Something about polymer rings

“I’ve never made a ring, but have been wanting to give it a try so I joined a Ring-A-Day group,” says Dee Wilder (Malodora).

For several days she indulged her fascination with Koosh ball threads. Thursday she returned to a micromosaic theme. Imagine making a ring a day! After one month there are already over a thousand in the Flickr group’s archive. (I just found Ponsawan Sila in the archives too!)

Wednesday’s featured artist, Lynn Lunger (UnaOdd), has experimented with a faceted wood/polymer model. Mixed media artist Jillian Moore admits that she previously had an aversion to polymer but has been converted to using the media for her rings which are pictured below.

Ronna Sarvas Weltman will divulge the secrets of her ancient/modern rings at her class at CFCF. Bettina Welker will focus on her european versions in her pre-Synergy class.

I’ve only scratched the surface. Thanks to Randee Ketzel and Susan Lomuto and others who have been sending me “heads up” about this trend. There’s a ring thing going on and poring over the examples may keep you warm on a cold winter weekend.

Generating new ideas thanks to Williamson and Blackford

Genevieve Williamson (Jibby and Juna) shows off a fetching necklace with 60 polymer clay dots on a silk cord. Simple and lots of fun. Her fresh designs created from uncomplicated processes and compelling color surely point the way to the future of our craft.

Blackford's tin apple polymer clay shrine

No PowerPoint progress on my Synergy presentation but lots of encouragement from you readers and calming influences from this personal shrine (note the tin apple) made by Leslie Blackford.

The animation in the right column (via SwissMiss) helps out with timely tips for better ideas. That’s it. No more talk about my angst. I’ll share the results with you after the event.

Faceted polymer beads

I was distracted yesterday. First I was drawn to these faceted polymer beads from Lynn Lunger (UnaOdd). She bought herself a belt sander to be able to achieve that flat-sided effect.

She even has a rainbow version and more in her Etsy shop. Oooh, the possibilities. Would my husband notice the polymer dust on his belt sander?

Then I decided to tinker with the guts of this web site. Diving into the belly of the blog is a sure way to grind things to a halt. Bingo! All of this left me speechless (hence yesterday’s terse post). I thought those lovely hearts would speak for themselves but some of you thought I was ill or irritated. Not so.

It’s thinly disguised avoidance behavior. Finishing my Synergy slide presentation is looming large and everything else but that calls to me. Back to PowerPoint today. Wish me luck (and clairvoyance) as I predict the future of polymer.

Polymer hearts of all description


Wendy Malinow	Stacy Gates	Kimberly Hart	Laurel Steven
Bleeding	Zippered	Spring-Loaded	Carved

Haitian polymer art

Moro Baruk is a polymer clay artist living in Haiti. He’s posted a couple of pictures of how the earthquake damaged his building and shook its occupants. “I am afraid to open the metal doors for fear the walls would collapse on me,” he says.

“My wife and I moved to Haiti in 1979 to help strengthen a Bahá’í community. We own and run a craft factory and we export throughout the Caribbean, the USA and France,” he explains on his site.

His pictures bring the disaster closer to us. Start your week by counting your blessings and helping when you can. The link was sent to us from Saskia Veltenaar in the Netherlands.

First Giveaway Results

The lucky winner of the Judy Belcher earrings is Arizona’s Marlene Brady. The giveaway was fun and you’ll have another chance to win soon.

Wiggins embroiders with polymer

“I was taught to embroider at the age of five. I have been a detail freak ever since,” says Virginia polymer artist Angie Wiggins.

Angie started in polymer in 1987 when she needed better beads to embellish her handmade paper and fiber bowls. The clay also satisifed her intense color needs. She’s added some new eye-popping pieces to her gallery that you’ll want to oggle.

PCDaily Giveaway

I’ll round up the judges and pick a winner Saturday afternoon. There’s still time to enter by leaving a comment (on yesterday’s post). Have a winning weekend.

Belcher and the first PCD giveaway

Judy Belcher reinterpreted the IPCA logo to make these totally cute polymer earrings. Look at the ad in the right hand column to see the logo.

The earrings are the first PCDaily giveaway! If you comment on this post, you could win Judy’s creations this Saturday and wear them at Synergy.

IPCA’s Synergy conference is only a month away. I’m working on an event at Synergy so that PCD readers can wear their work (I’ll post pictures) and greet their many online friends.

Let’s fill up those Synergy classes and don’t forget the hands-on events. You won’t find a more condensed gathering of master polymer artists than this. Now’s your chance.

Giveaways, events, social media….you might guess that I’m being coached by my savvy young daughter and niece, right? Here’s my reading assignment. I rarely promote non-polymer items but the book, How Not To Act Old, has me in stitches and is changing my behavior. You might enjoy the list.

Seeing spots – Brandon and Bohmer

I’m seeing a rainbow of spots today. Arizona’s Anita Brandon (Melobeau) attaches glowing metallic orbs to a mesh backing to produce a festive balloon-like pendant.

Anita promised herself a web site this year and she just launched it. Welcome her to the neighborhood.

Germany’s Margit Bohmer pops shiny polymer clay dots on black lava beads and finishes off her necklace with some matching stacked discs.

Ehmeier designs with scraps

When you look through Eva Ehmeier’s (Hoedlgut) photos, you’ll note that her most carefree and attention-grabbing designs are made from what she calls “scrap” polymer clay.

She carved and combined this series of pastel polymer circles into linked pendants that look perfect for spring.

It’s a good reminder that when we stop seeing the material as precious and the project as important, we often free ourselves to do our best work. Enjoy Eva’s “scraps.”

Etsy features Tajvidi

Etsy’s featured seller is Afsaneh Tajvidi, a polymer clay artist from Toronto. Her story is a good Monday read and I especially like that, like me, she keeps a huge collection of inspirational photos on her hard drive.

“Whatever catches my eye I save it in that folder. I go through my treasure folder once in a while to feed my mind with colors, forms, textures or even the materials that I can use…it really helps my creativity,” she says.

Her color palette full of spring colors and she uses words like “innocent” and “dreamy” to describe her designs. She’s recently added cake toppers to her Etsy shop.

Afsaneh will have a giveaway of her fanciful polymer crabs next Saturday. Just leave a comment on her site and you might win.

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