Cane Builder Monthly Publication

Every day I'm coming up with new cane patterns and canework innovations. Take an exclusive look at all the innovations coming out of Polymer Clay Workshop before they can be found anywhere else! $5 per month through Paypal. Cancel any time.

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Polymer clay stained glass cane tutorial

These stained glass canes can be made with any shapes of clay. Just squish the colors together with black in between. If your triangle wedge gets too messed up when you reduce it, just use parts of the triangle to slice and arrange individually instead of trying to make a whole circular cane.

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Polymer Clay Waterfalls Tutorial

Polymer clay waterfalls are so much fun!  There are so many ways to incorporate these in miniatures and sculptures.


I would list all the amazing ideas my students have come up with, but I'd like to hear what you think first.  One of the options for this week's giveaway, is to think of something to add, and leave a comment.  Thanks!  The tutorial for these butterflies cane be found here: http://creatorsjoy.blogspot.com/2012/12/free-butterfly-wing-cane-tutorial.html



a Rafflecopter giveaway
More canes and tutorials can be found in my etsy shop.

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Polymer clay miniature latte art

I just discovered TLS, or Translucent Liquid Sculpey! I mixed it with chalk to give it color and the swirled it around with a toothpick to make it look like latte art!




If you like miniatures, there is a tutorial in my etsy shop that will show you how to make fancy tea sets with canework.  This specific set was made with a gemstone cane.


Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Cane Builder Publication (e-magazine)


I have a brand new little studio in Tucson, AZ and I've been dreaming up all kinds of amazing new cane patterns and innovative techniques.  I love to write up tutorials and make them available in my etsy shop.  There are new tutorials and updates being posted right and left.  I want those of you who are serious artists to have a chance to be a part of my workshop at a better value.  The Cane Builder publication will be mailed to you in the same pdf format as the tutorials.  It will include all new tutorials, color palettes, updates and variations.  The new tutorials will still be available through my etsy shop, but at a higher price.  Also, the tutorials will be available to you a month before they are seen by the general public.  There will always be some patterns and designs that won't be available anywhere else.  As with all my tutorials, you are welcome to sell anything you make, even copy the designs.  However, you may not re-publish the actual pictures or text in any form.  I may be able to promote any products made from these tutorials.  I'd love it if someone would make any of these items to sell!  Use the Paypal link to subscribe at $5 a month. Cancel any time!  Subscribe at PolymerClayWorkshop.com.
Cane Builder Issue April 2013

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Polymer Clay Easter Eggs

Covering eggs with clay is one of my all-time favorite projects!
1)  Empty the egg.  Poke a hole in the top and bottom with a pin or small knife.
2) Blow out the egg. A warm egg will empty more easily.  It also helps to break the egg white and yoke by poking the pin in.
3)  Wash or bleach the egg.
4) Pre-bake it it the oven for at about 150 degrees for about 15 minutes to dry it out.  If there is any moisture left in the egg it will poke out the clay where it covers the hole.  If you plan on carving out that part of the shell, you may not want to cover the hole at all.
See this post about how to make the color blend or just mix up a few shades and make each spiral a different shade.

Find all the tutorial pages at Polymer Clay Workshop on Facebook.

If you want to break out sections, make a little hole and remove a small piece at a time.  Or you can carve out sections with an exacto knife.
The following eggs were covered with millefiori cane slices.  I've added links to the tutorials for these designs.
Since mica powders don't always work well with cane work, this tutorial includes a recipe for gold effect.


This one features the complex cane tutorial.


Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Nature Kaleidoscopes in polymer clay

If you like this post, please subscribe to the Cane Builder Ezine!

Polymer clay is the perfect medium for nature kaleidoscopes because the millefiori techniques allows for multiple identical slices.  
kaleidoscopes cane be square round, 6, 8, or 10 sided.  This one is an octagon.  The pattern is repeated eight times.  It could easily be squashed into a square or circle!  
To make a triangle with the a 45 degree angle (360/8), simply fold a square piece of paper in half and use it as a template!
This nature kaleidoscope incorporates butterfly wing canes.




 Here's another, more intricate one, adding leaf canes.


Before these tutorial pages turn up anywhere else, I post them on my facebook page, PolymerClayWorkshop!
Pleas like :)  Thank you!


Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Dollhouse Miniature bread tutorial

Polymer clay is perfect for dollhouse miniatures, food charms, or dioramas.  There are so many different textures and effects you can achieve.  Soft pastels can be crushed up and painted on the clay before baking.  For this bread, the chalks add a toasted effect.  This project is from my kid's clay e-book.  The elementary students did a terrific job!  You can see their baskets below!
I post these one-page tutorials to my facebook page, PolymerClayWorkshop, every week!  Please check them out and like my page keep track of each new tutorial!


This video shows how I made the basket.
And while your at it, check out all these adorable clay foods!