As with all things in life, we pick some things up and get good at them…and yet with other things we need help. I am a 100% self-taught polymer clay artist. I have purchased several polymer clay books and use several very religiously. Here are 10 hints, tips, & tricks for working with polymer clay that you may not already know or thought of that will help you in your own polymer clay jouney.
Continue reading 10 Polymer Clay Tips & Tricks
Today’s studio tip is a rare one as it has almost nothing to do with polymer clay … but it does have to do with your studio, your brushes, and helping to keep your studio clean and lint-free!
Continue reading Polymer Clay Studio Tip: Reusable Cloths
Blending chalks are just that, chalks that are blendable. Blending chalks can also be called chalk pastels or soft pastel chalks. Chalks can be used on a variety of surfaces, including polymer clay. Their color can be easily applied with a brush, sponge-tip applicator, and a variety of other applications.
Continue reading How to Use Blending Chalks on Polymer Clay
Today I would like to introduce you to Leah Radlett, one of our Moderators in our Whimsical Sculpting Facebook Group. I am pleased to share her work with you today and share her story and let you get to know her better. I haven’t known Leah long, but I am so happy to have her here and to share her work with you.
Continue reading Leah Radlett, Polymer Clay Artist
It’s about time … that I host another polymer clay swap. If you’ve never been a part of an art swap before, they are a way to create, trade, give, and receive art from fellow polymer clay enthusiasts and makers. This summer we are going to be creating BIRDS to make and swap with other artists along with a mini-supply swap (value $10). This swap is not an either/or it is both. So every artist will be making some kind of bird item and sending approximately $10 worth of supplies to their assigned artist. The deadline to sign up is June 30th.
Continue reading Summer BIRD & Mini-Supply Swap
So much of me revolves around my family, its heritage, and pieces of timeless treasures that it’s hard for me to let go of that part of who I am. I am a neat freak. Therefore, studio storage is important to me. My Mom is quite the artisan. Her stained glass, her sewing, and her quilts fill my home. Even my morning cup of coffee sits on a little Parker & Lolly mug rug that Mom made me. It’s big enough that I have taken it to clay classes and shared it with a claymate so both our coffee cups can sit on it. So when designing and building my studio, from my original studio at the old house to my new studio here in Ohio, my studio storage always came first and was a priority in designing and filling my space.
Continue reading My Studio Storage Pieces
One of the questions that I receive a lot is ‘what do I do when I feel uninspired?’ Or ‘what do I do when I’m just not feeling creative anymore?’ It’s a fresh new reality for many of us. Many polymer clay enthusiasts have left polymer clay (even briefly) to pursue other art interests for a variety of reasons during the pandemic. Let me be the first one to tell you (in case no one else has) – it’s okay, you’re allowed to do that and NO you’re not ‘cheating’ on polymer! Today we’re going to tackle this issue for just a moment.
Continue reading When Creativity Wanes
Today I would like to introduce you to Michele Hinchey, the new leader of the Polymer Clay Challenge. I am pleased to share her work with you today and share her story and let you get to know her better. Thank you Michele for joining us today.
Continue reading Michele Hinchey, MacTiere Luna – Polymer Clay Sculptor
So you’ve found our mica powder! I know you’re going to love them as much as I do. But you might be wondering why a whimsical sculptor would develop and have her own line of mica? That’s a great question. Let me tell you.
Continue reading Understanding Our Mica Powder
There are all kinds of new things going on here at the Acres for 2022. One of those things is the new Product Demo Team. The Product Demo Team is a group of 4 artists that have been specially selected to receive, try, demo, and show you some of our products from the shop. This Team is comprised of some extremely prolific sculptors who represent a wide range of talent and abilities. So without further ado, I’d like to introduce you to this year’s team.
Continue reading Product Demo Team of 2022
2022 is bring a lot of new, fun, exciting, and wonderful things to Kater’s Acres. It also means that there are a lot of changes too. One of those changes is the Polymer Clay Challenge that I have headed up for the Polymer Clay Community for over 6 years now. As of this year, I am no longer heading up the challenge. I have handed off the Challenge to the talented, friendly, and inspired clay artist Michele Hinchey.
Continue reading 2022 Polymer Clay Challenge
All throughout the 2021 year, I have been doing Live Videos on Facebook in my sculpting group on the 2nd Monday of the month. Every month they are different. Sometimes I will introduce you to new products, talk about new clays, tell you what I’m up to in the studio, or do a make-along with you. These Lives have been a lot of fun for me and for my viewers too. You earn prizes, learn something, and get to drink tea along with me. [Did you know that when you place an order in my shop I send you tea so you will have it to drink with me during our time together?]
Continue reading Live Videos for 2022
This month, Club Members had a guest artist come and join in on the sculpting fun. Summer Ross from The Whispy Realm, shared her fun and whimsical Gnome Santa design with us. Summer has been here at Kater’s Acres before, sharing her love of polymer clay, whimsy, and her unique view of the world.
Continue reading Summer’s Picks – Favorite Tutorials & Supplies
As many of you know, Monica Rice is a regular to Kater’s Acres. She’s not only our helper when we need her, but she’s our friend, craft & clay pal, gemstone buddy, beachcombing guru, and all-around friend-for-all-seasons. She’s been around the clay and craft world long enough to have sampled every craft around, dabbled in the good (and the bad), and has experience in many mediums (including a large supply of knitting goods still waiting to be used). Because of her wealth of experience in so many mediums and her burst of creative energy and juices, which helps to inspire each of us, it’s only right that she uses that knowledge to help you find something new.
Continue reading Monica’s Picks – Favorite Tutorials & Supplies
The CF Rainbow Tree is back for the 2021 Christmas season! Although the pandemic has changed hospital life and policy, we are still able to go forward with this project, we just have to change and tweak a few things. As usual … I’m in need of your help and your polymer clay Christmas ornament donations.
Can you make polymer clay Christmas Ornaments? Are you willing to help? If you can, I’m calling on you to help! I’m calling on all polymer clay artists worldwide! I need your help decorating a Christmas tree for Cystic Fibrosis patients & staff once again this year. Please see the information below for details on making your clay Christmas ornament donation.
Continue reading CF Rainbow Tree 2021 Ornament Donations
Mica powder has always been great for polymer clay artists as a surface treatment. Traditionally in the polymer clay world, mica powder has been used for jewelry artists and as an “all over” treatment for sculptors. But did you know that mica can also be used in wonderful and surprising ways for sculpting too? Even on facial and realistic sculptures? Mica powder highlight is a wonderful trick that if you don’t know, you should get to know and use in your sculpting.
Continue reading Mica Powder Highlight in Sculpting with Polymer Clay