Polymer Christmas elves

Pete Simpson's imps bring Christmas magic on PolymerClayDaily.com

UK’s Pete Simpson’s Imps and Things can make you a believer in all kinds of fantastical spirits.

Each imp relaxes in a 10cm diameter frosted bauble that’s ready to hang. “He’s completely guaranteed not to misbehave or cause chaos on your tree when you are not looking!” says Pete.

Watch Pete build his faerie folk on Instagram.

PCD viewers have made me a believer in helpful elves. We quickly met our goal of raising funds to purchase an industrial rolling machine for the polymer students at the Ohio Reformatory for Women.

Even better, the exact machine we were looking for appeared on my porch this weekend from a special secret sprite. Get the whole story tomorrow on PCD.

Polymer patchwork creatures

Lisa Gauthier makes a warm and comfy elephant ornament on PolymerClayDaily.com

Connecticut’s Lisa Gauthier will hang this patchwork elephant on the tree in a competition that will benefit the Ronald McDonald House in New Haven.

I’m guessing that the patches are veneers made from scrap canes which Lisa makes look real and comfy.

The SCPCG has pulled out all the stops for this competition and we’ve featured several entries. Their Creatures Great and Small are winners in our book. Congrats to the guild for their outstanding efforts.

Join us over at StudioMojo this Saturday and be inspired by the latest shows and competitions. It’s beginning to look a lot like the holidays!

It’s beginning to look a lot like ornaments

Carole Monahan's birds make easy designs for your tree on PolymerClayDaily.com

This is our second look at the ornaments that the members of the Connecticut guild (SCPCG) created for a decorated tree competition that benefits the Ronald McDonald House in New Haven.

These cardinals from Carole Monahan are lightweight and stylized. The design requires a few simple flat cutouts of textured clay with extra bits for wings, eye, and beak.

Bake the wire hanger right into the clay. Easy, peasy and there’s still time to make them!

Polymer ornaments for a cause

Cat Szetu's lightweight and fun tree ornaments on PolymerClayDaily.com

These clever tab and slot polymer ornaments by Connecticut’s Cat Szetu are intended for a December 7-15 tree decoration competition at the Ronald McDonald House Tree of Hope in New Haven.

The Southern Connecticut Polymer Clay Guild has moved into high gear to blanket their tree with polymer ornaments. You’ll find other ornaments for the guild’s tree on their FB page

Cat keeps a low profile and you can see more of her on Flickr.

Tres Reyes in polymer

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

These Tres Reyes, make 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.

Snow stars

Enjoy the bright colors of these Snow Stars from France’s Celine Roumagnac. They’re a fresh way to start your week.

Celine takes the usual holiday red and green to new places as she combines pieces in fractal-like stacks of shapes.

See her seasonal polymer delights on Instagram.

No two the same

No two of Wanda Shum's snowflakes are alike on PolymerClayDaily.com

These samples are from Victoria, B.C.’s Wanda Shum. She usually uses her cane slices to cover teapots and make bowls and jewelry. Now for an ornament class.

Her Papercut Snowflake Cane workshop brings back fond memories of creating snowflakes from folded paper. Wanda’s method also appeals because it allows you to control the chaos of a kaleidoscope cane.

You’ll find more samples on Instagram and on Facebook.

Thanksgiving house tour

Take Lindsay Black's tour of homes on PolymerClayDaily.com

Happy Thanksgiving! Nashville’s Lindsay Black (oddlyandcompany) will finish this season’s orders before December 1. Isn’t that impressive?

Her custom home ornaments, small replicas of houses are highly sought after and she limited her production this year to have more family time. Give her a hand for making a plan and sticking to it.

If you’re like me, you’re telling yourself that you’ll make yourself one of these someday. I think we’d all be surprised at the skill and dexterity required. But it is tempting to try.

On a lazy Thanksgiving afternoon, take the tour through Lindsay’s houses on her Instagram.

Cutting loose

Cover girl Doreen Gay Kassel rips and tears on PolymerClayDaily

Doreen Gay Kassel lets loose with some torn polymer and vivid color experiments. She rips and tears with an abandon that’s refreshing.

I’m guessing that Doreen is giving herself some playtime after months of hard work including her feature on the cover of Cloth Paper Scissors. The November/December issue is dedicated to creating gifts with meaning and you can preview it here.

Mojo working…

If you want to know what other artists are trying and how they chug through the winter doldrums, join us at StudioMojo on Saturday morning.

Hanging polymer

“I must have been an elf,” says Canada’s Ken Fedoruk, “It’s the only thing that explains my affinity and passion for developing Kenfolks, an assortment of handcrafted figures that I’ve been crafting since 1989.”

But not all Ken’s figures are your typical elves and Santas – as in this sparkly ornament called Christmas Elf – Sweetie Ice Cream Swirl.

Oh, you’re going to have a good time browsing through Ken’s huge collection of polymer Christmas characters on Instagram, Facebook and the Kenfolks site.

Makes you think about the family members you might want to hang on the tree.

This elf needs to get back to her studio.

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