Revealing color

Jenna Wright’s Tarot necklace combines neatly carved polymer beads interspersed with companion disks and dotted barrels.Her Flickr site reveals how she has perfected her style using Celie Fago’s carving tools, preferring to carve the beads after baking.

On this Flickr picture she explains the tools she uses for each effect. Controlled nicks in the bead surfaces reveal surprising colors that delight the eye. Jenna is from Nova Scotia and sells on Etsy as Boxes for Groxes.

Oops, PCD is a little late today. I set the clock to the wrong time zone. The mountain air has this flatlander light-headed.

Martha meets polymer

Gourd season is just around the corner. It’s rare to see a decorated gourd that incorporates polymer. Laurie Prophater featured gorgeous painted ones last week. Then this lovely polymer example from Oklahoma’s Penni Jo Couch popped up, part of her display at the Michigan Festival of Gourds where she’ll be teaching classes.

Penni Jo started making polymer miniatures in 1981 and after years in the giftware industry, started her own Best Flexible Molds business as she continues to travel and play with clay.

Voting Day

Voting begins today in Martha Stewart’s American Made competition. Let’s stuff the ballot box for polymer’s own Steven Ford and David Forlano who have entered in the craft category.

You have to jump through a few hoops (give your email) to participate but think of the fun of watching them win and take our craft to new places. Their entry page is a treat, complete with a video look into their studio. Go vote!

ALERT Two more nominees!

Thanks to Lynda Moseley who slogged through all the nominees to find two more polymer artists for your consideration in the Martha Stewart competition. Please check out contestants Loretta Lam and Corliss and John Rose too!

Angling for effect

After months of complex zentangle on polymer projects, Margit Bohmer was looking for something simple to make with her rainbow palette. She shows us how holding your blade at a different angle can make a big difference.

She flattened the beads slightly after rolling. Cutting each bead at the same angle allows them to fit together in a snake-like formation.

Margit has been using chalks or pastels for coloring her polymer lately so I’m guessing that’s how she gave this polymer it’s color. If you look closely you’ll note an interesting bit of variegation in each bead.

Roundabout polymer

Ottawa's Emma Todd provides a teaser for your weekend with her Roundabout beads. Stacked together, these flat swirls of polymer create a wonderful jumbled zigzag effect. She's a swirl expert and makes a big-holed round version plus pendants and beads that show real ingenuity.

I stumbled into Emma from fellow Canadian Claire Maunsell. Claire hadn't told her family that her story and polymer work would be in a book.

When the Global Perpectives book arrived in the mailbox, Claire snapped some candid shots of her daughter who was surprised to discover her mother's featured work and her story. "This is great, Mum – good for you," is high praise.

Claire also leaked that she's about to release a tutorial which further explains her hollow form technique for polymer. Her project in the book shows you the basics and it's based on her years of glass blowing.

Octopus polymer

Ukraine's Katya Tryfonova shares her new Octopus beads with us. They're brightly stamped and colored polymer sheets rolled into jagged tube beads.

She then strung them into the angular necklace that she wears below.

On Katya's Flickr page you can see how she's taken classes and tried various styles, always giving the pieces a hint of her own voice. With her Octopus beads Katya is stretching her wings.

Taking flight

Your response to Melanie Muir's project yesterday was amazing and your generosity has been heartwarming. Thank you.

Art Jewelry, Bead & Button and BeadStyle magazines have all added 1-year subscription giveaways to the event so your chances keep improving and there's still time. Melanie will draw the winners on August 19.

Doodled polymer

Pennsylvania’s Staci Louise Smith doodled on white polymer after she was inspired by a favorite painter’s new work. Her doodle beads made her feel better about not buying the painting.

When you visit Staci’s studio you will see how doodling is deeply embedded in her art brain. It may make you consider painting your floor!

In the same post she talks about salvaging a batch of black polymer beads by carving doodles in them. Staci works in metal clay, sea glass, wire – you name it.

Most of her polymer beads show up on her Artisan Accents site and she’s a force in the Love My Art Jewelry group. Yesterday’s Kimberly Rogers is also part of the group.

Polymer paper bead smash

It’s the last day of class with Dayle Doroshow and you know how everyone gets frantic to finish. I’m no exception so I’ll just offer you these pictures of Dayle’s signature polymer flowers while we students complete our artworks.

Dayle’s polymer “paper beads” have always been a PCD favorite (see picture right). Long thin triangles of polymer scraps are twirled onto a needle tool paper-bead style.

Dayle leaves the bead on the tool and flattens the bead by stamping it with a rubber stamp. This preserves the hole. Voila! Beautiful bead from scrap! Here she is in the archives. I’ll be back at my computer next week.

Trading in polymer

These faux African trade beads from Utah’s Cody Craynor pop up from time to time. They’re modern-day reminders of other times and cultures.

If you’re a polymer artist drawn to caning, you can’t help but visualize what it would take to capture this pattern. Thanks to Cody’s excellent reproductions, faux trade beads have long been on my “to-do” list. Yours too?

Class tonight

Pop on over to Craftcast.com to check out Christi Friesen’s live online class this evening. Christi shows you how to combine polymer clay elements with beads, pearls, gemstones, and crystals to create your own spectacular fantasy necklace. And you’ll have a chance to win a free copy of Polymer Clay Global Perspectives!

Vacation posts from the archives. I’m in Europe and will check in whenever I can.

Playtime polymer

When Carol Simmons gave herself time to play, she found some new ways to make use of her kaleidoscope cane pieces. “The lack of perfection adds a primitive charm to the necklace. To me it looks tribal,” she says. Read her post about how playtime helped her.

If you need some partytime/playtime, sign up for Wednesday’s live online Craftcast class with Tejae Floyde. Tejae’s romantic polymer Spinner Hearts combine elements of a wheel of fortune game with a pocket-sized memento. Sit down at your computer and join the group watching Tejae explain her methods live. You can download the video and review it again when you’re ready to play on your own.

Tejae is one of the 13 featured artists in the Polymer Clay Global Perspectives book coming to bookstores soon.

Free folded tutorial

Helen Breil’s new free video tutorial is so clear and concise that it leaves you thinking, “Oh sure, I could do that!” It will start your week on positive note.

The first Folded Bead Tutorial shows you the basics. Part 2 shows you how to add a surface effect and Part 3 explores design possibilities. Simple and straightforward yet stunning.

A clean work surface, manicured nails, a calm voice – Helen presents a pleasant interlude and a thoughtful approach to clay even if you hadn’t considered folded beads previously. Here she is on Facebook.

Kazuri West (where Helen’s books and texture stamps are sold) is offering a free giveaway with purchase.

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