Selecting a new project can often be a daunting task. Today I’m going to help you to conquer it! As many of you know I’m a freelance designer and part of the Design Squad for Polyform. I’ve been part of their Design Squad since 2015. It’s hard to believe that it’s been that long! This is my month to write for the blog and I’m inviting YOU to come over and join us!
Continue reading Selecting a New Project Considerations on the Sculpey Blog
Helping the ladies of Samunnat Nepal is an honor. Finding ways to give back to the polymer clay community that I love so much is a joy. In last month’s Polymer Notebook email, I encouraged all of your to look beyond yourselves and see how you could reach out and help others within the polymer clay community. This includes things like purchasing tutorials from other clay artists & teachers, buying products from other artists, adopting designs from other polymer people, and even purchasing for a good cause. For those of you who have chosen to support KatersAcres in any facet, I thank you!
I myself support other artists, by purchasing tutorials, supplies, & art too. Why? Because I believe in helping others, sharing with others, and supporting each other. We need to lift each other up and help in other out! The world is full of things that are not good. Our art should be full of encouragement, support, and love. In that vein, let us therefore also reach out and help others. Most especially when it is for a good and worthy cause.
Acrylics paints for polymer clay? Absolutely! Acrylic paints have been used safely for years with polymer clay. I have written about the use of acrylics with polymer several times here on the site. (See the linked articles at the end of this post.) Today I will share with you my four most used acrylic paints. You may enjoy these acrylic paints for polymer clay sculpting, jewelry making, or many other polymer clay disciplines too.
Here’s a simple easy polymer clay ladybug tutorial to make your own tiny little miniatures for yourself. If you joined me yesterday to read about my Into the Forest submission, then you saw these tiny little caned Lady Bugs parading; and in the magazine too. Now you can make your own with the worksheet!
Continue reading Miniature Caned Polymer Clay LadyBug Tutorial
Into the Forest is an international collaboration of polymer artists and enthusiasts. It is inspired by the high altitude aspen groves in the Rocky Mountains. This project, Into the Forest is an evolving mixed media international installation from Laura Tabakman, Emily Squires Levine and Julie Eakes. The idea was to bring together as many polymer artisans as possible in a wide variety of ways. We were to imagine ourselves in a forest. See it in your mind: On the ground beneath a canopy of branches and leaves, unexpected life exists. We were asked to create pieces which will form its life elements. We will combine them into living colonies of varying shapes, colors and sizes. Here’s a look at what I created for Into the Forest.
When it comes to polymer clay, one of the most frequently asked questions when I teach at workshops, give classes, and receive emails is: “can you give me some polymer clay tips?” It’s no secret that everyone wants tips when starting out on a new hobby. Here’s a few overlooked polymer clay tips to help you in your polymer clay journey.
Continue reading Overlooked Polymer Clay Tips You Might Not Know
One of the things that I am asked the most often is “why should I join a tutorial club anyway?” In all honesty the answers are as varied as the people who join them are. Today I’m going to give you a few reasons to join a tutorial club; and why you may want to consider joining any kind of a tutorial club (regardless of medium) in the first place.
Continue reading Reasons to Join a Tutorial Club with a Special Offer
When you begin a new craft or hobby your work is often in it’s “rough” stages. You begin simplistically. Simple shapes, patterns, and techniques. Parker is one such example. Parker was not the first thing I made with polymer clay, but he was the first character I created with a full story line, home to live in, back store, friends, and plenty of adventures to be had along the way. But there’s a funny thing that happens when you work in one area long enough. You find that eventually you end up “growing up Parker.”
There can be nothing more frustrating than sculpting with white polymer clay. Before you know it dust, lint, fibers, rouge cat hair, glitter (than you haven’t used in a month), and specks of other colors of clay find there way embedded into your pristine white polymer clay. There’s no need to hyperventilate, panic, throw out the clay, scream, cry, or even give up completely. Here’s a few tips that might help you along your journey to whiter, sparklier, and all around crisper white sculpted designs.
Continue reading Five Tips for Sculpting with White Polymer Clay
Here’s our free polymer clay Valentine’s Day tutorials that you might like to try your creativity with to make for someone you love this upcoming Valentine’s Day. With over 200 free polymer clay tutorials here on KatersAcres, it can be a daunting task to remember where they all are. Valentine’s Day is a favorite Hallmark holiday of many and a joy to create for, and these tutorials showcase a portion of that love! Come try out these free tutorials below.
Continue reading Free Polymer Clay Valentine’s Day Tutorials
This DIY polymer clay Valentine’s Day book tutorial will show you how to make a cute little book for someone you love this Valentine’s Day. You can fill the book with whatever sentiments you’d like. Here are a few ideas for you: coupons, reasons why (the recipient) is loved, positive affirmations, love quotes, love scriptures, special memories with your loved one, or anything else you’d like to include. Are you ready? Let’s get started!
Continue reading Valentine’s Day Book Tutorial
There’s only two things you need to know when dealing with fingerprints in polymer clay when you are learning how to sculpt. These two simple solutions are the two things each of my students who venture to my studio for lessons learn first. If you can remember #1 and master #2, fingerprints in polymer clay will be a thing of the past for you.
Continue reading Fingerprints in Polymer Clay: Two Tips to Banish Them!
There’s few things that are as fun as making your own cuff bracelets, unless you’re using Teresa Pandora Salgado’s EasyCuffs Bracelet kit. Teresa has taken ALL the guess work out of making cuff bracelets for you. She’s come up with a fast, fun, & easy way to make polymer clay cuff bracelets in three fun sizes. With EasyCuffs there’s a cuff bracelet for everyone from your best friend, niece, aunt, grandma, and even your sister-in-laws best friend’s, aunt’s niece! Yep, Teresa’s got you covered. If you haven’t visited TinyPandora, be sure to stop by.
Making your own polymer clay cuff bracelets couldn’t be easier with this EasyCuffs Tutorial from Teresa Pandora Salgado. Learn to make your own easy, simple, & quick bracelets using Teresa Pandora Salgado’s EasyCuffs bracelet kit.
Continue reading EasyCuffs Tutorial with Teresa Pandora Salgado
For most of us, we are a Duality: Happy and sad. Sick and Well. Good and bad. Right and wrong. Rich and Poor.
For many of us there is one side that shows more than the other. Today we will see both of those sides, look at them, see what they show, what they mean … and even discover whether they can work together in your clay work, or not.
The 2017 Polymer Clay Challenge is here! Last year’s 2016 Polymer Clay Challenge was a great success. Many people were able to successfully able to complete all 52 weeks of the challenge. After 2 unplanned hospitalizations last year, totaling 29 days, I was unable to complete my challenge for the first time in 3 years. However, as usual, I will attempt again in 2017 to complete the challenge.
