July is one of those months in the year with five weeks instead of four. That means no freebie color recipes and no new video posting at the members library today, on this 5th Friday. That's the bad news.

Instead, I'm excited to be able to invite everyone to spend some time over at the brand new, Polymer Clay Facebook Gallery. Currently, you can browse through over 190 bead and jewelry photos that are bound to provide you with some inspiration for your next project.

Beautiful beads all you growing artists out there. I love going to Facebook and looking at each and every one of them in the larger picture. Thanks for having the drive to share all your work with us. Uuuggs. ~Peggy-B

What a thrill to be able to see slideshows of all your work close up! Thank you all so much for contributing! Just love this site. ~Jocelyn-C

Seeing all the beautiful items that others do is a joy. Great inspirations too. Congrats Cindy, for devising the Facebook gallery for us. A wonderful addition to our blog here and the weekly video newsletter. Just love it. ~Elizabeth-K

NOTE 1: You don't have to be a member at the Polymer Clay Library to be able to view all the wonderful photos that are being uploaded to the new Gallery. Heck, you don't even have to have a Facebook account. All of the photos are available for public viewing.

NOTE 2: If you ARE a member here, it would be wonderful to see you upload a picture or two, of your pieces. When you do, there is a chance that you will win the bead giveaway, grand prize. It's valued at roughly what you pay for 2 years of video access at the Polymer Clay Tutor Library. Rules and guidelines are posted here: Polymer Clay Bead Contest

NOTE 3: For members who have the time to go the extra mile, please read through the ideas that were posted in this thread: Polymer Clay Tutor 5th Friday

Have a great Friday everyone. I look forward to seeing and hearing from you over at the Facebook Gallery.

And if you need instructions on how to upload photos to the gallery, that information can be found at the following recent article link:
New Facebook Guidelines for Polymer Clay Bead Giveaway Contest

Finally, as usual, the comment section in EVERY Friday post here at blog, is always available Open Mic discussions. Anything goes… from polymer clay challenges that you need some help with… to success stories about your jewelry creations… to requests for upcoming video tutorials… to general community chit chat.

1B: Monkshood
2B: Misty River
3B: Dew Drops
4B: Meadow Mist

Soft and lovely, like a cool walk through the garden on a early Summer morning. This peaceful color palette of Blues and Greens was inspired by the delicate blossoms of the Monkshood Flower in my garden.

Monkshood gets its name from the shape of the bloom that mimics the hood of a Monk. Most Monkshood flowers are a solid blue color, but this one is a more unusual variegated variety.

The recipes for each of the following 4 Summer colors will be released during the month of August in Volume-027 [B-series]. Everyone who is subscribed to my Polymer Clay Guest List will be able to download them for free. They will be emailed to you one per week on Friday mornings.

• Monkshood (Recipe 027-1B)
• Misty River (Recipe 027-2B)
• Dew Drops (Recipe 027-3B)
• Meadow Mist (Recipe 027-4B)

Monkshood is the deep almost Cerulean Blue found along the outer edges of this unique hooded bloom. Misty River and Dew Drops are the softer gentler blues found in the petals as they fade to White. And Meadow Mist is the misty Green found at the hood of the new blooms  before it matures and pales.

The recipes described above are from the Volume-027 B-Series Palette. They are free to download, for everyone subscribed to my Polymer Clay Guest List.

If you want to see the Volume-027 A-Series Color Palette that paid library members will also receive during the month of August, then click here: Polymer Clay Color Recipes | Snapdragon Palette

I am really "addicted" to your weekly colors and recipes… Thanks! ~Janine-K

Just getting these colors, to me, is like finding a treasure chest! How creative and artistic you must be, to be able to figure out these color combinations. Thanks. ~Karen-O

I love the recipe cards and how you set them up to print and make your own set, very good idea. ~Sandra-M

Pulling colors from nature just fascinates me. Thank you for the recipes, by copying and working with those we can start to develop or own "eye" for later experiments.
~Sarah-W

The 16, 15, 12, 6 number tallies above, show who has racked up the most points in the current Bead Giveaway Contest, since the last July 22, 2010 update post (see Facebook Polymer Clay).

Other members who have also uploaded project pictures to the Facebook Gallery page since the last update, include:

• Elizabeth-S
  
• DJ
  
• Loretta-C
  
• Catalina
  
• Lupe-M
  
• Susan-B
  
• Koolbraider
  

It is SO GREAT to see all of you playing with your clay!!! By the way, if you are also posting project pictures at your own blogs and web sites, be sure to let me know where to find them. You do this by making a comment under your photo(s) at the Facebook Gallery page. This will ensure that you receive those bonus points each week.

So far, Carolyn-F (16 pts) and Brenda-M (15 pts) have been seesawing back in forth in that lead position. To secure that top spot, all you have to do is upload the most photos over the next 7 day period. I wonder who it will be next week…

Larger Images Here: Polymer Clay Facebook Gallery: If you have questions, comments, suggestions, please post them here at my blog in the comment section below.

Well done to everyone for getting set up on facebook and sharing your amazing pieces. ~Susan-B

WOW… what a beautiful collection of polymer clay work! Way to go Brenda and Carolyn! Hey, I am just warming up.. but I bet it will be hard to catch up to you ladies! Great work everyone!!! ~Lupe-M

Great job to everyone who posted on fb! You're work continually inspires me! ~Tanya-L

After the messy start I had, Cindy put me right, so I went back and "fixed' all my silly mistakes. Don't worry about when and what you put in, or how much. It is just the fun of it really, and seeing all the beautiful items that others do is a joy. Great inspirations too. Congrats Cindy, for devising the Facebook gallery for us. A wonderful addition to our blog here and the weekly video newsletter. Just love it. ~Elizabeth-K

I LOVE seeing everyone's work!! It's so inspiring for me. Thank you everyone, for sharing. ~Elizabeth-S

If you did not realize it, July is one of those months in the year with five weeks instead of four. And since the members library is based on a four week publishing schedule, it means I have to come up with something a little different for this upcoming Friday (July 30th).

Monday July 26: 10:25am: Has it been brought up that this is a 5th Friday so there will be no Tute. I have been out of the loop for a week with my grandaughter and haven't caught up yet so curious to see if anything else has been planned?? Uuuugggs. ~Peggy-B

Monday July 26: 10:40am: Peggy brought this up on another post … and I hadn't heard it mentioned yet … this is a 5 Friday month … and this Friday is the 5th. No tutorial, right, Cindy? ~Carolyn-F

Monday July 26: 11:15am: Carolyn this is a 5th Friday so no bomb dropped yet. Cindy needs her time off. Now she is back to blogging on the weekends. I'm not sure what happened there. I hope she didn't start getting more emails at home? Her and Doug give us so much I wish there was a way we could give them something special for all they do. We need to make her take some time off even when we don't want her to. Uuuuuggggs. ~Peggy-B

To tell you the truth, it's been an insanely busy week, and at this point I don't have any special bonus videos prepared or anything like that. So I think I'll keep it simple for the upcoming Friday post, if everyone is OK with that.

And just so everyone knows now, the weekly Email Newsletter WILL still go out. I made the mistake of not communicating properly on one of the 5th Fridays a while back. And it actually created more work for me with all the messages that had to be returned… letting everyone know that I had in fact, NOT dropped off the face of the earth. It was stressful and flattering all at the same time, LOL.

Peggy… you said "… I wish there was a way we could give (Cindy and Doug) something special for all they do."

Well, maybe there is Peggy. As most of you know, lately a strong focus has been put on getting the new Polymer Clay Facebook Contest up and running smoothly. I'm very pleased with how it is going.

As I write, there are currently 1471 polymer clayers who have chosen to "like" the http://www.facebook.com/polymerclay page. And 167 beautiful project photos have been uploaded. This is super awesome… but I know we can do even better.

Perhaps on Friday, there could be a concerted effort to have as many members as possible uploading their pictures to the new Facebook Photo Gallery. That would qualify as doing something special for Doug and I :-)

As you may have noticed from today's featured Gallery post, as well as from previous ones (see Seeds of Change Bracelet for another example of a recent Gallery feature), these photo spreads are included here at the blog to provide you guys with creative jewelry making ideas and inspiration.

Please use the comment section at the bottom of the page, to discuss the items presented… or to let me know what other projects you would like to see and learn more about.

Hopeless Romantic, Polymer Clay Mixed Media Earrings: Deep inside most every woman, is a hopeless romantic. These beautiful Polymer Clay and Sterling Silver Earrings, celebrate the love of romance with their soothing colors and lace-like textures. The petal or teardrop shaped dangles hang and flutter gracefully from hand made ear wires and jump rings. These art jewelry earrings were made using an original mixed media technique based on what I am calling Polymer Clay Art Sheets. The process incorporates ink, paint, textures, mica powders and metal leaf. Each teardrop dangle is cut from a larger art sheet, so every shape is coordinated in style and color, but also individually unique. Almost paper thin, these delicate petals are given strength and sheen with a coating of UV Resin on both sides. These lovely art earrings hang at approximately 2 1/2" long (6.5 cm), sitting nicely around the jaw line. Price: $30 (US) – If you are interested in purchasing the Hopeless Romantic Earrings shown in today's gallery post, then please send me an email. Be sure to include your full mailing address so I can work out the shipping cost for you.

** Did You Know… Members with current subscriptions to the weekly tutorial videos are always entitled to a 10% discount when purchasing 6 or more back issue packages in a single transaction. If you are interested, let me know which back issues you would like and I will send further instructions on how to complete your order.

On July 20th, I posted an introductory preview clip for the Micromesh Abrasives tutorial. Today, the full version of this video lesson (Vol-026-4) is available for viewing at the Polymer Clay Members Library. Here is the link: Using Micromesh Cushioned Abrasive Pads for Sanding

For anyone who is not yet a paid member, if you did not know, the cost works out to only $3.32 per month. This gives you 24/7 access to the full versions of my Friday video tutes. Plus you also receive four A-series color recipe cards. This week's color is: Cattails (4A) from the Marsh Reeds Polymer Clay Color Palette.

I am a member of Cindy's Polymer Clay Tutor site. I stumbled on her accidentally while looking for a way to make poly clay faces for a beading project. She is not only responsive and amazingly generous with her information, but a fantastic teacher. I finally "get" some of the techniques I had been reading about and trying to grasp for a long time. I am a subscriber to her site and videos and feel her $3.32 charge per month to be a small price to pay for all the information available. ~Ritzs

Wow, the tuts have helped. I wanted to do advanced things with PC and had absolutely no knowledge of how to work with the stuff. I had just started experimenting on my own and was trying to watch youtube videos but I have found everything I need in this one location and for a reasonable price. The books aren't very clear and the videos on youtube are hit and miss. I took the beginner course from Cindy and will now start viewing the library videos as well. Thanks!
~Lorrie-A

Hello Cindy, I am enjoying my in home tutor classes very much! While I started out with Sculpey III, I am still using it to learn with while waiting to grab some of the firmer clays. I had all but given up, thinking I was doing something wrong or just wasn't a 'clayer'. Thanks to you, I have rediscovered my love for clay. I've done many crafts over the years but making my own beads to add to my beaded works is just fantastic! Your instructions, tips and 'you can do this' attitude are wonderful. The videos are easy to understand and are not long and drawn out. You explain the process as it is listed in the title and then move right along. I also like that I can view them at any time from the comfort of my home, in any order. The price for your videos is fantastic, as well. I can't go get books that describe all the things in your tutorials for that price – no way! Thank you for an excellent product, wonderful instruction and fantastic tips! If there was only a way to add a ribbon now… lol! Sincerely. ~Roberta-W

If you want to become a paid member, here is the link:
Polymer Clay Video Library

Or if you are brand new to polymer clay, the best place to first learn all of the fundamentals is here: Polymer Clay Beginners Course

To browse other video tutorials that are available for purchase without becoming a subscribing member (in other words… just a one time fee), you can go here: Polymer Clay Video Back Issues

Last week the Friday discussion topics included:

• Help… I didn't get the Friday email!
  
• Accidental subscription cancellations.
  
• Spam… Yuck!
  
• No anxiety attacks allowed.
  
• Newsletter… like clockwork.
  
• Faux dichroic wins over real glass.
  
• Clear Effects product, from Stampin Up.
  
• Eye shadow, mica powder.
  
• Where to purchase flower stamps.
  
• Reversible pendants.
  
• Creating custom stamps and texture plates.
  
• Making seemingly complicated things, so much easier.
  
• Lino board.
  
• Meg Ryan, When Harry met Sally. Yes! Yes! Yes!
  
• Curing magic glos outside in the English sun.
  
• Michael's dollar bin.
  
• Poor kiln… you may end up in the closet.
  
• Metal cores for making Pandora beads.
  
• Making your own buffalo snow
  
• Packaging and shipping your jewelry sales.
  
• How to enter bead giveaway contest.
  
• Sanding and sculpting figurines.
  
• Faux bone still rubbery after baking.
• And much, much more…
  

If you need to catch up, here is the link to the article where last week's topics were discussed in detail: Faux Dichroic Glass Video

Otherwise, you can use the comment section below to start talking about some new topics and ideas. Happy Friday!!!

The 99, 71, 12, 7 number tallies above, show who has racked up the most points in the current Bead Giveaway Contest, since the last July 14, 2010 update post (see Polymer Clay Facebook).

Other members who have also uploaded project pictures to the Facebook Gallery page since the last update, include:

• Silverleaf
  
• Elizabeth-S
  
• Carrie- W
  
• Cheryl-H
  
• Cindy-R
  
• Catalina
  
• Freda-K
  
• Judy-M
  
• Lupe-M
  
• Melinda-H
  
• Sarah-W
  
• Cara-H
  
• Susan-D

It is SO GREAT to see all of you playing with your clay!!! By the way, if you are also posting project pictures at your own blogs and web sites, be sure to let me know where to find them. You do this by making a comment under your photo(s) at the Facebook Gallery page. This will ensure that you receive those BIG bonus points each week… way to go Brenda-M (99 pts) and Carolyn-F (71 pts).

Larger Images Here: Polymer Clay Facebook Gallery: If you have questions, comments, suggestions, please post them here at my blog in the comment section below.

Beautiful beads all you growing artists out there. I love going to facebook and looking at each and every one of them in the larger picture. Thanks for having the drive to share all your work with us. I wish Cindy had enough beads so all of you could win a few just for trying. Great work! Uuuggs. ~Peggy-B

How fun to see how everyone applies what we learn here. ~Malinda-J

What a thrill to be able to see slide shows of all your work close up! Thank you all so much for contributing! Just love this site. ~Jocelyn-C

I love being able to see all the things people have made. What an inspiration! We have some great artists here. ~Freda-K

I have a soft spot in my heart for the Snapdragon flower. Not because of its ruffled beauty. Nor because when you squeeze it gently on the sides, the flower opens its mouth like a Dragon and then 'snaps' shut when you let go. Those things are wonderful. But I love the Snapdragon because of my husband Doug.

More than 20 years ago when we were first married and were on a trip somewhere in the United States (can't remember where actually), we were walking through a park and Doug bent down and picked a Snapdragon. I thought he was going to give to me. But instead he brought the flower right up to my face, squeezed it by the cheeks and said "Roar".

Now I had probably seen this done before when I was a kid. But when he did it, Doug made me feel like it was the first time. The delight I felt at that moment, I never forgot. And to this day, every time I see this darling flower I smile and re-live that memory.

So, when I saw this Snapdragon had seeded itself in my back garden, I just had to make a polymer clay color palette for all of you.

The following individual recipes will be added to the Polymer Clay Members Library during the month of Aug-2010 in Vol-027 [A-Series]:

• Snapdragon (Recipe 027-1A)
• Buttercup (Recipe 027-2A)
• Mossy Pathway (Recipe 027-3A)
• Cranberry Bog (Recipe 027-4A)

Snapdragon is the candy pink that is so prominent in this sweet little flower which carries such a big roar. Buttercup is the sunny yellow found in the mouth of this fierce Dragon. Mossy Pathway is the mossy Green of the garden's backdrop. And Cranberry Bog is the deep rich Cranberry Red found blushing the throat of the flower.

Hi Cindy! I have paid the $9.95 for the back issues and am a monthly paying member. The color cards are ingenious…love them! And, since I am a hands on person, I love the videos. Thanks for all your hard work! ~Jayne-S

I save the color recipes to "my pictures". It allows me to print four on one page which automatically reduces the size. Mine fit in a baby wipes box. Your newsletter makes my Fridays a treat!! Thank you. ~Sandra-G

I just wanted to let you know I have been able to access the videos and recipe cards I signed up for. I'm enjoying your web site and watching your videos. I'm excited about trying your ideas and mixing your recipes. Color mixing is not something I'm especially good at so it's really helpful to me to have access to color recipes. Best regards.
~Deborah-E

Thank you, Cindy. These color recipe cards are a wonderful resource! ~Marsha-N

Nothing is more beautiful or professional looking than perfectly sanded and buffed polymer clay beads. Now you can get that silky smooth, glassy finish on your beads, with a lot less effort… using Micro-Mesh Cushioned Abrasives.

Founded in 1966 (a particularly good year, since I was born in '66 LOL) Micro-Surface Finishing Products originally developed their finishing products for the art restoration industry. Based in Wilton, Iowa, USA, they have expanded over the years into commercial and industrial products for finishing, repairing and polishing many materials such as acrylic windows in airplanes, specialty metal engine parts, stone countertops, ceramics, wood products and even fingernails.

They have also created kits for Polymer Clay Artists… Yay!

Because Micro-Mesh is designed differently than regular wet/dry sandpaper, it is more efficient, more even and does a better job, faster. Which is something we all need when it comes to the dreaded job of sanding our polymer clay beads. Am I right?

So on Friday, July 23rd at the Polymer Clay Library (Vol-026-4), the member video tutorial will teach you how to use the Micro-Mesh Abrasives for sanding your Polymer Clay Beads. Some of you noticed that I already showed an example of this unique sanding product last week in the Faux Dichroic Glass video tutorial…

Cindy, where did you get the micro mesh discs you used in this Volume 026-3 Dichroic Glass video? They look as though they would be so much simpler to use. ~Jayne-S

Loved the "sanding" part… that will help me with some things I have already tried where the mica powder sort of "took over" the clay! Thanks for the tips Cindy! ~Lorrie-A

I am most interested in the MicroMesh sanding pads. Where can I obtain these other than the website offered? Also, have you considered becoming a distributer for some of the more obscure tools/specialty items that you demonstrate in your fantastic how-to videos? Oh – and did I mention how much I look forward to Fridays ~Beadbroad

Please Note: A general prerequisite for all of my weekly tutorials is that you have a good understanding of the polymer clay basics, including: conditioning clay, using a pasta machine, clay blade and other simple tools, making Skinner Blends or Teardrop Blends, baking clay, as well as sanding and finishing. If you need help in these areas, my Polymer Clay Beginners Course will get you up to speed quickly. There is also plenty of free information on this blog. Use the search box at the top of the page to find articles on specific topics.

Supplies & Tools: Video-026-4 Micro-Mesh Abrasives:

• Baked polymer clay bead, pendant, sculpture or whatever clay item you want to sand and polish.
• Micro-Mesh Regular Soft Touch Pad Variety Pack
  (2" x 2" at $10.17 USD) or (3" x 4" at $20.34 USD). The kit comes with pads in grades 1500, 1800, 2400, 3200, 3600, 4000, 6000, 8000, 12000 – 9 pads total, 1 per grade. Primary Use:  Softer wood, plastics, paint.
• Container of cold water with a drop or two of dish soap.
• Piece of felt or denim for polishing, or a Dremel fitted with felt wheel for power buffing.

The full version of the Vid-026-4 Micro-Mesh Abrasives video will be posted in the Polymer Clay Members Library on Friday July 23rd, 2010. But if you would like to see a sneak peek intro clip right now, scroll down the page a bit to the video player below.

Here's That "Link Below" Referred To at End of the Video
>> Polymer Clay Tutorials <<

The full version of the "Micromesh" preview video shown above, is now available for purchase at the Polymer Clay Library in the Vol-026 Back Issue Package.

Customer Feedback About Membership Value:

As a fairly new person to polymer clay, I have found the Polymer Clay Tutor to be an invaluable resource. I do subscribe to the member site and am glad to do so. Others with more experience may be better able to navigate all the information "out there", but I too found it all to be overwhelming. Cindy's courses and videos are well done, start with the basics, and then build as your skills increase. And, as another person said, it's all there in one spot. If you have specific questions, Cindy is very prompt to answer questions on the blog or in separate emails. For me, the cost of membership is well worth what I am getting!
~Marsha-N

Well hellooo Cindy! So nice to meet you face to face as it were. What a nice video of you! 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 can't help but sign on. Come on people! Sign up! You wont regret it! 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. XOXO ~Jamie-H

I have been subscribing to Cindy Lietz Tutor since about October '08. Her daily blogs are free to all and I find them very informative. Cindy does not try to cram in too much information and is excellent in presenting in a concise, organized and informative way. Her video tutorials are very well done; picture quality and content are excellent. Cindy and husband Doug do photo editing before posting a tutorial and do a lot of close up shots in a variety of angles of a bead or project; I am sure a lot of footage "ends up on the cutting room floor." As in her daily blogs, she does not repeat what others have already covered but does does research and tries techniques before posting a video showing what she has found to be most successful. As a paid subscriber, I love the color pallet recipes and don't know where else to get anything like them. I am confident she has tried out recipes before posting them on her site. The $9.95 for three months is excellent value because of the above stated reasons. I have been following this site on a daily basis long enough to know the blogs, recipes and videos have saved me a lot of frustration, discouragement and money through techniques that save time and materials. ~Anna-S

The following topics are included in this week's Miromesh Abrasives video tutorial:

• See examples of beautifully sanded and buffed polymer clay beads that would make you swoon if you could just hold them in your hands.
• Discussion of how the Micromesh abrasives work and how to use them.
• Learn tricks and tips for getting a perfect glossy shine on your beads with a lot less effort than regular sanding.
• Finally, reasons why the material works so well and how its design may keep your hands from cramping up and hurting, as often happens when you using regular wet/dry sandpaper.
  

The full version of the "Micromesh" preview video shown above, is now available for purchase at the Polymer Clay Library in the Vol-026 Back Issue Package.

As you may have noticed from today's featured Gallery post, as well as from previous ones (see Woodland Flora Pendant for another example of a recent Gallery feature), these photo spreads are included here at the blog to provide you guys with creative jewelry making ideas and inspiration.

Please use the comment section at the bottom of the page, to discuss the items presented… or to let me know what other projects you would like to see and learn more about.

Seeds of Change, Polymer Clay Art Jewelry Bracelet: Sometimes we need to sow the seeds of change, in order for our lives to get better… and this art jewelry piece says it all. Inspired by the words of the late Jim Rohn, a motivational speaker who touched the lives of many, this piece speaks to those of us that aspire to having greatness in life. Written around the 2 1/4" (5.5 cm) diameter circular face of this polymer clay bracelet, are the words, "Life does not get better by chance… Life gets better by change!" And from these words, sprouts a fresh new wire and polymer clay leaf. Symbolizing the hope and dreams and change we all must go through in order to better ourselves. Created with polymer clay and copper wire, this wearable art piece was born from my own desires for a better life. A life of peace, balance, creativity, prosperity and love… some of which I have lots of, and some of which I need more. The bracelet will fit a 6"-7" (15-18cm) wrist comfortably. Although it looks top heavy, it is actually quite light and is designed to stay upright and to keep from rotating on the wrist. Because of its sculptural form it is more of special occasion piece rather than everyday jewelry. In other words, it is not very practical to wear while doing housework or gardening :-) Total height of this bracelet is approximately 3" (8 cm) from the tip of the leaf to the end of the clasp. This unique bracelet is one-of-a-kind and would make a powerful statement accessory for when you or a friend are wanting to see some positive change happen in life. Price: $40 (US) – If you are interested in purchasing the Seeds of Change Bracelet shown in today's gallery post, then please send me an email. Be sure to include your full mailing address so I can work out the shipping cost for you.

** Did You Know… Members with current subscriptions to the weekly tutorial videos are always entitled to a 10% discount when purchasing 6 or more back issue packages in a single transaction. If you are interested, let me know which back issues you would like and I will send further instructions on how to complete your order.