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”.

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Fun polymer clay projects to keep you busy this Winter

Golden Polymer Clay Beads

Spring Bouquet Tutorial

Songbird Eggs

Rough And Tough Polymer Clay

Radiant Mica Shift

Persian Beads

Faux Enamel

Butterfly Cane From Basic Canes

Earth Toned Mokume Gane Beads

And a cool tip 🙂 Inside bottom of pop can makes a great curved surface to bake on. Just be careful of the sharp edges.

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.

2 New DVDs by Ronna Sarvas Weltman

Beading Daily: How to Shape, Texture, and Antique Wireworked Jewelry
Description:
Join artist and best-selling author Ronna Sarvas Weltman in 5 watch-and-learn lessons as she shows you step by step how to add depth and sophistication to simple wire jewelry.

Master texturing and antiquing basics as you boost your jewelry-making skills with a variety of fun techniques! Enhance your designs as you learn how to:

* Perfect your technique with tool and material tips.
* Add a personal touch to jewelry with your own clasps.
* Make a fabulous ring in only 5 minutes!
* And more!

Take your wire jewelry from simple to stunning—get started with these fun techniques today!

Beading Daily: How to Make Polymer Clay Beads
Description:
Join artist and best-selling author Ronna Sarvas Weltman inexciting watch-and-learn lessons as she shows you step by step how to create fun and fabulous polymer clay beads.

Master polymer basics, such as proper conditioning, shaping, curing, and texturing. Boost your jewelry-making skills with a variety of fun techniques to make your own round beads, discs, and more!

Enhance your designs as you learn how to:

* Find perfect harmony between color and form.
* Shape easier with tips to keep clay from cracking.
* Create one-of-a-kind beads from fat and funky to thin and delicate.
* And more!

Shape your jewelry to fit your style—get started with these fun techniques today!

Both are available now at PolkaDot Creations for the low price of $24 each (MSRP is $29.99)

Dora’s Tutorial – Building a Kaleidoscope Cane

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

Craftedu.com Is Up And Running !!!!!!!!!! And Happy B-Day Vernon :)

Check it out. You might just be in the mood to learn something new 🙂

Craftedu.com web site Be patient if the site is slow to load. It’s very busy today.

Thank you Vernon and Donna for all your hard work bringing this opportunity to us all !!!!! You’re the greatest 🙂

Craftedu.com – Internet Based Learning

I’m quite sure I am not the only person that lives in the middle of nowhere and finds it difficult to travel to classes and retreats. Especially now in this bad economy and gas prices being what they are. There is a new web site designed just for us. Well, maybe not just for us, but they had us in mind. 🙂

Craftedu.com is a new venture started by Donna Kato, with the help of her fabulous hubby, Vernon . It will be a way to present art classes via the internet by a variety of skilled teachers. You will find polymer clay classes taught by the likes of Donna Kato (that was obvious I think LOL), Kim Cavender, Judy Belcher, Julie Picarello, Bettina Welker, Barb Fajardo, Julie Eakes, Sarah Shriver and Iris Mishly just to mention a few.

There are also teacher on board who do bead art, jewelry making, painting, mixed media, wire work, drawing, knitting, quilting, scrapbooking, metal clay, digital art……… If it’s can be done I think you will find it at Craftedu.com !

Classes haven’t quite begun, but hopefully very soon. I have my fingers crossed. I am so ready to learn something new.

To stay up to date with the Craftedu.com staff additions and news be sure to follow the Craftedu Blog or Fan their page on Facebook

Book Review: Complete Book of Polymer Clay

I finally got my copy of Lisa Pavelka’s new book – The Complete Book of Polymer Clay.

I’m pretty picky about what books I keep in my personal library. When I buy a book, I look it over and decide if it has anything I haven’t already learned and if it’s something I want to learn. If it meets that criteria I keep it.

Lisa Pavelka’s new book “The Complete Book of Polymer Clay” is a keeper. Yes, it does have beginner info, (what else would you expect with the word COMPLETE in the title) but it also has some advanced projects that even this clayer of 12 years like me hasn’t tried yet and is longing to give a go.

The book is well written, the pictures are very helpful and the projects are fun. There is also a small gallery of pictures featuring other clay artists that will give you some inspiration. Sounds like a complete book to me 🙂

Check out Lisa’s web site www.lisapavelka.com where you can shop, see her amazing work, get some tips on working with polymer clay or watch an instructional video.

Started A Facebook Page For My Tonja’s Treasures Biz

Added this really cool new app called Payvment. It’s an ecommerce store right in Facebook. Now you don’t even have to leave Facebook to shop LOL

Tonja’s Treasures on Facebook

What Is Mica Shift?

Some examples of Mica Shift. Believe it or not, the surfaces are very smooth 🙂

This first is a faux wood technique using the mica shift effect

These 2 show the mica shift ghost imaging effect


This egg is covered with pinches of mica clay squished over the surface.

An explanation of the mica polymer clay may help you to understand. The metallic polymer clays are jam packed with teeny tiny particles of mica. When you condition the clay (using a pasta machine is the easiest way) and roll it out as a sheet it forces all the mica particles to lay down in the same direction. The sheet of clay will have a consistent color across the surface. When you disturb the surface of the sheet of clay by stamping, carving, combing, etc. the mica particles become misaligned (pointing in many directions). This misalignment of the mica is what we use to create the Mica Shift (some people call it ghost imaging).

I get the best mica shift when I use a stamp or texture with a deep etched design. I then use a sharp clay blade to shave off the raised areas of the clay. It takes a little practice to shave the clay evenly, but don’t fret. You are using one color of clay, so if you don’t like how it turned out just roll the clay into a sheet once more and try again. 🙂 Lastly, after shaving the sheet, run it through the pasta machine on a setting thinner than the sheet to smooth the surface out.

I have a mica shift tutorial online that is beginner level and no stamps are required. http://www.tonjastreasures.com/tutorials/basketweave.html

Great videos to buy or borrow:
1) Mike Buesseler – All-Polymer Metallic Clays (try your local clay guild for a copy, it’s out of print, but very worth the watch)
2) Grant Diffendaffer – ArtWay Studio: Marvelous Mica and Ghost Imaging

And a list of other online tutorials.
http://www.polymerclaycentral.com/ms_texture.html
http://www.everclay.dk/1_Tutlinks/Techniques/micashift_US.htm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gm5V3kglUw0
http://paroledepate.canalblog.com/archives/2007/01/22/index.html
http://www.claylessons.com/tutorial/stamped-mica-shift
http://www.sculpey.com/how-tos/techniques/mica-shift-metallic-and-pearl-clays
http://www.sculpey.com/projects/mica-shift-trinket-box