It was Like Christmas In June When the UPS Driver Arrived:
Yesterday I shared some first impressions about the Studio by Sculpey Polymer Clay that I’m starting to experiment with. Today I’d like to do a similar post. Only this time it will focus on the line up of polymer clay tools from Polyform (that’s the company that manufactures Studio Sculpey).
Receiving new craft tools and supplies is always very exciting for me. I’ve felt this way ever since I was 12 when my Dad brought home a set of 64 Staedtler Felt pens with the paintbrush shaped nib… all packaged so wonderfully in a special wooden case. Still have those felts, and believe it or not, many of them still work!
Now… since Studio by Sculpey products are not sold in stores up here in Western Canada (not yet anyways), my package of new tools and supplies had to be delivered via UPS. And let me tell you, it was like Christmas in June when the driver arrived!
Here’s a quick rundown of some of the items you can definitely expect to hear me talking more about in the coming weeks and months:
- Super Slicer with Handles: These slicer knife set comes with 4 blades; a long rigid blade, a shorter flexible blade, a rick rack blade (small ripple) and a wave blade (large ripple). The handles are interchangeable and are meant to keep you from picking up the blade on the wrong side and cutting yourself. Since I prefer to use the straight blades with only one hand in a pulling motion, I put one handle on each of the straight blades and left them on. Very handy!
- Style and Detail Tools: You know, the set with the over sized metal stylists on one end and rubber smoothing tips on the other. Great quality! Love love, love these. Will be able to do lots of cool things with them!
- 5-in-1 Clay Tool Set: With this one, I am wondering why they didn’t put a place in the stand to hold the handle. Also the little “S” stamp on the ends of a couple of the tools is nice and everything, but I would have preferred to see another smoothing tip instead. Maybe something nice and wide. No matter, I’m sure I’ll survive :)
- Texture Sheets and Cutter Sets: I will definitely be making some special projects with these! Already have a few super cool cane making ideas rolling around in my head.
- Rolly Texture Wheel: Very cool nifty gadget for bead making. This one is going to get used a lot.
- Etch and Pearl Set: Found myself holding these solid metal skewers to get a feel for them. Very solid.
Of the items listed above, please let me know which ones I should report on first. Or if there are other tools you are curious about, let me know that too. I’ll see if I can get a hold of them and be your guinea pig, so to speak.
Not at all sure what the etch and pearl set is so would like to see that, but I’m betting you will get to them all so I will just wait and read :)
In the US I have found Studio and some tools at Hobby Lobby.
Jo Ann’s Fabrics and Crafts stores has the clay and more Studio Tools.
The Studio Clay products are endorsed by Donna Dewberry (One Stroke Painting). If you go to the Studio section of the Sculpy website there are a dozen or so projects to make.
Great! I have had the Makins Professional Tool kit for well over a year. Just couldn’t live without it at the time. And I don’t think I’ve opened it twice! I have no idea what to do with most of the tools!. And they didn’t give directions or tips, which would have been nice. So I will be very glad to see you demonstrate the Studio set. (They are basically the same tools) Especially the little round-headed style thing. Can’t wait to see you put them all into action!
Since this is not available here either can you let us know where to order it from or find it?
I just got an e-mail from polymerclaysuperstor.com and they are having a 1/2 price sale on the Studio clay and also have all the tools you mentioned. I hope this helps aims.
Studio clay and supplies are available in Ontario at kjpcrafts.com
I have the 5 in 1 tool and some of the textures. Love them as they don’t stick to clay. I use them with premo as that is still my fave clay as I mostly use black, but the tools are great!
I recently purchased the blade set and would love to see some ideas on how to use the two ripple blades. Thanks!
I am fortunate that one of my local guild members took the class to be able to teach Studio projects. She has shown us lots of ways of using the tools. My favorite is the Etch & Pearl. Not only is there a skewer on one end but the other end can be used to place ‘balls’ of clay on your projects. Just roll a little ball, touch the wide end of the tool on it to lift it and then put it on you project. You can even push it down a little and a nice ring surrounds your ball! Great effect!
I have all of the Studio colors. (I have used some and I truly LOVE the feel of the clay.) I think Studio makes fabulous roses!!! Truly an almost life-like feel. I have many of the tools as well…I use the Etch and Pearl tools all the time in my sculpting, but mainly for the ‘etch’ end. I have all of the stamp/texture tools but really haven’t used them. (just haven’t gotten around to it yet) I need to pick up the rolly stamps because those look really neat. I am looking forward to any and everything you share about Studio!
oooh I just thought of a ‘tool’ I’d like to learn more about…although I’m not sure it’s technically a tool…Studio’s Bake & Bond…I am wondering if it has the same propeties and works the same as liquid clay!
Hello Cindy!
Yes I do like the tools in the line…I think that the best one of them is the 12mm shaper (as a doll artist I am quite taken by it). To tell you the truth, I took the “S” end of the handle of the 5-in-one and made small texture maker with an old set of rubber erasers that I had (cut the top level and added little bits of texture to them–like very rough sand paper and other things…the odd button….etc) made it a very useful and changeable tool. Maybe if a few from Studio are reading this they could consider adding this feature to the tool instead of the “studio” “S”. In all I like the tools and the colors of clay in the studio line for jewelry and home decor but there is just not much for a dollmaker.
Keep on Clayin’!
Rita (Former RT For Studio by Sculpey)
check out polymer clay central they have lots of ideas for the use of ripple blades.
Rita Gregory (Former RT For Studio by Sculpey)
@Sarahwww: An etch and pearl is a long pointy tool with a concave circle at one end used for pressing balls of clay onto a clay surface without squashing it. There are three sizes and the pointy ends can be used for piercing and baking beads with different sized holes. Neat tool for making great texture on beads too.
@Anna: Thanks for passing along the info. There are some really cool home decor items on their site but nothing in the way of beads. I will see what I can do about coming up with some cool Studio by Sculpey Bead ideas to post here.
@Maureen: I really am liking the tools. You’ll get to see them in use in some of my up coming techniques!
@aims: A great place to buy Studio by Sculpey products online is at Polymer Clay Express. If you end up communicating with them, let them know I sent you.
@Linda: That is great! Half price is excellent!
@Tina: I agree! It is nice to work with tools that were designed for polymer clay. I think with the clay I will use Studio for some things and Premo for others since they have such different qualities.
@Melinda: I will be figuring out some neat ways to use the ripple blade, besides just using it to make squiggly edges.
@Gayle: They are great products aren’t they! I like the etch and pearl too. Will also try and come up with some new ways of using it. Glad you like it!
@Deborah: Glad you like the clay and tools, I do too! I have made a few of the variegated roses using Studio and I think they have a wonderful look and feel. Of course they are not transparent but they do have an almost leather or velvet look to them. I have some Bake and Bond as well but haven’t tried it yet. I definitely will and will let you all know what I think.
@Rita: Thanks for the excellent idea! I agree a texture end, instead of the S stamp would be a far more useful tool! (You never know, they may just read this and do that some day!) :-)
LOL, this post just blew my “after vacation” August budget. That interchangeable knife sure sounds like a must own.
From eBay, I recently purchased a set of blades called “putty knives” which state on the packaging:
Crafters Tool Box for the Creative Crafter – Quality Crafting Supplies
1178-28 5MM/8MM/10MM/12MM 4 pc/PKG Putty Knife
They have long blades and a wonderful plastic guard that runs along the top.
A little dull to use yet to slice canes, but, the maintenance man here has a grinder for sharpening the mower blades, and we are going to give it a go. Think once the edges are super shape I can find a million uses for them, from cutting canes and scraping clay off the floor, to actually using some putty and filling some ding marks in the walls and improving window seals for winter.
Cindy, if you could do a video on how to use the sharpening stones to sharpen blades, think that would help with these too.
Sounds like an awesome tool to have around the studio Jocelyn! I’ll put the sharpening video on the list of videos to shoot. Could be a little while since I’ve already slated quite a few videos. Did you see the one using the Chef’s Steel? I’m not sure if it was you that said it would be tricky to use a steel having MS but if it wasn’t that might help you out, till I get the sharpening stone one done.
Hi Cindy,
I have one set of the texture sheets and would like to see how you would use them. They are too thick to put through the pasta machine; which is what I was looking for.
Thank you for all your inspiration and know-how. I love your videos; just wish I could see a new one everyday! :)
Hi Dawna! I got some of those texture sheets as well and have been playing with them a bit. When I figure something unique to do with them, I’ll make a video with them for you guys.
I’m so pleased you are enjoying the videos! Would be nice if I could make them as fast as everybody wants them. I’ll have to hire some help before I could do that though. Someday, soon I hope!
Following up, the blades sharpened up like razors!!! I love them.
Now, I need to figure out how to use a sharpening stone properly to keep them that way.
Unfortunately that chef’s tool isn’t going to cut it with the functioning I have left, so if you could add a video on this topic, or if someone here could point me to a good site with a video, sure would appreciate it.