Video Tutorials: Tribal Cane; Heart Shaped Beads; Lace and Ink Texture; Interchangeable Focal Bead Pendant:
Well it’s up for grabs now… the January 2010 set of videos (Volume 020 Back Issue) in the Polymer Clay Library that is! And this is a great collection of tutorials that you’re going to want to add to your collection if you don’t already own them.
Today’s photo shows thumbnail images for the 4 videos included in this package:
Video-020-1 Tribal Cane: In this video you will learn how to create a unique tribal theme cane that is actually three canes in one. First you create a repeating triangular design that looks good on it own if you want to use it that way. This piece can then be used to create a more complicated X patterned cane, or a repeating V. You can also combine them in many other ways as well. An extruder is required. so now is the time to get this awesome tool if you don’t already have one.
Video-020-2 Heart Shaped Beads: Perfect for Valentines or anytime you want to express your feelings in beads. You will learn how to make two different styles of heart shaped beads that can be made in any size. Leave them plain or cover them in the cane designs of your choice.
Video-020-3 Lace and Ink Technique: Lace and Ink Texture Technique: You are going to love this technique for making Valentines beads, Victorian Jewelry, Steampunk embellishments or any polymer clay project that needs a lacy touch. Using real lace and pigment ink, you can give any bead or pendant the look of lace.
Video-020-4 Interchangeable Pendant: An original design of my own, you can take any polymer clay bead or beads and add them to this unique wire pendant to create a beautiful focal piece. Slide off the beads and replace with different ones with this interchangeable jewelry design. It can be created using any type of 20 gauge wire, making the possibilities endless!
Also included in this Volume-020 back issue package is the A-Series recipe cards from the Salmon Pearls Palette.
To read feedback from members who have already benefited from the videos and recipes in this Volume-020 back issue package, click here: Tribal Cane | Heart Shape Beads | Lace & Ink | Interchangeable Pendant
And, Sneak Peak Preview Clips are available for viewing here: Polymer Clay Tutorials [Videos]
If anyone else would like to add a review for any of the videos or color recipes in Volume-020, I would love to hear from you. Or if you have not yet purchased this back issue and have a question, ask away. In either case, use the comments section below.
What I like about the January videos is the variety – a cane, a shaped bead, a wire project, and a technique. My favorite of all tho, is the color palette. Those salmon pink colors are absolutely gorgeous. I misread one of the recipes & added too much red to one of the paler colors & it was still wonderful. I wrote my mistake down so I could do it again. I love having a nice recipe & then taking off from there with some changes. Thank you Cindy.
I loved January’s videos! I am using the tricks I learned in the Heart Shaped Beads tutorial for Valentine’s projects (that I hope to finish this weekend.) The technique for shaping hearts is something I’ll use forever (I love hearts!) & you can make them so many different ways and cover them in anything! So far, I’ve used various canes to cover my hearts, as well as the Lace & Ink Texture technique I learned from one of Cindy’s other videos in Jan. I haven’t made the Interchangeable Focal Bead Pendant yet, but I plan to as soon as all of my hearts are finished. The pendant is such a wonderful way to display beads, or even a variety of beads. Cindy’s tutorial is so easy to understand; I know I won’t have any trouble making it when I’m ready to. As for the Tribal Cane, I am still trying to get my hands on a good extruder. I haven’t been able to get out to shop. (My back’s been hurting really bad.) Plus, any time I feel good enough, I’m claying, working to get my Valentine’s projects ready!
I just want to say thanks for a wonderful month of videos. They are absolutely wonderful. These were my first as a new member, and so very worth it. For just $3, I got four amazing videos and a beautiful color palette of amazing recipes! For anyone who’s been thinking they might want to join but they’re not sure–do it! Believe me, it is such an good deal–an incredible value. You’ll be so happy you joined!
You are very welcome gals. And thank you for adding your comments to this thread. I REALLY appreciate it!!!! :-) :-)
Information on Bead Tumblers and mediums used in them please.
@Hazel: There is quite a bit of information in the various posts. If you look at the upper left side of this page there is a box with “Topic Categories” as well as a search box. For the information you want, you could go to #10: Finishing and it will give you a list of articles about finishing techniques, including those about rock tumblers, etc.
Or, you can use the search box, put in a word or two, like “tumbler”, and you’ll get a list of articles. Here is one that I found: Polymer Clay Tutorial | Polished Beads | Lortone Rock Tumbler
There are quite a few more on this topic. Also, don’t forget to check the comments, as there can be useful information there, as well.
What supplies do i need to start doing polymer beads?
@Victory Swift: Hi Victory, welcome to the website! There’s all kinds of info around here; you can search for anything by typing a word or two in the search box at the top left side. I tried typing in “basic tools” and I got a list of articles on that topic. This one, called Basic Tool Kit for working with Polymer Clay, shows the basics for getting started. The article also discusses items that you may want to add to your supplies as you go along.
One of the main things you’ll need is, of course, clay. You’ll want a good one: Premo Sculpey is Cindy’s favorite & an all-around good clay. You can get it at most any craft shop (like Michael’s, Hobby Lobby.) Make sure it says “Premo,” not “Sculpey III.” (Sculpey III has pretty colors, but it is fairly weak.)
You will probably want to subscribe to Cindy’s newsletter, so you can get 3 free videos & free color recipes. The link’s at the top of the page (Polymer Clay Newsletter.) Cindy also has a Fundamental’s/Basics course, which is an excellent way to learn how to work with polymer clay. There are 39 videos teaching you everything from conditioning clay to finishing your pieces, not to mention tons of nifty tips & tricks to help you avoid mistakes. Cindy’s videos are very good, and she’s such a great teacher!
Anyway, check out the article, and then leave a comment if you have any more questions. Someone is usually hangin’ round, and happy to help!
I recently began creating polymer clay beads, and really enjoying them. I use a craft oven and sometimes place the beads on the very ends of toothpicks to bake.
However, absent-mindedly, this last time, placed the toothpicks in too far during baking. This made them impossible to pull them all out successfully. Some broke off inside several, and now I have perfect clay beads with toothpick in the centers.
So, in a word,’help’! lol I need to know what tool or technique you might recommend to remove the pesky wood inside them.(bead-reamer? Long doll needle?
Thanks in advance for your time!
-Nat :)
@Natalie: Wow, that’s one I’ve never heard before! I’m trying to imagine this exactly. What size beads? Did you make a hole all the way through, but then baked the beads only on the ends of the toothpicks? Or is there no hole yet just the part that the toothpick’s on? If you pierced all the way through, you could use a small drill bit, needle, reamer, etc. to push from the other side (the unstuck side!) to get the toothpick out. If the are only poked into one part of the bead, I imagine you have already tried to pull them out with pliers, or the broken ends with tweezers. I wonder if soaking them in water might help. It would soften the toothpick, and you could pull/push out the left over toothpick pulp with a needle, bead-reamer, drill-bit, etc.
Let us know if that works, if it doesn’t, leave another comment. Explain the type of bead, size, and where the toothpick/hole is on the bead. There are probably ways you could salvage/repair the bead if needed, and re-drill a hole. Good luck!
@Phaedrakat: Thanks so much for helping Natalie. Incredibly great response as usual!!!
@natalie: Welcome to the community! In your comment you said that you don’t have a drill yet. I just wanted to say that you do not need a drill to put holes through beads. All you need are the drill bits with some sort of handle attached, which will allow you to grip them. See the link by my name for some info about making your own bit handles out of polymer clay. Polymer clay is soft enough that you don’t need a power tool to spin your bits. And… using hand held drill bits is MUCH safer.
Hi Phaedrakat!
And thanks for the super prompt reply! :)
Ok, the suggestions you left sound good. I had considered soaking them, to soften the toothpicks, and shove them out with a reamer or long doll needle(which I think could be the right size). Sadly, I do not own a drill(but may soon!), though I’ll bet that would work well from the get go.
The beads themselves are about 14-18mm each, relatively round, and I stuck the toothpick all the way through, prior to baking. Then, after baking, the clay swelled to reall hug that toothpick, thus, making it near impossible to pull back out. About 8 of them broke off at the ends, when I tried to pull them out with pliers. Silly ol me. :)
But I will try the soaking/jabbing method first, and report my developments!(saluting)
More soon,
Nat