Polymer Clay Daily

Tiny polymer treasures

Portland’s Sofie and Nicolas (bewilderandpine) operate three Etsy shops offering small polymer HO scale views of the world including this French country windmill from “The Hermitage” series. The miniatures can be used for model railroad layouts and other collectors.

“The designs of all of our Hermitage series buildings are also meant to be a charmingly simple reminder of the necessity for simplicity, solitude and for peace within our daily lives,” says the artist. Additional small treasures include houses from Venice, Provence, Santa Fe and beyond.

Their other shops focus on finger puppets and ancient Egyptian amulets.The link to these small, nostalgic pieces comes from Genevieve Williamson.

In the same vein, C. Rohal offers an array of miniature polymer teapots and flowers. This one measures 3/4″ and is hollow with a removable lid. These tiny treasures are loaded with details.

Polymer garden delights

Inspired by Christine Dumont’s hollow bead online course, Kukel10 has built a big bead garden ornament that becomes even more interesting up close.

Ruffles, spikes, dots and disks, sit atop stripes and poetry. This piece will spark many conversations in her garden.

As long as we’re touring the garden, take a look at Shay Aaron’s polymer clay beets, radishes and other vegetable delights to wear.

There’s even more food jewelry on his Etsy site. If you have a hankering to grow something polymer, follow one of Shay’s tiny veggie tutorials.

Sweet polymer

Beware, Afi Tajvidi’s polymer characters are sweeter than Easter candy and just as addictive. This Toronto artist has a delicate voice and a soft touch completely in sync with her palette and her stories. Check out Hippopo shown here or the romantic Igie and JellyBelly.

Her dainty, fine characters are sometimes available on her Etsy Joojooland shop where she also sells her illustrations and jewelry. They’re nicely grouped on Flickr.

Giving polymer life

Dayton’s Anita Behnan packs her 1″ polymer bugs full of smiles. Putting personality into a small lump of clay is quite an art. She knows how to give her creatures endearing expressions as she surrounds them with little caned flowers.

At this point in the season, all the bugs in the garden look as harmless as these. She sent along this very sweet rabbit as well. You’ll have to check Facebook to see more of Anita’s work.

Rustic polymer

Mai McKemy’s polymer accessories keep her true to her Woodland Belle name. She makes tiny succulents, terrariums and branches that become rings, pendants and hair pins.

She mixes sophistication with a rustic aesthetic that has fashion appeal. Her work has appeared in Real Simple, Teen Vogue and Glamour Weddings magazines.

Read more about Mai in an interview at this link and see her galleries at Etsy and BigCartel. Thanks to Susan Lomuto (DailyArtMuse) for the link.

Bonham’s Black Friday

Today is the year’s biggest shopping day or “Black Friday” as it’s known in the U.S. and Mags Bonham’s polymer purse necklace looked like an appropriate symbol for the day.

There’s even a replica of a tiny Kathleen Dustin evening bag in the group.

Art Jewelry Magazine editor Hazel Wheaton picked these pieces for some of her annual favorites. Mags created a series of “Our Purses, Ourselves” which looks at the items that women choose to lug around in our bags. Here’s her necklace and her charm bracelet that winks at the items we carry with us.

Hang on to your pocketbook and enjoy the weekend!

Locally grown polymer

Philadelphia’s Veruschka Stevens proudly buys local produce. This polymer commission was for something inspired by the beauty of living food and her farmers’ market became her inspiration. Avocados (“palta” in Quechuan) are featured prominently.

See her earlier polymer gardens on PCD here and here.

Miniatures aren’t just for doll houses, you know?

Small world polymer

The interview with UK polymer clay miniaturist Betsy Niederer on ClayLessons.com gives you a glimpse into the big passions that motivate a very small world.

Betsy got started when she thought her two sons would benefit from a Barbie house. The boys promptly lost or destroyed all the little plastic foods that came with the set and Betsy felt compelled to make more.

She discloses her four very helpful rules of thumb: use translucent, look closely, use chalk pastels, go easy on the gloss. You can get more miniature tips on the CDHM.org site.

The little video of Betsy’s work totally charmed me. Enjoy the interview and link thanks to Eni Oken.

Polymer gourd miniatures

On our first crisp and gray fall day, this little basket of squashes mirrors the season. Linda Cummings makes perfect polymer Turks turbans, sweet dumplings and butternut squashes that nestle in a tiny basket. They look just like the ones at the Saturday morning farmers’ market.

If you need more fall reminders, go to Linda’s blog to see her baskets of bread and tables of pumpkins being carved. All 1/12th scale miniatures, of course.

Aaron’s little polymer picnic

Shay Aaron’s tiny polymer July 4 picnic looks like Martha Stewart shrunk to 1/12th size. The blueberries, the star cookies! He’s a master of the miniature.

How can anything so small give me such great pleasure?

Perhaps it’s because the first time I touched polymer was with my daughter as we made food for her dollhouse. She’s flying in for a visit today. If you note changes on the PCDaily blog, you’ll know we’re tinkering. We still play together, only now it’s digital!

Visit Shay’s sites and enjoy all the small pleasures that your weekend brings.