Polymer Clay Tutorial | Rubber Stamp Textured Beads and Pendants

Brand new to the craft. My stepfather, who just passed last week, had been doing it for 2 years and even sold his wares in the nursing home.

My wife and I are going to try it and perhaps we can move from novice to where we can supplement our income. I am really excited, love your video's (bought the 39 lesson beginner's lessons) they are extremely helpful and a darn sight better than learning from a book – although we have a book or two as well.

Thanks again for sorting out the 'not able to sign in problem'. Big thanks for your tutorials…. informative, clear and interesting. Looking forward to all the Fridays coming up.

Question about the rock tumbler..will it be to harsh for beads covered with clay fabric,or slices 1/32" (Precise a slice).

Judith

Hi Cindy,
The texturizing with rubber stamps video was exactly what I was looking for. Great explanations and I loved the results. The columbine colours are gorgeous, too. My favourite lesson so far. Thanks so much. I can't wait to try the technique :-)

Cindy those roll up beads, done with the teardrop blend then antiqued, are gorgeous. Easy to do for most folks too. This would make a wonderful activity for a group of folks you'd like to expose to polymer clay for the first time, like a children's art class or elderly center craft day. Lot's of WOW IMPACT based on simple procedures.
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I made two of the textured roll up beads and put them in the oven with a number of others. When I took them out there was only one roll up bead. I looked everywhere and even dug around in the oven. I didn't know that beads were like socks in the dryer – they just disappear. Oh, well, I suppose some day it will show up in some unusual place.
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This video illustrates perfectly what I love so much about your tutorials Cindy. And that is how much you really give us each week for our tiny membership fee. Not only did you show how to use rubber stamps for a great look. But you also showed how to make several types of beads AND how to antique them to highlight the effect even more. Thats three great techniques in just one video. There isnt a better value for your money to be found anywhere else on the web. And believe me I have looked. XOXO Jamie

Hello Freda. Were you maybe using translucent clay and it worked so well that its just invisible now? Sorry, I dont mean to make light of your missing bead plight. Ugh! sorry bad rhyme too. (I was reading Dr Seuss to my grandson earlier and hes contagious!) Seriously though, I have never had this happen to me. I cant even begin to imagine what might have happened to it. There are so many possibilities! Maybe it especially appealed to a passing gremlin and he couldnt resist snitching it. Or perhaps when you cut it out you unwittingly created a mini bead-muda triangle and it is now in another dimension being looked at by another Freda who is wondering how she got an extra bead! Or it could be the aliens got tired of abducting socks to puzzle us and now they are moving on to beads! Did you check your oven for black holes? Do you have any trolls living nearby? They are notorious for stealing pretty things! Ok, ok, so maybe I can "imagine" a little too much. Hahaha! But if you do find out whatever happened to it, please let us know so we can all avoid losing beads in the future. XOXO Jamie
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Jamie you are so funny. I hope you are a writer because you really know how to tell a story. I had looked in the oven, around the oven and on the floor and my workspace. Then that evening I was doing something else near there and leaned down to look on the floor again. Something caught my eye. The bead had rolled under the oven. Evidently it didn't want to be baked, felt it was good the way it was, so was hiding from me. I convinced it that it would be better and prettier if it had a little heat. It went in kicking and screaming but it is a pretty bead now and matches its mate.
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This is probably a silly question, but do you antique the bead before you buff or after? I am assuming it is before…..but I have been wrong before :)

Also, because of he paint, do you have to put future on it to protect the paint from chipping/peeling, water, etc.?

Thanks :)
Jennifer

Aww thanks Freda. Im not a writer(yet anyway, but who knows?)I am however an avid reader with a sometimes too big imagination. And something about the situation just struck my funny bone. I am glad you found the missing imp though. Lets just hope its little adventure and subsequent sauna treatment have taken the wanderlust away, and it will be a good little bead from now on. Otherwise you could find a bead revolution in your jewelry box someday. And that would be "revolt-ing" Hahaha! XOXO Jamie

Sorry guys I haven't responded to your great comments till now. Been pretty busy around here!

@Doug: Sorry to hear about your Stepfather. It is always sad when we lose someone we love. :-( Pleased to know that you and your wife will be crafting together. There are a lot of husband-wife teams in the polymer clay world. Just keep hanging around here, absorb as much as possible and share what you discover and you'll be a pro in no time!

@Judith: You're very welcome, glad to help! I answered that tumbler question for you when you asked it in another thread. If you click the 'bead making success' link by my name it will take you directly to where I answered it.

@Sue W: Thank you! Your comment made my day! :-)

@Jocelyn: I agree that simple ideas can have a lot of impact. They are my favorite types of things to teach because everyone achieves success with them and they are anything but boring!

@Freda and Jamie: Love the missing bead and alien abduction theory! You guys are so much fun to have around!! :-)

@Jennifer: No questions are ever silly. If you don't know the answer, you have to ask the question!! :-) As far as antiquing, you can do it before or after buffing, though I usually do it after to give the paint a sheen too. You don't need to seal in the paint because it is made of a similar material and bonds with the clay. Won't flake off at all!

I don't know if I'd miss something in the tutorial, but I'm somewhat confused. For the stamping/with paint, would I paint the rubber stamp before pressing it into the clay? Sorry, if my ? is so dumb, but I did have my new puppy nipping/biting at my toes,I'm sorry, I didn't give it my full attention. Can this be clear up for me, thanks, Linda

Hi Linda. I hope you dont mind if I answer your question. But first let me say that I dont believe there are any dumb questions. Only dumb mistakes made because you didnt ask. And I know all about little nipping puppies and kitties with sharp little claws that want to play with your ankles, LOL! I have a few of both! So, now for your question. In this particular video for the method Cindy is demonstrating, you would stamp the clay first, and then apply paint after it is baked and sanded to bring out your stamped design. Some other methods would have you apply ink or some other coloring medium to your stamp before pressing it into the clay, but for this style of bead you dont. I hope that helps to answer your question. XOXO Jamie

@Linda: Jamie did a beautiful job answering your question. If you have any more questions, don't hesitate to ask!

@Jamie: You are a doll for helping Linda like that! Been so busy haven't been able to keep up with all the questions. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Any time I can help out Im glad to do it. Especially for someone who gives us all so much like you do Cindy. Sorry I havent been here more lately though. But hubby had surgery on his back on friday so Ive only just had time to answer some mail and peek at your blog. I didnt even get time to watch the new tut on friday! No worries though. Everything went well and he'll be back on his feet in no time. Then I'll be back same as always. Till then, miss you all. XOXO Jamie

So glad to have you back Jamie!

Happy that your husband is doing well. My Dad has had two back surgeries and a hip surgery over this past year and now that he has healed up, he's bouncing around like Tigger again!

It is so great what they can do for people now. Hope your husband heals quick and is no longer in pain. It is sad to see the ones you love hurting.

It is such a pleasure to have you around here. We all missed you too! XOXOXOXOXO (a few extra hugs and kisses just for you!)

@ Jamie

How's hubby doing now? Was the surgery successful?

@ Cindy

Love these success stories post surgery and so glad for your Dad. My brother was overdosed on steroids as treatment for a massive bleed during a bout of ulcerative colitis about 20 years ago. Unfortunately it shut down blood supply to his joints and they began to dissolve, incredibly painful.

Since then, he has had two shoulder replacements (both sides), two hip replacements (both sides) and is now having surgery shortly for his third set of knee replacements.

All were marvelously successful, and due to his overall excellent health and workouts, he was able to walk out of the hospital with no rehab at all. I am also sure his success was insured by having the work done by top notch ortho surgeons who handle the name athletes in both the North and the South.

Wish more folks would consider this surgery and earlier. For most, it means freedom from pain and a much fuller life.

Thank you both for your concern, and thanks too for the extra hugs and kisses Cindy. Can never have enough of those! He is doing much better now and in a lot less pain than before. You are right about the surgeries Jocelyn. Without them he would be in a wheelchair by now. But he has a very good doctor and he is very optimistic that this should do the trick. For his back at least. Hubby has degenerative joint disorder too, and has had both arms done at shoulder, elbow and wrist. He has had 6 back surgeries and both knees replaced. All have been successful and relieved his pain. Other than a couple incidents of infection because he is diabetic, he always bounces back pretty quick. He hates to lay in bed so he is up and about almost immediately. Even though I wish he would take it a little slower. Im a nurse by training so he is in good hands, but he doesnt always listen to me. The only trouble on the horizon now might be the hips. But we will cross that bridge when we get to it. I will pass on all your good thoughts and Im sure he sends a big thank you to you both. XOXO Jamie

@ Jamie

What a lucky man to have you for a wife. And a nurse to boot!

So glad to hear he has good medical care and is healing well, despite being a diabetic. That's your work, girl, LOL!

Thanks again Jocelyn. He's not a bad patient either in spite of the pain he is in. He could be a grouchy bear like some I have taken care of. But he always tries not to be. And he always tries to get me something special to say thank you for helping him through these. Not that he has to, but I couldnt stop him if I tried. The last surgery he had he got me this very nice countertop convection oven just for baking my clay in. This time he bought me the double barrel tumbler I mentioned in another post. And hes always very supportive of my interest in crafts, even after 29 years! So Im pretty lucky to have him too. XOXO Jamie

Your husband sounds like a dear man, Jamie. You two are blessed to have each other… Just as we are blessed to have you here! :-)

Awwww Im blushing here! I just feel very lucky I found you all. I so look forward to all your postings, and love you and your hubby for making this site possible. You give us all so much just by providing this forum. The videos and how to's are the icing on the cake! XOXO Jamie :*