Polymer Clay Daily

Well-dressed grasshopper brooch

Debbie Jackson captures a grasshopper in a glorious brooch on PolymerClayDaily.com

Get up close and personal with this polymer grasshopper brooch from Ohio’s Debbie Jackson to appreciate the patterns and the colors. The piece was a commission.

Don’t get too close. The creature is based on a species from India (Poekilocerus Pictus) that spits a jet of liquid at those who come too near (Debbie didn’t include that feature).

Even if you’re squeamish about bugs, you’ve got to admit that these guys really know how to dress in stripes and dots. Debbie has captured him in all his glory. Here’s Debbie on Instagram.

Debbie Jackson assembles a grasshopper on PolymerClayDaily.com

Oh wait! The bug at the right is real! Debbie had posted her in-progress shots in a Facebook group and I missed them. Thanks to Debbie for the clarification.

Build-a-bug

Watch Wanda Shum build a bug in 3 minutes on PolymerClayDaily.com

Sometimes watching an artist’s hands is so instructive and calming.

That’s what Canada’s (BC) Wanda Shum does in this 3-minute bug-building video. She’s in control, she knows what she’s doing. Sigh! Relax and watch.

Wow, that bug’s got a lot of wings! Who knew?

Wanda uses the littlest bits of canes to build an extravagant creature. Lots of wild variations crawl around on her site.

Embracing imperfection

Rozz Hopkins limited her tools and let herself play as a personal challenge on PolymerClayDaily.com

For these organic canes, New Jersey’s Rosalyn Hopkins (RozzHopp) set aside her pasta machine, rollers, and tools. She used only a Bic pen to make indentations. It was a personal challenge.

“I struggled for so many years to show my work in public. I’ve come to understand it doesn’t have to be perfection. It needs to be freeing. Something that pushes me,” said Rozz in a recent post.

Imperfection used to send Rozz off twitching in discomfort. Lately, she’s taught herself to accept flaws and even make them on purpose. “It makes life so much more interesting,” she says.  Freedom and playfulness come through loud and clear in these canes. Agree?

Follow instructions

Toni Street pulls out of a funk with a Meg Newberg cane on PolymerClayDaily.com

Toni Street was in a polymer funk. You know the feeling, right? She decided to plow right through the doldrums by following instructions.

Meg Newberg offered a ribbon cane in this month’s Polymer Clay Workshop tutorial. Meg has a way of simplifying the most complex cane. When you’re fresh out of ideas and ready to throw in the towel, Meg’s step-by-steps are just the thing.

It wasn’t long before Toni had her ah-ha moment and was unstuck. Her tiny canes for pens are masterful. Here’s Toni on Instagram.

Sometimes it’s just a matter of getting your hands moving. Let your fingers get busy and walk you over the 2020 finish line.

Be grateful

Ron Lehocky and Jayne Dwyer bring us Thanksgiving turkeys on PolymerClayDaily.com

Jayne Dwyer and Ron Lehocky teamed up for today’s batch of hearts. Jayne’s canes, Ron’s hearts. A marvelous collaboration.

You may not be where you intended to be this Thanksgiving. It doesn’t matter.

You can be friends with anybody, you can be family with anybody.

Reach out to someone today. Be thankful.

Red fox ornaments

Laurel Swetnam hangs scrap foxes on the tree on PolymerClayDaily.com

Portland’s Laurel Swetnam loves her deep reds and oranges. By this time of year, she’s left with lots of cane ends and leftover veneers.

Not a problem! The patterns and colors play nicely with each other as she pieces them into these charmingly angular fox ornaments. Simple shapes become stunning ornaments.

How I spent 2020

Julie Eakes goes rogue in 2020 with bright, funky earrings on PolymerClayDaily.com

It’s 2020 so why be predictable? Bet you didn’t guess the maker of these funky dangles.

North Carolina’s Julie Eakes creates photo mosaics and silk road patchwork and 3D dolls. She even dipped her brush into gelli prints. So it’s not surprising that she’s wandered off the reservation again with these layered cane slice earrings.

“Kinda crazy, like this year,” she says. Why not?

A PCD reader took me to task for my casual comment about “going off the reservation” in this post and she is right. My apologies for using an insensitive and racist phrase. As I told her, it stings to be taken to task…but in a good way and I thanked her for making me more aware. 

The joy of voting

Cynthia Tinapple refreshes stars and stripes at the polls on PolymerClayDaily.com

High fives to the dance parties and parades and celebrations at the polls. In the midst of terrible news, it felt good to be standing in line being proactive with lots of fellow voters.

I took apart a very old necklace to bring you today’s graphic. Isn’t it amazing how stars and stripes can be combined and recombined? Even the tail ends can be made into what looks like fireworks. There’s joy at the polls. Join the party.

Debbie Jackson’s got the blues

Debbie Jackson showcases her indigo patterns on PolymerClayDaily.com

Yes, I’ve really got the blues, not because I’m sad, but for the love of the rich blues of African Indigo-dyed textiles produced by the Yoruba people of Nigeria.

The hinged vessel pendant above is titled, Gathering of the Masaai, an ethnic group from Kenya and Tanzania. I love how they adorn themselves in layers of beaded neckpieces.

This mixed media piece includes African Indigo Textile, seed beads, and cane work. To see more of how I’ve had the blues over the summer, click this link…