Back-to-school Heaser, Dyer, Skinner, Dustin

It must be the back-to-school frenzy that has prompted a slew of website updates this week.

Judith Skinner promises that she’ll update her website and she’s been thrilled with your comments on Tuesday’s video. She’s moved and is remodeling her new home in a larger town in Wyoming. You can find her at the Houston Quilt Festival in October.

Last year Sue Heaser sold the UK’s Polymer Clay Pit which she founded at her kitchen table in 1985. Now she tells us that she’s returning to her studio and bookwriting. She’s published nine books on polymer and has more up her sleeve. Here’s Sue’s new site .

I bumped into a new site for Susan Dyer (her brooch is pictured above) while I was looking at Eugena Topina’s site. Previously we caught Susan’s work only at ACC shows. Now Susan’s on Etsy and has her own site as well.

Guess I’m not the only one spending time on the computer on these late summer days. For one more reminder of this bountiful season, take a look at Kathleen Dustin’s rose purse. Just lovely.

Wallace shares new tutorial

Since my studio’s closed for construction, I’m hungry for some hands-on polymer clay activity and Amy Wallace was kind enough to share a brand new tutorial with us.

Her “stacker” beads are a riot of color and pattern that combine into a patchwork quilt effect. If you like the surprise of “natasha” beads, you’ll love Amy’s simple tutorial. Amy’s instructions contain few words, just pictures (I think steps 6 and 7 are reversed). Amy’s tweaked it and added a few more instructions. Write her for clarification if you need it.

The technique is called Damascus Ladder by metal workers and you can find similar tutorials on Polymer Clay Central and other sites. What sets Amy’s version apart is her spiraling the cane into a disk/bead which adds interest by exposing two variations on the pattern, the flat side is a stripe and the edge is a figure.

See more on her etsy site and her blog. Thanks for sharing, Amy.

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I may have to make this cake to keep my caning skills sharp since I’m out of the studio for another day.