Video Tutorials:
1: Liver of Sulfur
2: Dogwood Flower Pendants
3: Frosted Rainbow Beads
4: Mirror Image Heart
Well another month has gone by and the Volume-044 Back Issue Videos have now been added to the Polymer Clay Library. If you missed your chance to see these tutorials as they were released each Friday during the month of January, now is your chance to add them to your collection as a convenient bundled package.
Today’s photo shows thumbnail images for the 4 videos included in this Vol-044 Package:
Video-044-1 Liver of Sulfur: You have seen gorgeous antique finishes on Silver, Copper and Bronze jewelry pieces out there… and now you can learn how to get that awesome look for your own creations… quickly and easily using Liver of Sulfur. Although simple to use, there are some tips and precautions to follow, when using any Liver of Sulfur product. You should also choose the best form of the LOS suited for your purposes. This video shows everything you need to know.
Video-044-2 Dogwood Flower Pendants: When you see these dogwood flower pendants in person, you will have a hard time believing they aren’t real! Gorgeously realistic yet simple to make, since these flowers are actually made using a mold. You are going to love the neat tricks I teach you in this tutorial that make these natural beauties come to life!
Video-044-3 Frosted Rainbow Beads:It could be because I was a child of the 60’s, but I definitely have a softness in my heart for rainbows. So it shouldn’t be too much of a surprise that I like to also make rainbow colored polymer clay beads. You will too when you see how easy they are to make! So pretty too. You are going to love the neat way the colors are blended and the tricks you will learn, that gives them that frosty look. The technique can be used to make the frilled flower discs I show… or any other bead shape that you desire. It can also be used to mimic sea glass for some beach theme jewelry projects. How ever you decide to use this tutorial, you’re going to treasure the look of these beads!
Video-044-4 Mirror Image Heart: This heart bead tutorial combines two different polymer clay techniques… Mirror Image Beads (aka Natasha Beads); and the Split Heart Bead Shape. The technique is simple but the results are fabulous. And each piece is guaranteed to be one-of-a-kind with a new picture revealed in every bead. It is the perfect solution for using up your scrap clay too!
Also included in this Volume-044 back issue package, are the A-Series recipe cards from the Cedar Cone Palette.
To read feedback from members who have already benefited from the videos and recipes in this Vol-044 back issue package, click here: Liver of Sulfur | Dogwood Flower Pendants | Frosted Rainbow Beads | Mirror Image Heart
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-044, 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.
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Hello everyone! It’s hard to believe January is almost over… as a child it felt SOOOOO long. Now that I’m a (little) older, I feel we are barely recovered from Christmas and it will soon be time to plan Easter. I just wanted to thank Cindy and all her great “helpers” for another month of fun and learning. I am really enjoying the great videos and beautiful colour recipes that come with my membership. I should add that I utilize the “links” above quite often, especially since I have a lot of back issues and I find reading the associated blog entries helpful as well as entertaining. I have read quite a few, but by linking I often get some I missed. I also like your Search feature, as it is the fastest way to zoom in on a topic, and I can be very specific. I have always found what I was looking for.
Happy Easter Monique :-) Thanks for your kind words… and also thanks for reminding everyone about the search feature. Just about every polymer clay topic has been discussed here at the blog at some point… and that search box is a great way to get quick answers when you need them.
Cindy thanks so much for your help. I don’t know what I would do without all of the tutorials and help you give all of us!
Wonderful to hear from Stephanie :-)
Hello Cindy
I am still somewhat new to polymer clay. maybe about 2 months and I have yet to have anything successful from it. My items never look like what they do on any tutorial. Hard to get help, what little bit I can get never really answers my problems. I am really loving the clay but am really frustrated that nothing I do or adjust gives me the end result other then burnt or some other problem.
I found your site with a lot of information on polymer clay but before I pay into it just wanted info that I can not really find when it comes to help. I have no one in my TN area for classes or teachers and am struggling.
Thanks for your time.
shilo
Hi Shilo,
The frustrations you shared about not being able to find the support and help needed to get you through the beginner learning curve, are exactly why Doug and I created the Polymer Clay Tutor videos.
The best way for you to determine if becoming a paid member is right for you, would be to take the time read feedback from other members. From what you have said, the Beginners Course is definitely where you should start start.
Course feedback comments are posted here:
Polymer Clay Beginners Course Feedback
And here is the link where you can purchase the course if you feel it is right for you:
Polymer Clay Beginners Course Order and Info Page
Cindy,
I “love” your library!! Joining was the best thing I could have done as a newbie at polymer clay.
One thing I can not seem to find and am having a very difficult time with is applying cane slices to beads or anything. Any helpful ideas other than cutting thin. I have the cutting down it is the actual application without distorting the image. Help.
Thanks so much, and again, “LOVE” your tutorials!
Becki
Hi Becki,
So glad to hear that you are enjoying your membership. Thanks for letting me know.
In regards to tutorials that will help you with applying cane slices, here are a couple of suggestions:
Video-011-2: Pattern Backgrounds
Video-006-4: Applying Cane Slices To Beads
~Cindy
LOVE the tuts. I made the dogwood flowers and people love them! Now I just need to design a chain for them. Thank you Cindy, for these great tutorials! :)
Glad to hear the dogwood flowers are hit. Yay! :-)
Hi Cindy,
I took your advise and used the search box and spent a very enjoyable couple of hours going through some of the comments. You have so much information on your site, it’s amazing!
I know about the main shop for clay in Melbourne (bottom of Australia). Unfortunately I live nearer the top of Australia and with the weight of the clay the postage gets a bit much.
I did find some Sculpey III locally and I know most people don’t recommend it, but I thought it would do to get me started with conditioning, rolling, simple shapes and baking etc. Better to practise on that then ruin the better clay.
Thank you again for such a wonderful site. I bought a cheap Halogen Cooker yesterday so I’m off to check it’s temperatures (see, I’m learning from your course already :)
Regards
Linda
Welcome Linda! Hopefully some of the Ozzie members with info about how they source their clay.
And on that note… it’s time for me to god make some dinner for the family (It’s dinner time on this side of the world :-)
Cindy, I love the work you are doing. Thanks for all your help, I am so grateful for all you have taught us.
I am in the middle of a very important project… well for me anyway. and am stumped as to how to go about this… I need to figure out how to make a clover flower … you know the pretty little round flowers???? cannot figure this out and can think of no way around making this any ideas would surely be appreciated… not sure why I am undertaking this- must have been out of my mind when I said ” I think I can do that”. So of course I thought of you and our group here to try to get this little flower done. for such a pretty little flower to cause so much consternation in my life! … oh yes, other minor detail.. must be sculpted flower round not flat. Thanks so much Karonkay
You are very welcome Karon! Doug and I are filming today so I’ll have to get back with you about this. Just wanted to let you know that I sent an email to you about this and to congratulate you about the big project. Stepping outside of your comfort zone a bit, will help to expand the boundaries of creativity. Believe in yourself and know that you are capable of great things!
Thanks so much Cindy… as you know I have a great deal of respect for your talent and knew you could help me with my little project.
Karonkay: Are you referring to Trifolium pratense (Red Clover) the State Flower of Vermont?
you are exactly right that is the little devil of a flower that is giving me fits at the moment! but they really are so pretty.
Karonkay: I zoomed in on a high resolution pic at the USDA website and was amazed at how intricate this “humble” little flower really is. The numerous (hundreds?) of individual petals all radiating out from the center, each petal looking like a miniature lily (like Cindy showed in Video 016-1: Calla Lilly Beads.) I was wondering if you had tried using the extruder cane with the skinny “spaghetti” end. What about a felting needle? It has all those little needles, maybe you could use it to brush out your strands. You made me curious yesterday so I made a couple of attempts. I found the Premo too soft (or I don’t have a light enough touch) but I found the Kato clay more suited to something that delicate. Really found mine looked more like a Chrysanthemum (sp?) with denser blossoms. I don’t have the felting needle so I put a couple of twin needles together and poked all over a small ball of clay then turned the center inside out and put it on the end of a pen to reshape it. Anyway, you may have tried all these things already. In any case, thanks for making me take a closer look at one of nature’s tiny works of art. They grow wild everywhere here in Eastern Canada and are considered weeds! Hope you will let us see how your project turns out.
Hey Karon, got some clover’s in the oven this very minute! Love a challenge… and have always loved clover flowers.
When I was a kid, we used to pull the little blossoms out of the flower head and suck the sweet nectar out of them. Wildflowers and herbs have been a love of mine my whole life. I used to lay in the tall grass in our yard as a child and look real close at the tiny little miracles that no one else seemed to notice. The little clover blossoms in the grass, the miniature daisies and the camomile that grew in the ditch. So when your request for a Clover Flower went out, my mind was humming!
I think I have the shape and technique pretty much nailed. Will probably need to tweak the colors a bit. Will post a pic ASAP.
Monique, love hearing about your approach to the project! Would love to see yours and see if we have any similarities in technique. This kind of challenge is pretty exciting Eh? It is always fun to see if you can make a material do what you want it to. It is how new ideas are born!
Cindy, I agree, it was a fun exercise. I enjoyed playing with the project while studying an online course (unfortunately unrelated to PC). Since I don’t have a use for “clover” right now I won’t bake mine, but you never know when the info might come in handy. Looking forward to seeing yours and Karonkays!
Cindy & Monique,
What a challenge! I. too, have been working on this little flower today, I have one in the oven as we speak I tried a wire structure first… no luck, but did manage to figure out how to put the Indian Paintbrush together from that exercise so cannot call it a failure. But I did have another Aha moment in the middle of doing the california Poppy. used a similar technique for the clover… Not sure of mine yet but I will tell you that it has over two hundred and fifty “petals” on it!
Baking it now… hoping for the best cannot wait to see yours!
Here is what I came up with…
Just love the colors – it is lifelike ! I can see this in an Indian Paint Brush. One of my fav flowers -along with Texas Bluebonnet ( yep from Texas). A bit of home……..
Me too. It does look like an Indian paintbrush. I SO MISS blue bonnets.
oh my goodness! they are beautiful…. You did such a great job. They do look perfect for this project! You have made my day. They are gorgeous!
You are so welcome Karon! Can’t wait to show you how they were made. Stay tuned…
these are super!!!! Can see ear rings and pendants…..wow!!!
Cindy, the colours and especially the translucency are so accurate! It’s hard to believe they are made from clay. AWESOME!! Nice shot, too (Willow? Doug?) What dimensions are they?
Hi Monique… I just added a second photo above, with some info about the dimensions… it was me that snapped these shots :-)
Just saw your response earlier this morning, Doug. Had to turn in early last night (before midnight LOL). I remember Cindy writing about it more than once here: she couldn’t do all this without the outstanding support she gets from her family; we are able to better appreciate her talent and dedication because of yours! So thanks again for everything you do!!
Wow! I need to know how to make these! So, hard to work small. Cindy, you did a nice job with the photos! Taking lessons from Willow? :-)
Thanks for the comment on the Clover Catalina… but the photos are Doug’s this time… Love to keep you guessing! :)
OMG simply awesome!!! I love flowers. Cindy, are you going to teach us how to do this flower? Looking at the flower I think they seem like many little buds put together with the petals that look like the lily??
Stunning !!! Both the flower and the photo !!
Cindy I love that clover, you really captured it. Well, Doug…you did too, and very well, lol.
Cannot wait for the future tutes, spring flowers, and more doming (hint hint). And all those excellent photos that Doug and Willow supply. Like the focus on natural form, color and shape you find here. As you replicate, I can see how others take those tutes into a whole new realm.
I never knew you could make clay look so much like porcelain. And I have never seen so many shapes, finishes, and final display arrangements. It’s a visual massage.
Think I’m going to sit down with some copper wire and make up some super sized flowering bittersweet. I like how it looks from spring on, the lemon green fruit pods hang right under it’s shade leaf. Always collected them in the fall, and used long dressmakers pins to have them frame the fireplace.
Hope you do more greenery and wire. Love the way it looks.
hi, cindy, beautiful earring
Please could someone tell me how to thread a necklace using lentil beads so that they do not twist and turn! I have seen that double threading can be used but this surely can not be done if we mix beads!
What if you pierced the bead straight across at say 10 and 2
that’s all I’ve got but maybe someone else will pop in with something brilliant:)
Hi Anthea, looks like Tanesherry and Elaine have popped in here with some good advice. Hope that helps!. (Thank you girls!)
I was wondering, why is it a problem if they flip over? Isn’t the swirl design on both sides of the beads? Or are you talking about a lentil with two different sides, that you only want one side to show at a time? Just curious.
OMG DOUG,
That close up photo of the Bergenia is stunning so an idea popped into my head.
How’s about printing a calendar of 12 B series for next year. With yours (and Willows ) beautiful shots and Cindy’s words and recipes you are half way there, and I would love the early ones I missed.
Here in the UK a lot of people do it and give a percentage of the proceeds to their fav. charity. (Have you seen the film Calendar Girls?)
No, I am not suggesting you bare your chest!!! just the great shots man, the earlier shots. Dah!
I am certain everyone would love it and could order extra copies to give to friends and family for Christmas, (well it’s only just over 250 shopping days away!!) I love calendars and buy at least a dozen every year to send to my far flung relatives all over the world. So put me down for the first 12 hot off the press whatever price you decide, and who knows they could become (collectables)
A suggestion to ANTHEA B about stringing lentils. A little eye pin glued into the top and either 1″ cut buna cord or longer depending on the size, or long bugle beads all strung on beading wire should solve your problem, and they look stunning…Gotta go now and get back to blowing eggs,……………… Yukky job………………………….cheers xx
Well Thank You girls for your comments!
Cindy will disappointed to know that the reason my beads should not flip over is because the piercing is further to the back of the bead and not at the sides as i can not seem to keep the shape if i pierce the corners! So untidy backs!
Thanks for a great website and ideas!
Elaine unfortunately, I do not know what a buna cord is! I am quite new at polymering! Also, I am presuming that an eye pin is the one with the spike one end and the other is curled to accomodate a chain. If so maybe I can pierce with that and bake with it in and connect a chain in between? Does that make sense?
Tut tut, Anthea,
You are not using the search engine, which answers so many of your questions. Just type in BUNA CORD or whatever your question is and hey presto you have the answer. I do not think this search has ever NOT been able to answer a polymer related question…….Here in the UK nobody had heard of buna cord when I first saw it many moons ago. but it is fab stuff, cut to whatever size required, comes in loads of colours, so go girll go.Search!!!!!
I haven’t tried stringing lentils using chain as links but perhaps someone on this wonderful site has and will advise you.
Now will HAVE to experiment making my own version. (mad scientist kicking in again) Has anyone tried using their extruder with core attached and using the kiddie pack of flexible polymer to extrude their own? It is on my list of things to do as think of the wonderful colour combinations you could get.
Perhaps CINDY if you think it’s a good idea could put it on your list of tutes. Sorry Cindy, but you did say to suggest new things to do!!! Those extruders are fantastic, just watched your extruder flower cane video and anymore tutes using this would be great. The tribal cane also comes out spectacular using this great gadget.
This was supposed to be a three line answer, but you know by now I get carried away, but must get back to organising my unbaked canes, scrap clay etc. as my girls are home for Easter, so we can have a clay-play day all together..Must dash, bye…………..cheers xx
Elaine, I am proud to say that just after i submitted my comment ‘dah!)’ I did exactly that! and got some ideas! But i have to say my ‘holes’ are very untidy and i cant keep the piercing straight. That is why i don’t want my beads to flip.I am practising though, biconing and lentiling and balling! And most of all percervering!
Anthea B: It’s great you were able to find lots of info using the Search feature. I love using it, too. I’m relatively new to using polymer for jewelry, so I always find I have a “heavy hand” with small items like beads, especially when I use Premo. I have had much better results when I pierce AFTER BAKING. Sometimes I put in tiny pilot holes before baking. Maybe, with time and experience, I will develop a lighter touch and be better at piercing the unbaked clay. As a bonus, I am not limited as to how to string my beads as I would be by piercing before baking. Keep experimenting! I was resistant to “wasting” clay at first, but now I am trying to enjoy the process as much as the result. (I thank Cindy’s wonderful, playful attitude for that!)