Slabs just for fun

Ashley of heyletsclay delights in holiday decorating on PolymerClayDaily.com

Often slab earrings seem too repetitive and predictable. Where’s the fun, the heart, the Christmas spirit?
Oregon’s Ashley (heyletsclay) brings the delight back to holiday decorating. She drapes and tangles Christmas lights on a white background using extruded strings as cords and dots as lights. She cuts the meandering results into a bunch of shapes. Using an assortment of cutters, her carefree dance turns into pins, earrings, charms, and ornaments.

There’s the spirit! Bet the kids would like this!

Reverse mosaics from Maine educator Diane Manzi

Teacher Diane Manzi teases us with a basket of reverse mosaic ornaments on PolymerClayDaily

It’s Monday and I really didn’t feel much like trolling through Instagram and Facebook. Maine’s Diane Manzi must have sensed my overload.

She emailed me photos of her reverse mosaic ornaments and switchplates which set off a series of alarm bells that chimed gaily, “We have a winner!” Her ornaments and switchplates have a woven, scrappy, graphic, contemporary look.

What in the world is “reverse mosaic” and will she share her magic? She claims to be a doodler. Tell us more!

Teacher Diane Manzi teases us with a basket of reverse mosaic ornaments on PolymerClayDaily

Photos of the ornaments and switchplates show off her style much better than the little photos on her website. She’s an art educator. Lucky kids to have such a teacher. I’m jealous.

Bravo for Diane bravely sending her work to PCD. Now we want more, more from her. Here she is on Facebook. Let’s coax her out of her shell.

Out of clay, full of imagination

Kathy Koontz turns scrap into not-so-ugly Christmas sweater ornaments on PolymerClayDaily

Soulth Carolina’s Kathy Koontz (FlowertownOriginals) thanks the pandemic for one of her best sellers this season. Yes, Covid slowed the manufacture and shipping of clay but she didn’t let that stop her as she saw her supplies running low.

Kathy Koontz turns scrap into not-so-ugly Christmas sweater ornaments on PolymerClayDaily

Kathy got creative with her scraps. “Whether it’s old canes being reimagined or unsuccessful veneers that I somehow knew to keep, they both found a place in these Christmas sweater ornaments. So thanks corona virus!” There are a few left on Etsy.

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.

Unexpected holiday element

Jenny Sorensen mixes her media on PolymerClayDaily.com

You may not be ready for the holidays but Jenny Sorensen (WishingWellWorkshop) won’t let you forget.

What really got me about this cardinal in the snow ornament was the unexpected element — a cinnamon stick perch! She often adds a rock or wood or some other natural element to ground her work.

The polymer is smooth and whimsical. The cinnamon adds a natural and fragrant touch. I love the holiday combo.

Spirited seasonal icons

Anita Kennerley and Jan Montarsi tweak holiday icons on PolymerClayDaily.com

Simple designs contain great charm at this time of year.

Ohio’s Jan Montarsi gives dimension to the snowmen pins he made for a swap by shadowing their rounded edges. To give them personality he splurges on scarves, hats, and earmuffs.

Anita Kennerley and Jan Montarsi tweak holiday icons on PolymerClayDaily.com

Anita Kennerley builds her angel earrings by wrapping a circle and using hearts for wings. Using only a red circle, white belt, and black belt buckle, her earrings say that Santa is coming.

It’s the merry attitude in these designs that captures the spirit of the season.

Slip over to StudioMojo if you want a weekend helping of festive polymer ideas and insider news. StudioMojo comes right to your inbox each Saturday.

Tres Reyes in polymer

Olga Ayala puts her culture in her art on PolymerClayDaily.com

These Tres Reyesmake up an exotic three kings ornament set from New York’s Olga Ayala.

Olga calls herself a Nuyorican (Puerto Rican New Yorker) who grew up in the heart of Spanish Harlem in New York City.

Influenced by the music and cultures around her, she infuses her polymer works with those same rhythms and colors. Here she is on Facebook.

Feliz Navidad!

This week on Saturday’s StudioMojo we’ll be figuring out how to leave a few breadcrumbs around the studio so that when the holiday hubbub settles down, you will enthusiastically follow them back to your art.