Shop is Open

Easter items are now in the shop.

Photo a Day - January

For years I have wanted to try and do the 365 photo challenge.  As with any challenge, the beginning is great.  I was posting them to instagram every night and then forgot.  I still took photos almost everyday though.  (I missed 5 days.)  Helps when I am working on products.  ;) 

Missed me?

Happy New Year!

Wow what a crazy few months it has been.  I have never gone a whole month not writing on here since I started the blog in 2008. 

Lots of stuff has happened since Christmas. 

I am finally feeling better.  Thankfully.  Pneumonia sucks & Pleurisy is AWFUL!!  Just sayin. 

Here is to a fabulous February!!

Happy Thanksgiving

Hope everyone has a safe and Happy Thanksgiving!

Wordful Wednesday - Clay

Been busy. Even though Halloween isn't even here yet, Christmas is already here in my house.  ;)

For more WW check out 5 Minutes for Mom, Seven Clown Circus,  Parenting by Dummies, Focused on the Magic & Fresh Mommy.

Shop is Open

{gingerbread girl in a dress}

The shop is now open with holiday bow centers & pendants.  There are some new items along with old favorites. 

Along Came a Spider

I am giving away this little spider over on my facebook fan page. 

Shop is Open

The last couple days have been cold here in WNY.  Feeling much more like fall than mid August.

Only a couple more months until Halloween....

You can purchase these goodies along with a bunch of other designs in my shop here.

Back to School

I am giving away one of these over on my facebook page here.


I can not believe that the kids are going back to school soon.

Questions & Answers about Polymer Clay

It seems like I have been working with polymer clay FOREVER!

I get questions all the time asking me about selling on-line, taking product photos and creating with polymer clay.

The other day I asked my fans on facebook if anyone had any questions for me about polymer clay.

Here are the questions I received...

Q - "What are the must have starter tools?"

A brick of clay and your imagination.  ;)  My first large polymer clay project was making daisy flower magnets for my wedding favors 15years ago.  I used white and yellow clay, a toothpick for the lines in the peddles and an old cookie sheet to bake them on.  Over years I have accumulated alot of tools.  My favorite tools are my pasta machine, a stick tool (it's pointy at one end), a long tissue blade (helps scrape off clay pieces from my tile), an exacto knife and a large ceramic tile (purchased at home depot...I glued felt to the bottom of it so it will not scratch my table). 

Q -  "Do you shape them by hand or is the special shape cutters you use?"

Most of my items are shaped by hand.  When creating all of my objects, I do look at each component as a shape though.  Kemper tools are my favorite cutters. 

 All of those objects above turned into these below...

Q - "My 13 year old step daughter is wanting to learn how to make figures. She can do a lollipop..lol.. Is there a book or a site to help her learn more?"

YAY!!  Love to hear kids want to learn to make figures.  I recommend Youtube!  There are some amazing polymer clay tutorials on youtube.  Type in polymer clay tutorial, you will get tons.  (you can also search gum paste) When I started I purchased clay craft books in the clay isle...that was pre-youtube.   

Q - "About how much does it cost to start up? And can you use standard ovens? I don't think I'd ever attempt the clay creations that you make because yours are exceptional but it does make me curious."

I guess cost depends on what you want to make.  To make one item all in one color it can be pretty inexpensive.  A brick of clay is anywhere from $1.00-$3.50ea.  Tools can be anything, as long as you are not using them for food again.  Toothpicks and needles make wonderful tools.  While you can purchase a toaster oven, polymer clay is completely safe to cure in your own oven (follow manufacture's directions on packaging).  When you bake your items you can use a cookie sheet from the dollar store.  You should try your hand at it, make some Christmas ornaments with the kids.  That is how I started many many years ago.  

Q - "What kind of glaze do you use and what is your favorite kind of clay to use?"

I do not glaze my pieces.  I am more of a natural girl.   My favorite clay to use is Fimo Soft.  

Q - "Where can you buy the tiny shapes,I.e. stars and hearts. I've looked but they are all too big" 

The tiny cutters are called Kemper Klay Kutters.  I have purchased my kemper tools from lots of different vendors over the years.  My first set was a gift from my sister and she purchased them from a local art supply store called Hyatts many many years ago.  The last set(s) I purchased by googling kemper tool cutters.  I don't have a one go to shop to purchase them.  

Q - "How do you not leave fingerprints?"

Honestly, there are fingerprints all over my items.  :D  I never found it an issue though.  I know some clay artists will use gloves or do other special things to remove them.  

Q - "Do you use any special tool to smash the clay?, so when you use a cutter it is all the same high. TIA" 

I personally use my hands & a pasta machine to condition my clay.  To make everything the same thickness I use the pasta machine.  You can also use a deck of cards and a rolling tool.

I hope this information sheds light into how I work with polymer clay.   If you have questions, comments, or feedback, feel free to leave them in the comment section below and I'll respond to them in my next question and answer blog post. 

Shop Update

I know school just ended here in WNY, but lots of kids start way before we do.  So you can now find these ABC & 123 chalkboards in the shop.

You can now find these Princesses (Mulan, Tiana & Merida) in the shop, too.

I also have anchors, whales & crabs in there, too.

Get them while you can.  They will be leaving the shop next week.  :)

Productive

Yesterday was a productive day.  :)

Shop Open

My shop is now open with these animals.  :)

Work in Progress

These will be in my shop for just a few more days.  :)

Then they will be disappearing to make room for other goodies.  :)

Updated

I decided to give my Ariel bow center a bit of an update.  (You can now find her along with a few other new centers in my shop)  :)

Polymer Clay Dog Tag Tutorial

I meant to write this tutorial last year, but got distracted.  Not a shock.  Oooohhh  look something shiny.  ;)

Items I used:
Square Cookie Cutter
Letter Stamps
Stamp Pad (I used black)
Polymer Clay in desired color.

First condition your clay (smoosh and warm it up) and then roll out your clay to the desired thickness.  I use my pasta machine to do this.  If you do not have one a brayer tool works great.

Then cut out a square with the cookie cutter.  I then cut the squares in 1/2.  You could also cut the rectangles by just cutting along a straight edge with an exacto knife.

I then rounded the edges a bit with my fingers.

And added a small hole to the one end.

Then I used my mini letter stamps and the black stamp pad to stamp sayings into the clay. 

The sayings are endless.  :)

You can also add some embellishments.  Then bake them following the instructions on the polymer clay packaging. 


I turned one into a necklace by adding a pearl accent and chain.

One of my customers (Little Bow Peep Boutique) uses them on her bows.

You could also add them to a photo frame with your favorite soldier's photo inside, key chain or scrapbook. 

Linking to these parties, here.