When Is Viral A Good Thing?

When it’s Bettina Welker’s Pixelated Retro Blend Cane that’s gone viral!

In a recent post I listed several free tutorials you just had to try. One of those tutorials was Bettina’s Pixelated Retro Blend Cane. It’s one of those technique that just screams “Try Me !!” Even I was enticed into making a couple canes and turning it into some jewelry. It seems the tutorial has gone viral in the polymer clay community. It’s a world wide phenomenon. Just Goggle the title and you will get many links, plus there is now a group on Flickr specifically for the technique.

I found a few special pictures I wanted to share in this post that really highlight the beauty of this canes possibilities.

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Free Tutorials You Just Have To Try !

First on my list was Bettina Welker’s cane she calls “Pixelated Retro Blend Cane”. It’s a twist on the extruded retro “Klimt” cane that has become so popular. Here is what I made using her tutorial.

Next I want to try Marie Davis’ border cane

The next is a fun, funky bracelet and I believe was written by Anna Anpilogova. It’s in Russian ) I think) but the pictures say it all 🙂

I use this tutorial by Valerie Wallace to make tile beads a few years ago. It sure helps keep the bead holes even!

I recently did a variation on this tutorial to make a quick and easy pendant. The tutorial will soon be on the Polymer Clay Central website.

A great faux bone or ivory tutorial written my Desiree McCrorey

This is a really cute way to make faux denim. It’s also in Russian ( I think LOL) But he pictures are great.

Yep, another one I can’t read. Good thing the pictures tell me what I need to know to make this fabulous extruded bracelet.

It’s a Russian invasion !!! Just kidding 🙂 But these gals are so talented. Just saying 🙂 Here is an amazing Poppy cane

Last but not least, I love this use of scrap clay to make a Magic Swirl Cane

If you want to see more great polymer clay tutorial both free and for sale join us over at the Facebook Group “Just Polymer Clay Tutorials”.

Free Tutorial Alert: Blue Stitched Flower Cane

Kael Mijoy recently added this wonderful flower cane tutorial to her blog. I am a visual learner (and cane challenged LOL) so I really appreciate the easy to follow instructions and lots of pictures. 🙂 I may even give it a try.

Smoosher Challenge – Black & White

We were challenged to find and share anything Black & White made by our fellow Smoosher. Since I like a good challenge I gathered up a few tasty treats for you all 🙂

Here is a beautiful necklace made by Strange Whimsy called Black polymer clay necklace with white jade beads

Handmade Black and White Heart Necklace

You can find this wonderful Eagle Feather polymer clay cane in ArtmakersWorlds Shop

Coltpizy is the artist that created this amazin Black and White Mosaic Keepsake Jewelry Box

I just adore these black and white mokume gane technique earrings made by Rivervalleydesign

Smooshers Feature Artist: Dawna Sharp

Dawna is a new found Facebook friend and a fellow Smoosher. We basically met when she decided to buy a camera from me. 🙂 It really touched my heart that she felt so happy having that camera and that it would help her fulfill a long time dream of taking photos as perhaps more than just a hobby. This is my favorite of her pictures so far. She titled it “Here’s looking at you kid”.

Okay, so it’s not clay LOL but look at that face 🙂

Dawna does make great jewelry and these are just a few of my favorite pieces.

You can see more pictures of Dawna’s work in her Flickr Gallery
Purchase her jewelry and canes in her Artfire Shop
Friend her on Facebook

Freely Sharing Ideas

A list of recent free tutorials from the blogs I read. Lot’s of great ideas here. 🙂

Carolyn shows us how to turn a large tube bead into a Fan Pull And her tips on texture for those tube beads. Carolyn also has a good idea for making your own texture plates.

Marie Segal did a series of cane tutorials on how to make African Trade Beads out of polymer clay.

Here are the following parts 🙂
http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2011/03/african-trade-beads-part-2.html
http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2011/03/african-trade-beads-part-3.html
http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2011/03/african-trade-beads-part-4.html
http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2011/03/african-trade-beads-part-5.html
There may be more parts, so keep your eye on Marie’s Blog. She actually has a lot of great free tutorials on her blog, so read all the back posts 🙂

Zuda Gay has a couple nice floral tutorials on her blog.
sculpting a little leaf
how to make a hibiscus flower

I used Google translator on this French blog, but you know how accurate that is LOL It a tutorial on how to a hollow bead make hollow beads using what I believe is a cotton ball bead covered with clay, baked, then drilled and de-cottoned. *G* Here is a picture of her finished bead used in a necklace.

Cristalline always has wonderful tutorials 🙂 This watermelon cane is no exception.

Here is a whole list of tutorial on her blog.

Another French blogger that always seems to have something fun to learn on her blog is Parole de Pate. This month it’s Extruded Whirlwinds, Imitation Mother of Pearl, and a Caged Bead

And yet another French blog with a fun Faux Knit design.

If you need to translate any of these links use Google Translator. Paste the web address into the box, choose the languages and click translate.

Having trouble getting that prefect wire wrapped loop? Tina can help 🙂 Try this free tutorial.

Happy New Year, Resolutions and Thoughts

Happy New Year !!!!

I can not believe it’s 2011 already. Where the heck did 2010 go? It was pretty good to me and I’ll miss it. 🙂 My clear stamp business has become a smashing success. At least by my standards. It keeps me busy and fills my PayPal account with money to resupply my polymer clay habit.

I also discovered a new passion for covering little colored glass balls with cane slices and calling them Christmas ornaments. 🙂 I drove to the city this morning and hit the Michael’s clearance sale. (That 25% off entire purchase coupon was handy) Came back with a dozen boxes of those little glass ball in assorted yummy colors. I’ve already decided our tree next Christmas will be hot pink, white and lime green. Much to my husbands dismay. LOL Guess I better start stocking up on canes now (or learning to make my own) so I can decorate said new ornaments. If I start tomorrow I may be done in 357 days.

And for those of you who have asked, I will be selling the ornaments again next year. They were a huge hit with the recipients this year so I have a good feeling they will sell like hotcakes next year, too. 🙂

Resolutions

#1 I have decided I need to stop letting all the little things stress me out. I have anxiety issues already and if I can learn to tell myself “Nope, ain’t going there. I can’t control this and I’m not going to let it freak me out” I’ll lead a much healthier life.

#2 I am going to make more time for my jewelry making. It somehow got put on the back burner last year. (LOL Last year 🙂 That sounds weird) I am going to try to make sure I set aside most of the weekends to devote to my jewelry. Even if I have to barricade the door and tell hubby to fend for himself.

I already have 2 finished projects for 2011. Yeah me !! It’s something I have been wanting to try for ages. Actually 2 somethings. I’ve been seeing all these wonderful findings on Etsy. I finally bought some and they arrived New Years Eve. I topped the projects off with UV Resin, which I bought nearly a year ago and never tried. So here are pictures of my projects.

Polymer clay inset into metal pendant finding & covered with UV resin.

More polymer clay inset in metal earring findings, coated wit UV resin

Some random thoughts
I wanted to say to all my Facebook Friends, PCC Family, ArtFire Smooshers and devoted readers, thank you for making my life fuller and more interesting. 🙂 Blogging wasn’t something I thought I could get into, but it’s been fun sharing and reading all your comments. Hope 2011 finds you all happy, healthy and prosperous.

A recent post on Facebook by one of my new friends got me thinking. It was about the infamous “giving credit” subject. While I think giving credit for someone’s techniques you may have used in your own projects in a nice thing, I don’t feel it’s mandatory. I sure don’t expect it of anyone who buys my tutorials or clear stamps. In my opinion, people who write tutorials or teach classes or make video lessons do this hoping you will use the technique and yes, perhaps even sell the things you make. I’m pretty sure they do not expect people to add a thank you note to ever item they show pictures of or list in a selling venue. That’s just silly and unnecessary. Of course, this is just my opinion, yours may very and you are entitled.

That’s it for my first post of 2011. Hope to see you here again 🙂
Tonja

More of Those Ornaments For the Custom Order

As some of you will recall, I posted some pictures of some of the ornaments I was making for a custom order. I have more to share 🙂 2 dozen down, 1 more to go in the mail Monday. They are on their way to an old school friend who is with her hubby stationed at a Japan US AFB.

I’m In Love :)

With a bead LOL

While catching up on my favorite blogs I stopped by Backyard Beads. Oh my Lord – Doreen’s at it again ! Talk about mad skills creating beads using canework. This particular bead I am in love with is just one of 2 new looks Doreen is working on. Green being my favorite colors (shades of olive in particular) I was drawn to the bead on the right, but not to say the blues isn’t totally scrumptious, too. 🙂 She calls them Blossoms.

I am hoping she takes my blog comment to heart and uses the green pattern on a 3″ dount. Seriously, Doreen, I would adopt it and give it a really good home 😉

If by some really bizarre chance you are not familiar with Doreen’s work, skip on over to Backyard Beads, her blog, and take a look see 🙂 http://doreenwilley.blogspot.com/

Dora’s Tutorial – Building a Kaleidoscope Cane

Follow this link over to Dora’s Explorations for a great tutorial on putting together Kaleidoscope Canes.