful to bake or to dry your beads after varnish!

and one of her polymer pieces -

http://www.mystoryart.com/2011/05/wonderful-birthday-surprise.html

If you haven't yet visited in STAEDTLER fimo Creative tips page with cool tutorials and colorful ideas - You are welcome!

http://www.staedtler.co.th/creative_tips_for_FIMO_home_decorating_ideas_th.Staedtler

"Autumn in Scottish Mountains" bracelet by Czech Katerina Tumova has wonderful pattern inside. She has made an additional brooch with the same technique, almost looks like wooden design.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/68592908@N07/6294511439/in/contacts/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/68592908@N07/6294511733/in/photostream

Stay tuned - Tomorrow is the big day - 3 "events"!! :)

1st, I will announce the 3 winners of "The Polymer Arts" Magazine, if you haven't yet entered - it's your last chance today.

2nd, I'm celebrating my 40's!! OMG, I don't feel 40!

3rd A short vacation in Italy for my birthday with DH, I'm sure it's going to be wonderful!

see ya!

Polymeri Online 19.10.11 | Christmas cats, Flowery door knobs, Cute light covers and Maya face cane

Melody O'Beau Designs flickr gallery shows these lovely Christmas cats tree decoration which can be wore as a jewel, In her photos she is sharing some studio shots with us :) Melody is a professional musician by trade, and for the past 14 years she has made wearable art from polymer clay.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/melobeau/6175345031/in/photostream

http://www.artfire.com/ext/shop/studio/melodyodesigns

http://www.melobeau.blogspot.com/

Carmen Rose posted a lovely tutorial on making door knobs, she has 60 doors and drawers in her kitchen (sounds like the PERFECT studio!) Easy and fun!

http://croseprose.blogspot.com/2010/01/polymer-clay-cabinet-knobs.html

Mary Tempesta light covers caught my eyes and although I am not smoking they do look so cute! faces, bees and fish! what a lovely decoration!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/marymadeit/6230489443/in/contacts/

Mary was mentioned before in PolymeriOnline but these worth another one :)

Krokdo (real name?) blog posted a cool tutorial to create a face cane - a maya tribe face. I hope I got the translation correct.

http://krokdo.canalblog.com/archives/2010/05/01/17755863.html

We have a long weekend vacation here and the great weather is also on our side :) Have a great day everyone!

Polymer Clay "Catch 22" - The Artist's Paradox

There is an irony with us artists selling our work. We spend so much time trying to make a living from our wonderful art only to discover that we’ve become way too emotionally attached to our work and can’t let it go.

Sounds familiar?

Think about it.

When you sell a piece of your art, how to you feel? Do you feel great about the sale and ready to pay some bills? do you feel a little sad to see it go, but hey, that’s a part of being a professional polymer clay artist! or do you regret the second you let it go and find yourself hurrying back to your studio trying to recreate a copy of it for yourself?

These feelings of "sale remorse" - We condition, play, shape and design our clay and tend to get physically attached to our final piece, can't let it go.

Many artists are happy to sell, but at the same time, they would also wish they could save a copy of the work for themselves. If not for emotional reasons, it's to “check back on it as a reference for how I made a certain piece”.

Why am I telling you all this?

When I started my way with polymer clay, every fair I participated in - I had mixed feelings.

Glad because I sold and sad because I sold it!

Crazy - isn't it?

In time I learned that although my designs are very dear to me, it's like finding them a new home and letting my customers have a "small piece of me". That's a nice thought. They chose me.

Tomorrow is one of those days. I am saying goodbye to some of my own personal favorites.

As a part of studio re-organization, making room for new things, I am holding a special pre-holiday studio fair - the first in 2 years.

Some of my most favorite PolyPediaOnline tutorial products will be offered for public sale.

These items are very dear to me and always reminds me of the wonderful material we are working with.

If you're wondering about a certain project, want to see it in close, wear one of my jewels or a collector of polymer clay pieces - you are welcome aboard!

Some of the designs have Only 1 item AVAILABLE!

The special link to the sales page will be sent to all PolyPediaOnline members tomorrow during the day, that's more than 5000 artists getting an email from me with a link to the StudioFair page.

If you are interested and want to see one of my pieces in person, you are welcome to join!

The items will be published here in the blog only after PolyPediaOnline members will have the exclusivity to be the first to know and purchase.

Hope to see you in my "booth"! Come & say hello... :)

Polymeri Online 16.9.11 | Sculpted heroes, Pumpkin decoration, Locket Portraits and Art dolls

Michael Leavitt hates making normal art. The Art Army Royalty, his new work, is a project in which Leavitt creates one of a kind, fully articulated sculptures by hand in an “action figure” scale, each in the likeness of a well-known artist, incorporating the style of the subject’s artwork.

Since 2002, this ongoing series of unique sculptures represent artists from every great movement of Modern and Contemporary Art, from Warhol to Banksy.

Each figure is sculpted from scratch in polymer clay, surface-finished and texturized with acrylic paint and mixed media. Leavitt engineers the miniature sculptures with articulating joints, assembling moving body parts with elastic cord so that the figures can be posed.

See Cynthia tinnaple (PCD) post and video on how Michael builds his figures.

http://intuitionkitchenproductions.com/

Spanish artist Noia Land posted a cool photo tutorial to create a cute pumpkin decoration -

http://www.flickr.com/photos/noialand/6140484251/in/contacts/

check out her blog for more cute tutorials and art -

http://noialand.blogspot.com/

Reinhard (Männeken) uses Fimo clay to create perfect portraits of people and other entities, this ability is something I admire so much as I don't have any sculpturing talent :)

Take a look at this photo of him, showing some kind of wooden clip covered with polymer clay to be used as legs.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/63875527@N07/5821331152/in/photostream

http://www.flickr.com/photos/63875527@N07/

and speaking of portraits, ClayCatShop special portrait lockets reminds me something from my childhood, their smiley faces, colors and innocence. I love it.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/claycatshop/6147936904/in/photostream

Have a great weekend!

Polymeri Online 5.9.11 | Santa is near, Neon jewelry, Candy pails and Happy weddings

How do we feel that Christmas is close? Santa canes! this time it's Deb Tuchsen's cane sending some cool air to my direction :) It's still too hot in Israel!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rengalsa/6101392054/in/contacts/

Italian Ilaria Anselmi has a wonderful collection of polymer clay designs in her blog and flickr gallery (mostly delicious looking), she also works with resin and created 'neon' colored designs.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/filoecoloridiila/sets/72157605162714737/

http://filoecoloridiila.blogspot.com/

Jessica Hamilton's Halloween doll candy pails are SO cute! Made of polymer clay and 1.5" wide - perfect for small treats!

When Jessica was a girl, she wished her dolls would come to life so she could feed them tiny bread, sew them teeny socks and make their tiny beds. With the exception of the bread, she quickly realized she could do those things without the whole semi-creepy ‘coming to life’ part. Her dolls are amazing.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dollproject/6084044171/in/contacts/

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

What better way to end this post with love? These bride and groom by Dorothée Vantorre looks as if they were taken from fairy tales. Dorothée is a French polymer clay artist, a former student of art history and graduated in architecture and the creator of Mad Marquesas, creates jewelry and other designs. She is currently working on her first polymer book! I'm curious to know which tales she will tell us!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/69939106@N00/6080363372/in/photostream

http://lesfollesmarquises.blogspot.com/