Make your own polymer clay cutters - Tutorial

In earlier blog posts I have discussed creating your own cookie cutters for clay, fondant or to be used for just cookies.

Here Sue "The Aggie Journalist" has made a beautiful cookie cutter in the shape of the State of Texas.

Check out her instructions here:
Make your own polymer clay cutters « sue’s news

Enjoy!!!


Cre8ively Yours
Andrea "Cre8"

Kiwi Fruit Cane - Polymer Clay - Video Tutorial

GentlemanBunny does it again with a nice brand new tutorial on making miniature kiwi fruit polymer clay cane. You can use air dry clay to perform the same steps and you should get the same results. Just tint your air dry clay to the colors needed for your kiwi fruit cane. go to http://www.google.com/, click on images and search for an image of the inside of a kiwi fruit for more realism.

Enjoy!!!


Cre8ively Yours
Andrea "Cre8"

Replicate Lampwork Beads With Clay - Tutorial

Recently I saw this and was in awe. I have seen what appeared to be lampwork glass blown beads created by another artist and I wondered how in the world did she get them to look that shiny. They were ovals with the centers cut out in the shape of round circles and the insides which I remember she referred to as "Inners" were the most beautiful of the beads she had created using this method I imagine. Nothing went to waste and the colors were just wonderful.

I would love to see anyones creations should they use this wonderful tutorial by Judy Belcher on Home & Garden Television.


Enjoy!!!
Replicate Lampwork Beads With Clay : Crafting : Home & Garden Television


Cre8ively Yours
Andrea "Cre8"

Basic Rose - Cold Porcelain Clay -TUTORIAL

How to create a basic rose

http://www.coldporcelainflower.com/TutorialRose.html



Again I am sure you can use any kind of clay to get the same results.

Enjoy!!!

Cre8ively Yours
Andrea "Cre8"

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Sculpey Clay Rat - Video Tutorial

This is just the cutest so I just had to post it. Could be done in other kinds of clay not just polymer clay but cold porcelain clay or other air dry clay would work.

Enjoy!

Cre8ively Yours

Andrea "Cre8"

Soap Making -Video Tutorial

Melt and Pour Rubber Duck Soaps

A very nice and easy looking project. Make your own decorative soaps.

Enjoy!

Cre8ively Yours
Andrea "Cre8"

Fast Easy Paper Mache Recipe - Video Tutorial

Certainly he makes it look easy. Does not get his hands messy but makes it look easy.

Hope you enjoyed!

Cre8ively Yours

Andrea "Cre8"

Jane Zhao Rose Tutorial & Spotted Lily Petal Cane NOW ON DVD!!!

The very 1st real (beautiful) flower cane I ever made was a rose cane I made thanks to my good friend Jane Zhao. She is a member of my polymer clay guild and was teaching a class on a night I had planned on driving up and sitting in on the guild meeting to see how it was. Since I live far away from where the meetings were held and far from where Jane lives here in Florida as well as where she is willing to travel to teach I thought it a great opportunity to kill 2 birds with 1 stone and do both. I was taking a class from Jane live on how to make a rose cane from polymer clay. I brought in just the materials she requested, the colors were up to me what I chose and I beautiful rose cane was born, one of which I still have quite a bit of and use in my beads quite often thanks to the methods Jane has taught me.

Jane has just come out with two videos on making her canes. I hope they are just a coupe of more from her to come. She is such a wonderful teacher even though she herself thinks her English is not as good because she is Chinese.

Jane's Rose Cane making video is Two hours worth of making two (2) types of the rose cane. She shows you how to reduce the cane for cutting and slicing into beads for a nice necklace she shows how you can make. She makes beads and shows you how you can roll your own beads by hand without using a machine, how to pierce the beads to make holes in them for stringing and how to use up some scrap clay as well as some other nice things like the skinner blend, using the pasta machine, a nice blend of clay for making a nice clear translucent clay and more. Its $39.99 and can be purchased through her website or at Polymer Clay Productions as they were the ones who helped her make the videos.

The Lily Flower Cane making video is 1 Hour of her showing you how to make a skinner blend, a skinner plug, two type of lily petals small and large, her way of reducing canes, using the pasta machine, fan folding clay, creating lily flower pendent, pin or one that's both a pendent and a pin using different findings, as well as how to make and place an eye pin in the clay, enforce the clay to make jewelry items that wont break etc.. This Spotted Lily Petal cane, Spotted Lily flower and Spotted Lily Jewelry was in the Spring Edition of the 2007 PolymerCAFE' Magazine Vol. 5 No.2. Jane was featured in this magazine along with Charlene A. Therien who made a beautiful Calalily flower cane tutorial and many other nice project how tos are in there as well. The video is only 29.99.

So if you make your own beads and jewelry items and want to learn her methods you now can in your very own living room with Jane on these DVD videos.

Jane Zhao is from Shanghai China and there she was a Chinese landscape artist. When she came here to the US she was not able to do her landscape paintings but instead found polymer clay. A new world was opened up to Jane and she continues to use polymer clay as a way of transforming the same concepts she learned with painting into her wonderful polymer clay canes of flowers, butterflies, fish, leaves, feathers and many other wonderful things. Jane is also a certified Instructor for Donna Dewberry, Bob Ross Certified and also Studio By Sculpey Certified to Teach and Certify others.

I do her website and she has been such a good customer always providing me with her products she sells like her wonderful wet dry color coded micro fiber sandpaper set. I got one of her most beautiful and should be famous for polymer clay beaded watch band watches along with a matching set of earrings. She made me another set of earrings that matched my website and I have a painting by her that was one that got her certified in Bob Ross oil painting. She is a wonderful artist but when it comes to polymer clay canes and replicating images in them she is a master and will take any image and make it into a clay cane.

Visit Jane Zhao at http://www.janezhaoarts.com

Cre8ively Yours

Andrea "Cre8"

Cookie Cutters - Where To Buy

Great online source for Cookie Cutters for use with any kind of clay, fondant or just cookies. Many different sets and shapes. The single cutters are not priced to high and there seems to be a nice selection of mini cutters. I love the maple leaf. http://www.homemadekits.com/

Additionally I went stumbling cookie cutters and found some very unusual ones.

WARNING****The following link is to some adult cookie cutters. If you have young ones do not click to this next link when they are around and or if you yourself feel you may be offended by suck content. Kama Sutra Cookie Cutters http://nerdapproved.com/bizarre-gadgets/kama-sutra-cookie-cutters/ $40 US is a bit much. I would resort to making my own just because I would be embarrassed to buy something like that LOL (Cre8)

NOTE*The rest of the following links are okay for everyone's viewing pleasure and enjoyment:

Here you can purchase kits or just the aluminum strips for making your own using the methods you have seen the others to create your own shapes. http://www.foosecookiecutters.com/store/cutterkits/

Here are some adorable cookie cutters called ABC cookie cutters. Already Been Chewed, just check them out for yourself if you dont believe me. I think they are adorable. http://www.worldwidefred.com/abc.htm

NOW this has to be the Mecca of Cookie Cutter sites to buy from. In my opinion you would need no other....OMG (Oh My Gawd) Cookie Cutter Heaven. http://www.cookiecuttershop.com/ more than 700 remarkable cookie cutters (in their words) YOU HAVE TO SEE THIS! This site claims to have the Worlds Largest Collection of Cutters. They have lots of mini cookie cutters and claim that if you dont see it you can ask for it.

I could not see how to shop this site though. Perhaps someone else attempting to find out more for their own needs will be more successful than I was in my attempts. http://www.kitchengifts.com/minicutters.html They do look like some real nice copper cutters.

Here is a place for cookie cutters and anything cake decorating related who deal internationally and are based in the UK: http://www.cakescookiesandcraftsshop.co.uk/acatalog/Cookie_Cutter_Shop.html

Another site for cutters and other cake decorating tools and based internationally in the UK: http://www.design-a-cake.co.uk/ They have a huge store if your ever in the area.

Grahams Cutters has all kinds of cookie cutters and molds. The metal ones can be found here: http://www.grammascutters.com/categories.asp?cat=81 Nice selection of mini cutters. Look like they come in mini tins for safe keeping.

Okay I think I did enough stumbling for the night. Time for bed to rest my cre8ive head. I am off today, have a new chaise lounger to pick up for my craft studio and its back home for a clay play date with hubby.

Hope you Enjoyed!

Cre8ively Yours

Andrea "Cre8"

Polymer Clay and Free-Form Wire Pendant - Tutorial

Create this beautifully stunning pendant with Polymer Clay and wire with this free online tutorial by Cynthia Powell
Polymer Clay and Free-Form Wire Pendant by Cynthia Powell : Crafters Cafe, Your source for unique art and craft supplies

Enjoy!


Cre8ively Yours
Andrea "Cre8"

Weldbond Glue

I was simply amazed at what this stuff can do when I read about it just now on this website for WeldBond.

http://www.franktross.com/weld_craft.asp

There is a contest going on apparently and you can see lots of nice eye candy of things made using this stuff.

http://www.franktross.com/gallery/gallery.html

This stuff is amazing from what I can see. Most cases you mix it with water so you get more out of it dependent upon use. I have seen it sold in Wall-Mart and it was under $3US for what I think was the 8oz size.

I like that it can be used for image transfers, not of photos but of magazine printed type images where you apply it to the image, leave it to dry clear and then let it sit in some water until the paper will be soft enough to remove and the image will stay which can be used for so many different applications. Not to mention decoupage, reinforcing those plaster molds to keep them from chipping, bonds wood, glass, ceramics, porcelain, marble, granite and so many surfaces for so many different craft as well as other helpful uses.

Enjoy!

Cre8ively Yours

Andrea "Cre8"

Warning: eBay will be using photos without creators' permission.

Do you use eBay to sell your handmade crafts and or other items? I don't know about you, but I know I want to see images of the actual item I am to bid on for eventual purchase should I win it, and or just whatever on a Buy It Now (BIN). With the new things set by eBay it seems they have implemented yet another stupid thing that can not benefit anyone who is worth buying from let alone anyone who may be doing the buying. Starting August 31st, 2009 if you don't opt out you may be allowing other eBay members to sell items and use your images in their listings.

Now some eBay users may not be effected by this opt in opt out nonsense, like eBay.ca (Canada) I have heard does not seem to have the option available in their member settings to opt in or out, at least not at this time. It is also believed that eBay is not making an announcement of this change and any user who does not go into their My eBay account and manually opt out will be automatically opting in by default.

Read all about it here:

eBay will be using photos without creators' permission.

Please comment and tell me and others reading and following this blog what you think about this.

Cre8ively Yours
Andrea "Cre8"

Smallest Toolbox Ever!

Surprise Dad with the smallest toolbox ever!

These tiny tool boxes are the cool. Great way to use Altoid Tins.

Surprise Dad with the Smallest Toolbox Ever! - Once Upon a Holiday - Alpha Mom™

Homemade Cutters - How To Tutorial

Good friend and cold porcelain flower designer artisan Rubina Karachi show you how she makes her own homemade cookie cutters, she uses and creates to use as clay cutters to cut petals and leaves out of clay to create her beautiful arrangements.

Gemini Art and Crafts: homemade cutters

Cre8ively Yours
Andrea "Cre8"

Clay Ladybug Pot Pal on HGTV

Becky Meverden shows how to create this adorable polymer clay lady bug planter pot pal on HGTV.
Clay Ladybug Pot Pal : Crafting : Home & Garden Television

Enjoy!

Cre8ively Yours

Andrea "Cre8"

Clay Ladybug Pot Pal on HGTV

Becky Meverden shares her method how to create this adorable polymer clay lady bug planter pot pal on HGTV.

Enjoy!
Clay Ladybug Pot Pal : Crafting Home and Garden Television

Cre8ively Yours

Andrea "Cre8"

Popsicle Stick Purse - Video Tutorial

I always wanted to know how to make one of these. Now that I know I wonder if I can make one in miniature with flat toothpicks. If any of you try it let me know. Love the whole technique, looks easy the way this artist does it.

Enjoy!!!




Cre8ively Yours
Andrea "Cre8"

String Art Pendants - Video Tutorial

Interesting way to make string art wearable art. Seems easy enough, not only that but learn how to make your own home made wire curler. Not sure of the technical name for it, but the thing that lets you wind wire into long coils. She uses a cheap simple bracket you can buy in most any hardware stores and some thick gauge copper wire. She then uses a thinner gauge wire to create the frame of the pendent and then embroidery floss to wrap the wire frames to create the string art. Use different colors of embroidery floss and or different wire frame shapes as well as different wire colors to get different looks and effects of string art jewelry.

Enjoy!



Cre8ively Yours
Andrea "Cre8"

How to Make Miniature Potatoes For Your Dollhouse

Very good video tutorial on making miniature baking potatoes. Enjoy!



Cre8ively Yours
Andrea "Cre8"

PHOTO BEAD BRACELET TUTORIAL

This is a neat tutorial on how to make photo beads. Here shown in the tutorial is a bracelet however there are many other items you can make from these same type of beads. All you need is some images you can resize, some clear - see through (Non iridescent) marble 1/2's from the floral department of Wall-Mart or other home department or craft store. These are like mini magnifiers.

You need a printer for your computer to print out your resized images and glue one of each of the images to each one of each of the 1/2 marbles. Make beads with Fimo, Sculpey or other polymer clay and fasten a marble 1/2 with photo hot glued to the flat bottom on top of the clay bead. Fasten with clay.

Air dry clay I am sure can be used since there is no need to bake it, however I think that using a glue gun glue to glue the images to the marble 1/2 which is recommended as this type of glue because it will not yellow when being heated (Good tip to know). The curing process does something as it reheats and re-melts the glue so I believe there are no bubbles in the finished and cured bead.

Tips from Cre8:
Use different colors for you beads.
Try using cane slices.
Try making lentil swirl beads and then applying the 1/2 marbles with the images to make the beads.

They suggest making pins, magnets, key chains and other neat items. How about making a pen with a fat end tapering to a thin end of the pen and on the back (fat end) add a 1/2 marble with the image under it to the tip.

Enjoy!

PHOTO BEAD BRACELET

Cre8ively Yours
Andrea "Cre8"

Robinsons 'Bird house'

If you love miniatures like I love miniatures you should love this juice commercial. I had to watch it a few times over again to try and check out everything and how they may have created much of it.

Check it out and comment back and let me know what you think of it.



Cre8ively Yours
Andrea "Cre8"