27 December 2013

We love Design-Seeds.com!!

Photo Credit: Design-Seeds.com

Each day the color wizards at Design Seeds send us two palettes drawn from real life. One of today's palettes, Cacti Color, struck me with its mixture of bold yet mellow tones of the desert. If you enjoy art of the Southwest, drink in the beauty of this color array.


PS - You can sign up for free emails at www.design-seeds.com.

24 December 2013

Aniko and Jeannie (and Milo) wish you a Merry Christmas!
Remember to leave milk and cookies for Santa and some carrots for the reindeer.

Photo Credits: Twisted Papers Vintage Christmas Collection.

21 December 2013

Christmas Elf Balloon Art by Rob Driscoll

Rob Driscoll, a clever magician also known as Robbie the Wizard, has been busy the past year making a unique balloon model each day. The Portsmouth, Hampshire visual artist also makes popular cartoon figures such as SpongeBob and Sonic the Hedgehog which he gives to children at his shows. Click the Christmas Elf link to view more of his balloon creations. 

A quick search on Etsy and Pinterest reveals a sizable community of polymer clay balloon art. Most popular is a dog. A red dog. A red dog used as a charm for phones, etc. I was able to find a rainbow group of dogs, a single purple dog, along with an imaginative balloon dragon. All made of polymer clay and most available on Etsy. Or, maybe you will be inspired to create your own fantastical balloon creatures.


Polymer Clay Balloon Art by Various Artists on Etsy and Pinterest


Photo Credits: Christmas Elf, Rob Driscoll (CATERS); Balloon Animals, (1) laughingsquid.com (2) katkraftukon on Etsy (3) PaperPastels on YouTube (4) minniekitchen.com (5) upcyclepatch on Etsy



11 December 2013

A Reason to Celebrate

A huge thank you to Professor Diane Levesque at Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin, who will teach ART 200E Polymer Clay in the Spring 2014 semester. According to the college website, this is one of the first college-level, full-credit courses available in polymer clay.

Congratulations to Maggie Maggio and Lindly Haunani, whose book, Polymer Clay Color Inspirations: Techniques and Jewelry Projects for Creating Successful Palettes, will be used as text for the course. Way to go, ladies!!



05 December 2013

Spring 2014 Pantone Color Forecast

Get ready to brighten up your clay color palette with the new Spring 2014 colors from Pantone. Radiant Orchid is the Color of the Year. We'll be seeing it in fashion, jewelry and home decor.

01 November 2013

Rabbits, rabbits . . .

Click image to view larger size.

Photo credits: 1-Christel Jensen; 2-Madre Olius; 3-Trina Prenzi; 4-Aniko
Kolesnikova; 5-AbsoKnittingLutely; 6-Free Heart; 7-Billie Beads
Call it legend or superstition, saying "rabbits, rabbits" on the first day of November assures luck throughout the year, so they say. I've been saying this phrase since I was 17 and have yet to see my luck improve significantly because of it.

During fact-checking for this blog post, I see on Wikipedia that I should have been saying "rabbits" three times, not two. And I am to say it at the beginning of each month, not just November. Maybe that is why my luck is always just so-so.

Lucky or not, I couldn't resist this colony of polymer clay rabbits found on Etsy, DeviantArt, and the pcPolyzine Tutorial Archives. From steampunk to wedding cake toppers to Aniko's sweet little Honey Bunnies, the range of styles on the Internet keeps multiplying like, well, rabbits.

30 October 2013

Pantone Color-of-the-Year Spring 2014

Blue, blue, blue. Thanks, Pantone, for selecting a Color-of-the-Year in blue for Spring 2014. My personal favorite shade of blue is Cornflower, or as I call it, Havel-blue. The Spring 2014 COY is called "Dazzling Blue," and the swatch from the Pantone website looks, indeed, dazzling to me. Look at the color block on the left; that is the swatch from Pantone. Then, look at the swatch on the right; that is a swatch I found over and over again on a Google search for "Pantone Color of the Year Spring 2014." As usual, the variance in the shade is dramatic. That is to be expected since not all monitors display color in exactly the same way. But this time, the two colors are not even close, and that is just the two most-frequently posted swatches I found. 

Every time a new Color-of-the-Year is announced, we see variations in the tone and shade of the swatches posted online. The moral of the story is, for best results where accuracy is concerned, go with the Pantone swatch. It is, afterall, their color. Just keep in mind that one person's "Dazzling Blue" is not always going to look the same as the official Pantone color.


Official Pantone color, left side; popular swatch from Google Image search, right side.

19 October 2013

Aniko Goes to the Big Bead Show 2013 in London

Wind Summoner's Necklace by Anna Kolesnikova.


Waiting, excitedly, to hear from Aniko, reporting live from the Big Bead Show in London today. Hoping she brings home a lovely prize.

This is her entry entitled, Wind Summoner's Necklace.

Wish her luck...


UPDATE: Congratulations to Aniko for bringing home Second Prize!! First prize went to Lydmyla (or Ludmila) Heggland
.

10 October 2013

To Your Health

You won't feel much like claying if you are sick with the flu, that's why we are recommending flu shots to everyone over the age of 6 months. Here is a flu vaccine location finder for the USA. Just plug in your Zip Code for a handy list and map.

30 September 2013

Fall Color Inspiration

If you are working on your polymer clay color palette for autumn, aside from Pantone, where can you look for the season's most popular colors? An almost foolproof guide to color forecasting is fashion, especially cosmetics. This year, fall makeup colors are anything but ho-hum. The season features subtle tones of bold shades. What?? How can a color be a subtle tone of a bold shade? By starting with a palette of bold, exciting colors and dialing back the volume a bit, the result is a happy medium of pizazz and don't-look-like-a-rockstar. 

Allure magazine offers detailed information about "The 8 Sexiest Fall Makeup Colors" in their online edition. Look for a list of brand names as a guide or go straight to the cosmetics department of your favorite store to pick up a few shiny eyeshadows. Use them to match colors with your clay, then add them to your collection of Mica powders. http://www.allure.com/makeup-looks/2013/sexiest-fall-makeup-colors#slide=1
Allure magazine: The 8 Sexiest Fall Makeup Colors"
1-Plum; 2-Chocolate; 3-Emerald; 4-Garnet; 5-Taupe; 6-Lilac;
7-Turquoise; 8-Violet
Color mix recipes can be found at www.pcPolyzine.com.

Image Credits: David Cook for Allure magazine


[Posted by Jeannie Havel]

25 September 2013

Remembering Gwen Gibson (1934 - 2013)

As the mystery of polymer clay unfolds for each of us, there are those who leave an indelible mark on our journey. Their spirit, skill, and ingenuity forge paths for us to follow that branch off in infinite directions. Such is the soul of Gwen Gibson. She died September 24th leaving a legacy of unique style, innovative techniques, and a degree of excellence for us to follow. In true Gwen fashion, what she wrote about "departing" on her website - although her meaning was about art, not death - is exquisitely fitting as we bid her goodbye.
"...'Departure' is about an impossible faith faced with the imposed limitation of gravity. Yet, the yearning to transcend is so strong that one is prepared to take off in the shakiest of contraptions."

Dear, dear Gwen, as you transcend, may your contraption be sturdy and your passage filled with peace.


Image credits: Gwen Gibson.com

[Posted by Jeannie Havel]

18 September 2013

Product Review: Lucy Clay Extruders

The older I get, the more I appreciate polymer clay tools that are kind to my hands. When I think back to the old syringe-style extruder, I shudder at the memory of how painful it was to use. I've talked to many clayers over the years who, like me, stopped extruding completely because it just wasn't worth the trouble. Then, a new little green extruder made its way onto the market and ta-da! I was extruding almost every day. Many of the old problems were solved - the extruder was easy to use, held a generous amount of clay, and was designed to be self-cleaning. Wow! Could things get any better?

Fast forward to 2013 and the answer is yes! Things not only got better, they got seriously better. The new clay extruders from Lucy Clay in the Czech Republic have most of the now-familiar features of the more modern extruders already on the market with one giant advantage: the Lucy Clay extruders are designed to work with an electric drill. This one feature pushes the Lucy Clay extruders into the stratosphere. While the extruders - two sizes: 10cm and 18cm - have a standard ratchet turning handle, the ratchet can be removed to fit the extruder with an electric drill. This makes the clay extrude quickly and easily, and for me, with no pain to my hands at all.

Although I know many people already use a drill with their current extruder, there is not an extruder already on the market - in my professional opinion - with the strength to withstand the torque of an electric drill over an extended period. In addition, any adaptations to existing extruders will, most likely, invalidate any type of warranty offered by the manufacturer. This includes devices added to make twisting or turning the extruder easier. Extruders from Lucy Clay, however, are heavy-duty in design and can hold up under strong use.

Lucy Clay extruders come in a variety of colors and are well packaged. Currently, there are four sets of extruder shape disks available. Of note is the shape sometimes called the "kitten nose." Clay extruded with the kitten nose shape disk fits perfectly in the crevice created between two round logs of clay. This means fewer air pockets and better-looking canes.

Extruder add-on tools are in the works including a cleaning brush, vise, and more extruder disks. If you are serious about extruding clay or have been avoiding extruding for whatever reason, extruders from Lucy Clay are the answer.

Visit the Lucy Clay Facebook page to find a distributor in your country: https://www.facebook.com/LUCYpolymerCLAY


Image Credits: Lucy Clay

Disclosure: One Lucy Clay Extruder and one standard extruder disk set furnished to pcPolyzine for review by Lucy Clay, Czech Republic. Extruder shape disk with "kitten nose" shape purchased at full retail price by pcPolyzine.

[Posted by Jeannie Havel]

31 August 2013

Papal Inspiration

Today's inspiration comes from an unlikely source far from the polymer clay community. Although it is about a religious figure, it is not about religion. It is about hope. My hope is that somewhere in it, you, too, find inspiration. The message comes from Pope Francis to a group of young people in Rome and I cannot think of a better mantra for us, whether we are seasoned polyclay artists or newcomers.
"Have courage. Go forward. Make noise."


Pope Francis poses with young people in the Church of Saint
Augustine in Rome on August 28, 2013.

Posted: Saturday 31 August 2013

(AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE)  Pope Francis has broken protocol once again, appearing with a puzzled look on his face in a "selfie" photo taken with a group of teenagers visiting the Vatican. The picture appeared on the Facebook page of one of the youngsters, who used it as his profile picture, and was going viral on social media on Saturday.

The picture comes in the same week that the Oxford English Dictionary included the word "selfie" to denote a self-taken photograph on a smartphone.

The young believers were part of a church group from northern Italy who met with the leader of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics on Wednesday and were seen going up to him afterwards to take their photo. "There is no marketing behind these actions. The pope clearly likes being with people while his predecessor liked being with books," said Beppe Severgnini, columnist for the Corriere della Sera daily.


Read the full story: http://news.yahoo.com/first-papal-selfie-goes-viral-social-media-073930372.html
Image Credit: Yahoo
[Posted by Jeannie Havel]

15 August 2013

Illusionary Inspiration



http://img.gawkerassets.com/post/4/2012/03/illusion3.jpg
It's true. I am crazy for canes, so when I saw this example of an optical illusion this morning in the Huffington Post, it makes me wonder if a carefully built cane could provide the same visual effect. If successful, it would seem the clay is moving. Can you imagine that?










Image Credit: Huffington Post

[Posted by Jeannie Havel]

29 July 2013

Translucent Colors

Yesterday I decided to have a browse online for some inspirations for translucent clay. I wanted to find out what could be its top level of translucency and what I found online did surprise and inspire me a lot. I created this inspirational collage for all of you to get inspired, too and to get some deeper understanding of how limitless polymer possibilities truly are. Enjoy!



Image Credits: (1) Aniko Kolesnikova; (2) Joan Tayler; (3) Dana Phamova; (4) Katrin Neumaier; (5) Wendy Malinow; (6) Claire Maunsell; (7) Dana Phamova; (8) Patti Pennisi; (9) Ginger Davis Allman; (10) Katrin Neumaier; (11) Mars Design; (12) Ginger Davis Allman; (13) Heather S.


22 July 2013

Boxes on the Brain

Desiree McCrory is a class act in the polymer clay community. She earned status as queen of the clay machines many years ago when she showed us how to bravely dismantle and reassemble our machines for cleaning and tune-ups. Her talent goes far beyond mechanics; she is an accomplished artist whose imagination and skill produce stunning canes, beads, light switch covers, breathtaking jewelry, and an array of whimsical and artistic boxes and tins. Her covered Altoid tin tutorial, "Pretty in Pink and Blue" graced the January 2001 issue of pcPolyzine and is a favorite in the tutorial archives. Follow Desiree's step-by-step instructions to create your own treasure. And be sure to visit her website, Desired Creations, for an excursion through a gallery of box after beautiful box.

Image Credits: Desiree McCrorey

[Posted by Jeannie Havel]

26 June 2013

Cambrian Treasures


Imagw Credit: LiveScience on Yahoo News

[Posted by Jeannie Havel]

Morocco is rich with artistic inspiration. For example, look at this rendition of a fossil uncovered by paleontologist Andrew Smith in the Anti-Atlas Mountains in 2012. The primitive sea creature was found while excavating sediments dating to about 520 million years ago. If it gets your polymer clay juices going, you can read the full article in yesterday's edition of the journal, Proceedings of the Royal Society B, or search LiveScience for Helcocystis moroccoensis.

14 June 2013

Friday Night Inspiring Snack

Quick, before you settle into dinner, take a look at the vast array of polymer clay candy on Marlene Brady's Pinterest pages. I could stay there all night . . . and since it's Friday, I just might do that. Hope you enjoy it, too!
Marlene Brady's Pinterest Polymer INSPIRATION Composite

Image Credits: (1) Marlene Brady (2) Mandy Geo (3) Meagan Chaney (4) Tory Hughes (5) Créa'Sofimo (6) Pips Jewelry (7) Susan Hyde (8) Vesi Koleva (9) Olga Ayala
[Posted by Jeannie Havel]

10 June 2013

Imagine Home Decor in Polymer Clay

Image Credit: One King's Lane

[Posted by Jeannie Havel]
Today's inspiration comes from home decor catalog giant, One King's Lane of San Francisco. Great ideas for covering objects in polymer clay with texture sheet and stamped embellishment flow from accessories in bright, saturated colors. Summer is a good time to give your creations a little oomph. Browse through the OKL catalog, then use patterns and color mixes to adapt a design with your unique touch.



08 June 2013

It's Saturday - Treat Yourself to Something Wonderful!!


Israel's polymer clay guild (ILPCG) is a robust group of talented artists whose work is well recognized in our community. A popular member is Yonat Dascalu, author of numerous tutorials she sells in her Etsy shop and now her first self-published book available through Amazon.com entitled Polymer Clay: All the Basic and Advanced Techniques You Need to Create with Polymer Clay.

This book is compact in size but brimming with instruction. Scattered throughout you will find step-by-step projects to apply what you learn in the techniques section. There are myriad photos and generous explanations of how to make just about every type of essential polymer clay cane and how to apply them to jewelry and items of home decor. 
If you have ever wanted to know how Yonat creates her lovely polymer clay art, I recommend exploring Amazon's "look inside" feature to see what treasures await when you make your purchase. An added benefit, Yonat's book is available for Kindle and in a large print version. There is much to enjoy here!!

  • Paperback: 128 pages (Large print version)
  • Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (April 9, 2012)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1475153740
  • ISBN-13: 978-1475153743




  • Image Credit: Guy Dascalu
    [Posted by Jeannie Havel]


    01 June 2013

    A New Star In Our Universe

    Please join us in welcoming Polymer Clay Planet to our galaxy.

    You will find a spirited collection of curated art.

    There is much to explore!!

    Twitter




    [Posted by Jeannie Havel]

    31 May 2013

    Amore

    

    Image credit:
    Elsa Mora, Art is a Way

    [Posted by Jeannie Havel]



    This is Amore. She is one of the Flower girls/Blossom buddies by multimedia artist 
    Elsa Mora. Her purpose today is to make you smile and think about how she is created from miscellaneous petals and such. Who could be hiding in the random trappings of your art space? Perhaps a distant cousin of Amore is in your backyard waiting to be discovered and to inspire you to look for the happy places wherever you might find them.

     
    Note: The link to Elsa Mora is a connector to her new site. It is worth the extra click to see what she left behind.

     

     

    17 May 2013

    Turning the Tables on Inspiration

    Aniko and I love posting colorful and imaginative images and ideas hoping to inspire you to think of polymer clay possibilities. So imagine our delight when Bosnian artist Jelena Babić (aka Djidje Midje) posted pics on Facebook of her bracelet inspired by Aniko's Mosaic Cane video.

    How exciting it feels to see the results when you watch our videos and try the techniques!!

    Just think how versatile the
    Mosaic Cane can be. To this point, we've used a basic set of random colors. But what about actually choosing colors to coordinate with an outfit? And maybe reducing the Mosaic Cane to a suitable size for earrings? Varying the color of the "grout" opens up some possibilities, too.

    Jelena, your bracelet inspires me!! I'm off to try some intentional color combinations.

    PS - A shout out to Elissa Powell to thank her for the original design and tutorial.

    Image Credit: Jelena Babić (Djidje Midje).

    [Posted by Jeannie Havel on behalf of the entire
    pcPolyzine Team]

    10 May 2013

    Feathers everywhere!

    I get inspiration from everywhere and by now you should definitely know it!
    So....would you get inspired after a pillow fight? Messy hair, red face and belly aching from laughing. I jumped on my chair and collected all these beautiful creations so that you, my dear friends, get inspired and make some more feathers for me to collect and post again :) Infinite circle of feathers! Yes! :)







































    Be creative and let your life be as light as feathers. ^^
    Aniko xxx

    Image Credits: (1) Robin Milne (2) The Gilded Hare Blog (3) gRiS bLEu (4) Debi Burk Scott (5) Nancy Frazier (6) Alisa Burke (7) Rebecca from The Crafted Sparrow (8) Gabriela Pomplova (9) Katka Titis (10) Chris A Kapono (11) ArtmakersWorlds  (12) Ivy Niles (13) SkyeArt (14) Wendy Kay (15) Amber Dawn (16) Dan Cormier  (17) by Creative Critters (18) Lottie Of London's (19) The Gilded Hare Blog (20) Amber Elledge (21) by Out to Clay

    [Posted by Aniko Kolesnikova]

    04 May 2013

    Archive Tutorial: "Rainbow Jellyroll Keyring" by Dotty McMillan - Originally Published April 2001


    Dotty McMillan makes this playful keyring quick and easy to put together. Her project uses slices of translucent jellyroll canes applied over a basic cylinder of white clay. The effect is reminiscent of the Chrysanthemum Cane. It's basically the same technique without the indentations that alter the jellyroll. You can choose the colors you like and determine the placement of the cane slices in a manner that are most pleasing to you. Add a metal keyring and some leather lacing and your Rainbow Jellyroll Keyring is ready to use. You could add pony beads or crow beads in coordinating colors to the lacing to vary the design. This is a good project for when you want to make multiples for gift giving.






    Original tutorial from 
    pcPolyzine.com published April 2001

    [Posted by Jeannie Havel]

    01 May 2013

    Branching Out



    Image Credit: Rebekah Payne, Tree Wings Studio

    [Posted by Jeannie Havel]
    What inspires you? We'd like to know. Send us a photo and tell us where you get your clay inspiration. You could be featured on our blog. inspiration@pcpolyzine.com

    Recently, I found inspiration on Polymer Clay Daily in the post featuring faceted mosaic scrap beads by Rebekah Payne of Tree Wings Studio. As is usually the case, one link led to another and soon I was oohing and aahing at Rebekah's Easy Winter Tree Cane tutorial on the Art Jewelry Elements blog. Have you seen it? While you're there, check out Rebekah's sexy little pink chopper. I'm sure it's what Barbie would use if she chopped polymer clay.

    24 April 2013

    Signs of Spring

    It is April outside and you cannot deny it. Yes, it may still be a bit cold in some countries but a few signs of spring are here! Nature knows better, and in spite of cold temperatures, in some places cherry blossoms are doing their job! Yes, blossoming they are! This made me think and got me inspired and I decided to take a look at what cherry blossom and Sakura inspirations the World Wide Web can offer :) And here it is! Pink and Fragrant!

    Thank you very much for your attention!
    Lots of love,
    Aniko

    Image Credits: (1) BeadsCraftz (2)Orly Fuchs Galchen (3) Kim Detmers (4) Jane Perala (5) BakeryDelights on Etsy (6) Tami Shvat (7) MollyDiBi (8) K.Hernandez (9) Sue Rout (MyWillies) (10) Afsaneh Tajvidi (JooJoo) (11) Sakurasnow (12) Alisa Maskaeva (13) Dorothy Taylor (14) Shuveih on Etsy (15) theshagbag on Etsy (16) Tooaquarius on Etsy (17) Lagoa Design Studio (18) Afsaneh Tajvidi (JooJoo). 

    23 April 2013

    Possibilities Pop With Prints

    
    Image Credit: OneKingsLane.com

    [Posted by Jeannie Havel]
    Combining prints can be tricky, so why fret? Look to catalogs and interior design websites to see what the professionals are doing. For example, the combination of green prints in this tableau from One Kings Lane is a textural vision just asking to be stylized in polymer clay. Change the colors and mix up patterns to discover a new range of visual interest.

    15 April 2013

    Enchanted Flowers

    Miss Moss Miniature Exotic Flower Terrariums are the transport to fairy forests and lands beyond an imaginary horizon. Each is a one-of-a-kind assemblage of air-dry clay skillfully hand-sculpted and arranged in repurposed glass. Preserved moss provides the bed while handmade mushrooms and miscellaneous flora supply the accents. 
    What inspires you? We'd like to know. Send us a photo and tell us where you get your clay inspiration. You could be featured on our blog. inspiration@pcpolyzine.com
    [Posted by Jeannie Havel]

    05 April 2013

    Inspired means imbued with the spirit to do something; influenced. Creativity is making it your own.

    A pleasant scroll down the Facebook page of Steven Ford and David Forlano leads to a veritable garden of their signature O'Keeffe pins. Polymer clay, sterling silver, and a remarkable sense of color combine to make flowers that appear both delicate and strong. Using texture and depth, Ford and Forlano live up to their legend as masters of polymer clay art by drawing us deeper and deeper into the designs with the anticipation of a surprise in the center.





    I couldn't help noticing the similarities when I strolled the images of Ranunculus on Pinterest. Yet, the differences strike me as a prime example of what it means to be inspired. Georgia O'Keeffe might have had Ranunculus in mind as her inspiration, and in turn, Steven and David were inspired by O'Keeffe's design. I would rather believe that Mother Nature had O'Keeffe, Ford and Forlano as her inspiration.

    Photo Credits: Ford and Forlano O'Keefe pin - Michele Tuegel Contemporary. Pink Ranunculus - Painted Tulip Vermont.


    [Posted by Jeannie Havel]

    04 April 2013

    1000 Facebook Likes

    Dear Fans and Followers -

    Today we celebrate 1,000 Likes on our Facebook page and it is all because of you!! We appreciate each and every one of you for your loyalty and support over the past 13 years. We hope you will continue to visit us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and YouTube.

    Thanks from Jeannie, Aniko and the entire Team at pcPolyzine.

    PS - We LIKE you, too!!!



    03 April 2013

    The Intriguing Appeal of Kashmiri Beads

    Kashmiri Beads from bead 'n sHop
    These genuine Kashmiri beads from India are formed from a unique type of polymer clay made of marble powder that is incorporated with resin
    and a hardener.

    The beads are then hand-decorated using a variety of accessories from tiny mirrors and chips of faceted glass to rhinestones, seed beads, and small metal components. By mixing and matching embellishments, each bead seems to take on individual characteristics according to the whim of the artist.

    As I look through the bits and pieces of my broken jewelry collection, I allow myself to imagine transforming what was once scraps into newly exotic treasures. The range of possibilities seems almost endless. Then again, with so many designs available through online merchants, I could be inspired to spend a day bead shopping.

    Photo credit: Kashmiri beads from Bead 'n Shop

    [Posted by Jeannie Havel]

    27 March 2013

    Easter Carouselle

    Hello my sweet honey bunnies!

    Yes, today I am allowed to call you this because it's EASTER! Yay! I decided to take a look at many polymer clay eggs online and best examples were collected into my lovely and cute Easter Egg Carousel!
    Enjoy and make some eggs!
    Aniko xxxx
    Photo Credits: (Metallic) Christina A Kapono; (Rooster) Lilian Huang; (Swirly) Christina A Kapono; (Floral) Signiira; (Candy Cane) Liz Smith; (Dragon) Christina A Kapono; (Steampunk) Tim Holtz; (Organic) Kael Mijoy; (Baroque) Sarajane Helm; (Rainbow) by Creative Treasures; (Center) klio

    23 March 2013

    Inspiration from the Achaemenid Empire (and Pottery Barn)



    When I see these kilim covered footstools in the Pottery Barn catalog, I imagine a collection of tiny trinket boxes made from polymer clay. The examples you see here are authentic hand-woven kilims 40 to 100 years old. The boldly colored dynamic patterns are each uniquely created with no two being exactly alike. With polymer clay, we can imitate the colors and patterns as shown or put our own individual spin on the designs. Imagine a weekend of combining geometric lines of color into miniature works of Turkish art to give as gifts or use to store your personal treasures.

    Authentic Turkish Kilim Covered Footstools
    Photo Credit: Pottery Barn online March 2013

    [Posted by Jeannie Havel]

    22 March 2013

    Be My Clay Valentine!

    Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!

    Make sure you spend this day with those you love! No matter if it's a fiancé or your little hamster! Everyone deserves to love and to be loved :)

    I would like to treat you with a little inspirational pudding of Polymer Clay Hearts. Yes, they do look like Marzipan cakes a bit, right?

    CLICK TO ZOOM!
    xxx
    Photo Credits: (1) pcPolyzine.com (2) Sagit Bramly Levi (3) Wicked Gems (4) graphixoutpost  (5) Yana Mostizky (6) R. I. Axelrod (7) Ginger Easterling (8) Jeannie Dukic (9) Artsista Fotini (10) Lynn Reno (Desert Rubble)

    17 March 2013

    Let's Go Fishing!

    This week I am all crazy about my aquarium and I am looking and looking for fishes, information about taking care of them, dreaming of my summer holidays by the sea, and all this made me think of polymer clay again. Not like I don't think about it on a daily basis anyway, but today it was different. I went today to the online ocean of polymer clay fish on my make-believe boat and put my creative echolot into the waters of many clay artists :) Here is what I caught!

    I also realised that I've never made a fish from clay! How weird is that knowing that my father is a fisherman!


    Photo Credits: 1 - Liat R 2- Adrienne Lindsey 3- Clay figurine from Amazon.com 4 - Denise Graham 5 - Christina A Kapono 6 - Liat R 7 - Desert Rubble 8 - Susan Lomuto 9 - Liat R 10 - Pamela Carman 11 - Joanie Croyder 12 - FourWinds Jewelry 13 - Christina A Kapono 14 - Unknown artist  15 - Sue Corrie

    07 March 2013

    Organic Spring

    Let's go organic this Spring, shall we?
    I am looking for all possible and impossible ways to make myself and all of you inspired! It is hard when all I see is grey. This is why I am so grateful to have the Internet and have access to all the places on the Planet with just a click of a button. Here are my little research results for organic coral shapes. Enjoy and stay inspired.. and perhaps make something ^^


    Photo Credits: (1) HunkiiDorii - Dori Janki (2) Diane Lublinski (3) Anne Goldman (4) Cocoa Vintage (5) Mandarin Moon (6) Katsumata Chieko (7) Loeke Pam (8) JoAnn Crafts.com (9) Artist Unknown (10) unikatissima (11) Wendy Wallin Malinow (12) Marlene Brady (13) Barbara Stutman

    01 March 2013

    Spring Emeralds

    Hello everyone and welcome to Spring!
    Yes, maybe it is still cold and some parts of our Planet are definitely covered in snow, but as artists we should never pay attention to appearance of surfaces when looking for deep spiritual inspiration.
    So today I want to present you with one of the most beautiful and precious stones - Emerald.
    It's color is definitely very unique and there are only a few other elements on this planet that are naturally the same color.
    I did a little research and found these Spring Emerald creations from polymer clay by various artists.
    Emerald is the Pantone Color of the Year so make sure you own at least one Emerald, be it crystal or clay.



    Photo Credits: (1) DivaDesigns1 (2) Jennifer Slattery (3) Rozibuz (4) Katy Szczerbaty (5) Anna Ingegerd Fjellborg
    (6) Makayla Jennings (7) Knightwork Studio (8) Georgia Turin (9) Joann K Barrack (10) Design Theory (11) Dawn Schiller (12)okajewelry (13) Mandarin Moon  (14) Fulgorine (15) Biesge (16) Luiza Dragonescu
    (17) SandrArt

    18 February 2013

    Inspiration From Nature

    



    This microscopic view of a Basswood Stem by National Geographic photographer Greg Dale inspires me to make colorful, organic clay canes, perhaps with alcohol inks.

    [Posted by Jeannie Havel]
    

    13 February 2013

    Cozy Woolies


    Recently, I was browsing through some cool ideas for something I never tried before and I found out that you can knit from polymer clay! I know it could be nothing special for some of you advanced polymer clay knitters, but I got so surprised that I decided to share this amazing option with you. Hope it will inspire you a lot. I know, winter season is almost over, but in some countries it will be cold and snowy for another 2 months or more, so it's not too late to create some polymer clay cozies and to warm up your day with winter designs. And believe me, next winter is not as far away as it seems :) Time flies!



    Photo Credits: (1) Claire Wallis (2) IrenkaR (3) Claire Wallis (4) Enchantress (5) Claire Wallis (6) Cofanetto (7) .Ines (8) Cynthia Tinapple (9) Claire Wallis

    05 February 2013

    Pasta Machine Storage Solution


    It's exciting to learn that Sterilite Corporation is still making two particular storage containers that seem specially designed for polyclayers. The small size ShowOffs™ container easily holds a pasta maker--including handle, clamp, and noodle attachment; and the next size up let's you add your motor, as well. Here are some photos from 2004 of the smaller container with one of my pasta makers resting in it quite comfortably. The newer model is a lovely green.

    Best price we found is a 6-pk for $20.45 at www.plumbersurplus.com

    Sterilite products are made in the USA.

    [Posted by Jeannie Havel]