Upcycled ornaments

Rosanna Cappelino rescues ornaments and gives them new, whimsical life on PolymerClayDaily.com

I’m stuck on the sculpture and holiday ornaments that I could, should, might be creating. Full disclosure: I have a lovely poinsettia plant on the hearth. That’s it in the decorating department.

Today’s ornaments that fall into the “I could try that” category are from New York’s Rosanna Cappellno.

She transforms old ornaments into jesters, Humpty Dumpty, pigs….you name it. Dead lightbulbs become elves! They’re quirky, whimsical, and recycled. Perfect for the tree. Oh wait, no tree.

Just because I’m not making ornaments doesn’t mean that I’m not enjoying, remembering, savoring them. I have made a few new pretties just in case the grandchildren can get vaccinated in time for a visit.

In the meantime, I’m taking vicarious pleasure in Rosanna’s site. Sumptuous!

Stuck on cheeriness

It’s the dots and the unbridled cheeriness of these vases from Michigan’s Holly and Jake Klaus (Sun_sprinkles) that got me going.

It’s also because I also finally found an adhesive that will secure polymer like this in place. I know this because I tried to remove a polymer piece I accidentally glued a tile and could not, no way, no how.

I don’t recommend products on PCD so I’ll direct you over to StudioMojo for that info. Drop me an email if you’d like a free sneak peek.

Keep the garden going

Kathy Koontz keeps her garden going with scraps on PolymerClayDaily.com

A discarded 11″ x 27″ cabinet door leaning against the garage wall called to Kathy Koontz (Flowertownoriginals). The door begged for a second chance and Kathy was in a mood to grant it.

She painted the door and scooped up all the scrappy polymer bits lying around.

Stems and leaves grew first. Then the scraps organized themselves into jolly layered blooms.

The playful process made Kathy remember how much fun wall art can be.

Turning old into new

Bettina Welker shows how to mix old and new elements into modern marvels on PolymerClayDaily.com

Germany’s Bettina Welker arranges textured elements on a black spiral doodle of clay to form a thoroughly modern pendant/brooch.

Bettina is teaching this workshop in her hometown. Students bring favorite elements they’ve made or gathered. They evaluate and sort their finds and learn to arrange them into something new and better.

You can see more in this series on her Etsy site.

Upcycling and making old into new is another of the trends we’ll look at in this Saturday’s StudioMojo. It’s a heads-up for where our work may be headed in 2020 and beyond. We’d love to have you join us.

European polymer in Atlantic City

Leslie Blackford characters upcycle baubles in Atlantic City on PolymerClayDaily.com

Head to Atlantic City for a taste of Europe this spring.

You can learn from Germany’s Bettina Welker, France’s Sylvie Peraud and Spain’s Fabiola Perez Ajates plus our own Donna Kato and Leslie Blackford from June 12-15 at the Clay Back East event.

Here you see how Leslie turns old baubles into fantastic characters as she convinces students that they can become sculptors.

Travel the world in Atlantic City.

This weekend on StudioMojo we’ll be looking at new and free tutorials – gems hiding in plain sight. And after a few years of teaching inmates, they’re teaching me a thing or two. Join us for the rest of the story.

Polymer cover-up

Pennsylvania’s Beth Petricoin loves polymer and upcycling. A favorite shirt ruined by bleach spots could have been discarded or demoted but Beth couldn’t let that happen. She decided to hide the problem with a radiating design in polymer.

She fabricated the components from thin pieces of polymer cut out and applied with Sculpey Bake and Bond. “I worked in segments of about 6″ by 8″, curing in between segments to keep the areas for curing totally flat in the oven,” says Beth.

She details her project step-by-step in a blog post. She even laundered the shirt after finishing to test the glue’s strength and gives it a definite thumbs up.

“I can hardly wait to jazz up another piece of clothing! I can also see this idea put into use to cover up unwanted holes in clothing….lots of ideas running around in my head,” she admits.

Follow other of Beth’s polymer experiments on Flickr, Etsy, Pinterest and her blog. What’s in your closet begging for an upcycle?

Springtime in polymer

Baltimore painter Jennifer Wilfong paints on canvas and wood and polymer. She moves between large-scale canvases and small-scale jewelry with ease.

Jennifer limits her polymer palette to black and white, challenging herself to expand her designs and explore form, texture and shape.

She also recycles vintage frames and watch cases like the one shown here. A delicately carved polymer flower reminds the wearer that it’s springtime.

You can read more about Jennifer in this Niche magazine article, on her Etsy site and on her YummyAndCompany site.

Polymer fins and feathers

South Florida’s Pamela Carman upcycles ceramic sculptures and vases, covering them with complex polymer cane slices mixed with metal leaf. The result is busy, beautiful fish (this one is 14-inches long) and bright finely-feathered birds (this Chickeechirp is 6-inches long). Pamela says that she has a blast making these sculptures and it shows.

France’s Sonya Girodon sent in the link. Having a link to a Florida artist come from a French reader reminds us just how global PCD fans have become.

Upcycled polymer

Debbie Jackson upcycles t-shirts with striking ethnic polymer beads.

Debbie was wearing this version and she shows us how she turns her thrift store finds into fashionable, no-sew necklaces that can be wound around and worn long or short. She also makes a bracelet version with a toggle clasp.

Debbie and I both live in Ohio but we escaped the political intensity and headed to Kentucky last weekend. Thanks to Debbie for sharing her design and for rescuing the camera I left behind.