Vid #84: The Next Best Thing To Meeting In Person… Web Video:
Just the other day, a loyal member of the community here (Anna Sabina), made a fun comment about wanting to see me “unplugged”… or rather “uncurrred” as she re-phrased it in polymer clay lingo. Big smile!
Here’s the link to where Anna (aka Ani) originally posted:
Beads and Beading and Polymer Clay | Daily Podcast Update
Ani’s comment got me to thinking that in my polymer clay tutorial videos, you only get a chance to see my hands “talking”… instead of my lips. By the way, one of the main reasons for this is because my hands don’t need makeup like my face does (LOL).
Well I dug out a video that was produced a while back… which never did get released. And I thought you may like seeing it today. Enjoy…
In Other News… A Membership Drive:
If you did not realize it, April is one of those months in the year with 5 weeks instead of four. Since the library videos and recipes are released on a 4 per month schedule, that means there will be no tutorial video posted in the members library this week.
So… I’ve decided to put on a bit of a membership drive to get all you “fence sitters” to come on board. There’s so many fun things you are missing out on.
From today (Friday, April 3rd) to Thursday April 9th, when you become a paid member at the Polymer Clay Tutor Library, you will receive a no-charge complimentary back issue package, to go along with your membership.
Here’s how it works:
1) For the low price of what works out to only $3.32 per month, you can become a member here: Polymer Clay Library
2) Once you have your username and password, then forward an email to let me know which polymer clay back issue package you would like to receive. I will manually add it to your account. In your email, please provide me with your library user name, as well as your paypal email address so I can easily find your account.
It’s as simple as that! But please respect that this offer is only valid between April 3 and April 9. Feel free to tell your friends if you like.
Your commitment and enthusiasm for us is incredible and beyond what is available anywhere else I have come across on the internet. I came across another site that claimed to offer the “secret” of Polymer Clay, but the site did not offer beyond what I could learn in the first chapter of any polymer clay book and the price for the “secrets” was ridiculous. ~Anna
In other, OTHER news…
If you’ve been waiting for the release of the Vol-009 back issue collection of tutorial videos and A-list color recipe cards, then you are in luck. It is now available for purchase at the Polymer Clay Members Library.
Topics covered in the package include:
- How to make a polymer clay Mod Cane using a clay extruder. There are tips on cutting and layering colors as well as which dies to use and how to put the cane together.
- How to make the unique shaped Mobius Bead. Including which type canes to use, how to solve problems with the folding and adding a glass bead core, if you choose.
- Making the Quickest Skinner Blend (Lietz Teardrop Blend) you will ever make. This easy technique removes all the complication and difficulty from an important and useful color blending technique. Now anyone can blend multiple colors quickly and easily!
- How to make a Trumpet Flower Bead. These super pretty flower shaped beads are fun and easy to make, but there are a few things you should know to get them right.
Also included in the Volume-009 Back Issue Package are the 4 Polymer Clay Color Recipes from the Petunia Blossom Color Palette!
To see preview clips for all the videos in the Volume-009 Back Issue Package and for current pricing click here: Polymer Clay Tutorials
So good to meet you “in person,” Cindy! Through your voice I feel like I know you but with this video you’ve become a person as well as a teacher. May I say (as someone who gave everybody fimo pieces for Christmas in the 80’s) you’ve inspired me to a whole new art form. I’m not really a bead maker, but your videos have encouraged me towards really creative uses of polymer clay. I’ve now got my pasta machine (what a difference!), my Johnson’s Klear (yes, it’s here and it does work) and a whole new approach to earrings, rings and tealight holders. (Still struggling with that Dremel, though!)
Keep up the great work!
Lore
Well hellooo Cindy! So nice to meet you face to face as it were. What a nice video! You should make this video available for everyone who is considering a membership to your library. I know once they see the quality of the video and the very nice person who will be teaching them, they cant help but sign on. Come on people! Sign up! You wont regret it! XOXO Jamie
P.S. I agree with you on the make up part too LOL. Need it, wear it, dont like it! Although you look quite lovely in your video. But no make up can come close to showing what a sweet generous person you are, like a single smile can. XO J.
Well, lookie there! What a nice way to start my day. I love your video and also agree that it would be a wonderful way to introduce people to membership in the library.
I have been a member for awhile and tho I’m beading right now I know that you are there for me when I get back to polyclay.
Thank you so much for your sweet smile and giving personality.
Hugs… Suanough
Okay Miss Cindy, you might hate what I am about to say . . . I think you should give us current videos of you, today and now. But, wait, not every video of course, (I also hate doing the “Hair, Make-up, and Wardrobe trick”). But every now and then would be so nice, I think we would all love it! It really puts a more personal spin on your wonderful membership. We know your hands are real (HA) and they teach us “wonderful stuff” but I really enjoyed this video.
Thank you Ana Sabina for suggesting this. And thank you Cindy for your dedication to us.
And hey, you dear “fence sitters” come and join us. You will be amazed and what you receive for a mere $3.32 per month. There has never been a question that Cindy has not answered for me, promise.
Hey, ya look great !!! I am always amazed at how clean your fingernails are in your videos and your nails are even. Mine are all are nicked and notched off at different angles due to to a tissue blade or sanding mishap. I am always amazed I what color of clay I find under my nails even after a shower and numerous hand washings through out the day.
Hello Cindy,
Wonderful membership campaign. I have actually been on the fence and was pleased with the complimentary volume. I am thrilled to spend time on the site and learn lots of new techniques and color combinations for the pieces I create. Again thank you for hosting such a great site. I look forward to future conversations.
Sincerely, Julie
Thank you everyone for your super sweet words!
BTW it’s not that I don’t like to wear make-up and that I am super vain, but having my face on camera is a lot harder than filming my hands doing something.
There is the extra make-up. It has to be quite heavy when you’re on camera or your whole face washes out. Trust me… I was filming once and had to run down to pick up the kids at school…
When I got there, people were giving me funny looks. I started talking to one of the dads and he looked up he said, “Whoa! I wasn’t expecting that face!” I laughed and told him I was filming. He understood because he used to do theater.
Also, I’m not sure if you know this, but if you don’t constantly smile and talk real fast, you can appear depressed on camera. You’ve seen other people’s YouTube videos… they look like they hate what their doing!
Sometimes when I’m filming, I want to just focus on the subject and not whether I am smiling, have on enough make up or have bed head.
One more thing… the way we film the segments, over the shoulder like we do, the camera angle is not right for getting my face in the shot. I prefer this style over the front angle that many demos are filmed in because you are watching the technique backwards that way.
When it’s filmed over the shoulder, you see it done how it would look if you were doing it and less gets lost in the translation. I hope that makes sense to you all.
I will try to do the odd video with my face in it though if it really is important to you all. Thanks so much for caring. You guys are the greatest!
I can’t get the videos to play – is there something that I need to do? D
Hi D,
Sorry you are having troubles playing the videos. From your email address, I see that you are an AOL user. So I am forwarding the following helpful info that other AOL customers have shared. Unfortunately even at the best of times, AOL can be problematic when it comes to watching online video. But there are workarounds as you will see below…
—–START OF HELPFUL AOL TROUBLE SHOOTING TIPS #1—–
Hi Cindy, happy that I made the decision to become an active member, have enjoyed your weekly news letters.
I am an AOL user and for some odd reason a couple of months ago I started having problems playing your videos. It’s like a record on a scratch repeating the first few seconds.
Now that I am a member I tried again. Still every video gets stuck on just the first few seconds.
I went to your video help page and did everything you listed with no help of correcting the situation.
It’s ok, I am fine. All I have to do is sign out of AOL and get on the internet using my broad band connection so I can use Windows Internet Explorer browser instead of AOL… and then everything works just fine. All the videos are perfect to view.
Just passing on information for the sake of other AOL users who may be having problems too. All is fine I am enjoying your site very much.
Thank you,
Patricia
—–END OF HELPFUL AOL TROUBLE SHOOTING TIPS #1—–
—–START OF HELPFUL AOL TROUBLE SHOOTING TIPS #2—–
Cindy, I just wanted to thank you again for your patience and your help with my problem viewing the videos. I did take your advice and called AOL.
>> Customer Service Number: 800-973-1802
>> http://broadband.aol.com/broadband/getting-broadband.adp
They tried several ways to fix the problem. The girl I was talking to kept saying “that’s weird” and did say it has to be a problem from their end and she would report it and they would attempt to fix it.
They finally had me go through Internet explorer, copy the link from AOL, paste on Internet explorer and pull the site up that way. I do have to go through the whole routine every time I want to see a video, but it is well worth the extra trouble to see them. I am so excited to start making the beautiful beads you have shared with us. Problem is, I don’t know which ones to make first! LOL.
—–END OF HELPFUL AOL TROUBLE SHOOTING TIPS #2—–
Speaking of the 80’s…. my husband dug out this photo of me from way back. Evidence of those giant sculptural earrings I talk about in the video above.
Anywho… I wanted to add a related article link that was just posted earlier this morning. It includes some feedback from current library members talking about how video has become an effective learning tool for them. They also provide some insights about how my paid videos compare to what you might find out on YouTube. The link by my name above will take you to the new article.
PS: I noticed that this page and the video above is loading very slowly today… even “timing out” completely. That’s because there are a lot of you trying to watch the video all at once. I guess this is a popular post :) — If the connection does fail for you… just keep trying. It will come back when the web traffic dies down a bit.
Hi Cindy, just got around to watching your video (am way behind on reading my e-mail) but glad I finally got to yours. I enjoy getting my lessons from you and watching the videos. I have been claying many years now but still learn a trick or 2 by watching them. Also I love the fact that you answer all the questions sent to you about how to work with clay and are always so willing to teach each “little” step so that no steps are missed as each “little” step is also part of a “bigger” step.
Thanks again,
Adrienne
Glad to hear from you Adrienne! You are so right about the little steps that are so important to the big picture. It is a mistake for teachers to skip over the little things… they are the magic that makes all the difference in the world!
Thanks so much for your comments and participation here at this blog! It is greatly appreciated!
Cindy -just ‘stumbled’ across this video ! What a pleasure to meet you….The video was really fun and interesting. The 80’s pic was so cute…………..anyway, loved it………….
@pattw: Here’s a big virtual smile for you Patt… it’s great having you as part of the community :-) :-) :-):-):-):-):-)
Love it, Cindy! Thanks for bringing that out again. You are so comfortable in front of the camera it amazes me (you tend to amaze me quite often, actually!). And Doug’s video techniques and special touches are top notch. There’s no way I’d ever be able to learn every thing you teach us without you guys.
by the way, I love the ’80’s big sculptural earrings!!!! Wonderful stuff, great to see the face of the person who gives us so much!
Hi Cindy,
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to give feedback on the course. I have to say that I wouldn’t have known what materials and supplies to buy before your course, as there always seemed to be too much choice and it was hard to know where to start. I have also been looking through some old books as well as going over your course. Consequently I now feel much more confident in starting. Your visuals have helped to clarify much of the material in the books, so now I feel that I will be starting the correct way from the beginning, rather than the hit and miss affair I was originally envisaging. Your tutorials are excellent. Very clear and slow enough to easily follow. I also like the short format, enough to get started but not too much to take in. Although I am a true beginner I find that when I view your more advanced videos, I actually feel I could do them with a bit of practice. So I’m looking forward to using all your hints and tips.
Linda